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CAN CHILDREN USESCIENCE TO DISCOVER THE

RECIPE FOR A PERFECTSANDCASTLE?

POINTthe tipping

Steve Bunce creates a cacophofireworks display to acacophony of sound

Robert Watts’ lesson plan on exploringjuxtapostion through collage

Sue Nicholls’ catchychants will develop

childrens’ understandingof pulse & rhythm

BANGINGTUNES

10

YOUR FACEORMINE? TIMES

A victorian suitcase that hasn’tbeen opened for more than100 years will bring out the

historian in your pupils

FREE!

RAPSRiveting

changing

bookazine cover Qx_Teach Primary 02/05/2012 15:07

A Victoriansuitcase that hasn'tbeen opened formore than 100years will bring outthe historian inyour pupils, says

RichardMcFahn...

Using the familiar setting of houses and homes, this lesson -highlighted as outstanding practice in Ofsted’s recent Historyfor All report - gets to the heart of one of history’s keyconcepts: change. Knowing that things haven’t always beenthe same as they are today is a vital way to help youngerchildren begin to understand how and why changes happenor do not happen. This lesson could be taught in one longchunk, or divided up. You decide.

Today you will learn...> By touching and feeling some old Victorian objects andguessing what they were used for

> To decide which objects go in which particular room in aVictorian house

> To learn the different names used for objects and thedifferent types of room in a Victorian house

Starter activity Immediately capture the

children's imagination by telling

them that you recently went to

visit your grandmother. You

talked to her about life when she

was a girl. She went into the attic

and bought down something

even older: a large suitcase full

of objects from her great

grandmother’s house, which

you have brought in to

show everyone!

Raise the level of excitement

by telling the children that you

haven’t looked at any of the

objects in the case. Ask the class

if they would like to help you?

CHANGING

If you contact your

local museum they

often have schemes

to lend such

objects and

artefacts. If not,

you can easily pick

an old suitcase up at a

second hand shop – the

artefacts you can use

depend on what is

available, but

recommended are

artefacts connected to

Victorian washing, i.e.

washboards, irons and pegs and

any artefacts connected to

Victorian kitchens.

KS1 LESSON PLAN:HISTORY

Main activities

1AnalysingartefactsSlowly take one object

out of the case at a time.

Ensure they are wrapped in

soft paper. Not only will this

protect them but it will help the

children understand that we

should respect the past and its

remains. Hand the object

around fully wrapped, ask the

children to feel the object,

describe what they can feel

and guess or infer what the

object is and what it was used

for. Can they work out which

objects belonged in which room

of a Victorian house? It might be

worth recording on the board the

children’s inferences and

thoughts. At this point, unwrap

the object to see how close the

children’s guesses are. Use

directed questions to guide them

and take their thinking deeper.

Do the same with the rest of the

objects, between 10 and 15 is the

correct amount – but don’t spend

too long here as you don’t want to

lose the momentum or the sense

of excitement..

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History Lesson plan Qx_Teach Primary 04/10/2011 15:51 Page 1

2Guided tourIt is now worth showing animage or a reconstructionof a Victorian house that

clearly depicts the different typesof rooms. Can the children decidewhich room each of your objectsbelongs to? (You can use this linkto allow your class to ‘visit’ aVictorian house and gain a senseof the past geffrye-museum.org.uk/learning/walk-through-a-victorian-house/walk-through).

Explain that the class is going towork together to create a displayentitled, ‘Victorian homes andhouses’. Ensure that you highlightand stress the key words, objectsand rooms that you are going toask different children to researchfor the display in part three.

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> Get the children to create a

happiness graph (happy/sad

on vertical axis, time along the

horizontal). Introduce new

inventions such as the

washing machine, place it on

the horizontal axis at the correct

time and get the children to work

Follow up and assess THE WAYS IN WHICH YOU FOLLOW UP THESE ACTIVITIES WILL DEPEND ONTHE STRUCTURE YOU HAVE CHOSEN. FOR EXAMPLE YOU COULD:

3Group workNow you can differentiate

your work according to

ability. Divide the children

into three or four different groups.

Ideally you will have two teaching

assistants to help you.

Group 1: can work out how the

Victorian washing process worked in

the scullery. The best option would

be for a small group to go outside

with a teaching assistant and use

artefacts to work out the order of the

ABOUT THE AUTHORRichard McFahn is a School Improvement Adviser inWest Sussex. He also runs a website(historyresourcecupboard.com), which provides fullyresourced lessons and advice on history teaching.

> Have you ever asked your parents or grandparentswhat their lives were likewhen they were children? > What type ofrooms do youthink they mighthave had in aVictorian house? > What objectsmight have beenused in a kitchen100 years ago? > How differentare houses todaycompared to theVictorian one? > What wouldmake a gooddisplay aboutVictorian homesand houses?

out how happy each one

would make its owner.

> Create a museum display with

artefacts and labels for a Victorian

house. Explain that children can

only use five objects. Which

objects would they choose

and why?

washing sequence. But you could

also use images on cards of a

wash tub, dolly, mangle,

pegs, iron etc.

Group 2: some of your lower

attaining children can work with a

teaching assistant. You will need

to beg or borrow a Victorian doll's

house here. Can they work out

which objects go in which room?

Place the objects in each room,

and then the group can create

some well chosen labels for the

names of the different rooms and

some of the objects.

Group 3: your middle ability

children could work on reinforcing

what they have learnt about the

different Victorian rooms, perhaps

by creating a guidebook to a

Victorian house. Their

understanding could then be

extended by exploring the

difference between the functions

of a Victorian house and a modern

house. You could match up old and

new objects on cards and identify

the similarities and differences

between each one.

Group 4: your more able children

could use books to research more

about the kitchen objects. They could

draw and label and write captions for

each item. Can they provide dates for

each item? They can then arrange the

objects, or captions, into chronological

order. This will help them understand

technological change.

At the end of the group work,

encourage each group to describe

what they have been doing and what

they have learnt about a Victorian

house and its functions. Try and

connect each group’s ideas together

to build a bigger picture. Use the

image you used of the Victorian

house earlier to emphasise this.

A huge thank you must go to

Michael Maddison, history HMI for

Ofsted, who kindly agreed to allow me

to use and adapt this lesson from his

report, History for all, and the teacher

who planned and taught this lesson in

front of an Ofsted inspector. Well done

you! If you want to read this report it

can be found here

(ofsted.gov.uk/resources

/history-for-all).

A Victorian Discovery Visit at anEnglish Heritage property.

english-heritage.org.uk/education

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History Lesson plan Qx_Teach Primary 04/10/2011 15:51 Page 2

94

Can children use science todiscover therecipe for a perfectsandcastle, asksSue Martin?

Children love to play with sand and their experience in sandpits or at thebeach means they will probably have built a sandcastle. If they haven’t, theymust be given the opportunity! If they have, they will know that it is importantto get the ‘right type’ of sand to make a good castle – by that, of course, wemean a good mix of sand and water: too wet or too dry and the sandcastlewon’t work. Getting it right can provide a great opportunity for a funmaterials-based science investigation.

