Year 1 - Using oil pastels to create art!
Our Year 1 students thoroughly enjoyed exploring the artistic medium of oil pastels, and used techniques such as shading and blending to create contours and effect onto their hand prints. They were eager to share their green thumbs (quite literally!) and we had a great time observing their different approaches to their artwork.
Recreating Frank Bowling's Paintings
Frank Bowling, a British artist, is well known for his embodiment of abstract colour and imagery in his work and his services to the arts also landed him an OBE and knighthood! His work is represented in over 50 collections worldwide, and his most recent works bring together a multitude of techniques honed over a lifetime of painting. Our students thoroughly enjoyed learning about Bowling's biography as well as attempting at bringing his abstract and modernist flair into their own recreations!
Making African Masks
As part of our Black History Month, all our students got involved in making traditional African masks. These played an important role in West, Central and Southern African history and are a prominent feature of Africa's cultural heritage. Their abstract designs symbolised different beliefs and themes, and the masks were often donned for performances. While making these masks, our students were able to learn more about African history in a creative and artistic way!
"The Black people were not treated equally. White people could sit in the front (of the bus) but Black people couldn't. They had to sit in different seats. It was very unfair." (Nasreen, Yr 2)
Making Vanilla Milkshakes + Lemonade - Years 2-3
As part of their lessons on instructional writing, our students in Year 2 made vanilla milkshakes using a variety of different ingredients such as vanilla ice-cream and semi-skimmed milk (no sugar, though!). Following instructions is a key life skill that children can utilise for their futures, and by adapting lessons into a more interactive setting, our students can develop their culinary capabilities while working alongside their peers. Similar to Year 2, our Year 3 students also took a practical approach to instructional writing by making lemonade in class! Not only did our students achieve their goal of making a refreshing cup of lemonade, but they were able to fine-tune their teamwork and cooperation skills!