Drama

 

During the drama session, we completed a micro teaching task with our peers.

My group picked the children’s book ‘The Gruffalo’ as we targeted our session towards children in the early to first level and this book has appropriate language and drawings for these stages. We decided for our micro teaching tasks that we would use freeze frames and a thought tunnel.

We read out part of the book and then put the class into four equal groups and asked them to discuss what they thought would happen next and then, together, create an appropriate freeze frame to convey this. After the class had created their freeze frame, we got them to show the rest of their peers what they had created and explain what was happening. This allowed for creative thinking, team work and analysis of the story they had heard already.

Before completing the thought tunnel, we continued reading the story and then split the class in half and asked for them to form two lines facing into the middle. We then asked him to imagine themselves as either the Gruffalo perspective, or the Mouse, and describe how they would feel at that point in the story if it was them. This allowed for everyone to get into character and think on a deeper level of how they would feel if they were in the position that the characters were in.

We also participated in other groups micro teaching task which allowed for me to be inspired by others different ways of delivering sessions and gain ideas of potential lessons for when I am out on placement.

 

Music

 

This week we completed our music lesson in the mac labs on the computers through the online programme ‘GarageBand’ which is a ‘complete sound library that includes software instruments, presents for guitar and voice, and virtual session drummers’ (Inc, 2016).

Children can discover many different instruments that they may otherwise not be able to experience as the school do not provide it. GarageBand allow users to experience and create the music they love while learning the fundamentals of music theory and performance (Chris, 2011).

 

We used the programme to compose our own music by using wide range of instruments available, changing the timing of the music and altering the volume. This was an enjoyable experience that children would love. It was also easy to use and I believe pupils would easily be able to understand the software and improve their I.C.T. skills at the same time.

 

 

References

Chris, V. (2011) Advantages and disadvantages of music tech. [Online] Available: http://muedtechproject.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-music.html [Accessed: 8 January 2017].

Inc, A. (2016) GarageBand for Mac.Incredible music. In the key of easy. Available at:http://www.apple.com/uk/mac/garageband/ [Accessed: 7 December 2016].