Today you will learn...To develop your investigative skills: planning; obtaining and presentingevidence; considering evidence and evaluating; and practising yourmeasuring skills. The aim of the investigation is to determine how much water should beadded to dry sand to make a sturdy sandcastle.

Starter activity Ask children to share ideas about

sand (where we find it, what it’s

used for, etc) – with each other, in

small groups and with the whole

class. They may tell you facts or

just share experiences – give

credit for all their ideas and

responses.

Tell the children that you are

going to make a sandcastle. Fill

your ‘bucket’ (a plastic container

such as a large yoghurt pot will

be fine) with dry sand, pat it down

and swiftly upturn it onto a tray.

Watch as the sandcastle rapidly

collapses – look disappointed!

Ask the question, “I wonder why

it won’t hold together?” The

THE TIPPINGpointchildren are likely to say that the

sand is too dry or needs water.

Add far too much water to

make a good consistency of

sand and try to build a new

castle. Too much water tends

to lead to sand left behind in

the ‘bucket’ or the castle falling

apart. From these outcomes,

pose the question, “I wonder

how we can find out

scientifically how much water is

needed to make the sandcastles

turn out well? Let’s investigate.”

The children will probably be

brimming with ideas of how

they can make a good castle. Let

them share ideas. Ultimately you

will need to channel their ideas

KS1 LESSON PLAN:SCIENCE

into comparing castles made

with sand and a variety of

water quantities.

Main activities

1Prepare for the test KS1 children will

probably need guidance

on how to carry out a fair

comparison. The children

should all have the opportunity

to make sandcastles – this is

easy to achieve in small groups.

Yoghurt pots or plastic cups are

ideal to use in the classroom.

Provide each group with a tray

on which to make their castles.

To measure accurate quantities

of water, syringes work really

well. Give the children a chance

to practise filling syringes with

specific amounts of water, e.g.

2ml, 5ml, 10ml, etc. I have set up

Science Lesson plan Qx_Teach Primary 26/08/2011 15:53 Page 1

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2Carry out theexperimentDepending on the ageand experience of the

children, guide them towardsmaking castles with the samequantity of sand each time(controlled variable) andprogressively more water(independent variable). You willneed to do a test run in advanceof the lesson to check the amountof water that works for yourquantity of sand/castle size. Youmay start with just a fewmillilitres of water.

For each castle, the childrenshould fill the plastic containerwith dry sand and pour it into thebowl. A measured quantity ofwater is then added and stirredthoroughly into the sand. (Handsare ideal for mixing purposes – beprepared with cloths, wipes or

bowls of water to avoid tripsback and forth to the sink.)This mix is then put backinto the plastic container,patted down and turned outonto the tray. It may be nice

for the children to take apicture of the ‘castle’

produced.

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> Discuss the results achieved –

there may be a very definite

ideal, but it is more likely that a

range of water quantities will

work well. However, there will

also be some that are too dry and

some too wet. Share results

between groups to see if there is

consistency. This investigation is

quite open and can lead to really

good science discussion.

Follow up and assess TAKE TIME TO ANALYSE YOUR RESULTS

3Record the resultsIdeally, this procedure should be repeated with different quantities

of water – the range should be between castles that are too dry

and those that are too wet. The castles could be turned out next to

each other on the tray to make direct comparisons and photos taken to

show the results. If the quantity of water added is systematically

increased, e.g. 2 or 5ml at a time (depending on castle size), it is easy to

identify how much water is in each castle if written records are not made.

Using a digital camera to snap results is always useful, as it is inevitable

that a castle will be inadvertently knocked down!

ABOUT THE AUTHORSue Martin is a Teaching Award winner and DeputyHeadteacher at Talbot House Preparatory School inBournemouth. Previously, Sue was Head of Physics atParkstone Grammar School in Poole, Dorset.

>How much watermade a goodsandcastle? Canthere be toolittle/too much?>What does thewater do? Childrenapproach sciencetasks with theirown ideas aboutwhat’s happening.We ignore theirpreconceptions atour peril! Let thechildren talk abouttheir ideas and use questions toguide themtowards a betterunderstanding. Wewould not expectKS1 children tounderstand howsurface tension inthe water pulls thegrains of sandtogether, but youcan talk about thegrains sliding overeach other whenthe sand is dry and‘sticking’ morewhen they arewet. With toomuch water, thegrains can slidemore easily again.

this investigation

at different levels with

children from 3-7 years and found

that some in each year group know

immediately how to fill a syringe,

whilst others have no idea. Make

sure all the children have this skill

and can measure a specific amount

before they start their investigation.

This activity can be a lot of fun for

young children in and of itself.

> Can other substances be used to

replace water? Let the children

suggest and try other substances to

mix with dry sand to bind the

particles together. Consider

whether the children follow a

systematic approach to measuring

out their suggested substances

(they could choose a non-liquid and

would need to find a different way

of measuring the quantity used).


100

Starter activity Try this echo rap with KS1

children. There's no need to

display or memorise lines, the

children just copy the leader to

achieve a satisfying, instant

performance. Echoing

encourages focused listening and

the actions are given as

instructions (the imperative

voice), making a valid link to

literacy.

Hello to you!(Taken from The Song Stack and

reproduced here by kind

permission of Music Education

Supplies – mesdirect.com. Some

actions are described – the rest

are given in the text.)

Hello to you! (arms outstretched with index

fingers pointing round the circle)

Move your shoulders: one, two! Now stamp your feet! And clap on the beat! Hands stretch up high!

RIVETING

Wiggle fingers near the sky!Give a smile, give a grin!Turn around and spin!Well done, everyone! (thumbs up!)

Our music’s begun! (open arms to include everyone

in the gesture)

Main activities

1Write your own rapsTry writing raps with KS1

pupils in shared writing

lessons. Make pairs of rhyme

cards on contrasting colours,

e.g. ‘sure’ on yellow, ‘floor’ on

red, then introduce some

modelled opening lines for the

children to extend and develop:

Sue Nicholls’ catchychants will develop

children'sunderstanding of

pulse and rhythmand create

memorable linkswith literacy and the

wider curriculum...

Raps are hugely popular with primary pupils and are so easyto incorporate into the curriculum. The term ‘rap’ as used inprimary schools embraces many styles of chant and verse, but most will follow a pattern of paired rhyming lines,i.e. rhyming couplets. They offer opportunities for cross-curricular work, most obviously in literacy, because ofthe bond with rhyme, syllabic stress, metre and poetic form, but can also be harnessed to great effect in everysubject area. Raps belong in the musical domain because of the strong underlying beat (or pulse) which anchorsthe lines of text, giving a strong driving momentum; and the rhythm, dictated by the syllable patterns. Raps provide an attractive format for vocally inexperienced practitioners because they require no actual singing, yet they incorporate many musical features.

Today you will learn...To explore a range of raps, incorporating pulse (strong beat) and rhythmic accuracy To recognise and use rhyme patterns and manipulate syllables to maximise effectTo construct your own rap material using models and rhyme banks To add movement and actions to enhance performance

raps

Hey everyone!Let’s have some fun,So bend your kneesFold your arms and squeeze!...

