Integrated arts serial day tasks Task 1 – Observing the learning environment. Within the school there are lots of displays throughout the classrooms and along the corridors of children’s creativity and imagination flowing through their work. This is very encouraging to see as it shows that in expressive arts is given a significant amount of time as well as academic subjects such as literacy and numeracy.
Many of the displays show a direct link to IDL and cross-curricular work. For example there were Autumn, Harvest, Viking, Circus and Egyptian displays to mention a few. In the gym hall there are Christmas displays going up for the hall to be decorated for the Christmas party. I have included some pictures below showing the varying displays.
Furthermore several classes have displays of photographs showing what the children have been doing. There are pictures of dance competitions, trips to Arran, mini beats hunts and outings. These pictures also have the children’s voice within them and ‘comic life’ is used from the computer to display them.
There is also ICT work displays for example symmetrical pictures, Christmas trees using the pages document, and clown faces which were all created on the computer. There were both 3D and 2D shape pictures. The 3D shapes had been made from paper nets and they were on the wall. Furthermore outside the primary two class there were 3 dimensional paper mache faces.
There are many labels in the form of speech bubbles explaining what the children have said about their work. Also the teachers put up the experience and outcomes beside some of the work.
The displays show that the children have a range of materials/media to work from such as paper A3 and A4, card, plain paper and paper mache. This is also very encouraging as it shows that the children are not being forced to follow a set of guidelines and that they can let their creativity flow in their own direction with the teacher being there as a facilitator.
Task 2 – Observing learning
Art Lesson
Learning Intention – Pupils will be able to create and design a Christmas card for a school competition.
Success Criteria –I can create a Christmas design
I can choose appropriate material.
I can create images and objects relating to Christmas using a variety of media.
This was a one off art lesson, where the children had an hour and a half to create a Christmas card for a school art competition.
The children were given a variety of resources: card, coloured paper, tissue paper, glue, felt tip pens, coloured pens, crayons, paint, sticky shapes, stars, glitter and small Christmas stencils.
The teacher used the smart board to show the children a sample of Christmas cards. There was then a discussion about what was effective and what wouldn’t be appropriate to put on the card.
The children decided on their own design and what media was the most appropriate for their card. Differentiation was shown by the teacher’s input as some children needed help to get started. It was an individual task.
Reflections
1. Resources were well organised and laid out before the lesson, this allowed the lesson to run smoothly and the children could start straight away. This shows that organisation is key.
2. The learning intentions and success criteria were discussed with the teacher and the children. The children came up with the success criteria and therefore it was relevant and the children fully understood what was expected to be successful.
3. I was impressed with the resulting Christmas cards. Most of the children managed to complete the card in the time frame given. They were very creative and the teacher was there as a guide and support.
Music lesson
Learning Intention – Pupils will be able to create a piece of music in groups relating to the theme of Hallowe’en
Success Criteria – I can choose and identify appropriate instruments that sound/relate to specific Hallowe’en words.
I can follow a music grid.
I can work in a group effectively.
This lesson was the second lesson on music grids. The children were doing a mini IDL topic on Hallowe’en. The children had to choose and identify instruments that they could use in their group for the words: fright, creepy, skeleton and witch. Once the instruments had been chosen the children had to work in a group and decide on the picture for the word and put the pictures on a music grid, practise and be ready to perform in front of peers.
Resources: Paper, pencils, rules, large range of instruments available in the music room.
The teacher discussed and demonstrated how to use a very simple music grid. The children had used music grids the year before and so had an idea of what to do.
The groups were mixed ability music groups, where some children were very confident using musical instruments and others were not.
Reflections
1. The teacher was well organised and knew exactly where the lesson was going and explained clearly to the children what was expected. Again the teacher and the children decided together on the success criteria thus ensuring all children knew what to do, the role they had to play and how to be successful.
2. The children were fully engaged with this task due to it relating to Hallowe’en the children were very enthusiastic about it. This shows the importance of IDL throughout the arts, as the lesson becomes meaningful to the children.
3. The children presented their music grid to their peers. They explained why they choose which instruments and then gave a performance using their grids to the class. Their peers provided feedback which was very positive and constructive. I think this was an excellent way for the children to present what they had been working on as they felt a sense of pride being able to show others their creative Hallowe’en music.
