PROJECT TITLE:  Wacky Food Factory & Intergalactic Hotels and Tourism

(Term 2 and Term 3, 2024)

School Name: Bayswater Primary School

Teacher’s Name: Freya Kreibich

Year Group: 5

Number of students: 28

Creative’s Name: Shae Watkins

Creative Practice: Performer/Theatre Maker

Main Curriculum Focus: Design and Technology

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Our Projects

Freya and I are so proud of this class and their dedicated, kooky and open minded approach to Creative Schools. It was amazing to witness the class working so well together and embracing each other's creative ideas. The energy and joy of the classroom was so contagious and lovely.

Our project in Term 2 was called “The Wacky Food Factory” and spoke to the food and fibre production aspect of the year five Design and Technology curriculum. For this project the class was empowered to dream up and create the ultimate fantastical food product and design the machinery needed to produce it. In groups they came up with a Willy Wonka-esque food item that they designed and developed through a range of creative activities and mediums. This challenge was to create a product and machine that was innovative, for the class to try and fill a gap in the market and revolutionise the food industry for the better through potentially solving an everyday problem, aiding people or speaking to sustainability and environmentalism. The class researched food processes, created ads and posters for their products and made fantastical machines from craft and recycled materials. Once the products and machines were developed the class was asked what creative way they wished to present their creations and it was collectively decided that the final creative task was to devise, write and film a Behind the News segment! They were amazing in developing characters from farmers to news anchors, collating all their inventive creations into a script and filming and editing their videos.
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“It lets us move around a lot and extend our thinking. It’s more creative.”

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In Term 3 we explored the solar system and planets, an exciting part of the Science curriculum. The class spent the term researching the planets and imagining what it would be like to explore and live on all of the different planets in our solar system.  In groups they designed hotels and for each planet, considering safety features that would be needed to sustain human life and keep visitors comfy, funky design choices that would work with the characteristics of their planet and fun and engaging group activities and planetary attractions that their hotels could offer their guests. The class made amazing models of their hotels and created information brochures and pamphlets. For our final showcase we created a very exciting intergalactic travel expo where each hotel had its own booth set up and a prepared presentation to draw in potential guests for their hotel, as teachers and parents were invited to walk around and peruse all the amazing hotel offerings and creations.

Collaboration was a particular focus with the class as Freya had mentioned that collaboration was an area that the class would benefit from developing.

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How did we make the curriculum come alive?

The curriculum came alive through finding fun, playful ways of focusing on what sparked joy and creativity for the class. The sessions were full of energy and creative exploration. Instead of sitting at desks we spent lots of time moving around the classroom, making, drawing, acting and exploring the grounds of the school.

We also had themed games and warm up activities that went hand in hand with the curriculum, for example playing games called ‘Alien’ and ‘Earth, Space Ship, Moon’ during the space unit. There was a great deal of creative output as the class participated in and made lots of different creations using a range of artistic mediums.

Elements of the curriculum outside of the intended Design and Technology and Science units also naturally were explored including English and Art.

“I’ve learnt that learning can be fun. Creative Schools is making us smile more. People are paying attention. They are not bored in class”

How did we make the 5 Habits of Learning come alive?

We addressed the 5 Habits of Learning consistently in the sessions and made sure to create a common language with the class around these habits. In our weekly reflections we would ask the class which habits they thought were most utilised in each session. It was also helpful to comment on, celebrate and highlight use of the habits when we could see a student actively use one of the 5, so they could learn to recognise in themselves use of imagination, discipline, collaboration, persistence and inquisitiveness. We also had physical representations of the habits in the classroom as a way for students to track which habit they used most in each session. In term two each student had a Creative Schools tree that they drew and would add a colour coded leaf to at the end of each class, the colour of leaf corresponding with one of the habits. They could keep track of which habits they were using, reflect on which habit they were using the least and watch their use of the habits grow as each leaf was added. In term two we had posters up in the room with 5 big planets, each representing a habit. Like astronauts exploring a new planet, the students would put a flag on a corresponding planet each week, identifying the habit that they most used and connected to in the session.

“I noticed when we get into groups, we are more collaborative and better at getting the work done.”

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How did we activate student voice and learner agency?

We prioritise checking in with students around which parts of the learning inspired and excited them. We kept the projects flexible which meant we could change the direction and physical outcomes of the project, depending on what the students wanted to create while keeping on task with the curriculum that needed to be taught and the creative school goals to meet. The ideas of a BTN and making models of their hotels both came from the class.

The class had a lot of creative agency in writing their own scripts, designing their own products and making their own sculptures.

“I’m really collaborative in Creative Schools. I’m getting along with people more. Creative Schools has given me the chance to collaborate with others more."

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What was the impact?

Student feedback about the impact of Creative Schools:

“I think Creative Schools should be a subject by itself in school because it’s so much fun.” 

“Creative Schools makes you happier. If you have had a bad day, it makes your day better. I like that it’s teaching us stuff like life lessons that I need for when I am older. It’s really great for when you feel upset. The Creative Schools teacher uplifts you.”

“We have been more collaborative and we think outside the box with our questions.”

“As a kid I’ve always loved doing creative things. But as the years have gone on, I felt like my creativity has been getting less. Because when you are little, you have time to play. But when you get older you have less time. Now we spend all our time in school, and it makes it harder to find spare time. Now with Creative Schools the creativity is in school time.”

“I don’t feel so tired. I feel more engaged and ready to take on a challenge after Creative Schools. Learning as a group helps. Being creative in a group isn’t a natural skill. I’m an only child so it helps me be creative with others.”

“Our class is more open to do projects with new people. We are more imaginative when doing things.”

“I’m noticing a big change in my mood and how I think about things. Before I used to worry about getting things wrong. It’s less stressful doing Creative Schools.”

“Creative Schools is inspiring. I find when we do Maths or English we aren’t collaborating. In Creative Schools you get different ideas from different peoples perspectives.”

“I’m learning to be more imaginative. In other lessons you just need to know the straightforward answer. But in Creative Schools it makes you think differently. Your answer can be different to anyone else’s. And both answers are right.”

“It lets us move around a lot and extend our thinking. It’s more creative.”

“I think I’m learning to be collaborative. I can be bossy. It’s helping me collaborate and be more imaginative.”

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