Create limelight moments by

using names in your raps:

Hey there, Fred,Get out of bed!Make your body jiveAnd copy Clive!

head - Fred bike - Mike

knee - Lee keep on - John

still - Phil jive - Clive

do - Sue crawl - Paul

whizz – Liz squeak - Razik

kick - Nick back - Jack

awake - Jake sashay - May

KS1 LESSON PLAN:

MUSIC

Adding actions endorsesthe musical concept of pulse(strong beat), improvescoordination and bringsenergy to the performance.Encourage children to inventmoves to give them greaterownership of the material.

sure/floor hand/band

click/flick groove/move

bend/end slide/glide

put/foot wave/rave

trip/flip high/try

Music Lesson plan Qx_Teach Primary 26/08/2011 15:34 Page 1

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2HI! MY NAME ISBRAD(Taken from TheManchester Singing School

books, reproduced bykind permission of theManchester MusicService primarycurriculum advisoryteam.)

This chant, writtenby Maurice Walsh, is a

real winner, demandingserious concentration in

order to place the clickscorrectly! Children should click

their fingers - or clap - at theasterisks.

Hi * * my name is Brad * *I’ve got a sister * she nearly drives me mad! * *Fiddle dee dum! * * Fiddle dee dee! * *If only she could * be good *She’d be as nice as me *

Hi * * my name is Joy * *I’ve got a brother * he’s such anaughty boy! * *Fiddle dee dum! * * Fiddle dee dee! * *If only he could * be good *He’d be as nice as me *

Hi * * I’m one of the teachers * *I’ve got a class * of ‘orrible littlecreatures!* *Fiddle dee dum! * *Fiddle dee dee! * *If only they could * be good *I’d take them all to McDonald’s for tea!

Once the words are familiar, askthe children to write new versionsusing other names and rhymes, e.g.

Hi * * my name is Alice * * I’ve got a friend * who owns a

golden palace * *

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> Organise a rhyme bank board,

asking children to research and

write rhyme pairs on Post-Its, to

add to the class collection.

> Experiment with simple repeated

percussion patterns to accompany

and drive the rap performance to

keep the pace steady.

> Write your own raps for different

topics and add actions.

Follow up and assess DISCUSS WHAT MAKES A GOOD RAP AND ENCOURAGE THE USE OF

MUSICAL VOCABULARY SUCH AS ‘PULSE’, ‘RHYTHM’ OR ‘PATTERN’.

3The Mummy Rap!(By kind permission of the partnership between Derby City

Young People's Directorate and the Museum Service: the

Flagship Learning Programme funded by Renaissance.)

This KS2 rap reinforces historical vocabulary and describes the

mummification processes. Add suitable actions and bandage some

volunteers to enhance your performance!

Chorus: (Step from side to side; arms crossed over the chest)

I’m a mummy, I’m a mummy and I’m all in white! You can only see an outline ‘cos I’m wrapped up tight!

I’m off to the afterlife, that’s a factSo special things are done to keep my body intact!A really good wash with water from the NileThe embalmers don’t hurry; this job takes a while. Chorus

Organs like my liver, intestines and lungsAre sealed in jars with special bungs!The brain’s taken out with a very long hookIt goes up the nose - p’raps you shouldn’t look! Chorus

I’m stored in Natron – salty stuffIt dries up the body so it won’t go off.Drying it out takes forty daysThen everything’s oiled for the final stage. Chorus

A bandage for every finger and toeThen legs and arms wrapped nice and slow!Amulets hidden in layers betweenCharms make the afterlife calm and serene. Chorus

ABOUT THE AUTHORSue Nicholls is a freelance music education consultant.She is a national Sing Up trainer and co-chair of theNational Association of Music Educators' EYFS andPrimary Focus Group.

Use raps to...> Impartinformation, e.g.topic work> Introduce orembedvocabulary> Introduceconcepts > Stimulatedialogue anddrama> Tackle revision> Retell stories,support narrative>Giveinstructions(‘imperative’voice)> Introduceassemblies> Approachsensitivesubjects (PSHE)


We put on clothing to stay warm, so is dressing up Frosty going tokeep him cool or hasten his demise, asks Sue Martin?The next time there's a snow day, use the opportunity to do somegreat science investigations. Ask the students to find out whether ornot their snowmen will last longer with or without clothing. Theycould do an investigation in full scale or with miniatures. And if itdoesn't turn out to be a white Christmas, you can model theconditions using ice cubes and bring the fun indoors any time.

Today you will learn...> Children will be encouraged to develop their Sc1 investigative skills:‘Planning’; ‘Obtaining and presenting evidence’; and ‘Consideringevidence and evaluating’.

> They will also learn about ‘Changes of state’ (Sc3 2b, 2d) and ‘Thermalinsulation’ (Sc3 1b). The investigation aim will be to determine whether asnowman will remain frozen longer if it is insulated.

Starter activity As an opening activity, tell the

children you are going to set

them a challenge: they will each

be given an ice cube man and

must try to keep him from

melting for as long as possible. I

use a Lego ice cube tray to

produce icemen. Having a

character / fun shape makes the

challenge of keeping it from

melting more meaningful and

exciting, but of course it’s not

essential.

There are many other cheap

moulds to be found – dinosaurs,

fish, shells, hearts, etc. Make the

ice shapes in batches, turn them

out and store them in a freezer

bag until there are sufficient

numbers for the investigations.

To being with, give pupils just a

few minutes to think about how

they may want to stop their ice

character from melting. Be

prepared to let them use any

means they suggest (within

reason). Children may want to

wrap their ice, but equally they

SHOULD SNOWMEN WEARcoats?may choose to place it in a

particular location, put it into

water, etc. Try not to comment on

any choices made.

Once everyone is clear about

the plan, allow the children to

collect any materials required (a

container may be useful to

prevent too many puddles) and

then give out the ice cubes. As

soon as everyone is ready, start a

timer and allow 10 minutes

melting time. During this time, ask

the children to talk about

their choices – first in pairs,

then in groups and finally

ask the groups to share

their ideas with the whole

class. Once the 10

minutes is over, allow

the children to recover

the icemen and

compare the results in

their groups. Which

icemen were the most

intact? Which had

melted? Can they account

for the observed

differences?

KS2 LESSON PLAN:SCIENCE

84


2Ensure a fair testDepending on the age and abilities of the students, either plan an

investigation together as a class or in individual groups. The

students need to identify key variables (size / shape / mass /

volume of ice / ambient temperature / materials for insulation / thickness /

layers etc.), how they will measure the changes to the icemen, and decide on

the time the ice should be left to melt. The earlier investigation should

indicate a reasonable time to allow. In measuring how the icemen change,

it's probably easiest to measure the change in mass. Each should be

weighed at the start and end of the desired timescale to determine how

much its mass changes during that time.

Each group could test a number of different insulating materials on the

icemen, or a different material could be given to each group, with the results

shared after the investigation, depending on time available for the class.

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> Ask the students to consider how

the results may be used to reach a

conclusion and answer the original

question. They should first

demonstrate an understanding

that insulation reduces the

rate of melting, i.e. it is

better for a snowman to

wear a coat. Secondly,

the iceman that has the

Follow up and assess TAKE TIME TO ANALYSE YOUR RESULTS

ABOUT THE AUTHORSue Martin is a Teaching Award winner and DeputyHeadteacher at Talbot House Preparatory School inBournemouth. Previously, Sue was Head of Physics atParkstone Grammar School in Poole, Dorset.

