PROJECT 1
- Implementing creativity into History curriculum
- Children taking ownership of area of learning
Summary profile of pupils involved (e.g. age, composition group/whole class, etc.):
KS1 – Year 2 Whole Class
KS2 – Year 3 Whole Class
What I/we did:
We encouraged the children to explore ideas and increase confidence in executing independent actions.
What the pupils did:
The pupils (with the help of adults in Year 2) organised a ‘Roman Day’ and ‘Scutari Hospital Day’ – History (Years 2 and 3).
The pupils used a much more creative approach and claimed ownership of learning in Art Unit of work. (Year 3)
The main outcomes in terms of pupils’ learning/achievement/attitudes/ behavioural changes were:
Interest and enjoyment through being responsible in the planning of the lessons. General enthusiasm in taking the roles within the History topic. Greater historical understanding, good oral skills and much more willing to write.
The main outcomes in terms of my/our learning (including implications for future planning and teaching) were:
Passing some of the responsibility to the children gives the learning a ‘freedom’ and also brings creative ideas that can be adapted from the children.
I/we would recommend to teachers doing similar work or pursuing similar aims:
Role play linked to activity
Let children play a part in the planning
I/we would recommend the following references/sources to other teachers:
Digital camera
And the following prompts/resources/teaching materials for use with pupils:
Digital camera, material, using parents as resources.
Emails: / / and/or /
PROJECT 2
- To find out how and which questions to use with a view to developing children’s creative thinking through puppet making.
Summary profile of pupils involved (e.g. age, composition group/whole class, etc.):
Year 2 Class – 19 pupils, aged six and seven. Mixed ability. Two x inclusions.
What I/we did:
Set the children a project of designing and making puppets with the aim of performing a show to their parents as part of a class assembly.
What the pupils did:
- Investigation – different types of puppets (how they worked, what they looked like, how they were made).
- Investigated techniques of fixing fabrics by making a sock puppet.
- Used investigations to support making a second puppet – using things they had learned from investigations and any previous knowledge they had.
- Groups of four five children together made up names for characters and made up a story to perform for class assembly.
The main outcomes in terms of pupils’ learning/achievement/attitudes/ behavioural changes were:
The children had ownership over what they were doing, even at the time when they were learning techniques that would support their work. That ownership enabled the children’s own level of creativity to be exhibited.
The main outcomes in terms of my/our learning (including implications for future planning and teaching) were:
Initial observations of each other’s work showed that questioning by both was open-ended enough to allow creative thinking, so we focused on the timing of the questions and intervals at which these were made. Many of mine were directed individually rather than as a whole class, as there was a danger of ‘copying’. This led to implications of autonomy and creativity – how closely are they linked?
I/we would recommend to teachers doing similar work or pursuing similar aims:
The observations are an important factor in teachers’ learning. These, we found, needed to be regular and not too far apart – danger of losing the thread as a result of daily distractions. Also, ‘keep focus simple’ – we think we should have only had one aim.
I/we would recommend the following references/sources to other teachers:
We felt that we had resourced this adequately and that the children’s responses were our principle reference.
And the following prompts/resources/teaching materials for use with pupils:
Children being able to research their work prior to making their own puppets was a vital step towards developing individual creativity. Performing the shows enabled the children to take their creative thinking into another field.
Email: /
PROJECT 3
- To develop creative activities in the water area – the children were questioning and challenging, making connections/seeing relationships and exploring ideas and reflecting critically on ideas/outcomes.
Summary profile of pupils involved (e.g. age, composition group/whole class, etc.):
Group of reception age children – mixed attainment – four/five year olds.
What I/we did:
First Task:Challenged the children to find different ways of filling the fish tank. They could use different sized cylinders, funnels, jugs and tubing.
Second Task:In pairs, find different ways of moving the ‘treasure’ to the castle. Different sized bags of ‘treasure’ and selection of containers – boats (varying sizes), large and small containers – with/without holes.
What the pupils did:
First Task:First group used different containers to fill tank, but struggled to use the tubing. One child was very dominant and tended to control the play. A second group came and one of the children persevered for a long time and succeeded in using the tubing.
