Go Wild!
What would be the impact of using creative skills to investigate scientific processes on children’s learning and their ability to make connections between science, other subjects and the wider world?
The project at Wood Fold Primary School, Wigan involved 48 children in Year 3 and their three teachers and one Creative Practitioner.
Prior to involvement with the Creative Practitioner, teachers worked closely with children to decide on the project focus. The children decided they wanted to create a pond/wet-land area in the school grounds and immediately began to research the plants and animals that may be attracted to this environment. The development of the project was integrated into the curriculum through Science, ICT and Literacy.
When work began with the Creative Practitioner, cross-curricular work and life-skills were developed through the creative approach of planning and designing the pond. These included Art, Design Technology, Dance, Music, speaking and listening skills, alongside many essential life skills of resilience, team-work and problem-solving.
The Creative Practitioner took the children through an experiential journey of discovery using all their senses, helping them connect with the wild area and creating a ‘special place’. Using storytelling and bug theatre she supported the children in imagining a fantasy story based on the wildlife, which was then used to create life size carnival insects, composing music and dance.
The final celebration involved an inspirational afternoon of music, dance, drama and even a question and answer session with parents, governors and local residents.
The project gave the children a real-life purpose to learning, enabling them to make meaningful links between all areas of the curriculum. The children were given the autonomy to make decisions for themselves, work together as teams, work creatively and plan and evaluate as the project evolved.