>What is athermal insulator?(A material thatdoes not let heatflow through iteasily. Differentmaterials havedifferentinsulatingproperties.Materials that trapsmall pockets ofair make goodinsulators, e.g.polystyrene,bubble wrap, foamsponge.)>Why shouldinsulation beuseful to asnowman? Snowmelts when heatfrom the Sunreaches it. Theinsulation reducesthis heat flow sothe snowmanmelts more slowly.> What factorsaffect theeffectiveness ofthe insulation?Consider type ofmaterial/thickness/layers, etc.

smallest change in mass has the best

insulation surrounding it.

Students should be able to

present the results in a bar chart and

rank the insulations in terms of their

effectiveness. Encourage students

to look at the materials and consider

similarities in the best insulators –

they may see that many good

insulators trap small pockets of air.

85

Main activities

1Make predictionsPose a question for the

investigation: 'Should a snowman

wear a coat and if so, which

material would be best to use as a coat

for a snowman?' Discuss how groups

could set up an investigation to answer

these questions. Assuming that snow is

not available to use, first consider how

ice can be used as a suitable alternative

to snow and whether conclusions

drawn from the results can be applied to

snowmen. Ask the students to make a

suitable hypothesis or prediction –

focus on the need to wear a coat and

also the best coat to use.

3Start the clockIn each case, the iceman

should be weighed, wrapped

and the timer started. After a

set time, say 10 minutes, the iceman is

unwrapped and weighed again. A

number of icemen could be timed

simultaneously in a group situation.

One iceman should be tested

with no insulation to

produce a ‘control’

result. This will

enable the class

MATERIAL

to conclude whether some insulation

(a coat) is better than no coat at all.

The results from the insulated

icemen should enable the class to

decide which material is the best

insulator or coat material for

a snowman.

Results may be gathered

together from groups to create

a table, e.g:

MASS OF ICEMAN AT START OF INVESTIGATION (g)

MASS OF ICEMAN AT END OF INVESTIGATION (g)

CHANGE IN MASS OF ICEMAN (g)

No insulation

Bubble wrap

Sponge cloth

Kitchen roll

Etc.

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Steve Bunce creates a spectacular fireworks display to acacophony of sound, without setting fire to the classroom...

KS1 LESSON PLAN:ICT

92

With Bonfire Night approaching, these activities, which combine music, poetry and ICT, canbe used to create a virtual firework display in the classroom. The lesson starts with areminder about the different types of fireworks and how a display can be set to music. Thechildren will then record themselves reading a Bonfire Night poem before adding soundeffects to this. Finally, they will use software to create a fireworks themed pop music track.

BANGINGtunesToday you will learn...

> to use online simulations to create a virtual fireworks display > to create and record fireworks sounds and rhymes using online tools> to record and playback fireworks rhymes using song creation software

Main activities

1RememberRemember Share the rhyme for the Gun

Powder plot with the children

and chant it together:

Remember, remember

the fifth of November,

Gunpowder, treason and plot,

We see no reason,

Why gunpowder treason,

Should ever be forgot!

Ask children if they understand

all of the words? Which words

rhyme? Would they like to record

themselves reading the rhyme?

Even better, would they like to add a

backing track and become pop stars?

Most computers have ways of

recording voices; for example, you

might use Windows Sound Recorder.

Standalone microphones, such as the

Easi-Speak (tts-group.co.uk), are also

very useful for capture and playback.

Sounds can be recorded online, too.

Using Vocaroo (vocaroo.com), the

children can chant into the computer

microphone and listen back to their

recording straight away. (You may get

a small warning screen requesting

access to your microphone. Select ‘OK'

to continue.) The finished recording

can then be downloaded or emailed.

Starter activity Start with a fireworks display to

capture the children's attention.

Using the Disney Fireworks

website (disney.co.uk/disney-

create/fireworks) you can create

you own display with a variety of

fireworks: fan, big bomb, parasol,

Roman candle, supernova and

Catherine wheel. You can also

introduce the idea of setting a

display to music by selecting one

of three different backing tracks

(or no music) from the toolbar

towards the top right of the screen.

You could prepare a fireworks

display before the lesson or use the

pre-recorded demo display (select

the video camera icon at the

bottom right-hand side). Watch

the simulation full screen for the

best effect.

Ask the children at what times

they see fireworks (at celebrations

such as New Year, the opening of

the Olympics or Bonfire Night). Do

they know the date of Bonfire

Night? Is it the same date every

year? Why do we celebrate Bonfire

Night?

This could lead to an introduction

to the Gunpowder Plot. You can

also find a KS1 firework safety

pack, which contains details of the

story, rhymes and advice, here:

ICT Lesson plan Qx_Teach Primary 30/04/2012 11:00 Page 1

2Snap, crackle and popThe children can now create

and record sound effects to

represent fireworks. For instance, what

does a Roman candle sound like? Can

the children make that sound?

In the first activity, children made

single track recordings. Now they can

have a go at recording multiple tracks

using software such as Audacity

(audacity.sourceforge.net) or Myna

(aviary.com/tools/audio-editor); both

of which are free.

Ask children to think about the

recordings they make. Why do they

think their noises sound like

fireworks? How could they improve

their sound effects?

Many free sound effects are available

online. With support from the teacher,

the children could listen to firework

sounds to help make their own

impressions more realistic. Two

example sites are:

>freesound.org/browse/tags/fireworks

>soundjax.com/fireworks

_sounds-1.html

There's also an opportunity for using

percussion instruments and other

improvised sounds, e.g. when twisted,

bubble wrap makes an excellent

crackle.

Working in groups, children can create

their audio fireworks displays and

record them.

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ABOUT THE AUTHORSteve Bunce is VITAL's ICT CPD leader for the NorthEast and Yorkshire & Humber at Open University.VITAL is all about supporting teachers and schools todevelop their use of ICT professionally (vital.ac.uk).

> Remembering -can you namethree types offirework?> Understanding- why do peoplecelebrate BonfireNight?> Applying - canyou tell someoneelse how to recordtheir voice?> Creating - canyou create a newpoem for the firesafety code?> Analysing -why do peopleneed a fire safetycode?> Evaluating -how could youmake yourfirework soundsmore realistic?

93

> In the lesson the children have

enjoyed recording and listening to

themselves chanting and making

fireworks noises. To conclude, we can

display fireworks safety advice

(bbc.co.uk/schools/events/bonfire_

night/worksheets.shtml).

> Which instruction do the children

think is most important? Could they

Follow up and assess create a simple chant or poem to

warn other children? Could they

record it using one of the methods

we have mentioned?

> To finish, playback the recording

and create a fireworks display to

accompany it using the on screen

fireworks web page

(maylin.net/fireworks.html).

3Roman candle in the windTo create our fireworks song we can use a fun piece of software called

Microsoft Songsmith (research.microsoft.com/en-

us/um/redmond/projects/songsmith). It is free to use for a total of six

hours (a duration of actual use, not the time from installation). When children

chant the fireworks poem, Microsoft Songsmith will generate a musical

accompaniment to match the pitch of their voices.