Second Task:Children were set off on task and left. Most children forgot task and working with partner straight away. Very interested in playing with new castle – pouring water into it, hiding treasure, etc. One child persevered with task, discarding containers which did not transport treasure. When teacher returned to the tray, all but one of the children were able to say which containers would/would not transport treasure and why, e.g. ‘floated’, ‘sunk’, ‘too heavy’, ‘too small’, etc.
The main outcomes in terms of pupils’ learning/achievement/attitudes/ behavioural changes were:
The children enjoyed the challenge of the fish tank and persevered for a long period of time. Interest still continued (e.g. outdoors) 4 weeks’ later – filling bucket with the tubing, etc. Increased PSE input (see below) meant that, overall, children had worked more co-operatively. In the ‘plenary’, after the treasure activity, the children could apply knowledge learned, predicting whether other containers would have made good transporters.
The main outcomes in terms of my/our learning (including implications for future planning and teaching) were:
- Considered carefully organisation of children – e.g. pairs, rather than fours.
- Children needed a lot of input to develop their non-talking skills so they could work co-operatively to explore ideas and problem solving.
- Let children explore new equipment independently first, then introduced specific task.
I/we would recommend to teachers doing similar work or pursuing similar aims:
- Be prepared to adjust tasks set during the week, if appropriate.
- Accept that not all children need the same level of active involvement in a task – some learn by just looking/listening; others by doing the activity themselves.
Email: /
PROJECT 4
- To consider teaching strategies that promote creative responses.
Summary profile of pupils involved (e.g. age, composition group/whole class, etc.):
Whole Class, mixed years five and six on the topic of the Ancient Olympic Games.
What I/we did:
- Introduced the topic as a Greek messenger after a boy had demonstrated his skill on a drum set to stimulate creative responses.
- Managed the pupils’ ideas.
- Inputted information on aspects of the Ancient Olympics.
What the pupils did:
- Chose an area/aspect of the Ancient Olympics to develop an active, creative, personal/group response.
- Organised aspects of an Olympic afternoon for 60 Year 6 pupils.
The main outcomes in terms of pupils’ learning/achievement/attitudes/ behavioural changes were:
- Responded creatively to the stimulus of the Ancient Olympic Games.
- Developed organisational and management skills.
The main outcomes in terms of my/our learning (including implications for future planning and teaching) were:
The management of creative activities requires careful planning and management and yet needs to be open to individual responses.
I/we would recommend to teachers doing similar work or pursuing similar aims:
Consider whether a specific knowledge outcome is required or whether social learning is more important.
I/we would recommend the following references/sources to other teachers:
Film/video – ‘The School of Rock’
Email: /
PROJECT 5
- Using outdoor areas as a learning environment.
- To develop a child-centred approach to learning.
- Teaching story writing.
Summary profile of pupils involved (e.g. age, composition group/whole class, etc.):
Year 2 – initially whole class, then group of 15 children
Year 5 – initially whole class, then group of 12 children
What I/we did:
- Initially read and became familiar with a story (i.e. structure, character, language, etc.) Discussed ideas and formats for planning and writing a story. Initiated discussion and drama work. Modelled how to plan and write a story. Evaluated stories with the class.
What the pupils did:
- Used outdoor areas to stimulate ideas for a creative story. Acted out some of these ideas and discussed work with partner/group.
- Follow-up work included planning and writing a story. This also included artwork to complement story.
The main outcomes in terms of pupils’ learning/achievement/attitudes/ behavioural changes were:
The children thoroughly enjoyed activities and were really excited during the lesson. The children had ideas clearly thought out in their head during follow-up work and could talk through stories before writing. The children actually enjoyed the writing.
The main outcomes in terms of my/our learning (including implications for future planning and teaching) were:
The children’s work was of a much higher quality because they had thought through and acted out their story first. Also, areas and discussion stimulated characters. Descriptive language.
I/we would recommend to teachers doing similar work or pursuing similar aims:
Consider whether a specific knowledge outcome is required or whether social learning is more important.