Children could begin with the Remember, Remember rhyme or use Irene Yates'

poem, Bonfire Night that's included in the fireworks safety pack mentioned

earlier. It starts:

In the night-time darkness,

In the night-time cold,

Did you spot a Catherine wheel

Raining showers of gold?

On opening Microsoft Songsmith, select ‘New song’ and you will be presented with

a choice of genres. My children liked the ‘Bluegrass’ style, but there are many

others with which to experiment. You can adjust the speed of the music – we

found that a tempo of 60 bpm worked well. Press 'record', wait for the introductory

bars to complete and Songsmith will tell you when to start. Chant the poem and

try to match the words to the beat of the music. Once complete, press 'stop' and

listen; an instant soundtrack is created to accompany the words.

You may have to experiment with the volume and the pace of the chanting to

get the best results. However, many pop stars have to re-record tracks over and

over, so it is important for the children to realise it is not an easy task.

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Remember the 1972 Olympics? Perhaps you don’t,but I certainly do. I was seven years old at the timeand obsessed with three things: sport, maths andart. With its combination of athletic achievement,record-breaking statistics and dynamic visuals, theOlympics was the perfect event for me. I spent muchof 1972 drawing diagrams of running tracks,compiling lists of champions and running around amakeshift Olympic arena in the back garden. Thosewere the days.

But there’s a particular visual element of the 1972Olympics that lingers in my memory more than anyother. One innovation of the games was a brilliantlydesigned set of wordless images, or pictograms,each of which symbolised a particular area ofsporting activity. The pictograms each representedhuman figures, reduced to circles and rectangles butdrawn in such a way that the nature of the activityrepresented was perfectly clear to the viewer.

These pictograms were so effective atcommunicating essential information in a dynamic,engaging way that they have exerted a stronginfluence on subsequent signage used at the games.forty years on, design studio Someone has created anew set of pictograms for the 2012 games (try typing‘London 2012 pictograms’ into n search engine).

KS2 LESSON PLAN:ART & DESIGN

Today youwill learn...

> to make observationaldrawings of each other indynamic sporting poses

> to reduce the drawings totheir essential visual elementsto create pictograms thatrepresent Olympic events

> to extend your work intocollage and ICT

92

Using a few simple lines and shapes, childrencan create powerful and instantly recognisableimages, like those imprinted onRobert Watt's mind from the1972 Olympics...

Starter activityThe beauty of pictograms lies in

their simplicity. Many 20th

century artists explored ideas

around reducing the visual

world to its simplest elements:

Mondrian, for example, began

his career by making intricate,

detailed drawings of trees,

before gradually reducing their

forms to the squares and

rectangles of his later abstract

work. In this creative project,

children will follow a similar

journey with their own

poseST

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artwork, learning how the

simplest of shapes can

effectively communicate ideas

and actions. They’ll begin by

experimenting with

observational drawings of each

other enacting poses that

evoke the exciting movements

of Olympic or Paralympic

events, drawings that will then

be used as a springboard for

further experiments in collage

and ICT.

Start by showing the class

some examples of everyday

road signs that feature

pictograms, and draw their

attention to the way the actions

of the figures are

communicated without words.

Ask children to suggest

reasons why pictures are

sometimes more effective than

words for communicating

information - some will

understand, for example, that

drivers on a busy road have

little time to read instructions

on a sign but are quick to ‘read’

the information contained in an

image. This notion of ‘reading’

images is central to the

practical work the children will

make.

Introduce children to Olympic

and Paralympic pictograms – the

1972 originals or the

contemporary versions are easily

found online – and explain that

they will be making their own

pictograms, representing a range

of sporting events. Remind

children that the audience for

these pictograms will be

international, so each event will

need to be captured in a clear,

simple, distinctive image.

Art n design Lesson plan Qx8_Teach Primary 08/11/2011 10:27 Page 1

Main activities

1Observationaldrawings Begin by asking children to

adopt action poses inspired

by their chosen sport. Some

choices will be more popular

than others, so you might need

to do a little extra promotion for

certain events – and try

providing a few props for sports

such as archery. Children

should work in pairs or

small groups and decide

which pose best

represents the chosen

sport, before beginning

observational drawings of

each other.

At this point, encourage

children to simplify their

drawings as much as possible.

Stress that they need not include

eyes, noses and other features -

instead, encourage children to

look for regular shapes such as

squares, rectangles and circles.

You could also emphasise the

importance of proportion:

children should try to ensure the

relative size of each section of the

body is fairly accurate.

A great way to encourage

children to look closely at

proportion is to ask them to make

drawings of wooden mannequins

that can easily be twisted into

interesting action poses. (Another

advantage is that they tend not to

complain about being asked to

maintain awkward poses for

several minutes!)

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> Extending the collage activity

from scissors and paper into

screens and pixels is an exciting

and engaging way to develop

the project. Even the simplest of

painting programs will allow

children to construct regular

shapes such as circles and

rectangles on screen:

combining several of these to

create pictograms of sporting

stars is a relatively

Follow up and assess

ABOUT THE AUTHORRobert Watts is the Programme Convener for the MA Art,Craft and Design Education course at the University ofRoehampton, London, and the co-author of Teaching Artand Design 3–11, published by Continuum Books.

> Assemble acollection of signsthat use images tocommunicateinformation.Which do youthink are the most original or effective, and why?> If you were todesign a set ofpictograms fordisplay aroundyour school, what might theylook like?> People often saythat a picture isworth a thousandwords. What doesthis mean, and doyou think it’s true?

straightforward process.

The process is particularly

interesting if you have access to

software such as Adobe

Photoshop Elements, which

provides the option of working

with layers of images. Place one

shape on each layer, then

experiment with copying each

layer and moving it around the

screen to adjust the pose of

the figure.

2Paper collages offigures in motionChildren will now use

their observational

drawings as inspiration for some

striking collages of figures in

motion. Provide scissors,

magazines and glue sticks,

together with a selection of round

and rectangular objects that can

be drawn around (though older

children could practise

constructing rectangles and

circles using rulers and

compasses). Explain that they

need to find blocks of colour in

the magazines from which

rectangles and circles can be cut.

Once children have

assembled a collection of these

shapes, ask them to work

together to create collages of

figures in sporting action. Images

of the Olympic and Paralympic

pictograms can provide

inspiration, but encourage

children to develop their own

ideas beyond those they can see.

Place the pieces on paper and

experiment with arranging

and rearranging them into

different compositions.

When children are happy

with the composition of their

figures, they should paste them

into place on large sheets of

paper. Each individual piece could

then be combined with others

to create an impressive whole-

class artwork.

93

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Art n design Lesson plan Qx8_Teach Primary 08/11/2011 10:28 Page 2

Collage is one of the most fascinating processesused in art and design, one guaranteed to engagechildren across the primary age range. Foryounger children, collage can be as simple as cuttinga shape from one piece of paper and sticking it toanother. As they grow older, however, childrenbecome more ambitious as they realise they can usecollage to create complex compositions that bothextend their thinking and challenge theirpreconceptions.

One reason why many children are initiallydrawn to collage is that it requires relatively fewtechnical skills. As children progress through KS2,they become increasingly aware of ‘who’s the best inthe class’ at drawing or painting, and those who lacka little confidence can easily become discouragedand disillusioned with art. Collage is a processconcerned more with imagination than technicaldexterity and, as such, it can be an effective way toengage those children whose interest in art isstarting to decline.

A key reason why children find collageinteresting is that it offers opportunities to createexciting juxtapositions. Juxtapositions occur whenone object or image is placed next to another,resulting in new images that can be unexpected,unconventional, often funny and sometimes scary.Juxtaposition can be a very quick and efficient wayof creating striking and memorable artworks, andit’s the theme that underlies the ideas presented inthis project, which itself juxtaposes traditionaltechniques with contemporary equivalents.

KS1/2 LESSON PLAN:ART & DESIGN

> to create collages thatjuxtapose images, resulting in

surprising combinations

> to use pencils or charcoal tomake observational drawings

that can then be collaged

> to extend your work into collageand ICT

Mixing up portraits can lead tosome unexpected, amusing oreven unnerving results inRobert Watts' lesson onexploring juxtapositionthrough collage...

YOU

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Starter activityThe origins of modern collage

date back 100 years to the

experiments Picasso and

Braque carried out in their Paris

studios (the term is derived from

coller: ‘to glue’). A century on,

collage continues to be a

medium that appeals to

contemporary artists. London’s

Saatchi Gallery may be famous

for Damien Hirst’s pickled shark

and Tracey Emin’s unmade bed,

but it’s also the place to find

some of the most interesting

and innovative artists’ work

ever made with paper and scissors.

Two such artists have inspired

some of the practical activities on

these pages. David Thorpe’s

atmospheric images of urban

landscapes are made from paper

meticulously cut into precise shapes,

juxtaposing flat areas of colour to

represent the visual world.

Meanwhile, John Stezaker’s collages

take us from landscapes to portraits,

with juxtaposed images of forgotten

movie stars from the 1940s and 50s.

These images are ideal for

introducing children to the creative

potential of collage.

OR MINE?face

Today you will

learn...

Art n design Lesson plan_Teach Primary 19/12/2011 08:48 Page 1

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> Encourage children to work

in small groups to gather a

selection of images of faces

from magazines. Each group

should then experiment with

placing the features in different

combinations before

selecting the composition

they are happy with and


ABOUT THE AUTHORRobert Watts is the Programme Convener for the MA Art,Craft and Design Education course at the University ofRoehampton, London, and the co-author of Teaching Artand Design 3–11, published by Continuum Books.

> When we placeone image next toanother, do boththe images lookthe same as theydid before? Or doesone change theother? > How do you looksimilar to yourpartner? How areyou different?What would theworld be like ifeverybody lookedthe same?> Do you ever seeexamples ofjuxtaposition inadvertising, or ontelevision? Try tocollect someexamples, andreflect on why youthink thedesigners havechosen tojuxtaposeparticular images.

pasting the features into place.

> A natural extension of the

double portrait idea is to carry out

the activity onscreen. Children can

open their initial pair of portraits in

an art and design software

package, then simply select a

section of one image and copy and

paste it over the top of another.

3Landscape collagesDavid Thorpe’s collages of urban landscapes have inspired this

activity, which offers opportunities to make some final

unexpected juxtapositions (saatchi-gallery.co.uk/artists

/david_thorpe.htm). Load two images onto your PC that you want to

juxtapose in a collage. Place a thin sheet of paper over the PC screen and

trace the part of each image that you want to use. On paper, colour in

each of the images - try using dark tones to create silhouettes - and

assemble them onto coloured paper to create the finished collage.

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Main activities

1Juxtaposing photos Begin by introducing children to

collages made by John Stezaker

(saatchi-gallery.co.uk/

artists/john_stezaker.htm). Children

will immediately respond to the

images – they’re likely to find the

unexpected juxtapositions of facial

features amusing, unnerving and

intriguing and will quickly recognise

that they could easily create similar

images of their own.

If you’re carrying out the activity

with the whole class, it’s useful to

have a printed portrait photograph of

each child ready to save time. If you’re

working with a small group, however,

getting children to take photographs

and upload them to the computer is a

useful lesson in itself.

Children will need to work in pairs

for the activity, each with their own

portrait photograph. While they might

prefer to work with their close

friends, the finished images will be

more effective if they can work

alongside someone whom they

doesn’t physically resemble too

closely (it can be a good opportunity

for girls and boys to collaborate).

All children need to do is to slice

one of the portrait photographs in

half and place it on top of the other

photograph. It sounds simple, but in

order for the juxtaposition to be really

effective, they’ll find they will need to

experiment with a few different

arrangements before deciding which

is the most striking. Children might

decide, for example, that they would

like certain features, such as the nose

or mouth, to be shared equally. Even if

partners can’t quite agree on a

composition, they have the chance of

making a second variation using the

discarded pieces from the first.

2Pencil portraitsOnce children have

completed their

photographic collages,

offer them opportunities to

experiment with drawn portraits.

Working in twos or threes, ask

them to use pencil or charcoal to

make close observational

drawings of each other. These can

be scanned and printed if you

want to preserve the originals,

otherwise, each drawing can

simply be cut in two, with each

half juxtaposed against another. In

the example shown here, children

have experimented with cutting

irregular lines around the features

before combining the images.

Art n design Lesson plan_Teach Primary 19/12/2011 08:49 Page 2

1Playing tunedpercussion Y3 & Y4 Try this simple

instrumental accompaniment to

What can you see? on tuned

percussion. There are two note

clusters (or chords), C E G and D F

G, to be played on the beat, i.e.

twice per line on underlined

syllables. The three notes are

divided between three players.

STEP INTO A

Sue Nicholls hunts for musical inspiration inRousseau’s Tiger in the Tropical Storm..

Rousseau’s celebrated painting Tiger in the Tropical Stormhas been used by many primary schools as the focus for artand design led topics, but it's also a good starting point formusic activities.

Rousseau painted The Tiger in a Tropical Storm in 1891.Many critics dismissed his work as naive and childish, butPicasso, Matisse and Toulouse-Lautrec defended his style.The artist never actually visited a jungle, in fact and some

say that he sketched plants in Parisian parks to inspire histropical landscape. The picture is full of detail andatmosphere: lightning and torrential rain, waving brancheslashed by the wind and luxuriant plants that cover thejungle floor in lush green layers.

Our eyes are drawn to the hunting tiger, but we cannot seehis prey.

paintingKS2 LESSON PLAN:

MUSIC

Today you will learn...

Starter activity Y3 & Y4Display Tiger in the Tropical Storm

on the whiteboard and collect the

children’s reactions, thoughts and

any offered descriptive words

or phrases.

Divide the children into small

groups to make lists of things

seen in the painting e.g. trees,

shrubs, tiger, sky, rain… and use

these to create alternative lyrics

for line three in the song What

can you see? right.

> To sing and extend some jungle-themed songs > To perform jungle raps with percussion and vocal effects

What can you seeTune: Pease Pudding Hot,

starting on note C)

Leader: What can you see?

All: What can you see?

Solo group: We see a waving tree

All: So can we!