And the following prompts/resources/teaching materials for use with pupils:
Objects/areas around the school as stimulus.
I/we would recommend the following references/sources to other teachers:
Using the environment as a stimulus.
And the following prompts/resources/teaching materials for use with pupils:
Objects/areas around the school as stimulus.
Email: / (Caroline/Christine)
PROJECT 6
- For children, to become more imaginative in their story/poetry writing and use language to the full.
Summary profile of pupils involved (e.g. age, composition group/whole class, etc.):
Years 3 and 4
What I/we did:
- Mind mapped initial ideas.
- Used a visual/auditory stimulus.
- Shared/guided writing.
- Reading examples.
- Individual writing.
What the pupils did:
- Mind Mapping – Pairs/groups worked to engage each other and share ideas.
- Reading Examples – highlighted good/key features.
- Listened/watched stimulus and commented on key feature.
- Wrote draft story/poem – edited and improved.
The main outcomes in terms of pupils’ learning/achievement/attitudes/ behavioural changes were:
- Higher level of writing.
- Greater level of enthusiasm for writing.
- Discussion work in pairs/groups.
The main outcomes in terms of my/our learning (including implications for future planning and teaching) were:
More input with stimulus/examples/discussion enabled children to collaborate ideas and be more enthusiastic about their writing.
I/we would recommend to teachers doing similar work or pursuing similar aims:
Using music/video/DVD as a visual/auditory aid.
I/we would recommend the following references/sources to other teachers:
- Robert Fisher – ‘Values for Thinking’
- All by Anna Craft, Open University
And the following prompts/resources/teaching materials for use with pupils:
‘Dangermouse’!..
Emails: / / and/or /
PROJECT 7
- To look at how children can be supported in a creative exercise.
- To look at the impact of group work or individual work.
Summary profile of pupils involved (e.g. age, composition group/whole class, etc.):
Year 5. Wide academic range. More boys than girls.
What I/we did:
Two main sessions. Session 1: Pupils aim to write a story in small groups after preliminary stimulus. Session 2: A similar stimulus, but pupils write a story individually.
What the pupils did:
As part of an ongoing literacy focus, pupils were writing a story in a legend genre. At each session, the following pattern was kept to:
- Pupils are given a simplified map of where a story might take place.
- In groups, they use post-its to note down events and descriptions as they develop a story orally.
Session 2 : The pupils’ work individually to write.
The main outcomes in terms of pupils’ learning/achievement/attitudes/ behavioural changes were:
Pupils showed a more unusual and imaginative use of names and events. Less able pupils wrote more and with some interest.
The main outcomes in terms of my/our learning (including implications for future planning and teaching) were:
The group stories were less fluent and interesting. They contained elements of the original mapping, but they were disjointed.
The individual stories contained elements of discussion and notes in a more cohesive way even though some stories did not sustain an initial impetus.
I/we would recommend to teachers doing similar work or pursuing similar aims:
- Possibly target individuals to assess before and after the intervention.
- Ask pupils for a brief written appraisal of how they felt about working as a group. (I did it only by discussion.)
I/we would recommend the following references/sources to other teachers:
ALPS Storymaker by Stephen Bowlett (Network Educational Press)
How to Teach Fiction Writing by Pie Corbett (David Fulton Publishing)
And the following prompts/resources/teaching materials for use with pupils:
Maps of places where a story happens
Post-it notes
Email: /
PROJECT 8
- To observe how children responded to open-ended tasks.
Summary profile of pupils involved (e.g. age, composition group/whole class, etc.):
9-11 years old – Y5 + 6
Whole class observed – work carried out in groups.
What I/we did:
Observed the children.
Asked the children questions about why they did it that way.
What the pupils did:
Organised themselves.
Carried out tasks in way they thought would be best.
Questioned each other/discussed/evaluated.
The main outcomes in terms of pupils’ learning/achievement/attitudes/behavioural changes were:
Dependent on lesson objectives but all children were able to carry out tasks in a way that suited them.
Emails: / / and/or /
T2T24 – PROJECTS (04)_RS/CS/CA124 October 2018