Y5 & Y6Tiger's about! is a song inspired

by Rousseau's painting. Sing it

with the class and aim for clear

diction, a strict tempo (no

hurrying) and a consistent, even

singing tone, particularly when

the tune goes higher.

Tigers about(Tune: Head, shoulders knees

and toes)

Striped

Tiger

Stalks his prey,

stalks his prey

Striped

Tiger

Stalks his prey,

stalks his prey

Rousseau conjures up a jungle thunderstormStriped

Tiger

Stalks his prey,

stalks his prey

> Simon plays note C (and D on

beats 3 and 7)

> Ruby plays note E (and F on

beats 3 and 7)

> Kosh plays note G all the time

Invite each group to perform

their verse while one player

keeps a constant strong beat

(pulse) on a tambour to

represent the tiger’s measured

prowl across the jungle floor.

5 6 7 8

C E G C E G D F G C E G

WE WAVING SO WE

1 2 3 4

C E G C E G D F G C E G

WHAT SEE? WHAT? SEE?


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ABOUT THE AUTHORSue Nicholls is co-chair of the National Association ofMusic Educators' EYFS and Primary Focus GroupThese ideas presented here are part of a trainingworkshop for KS1 & 2. Visit suenichollsmusic.com

> Did the singingstay in tune? Didwe listen to eachother as we sang? > Did we keep intime and maintaina sense ofensemble with theaccompaniment? > Did thesubstituted lyricsmake sensewithin the songstructure? > How could weimprove thesongs; makebetter linksbetween verses?> Did the rapshave a strongunderlying beat(pulse)?> Was theexcitement andatmosphereconveyed throughthe rapperformances? > Should we askfor audiencefeedback?> Have wediscovered moreabout the paintingthrough ourmusicalactivities?

3Beastly raps Try making up a rap or

chant in the form of a

playground game, following

agreed rhyming patterns e.g.

Tigers Hungry!Tiger, Tiger

Under the tree

Tiger, Tiger

Hunting for his tea?

[Tiger] My tum’s empty

I need food!

‘Cos I’m hungry

2Composing jungle songs Y5 & Y6Make a class list of things

observed in the painting, adding

unseen creatures, plants and

items that would be found in a

tropical habitat e.g. insects, lianas,

spiders, snakes - including

adjectives. Sort these into groups

of one, two and three-syllable

words and phrases, e.g.

1) snake, trees, rain, sky, hot,

leaves …

2) shadows, insects, tropics,

stealthy, prowling…

3) in the night, hunts for food,

velvet paws, tearing claws,

waving trees...

Create new lines for Tiger’s about!

using the song structure, but

retaining the original line 7:

‘Rousseau conjures up a jungle

thunderstorm’.

Line 1: I syllableLine 2: 2 syllablesLine 3: 3 syllables [repeated] Line 4: repeat line 1

Line 5: repeat line 2


Line 7: Rousseau conjures up ajungle thunderstormLine 8: repeat line 1



4Musical experimentation Y5 & Y6Encourage pupils to take responsibility for developing and

performing this rap, incorporating musical elements - e.g.

dynamics (loud and quiet), tempo (pace), vocal texture (the two choruses

can be chanted together) and instrumental timbre - to create tension and

build atmosphere.

Encourage experimentation with solo and group voices, adding

improvised musical interludes, rhythmic patterns played on percussion:

world instruments such as the caxixi, chekere or binasara would really

complement the vocal work. Create new verses by writing alternative

versions of the changing line.

Tigers going hunting(*asterisks show clapped rhythms)

I’m in a bad mood!

I’m a snake

Under the tree

Tiger, Tiger

Don’t eat me!

[Tiger] My tum’s empty...

I’m a butterfly….


I’m a crocodile….


[Tiger] Can’t find supper

Under this tree

Nothing worth hunting

Nothing for tea!

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Thanks to Philipa Toulson of

Folk South West

(folksw.org.uk) for this brilliant

song-writing idea.’

Prowling through the jungle

Over hill and plain

Searching through the bushesIn the driving rain

Chorus 1:Tiger’s going hunting

Tiger’s on the trail

Tiger’s going hunting

Tiger, do not fail!

Chorus 2:Thun-der * * overhead

Light-ning* * fills the sky

Jun-gle* * wet and hot

Tig-er * * passing by


Over hill and plain

Parrots squawking overheadIn the driving rain

Chorus 1:Chorus 2:


Over hill and plain

Insects buzzing in the grassIn the driving rain

Chorus 1:Chorus 2:


Over hill and plain

Velvet paws keep walkingIn the driving rain

75


them think about what they will

say to the class:

> What is the range called?Why did you choose to collect them?> What do you like about their design?> Which is your favourite?> Are there any others in thecollection that you don’t have?

Explain to the class that during

this lesson they will be learning

some new skills as designers

that will be really helpful to them

in this term’s D&T project –

whatever product they happen to

be designing and making. After

each volunteer’s ‘show and tell’,

ask the class to say what their

collection has in common? What

THINK

KS2 LESSON PLAN:DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY

Starter activity We all know that children in KS2

really enjoy the latest craze.

Some of these involve children

collecting products, such as soft

toys or miniature cars or ‘top

trump’ cards that belong to the

same range and have a number

of characteristics in common. A

few days before you plan to

carry out Extending the Range,

ask for volunteers who would

like to bring in their collection of

objects to show to the rest of the

class. It is important that what

they bring in has been designed

and made and belongs to a

recognisable brand. It could be

that a number of children own

one product from the same

range, such as a make of training

shoes or type of bracelet, and

might therefore work together to

prepare a presentation. It is

helpful to provide the volunteers

with some questions to help

fastToday you will learn...

> To look closely at a collection of products and say what theyhave in common

> To come up with quick ideas, using design criteria, for anotherproduct that could belong to the same range

> To evaluate your own and other children’s ideas, using design criteria

80

Ironically, we sometimes come up with our mostimaginative ideas when we have the least amount of time tothink. The pressure of time forces our natural instinct andintuition to take over, so that ideas are more spontaneousand innovative. This may also apply to some of the childrenin your class who might surprise you with the quality oftheir thinking when working within tight time constraints.

A couple of years ago, the Design and TechnologyAssociation led a successful project with primary schools inShropshire called Butterflies in My Tummy. A major aim ofthe project was to provide activities for KS2 children tomaximise their risk taking and innovation when designing.The good news is that they are all freely available. Just go todata.org.uk, click on 'resource vault' then 'non-members',and scroll down the page until you see the link.

One of the activities, Extending the Range, is an excellentstrategy to have up your sleeve when you want children toquickly come up with ideas for what they could design andmake. During this activity, children are put in the position ofa professional designer and asked to consider an existingrange of products.

is it that shows they belong to the

same range? For example, with

soft toys, children might say they

are ‘all animals, furry, squidgy,

have different characters and

names, are funny to look at, can

be made to sit up or lie down’ etc.

Ask children to go through the

same process for each of the

collections they bring in and note

the children’s ideas on your

whiteboard. Drawing on their

brand awareness, the purpose of

this activity is to help children

suggest the shared

characteristics or design criteria

for each group of products.

D&T Lesson plan Qx_Teach Primary 19/12/2011 12:04 Page 1

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> When observing Extending the

Range it is important to think

about how effectively children are

able to adhere to the design

criteria when coming up with

ideas. Compare this with the last

time they carried out a D&T project.

Think about how well they

responded to the pace of the

activity and the extent to which

they evaluated their own and other

children’s ideas in an objective way.

> In design and technology the way

to test how well children have


ABOUT THE AUTHORGareth Pimley is a freelance primary education consultant,specialising in design and technology and wholecurriculum development. For more information pleasecontact [email protected] or 01939 291103.

> What is therange of productscalled?> Who is themanufacturer?> Who are theyaimed at?> How do you useor play with them?> What do theyhave in common?> How did you feelabout otherchildren evaluatingyour idea?> How did you feelabout evaluatingother children’sideas?> How did you feelabout only havingfive minutes tocome up with your idea?

learnt a new designing skill is when

they apply it to design and make

products. Children could apply a

similar. approach to generating

ideas as part of their D&T project for

the term. Having evaluated a range

of existing products – which

depending on the project might be

toy vehicles, bags, money

containers or different types of

bread – the children then come up

with their own design criteria and

rapidly generate initial ideas for

what they could design and make.

81

Main activities

1Setting designcriteriaBefore the lesson, put

together a PowerPoint slide

with images of a collection of well-

known products that belong to the

same range. A little bit of research

on Amazon will help you to find out

what ranges of children’s toys are

particularly popular at the moment

for the age of your class.

Alternatively, you might opt for a

familiar brand of fruit smoothies for

kids, or training shoes from a

manufacturer that is popular with

children in your class.

As a whole class, explore the

range with the children. What are

they? What range do they belong

to? Who are they aimed at? Draw

out and list the features of the

products which they share, e.g.

branding, colourful, stylish,

fashionable, comfortable, funky,

cool, stylish healthy, fun, comical.

2Evaluating ideas Tell the children they are

designers with a mission:

to extend the range! Using

one Post-it per child, ask them to

individually generate an idea for

the next product in the range

using words and/or a quick

sketch. Put a time limit of five

minutes on the activity. Ask the

children to place their Post-its on

the whiteboard or a display area

so that all the children in the

class can see them. Give some

time for the class to look at and

evaluate the designs. Ask them

to decide which of the ideas

meets all the design criteria and

which ideas meet only some of

the design criteria and arrange

these into these two groups. You

might also ask individual

children to say which they think

is the ‘best’ idea for extending

the range, emphasising that this

means ‘best’ in relation to the

design criteria the whole class

originally came up with.

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D&T Lesson plan Qx_Teach Primary 19/12/2011 12:30 Page 2

Ask children to capture their personality in asingle photo and they will discover more aboutthemselves and others, says Roger Billing...

Today you will learn...> To understand that a single image can be planned andphotographed to show a person’s character and personality> To develop the ability to honestly share thoughts and feelings> To think about the composition of photographs, and how this canalter the mood of a picture> To develop descriptive writing through discussion and the use of athesaurus

Starter activity Introduce the children to

photographs taken by Annie

Leibovitz. A Google search will

produce some good examples,

but take care as some of her

photos include nudity.

Annie Leibovitz began her

career as a staff photographer for

Rolling Stone magazine where

she rose to prominence

throughout the 70s and early 80s.

She continues to photograph

famous people from all walks of

life and children will enjoy looking

at her portraits of well known

faces such as David Beckham,

Barack Obama, Brad Pitt,

Muhammad Ali and the Queen!

Ask the children to think of

words that can be used to

describe Annie's portraits. The

photos are visually striking and

so should produce some great

responses. Children are also

very media savvy and I often

find that their ability to talk

about the technical

components of a photo is quite

remarkable.

Now explain to the children

that they are going to plan and

take their own portrait photo.

Discuss how this is a chance for

them to show everyone else

who they really are.

KS2 LESSON PLAN:ICT

1Planning the portraits The children's first task is to draw up a sketch of what they

would like their photograph to look like. This is an important

part of the process and children should be given time to

experiment and develop any initial ideas, while teachers and other

staff act as supporters and questioners.

Children should be encouraged to think of words that describe

their personality and write these down around the edges of their

sketch – this will develop their self-awareness and assist with

your questioning.

coloursTRUE

88

ABOUT THE AUTHORRoger Billing is deputy head at The Wroxham PrimarySchool. See photos from his Emotional Photographyproject here: roxhamschool.wordpress.com/2011/06/12/the-stunning-yr6-portraits-that-represent-them

When I took on a Y6 class in the spring term, I used this lessonto help me get to know pupils in a short space of time. Itinvolves planning and photographing self-portraits thatcapture children's distinct personalities. As well as giving youthe chance to familiarise yourself with a group of new faces, thelesson also allows children to find out more about one another.

You could try the activities in KS1, but I find it works best inKS2 where pupils find the creative combination of ICT, art,PSHE and English particularly engaging.


2Composing the photoChildren then move on

to think about the more

technical aspects of their

portrait, such as camera angle

and any special effects. Should

the photograph be a close up or a

wide angle shot? Would it be

better to be photographed from

above or below? Will they be

looking at the camera or looking

past it? Do they want the portrait

to be black and white, colour,

vignette (dark edges), or

perhaps they have an idea for a

different effect?

Children should include their

thoughts on the photo's

composition in a 'key info' box

alongside their sketch. This will

help to make sure that the final

picture matches what they

have envisaged.

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> With the portrait photographsprinted out, the children can startthinking about sentences that describetheir photo and personality. Introducea thesaurus and talk about using themost descriptive, powerful words -rather than sticking to the ones they

already know. The children can decidehow they want to write up theirsentences: either on the photo – likethe example (see fig.1) – or on a smallpiece of card, like you would find in anart gallery. > The photos can lead onto circle time

sessions, which can really help withany issues you might have in theclassroom, or in the playground. Italways amazes me how much detailappears in the writing that follows thephotographs, which is great forinspiring later writing in other subjects.


3Photographing and editingI have run this activity with £15 cameras and I have also tried it

with an £800 camera, it really doesn’t matter. The thinking

process involved in planning the photo is the most important

aspect of the lesson.

Children can work in pairs or small groups and take the photos

themselves. Alternatively, a teacher or TA may want to operate the

camera.

Before taking the photo, the photographer should talk to his subject

and check her original sketch to ensure the portrait matches her brief.

When the photo has been taken, make sure that the photographer

shares the image with his subject, asking the important question – 'is

this photo right?'

Once all the photos have been taken, it's time to add additional effects

using one of the many photo editing software packages – Photoshop,

Elements, Sumopaint or Gimp (free to download at gimp.org).

Depending on the age and ability of your children, they can either edit

and print the photos themselves, or you can do it for them.

When the photos are complete and the individual is happy with the

finished product, you can leave it there; or you can use the photos to

develop descriptive writing.

> What does thisphoto make youthink about?> What type ofperson do youthink this is?> What wordscould you use todescribe yourpersonality?> What cameraangle would bebest for yourphoto?> Would yourphoto be best incolour or blackand white?> How can youdevelop thelanguage in yoursentence?

89

Fig.1

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