About our project: Creative Creatures (Term 2) and Out of this World (Term 3)
If you mix science with 21 pre-primary children, a teacher and a contemporary dancer, what do you get? Two terms of an energetic exploration and learning journey which was both down-to-earth and out of this world.
What happened?
In Term 2, under the guidance of teacher Kristie Ooi and contemporary dancer Tanya Rodin we investigated how living things—especially creatures—survive. We looked at habitat, food, co-operative systems in a community of animals, and how animals have developed fur or feathers or scales and special body parts in order to adapt to and make the most of their needs and habitats. We invented new creatures, whose collective purpose was ‘rising up from the dust to look after all the other animals in the world and keep them safe.’ The children made sculptures of their creature out of recycled materials and brought them to life through exploring the way we imagined they might move by making multiple creature community flock ‘arrival out of the dust’ dances.
I like the music and the dancing because it is so wibbly wobbly. Student
In Term 3 we went ‘Out of this World’: tunnelling down from outer space to the Earth, Australia, Perth, my street, my home, me. With the aim of inspiring awe and sparking imaginations, we looked at maps and mapping planets. The children’s final ‘mission’ was to map their way home from an outer space inspired by reality but reimagined by us. We devised ways to get home that didn’t involve rockets, composed planet textures inspired by imaginary weather systems, assembled ‘data’ of what exists on and around these planets, and created our own spacecraft from recycled objects. We made our own star constellation samples in jars, had a meteor dance party and sent wishes home to our family hidden in stars.
Finally, we trialled our transport options, using sand trails and paper maps to plan our trip home together. We made it home, to reflect and share with our friends and family all of our discoveries from along the way.
How did we use the Five Creative Habits of Learning?
Physicalising our pupils’ learning of the Five Habits of Learning through movement and action was really useful in helping them grasp the concepts. We paired each Habit with an action and through repetition, embellishment or minimisation of that action we were able to reiterate the Habits over the course of the project. For each term we also paired this with a visual representation of individual Habits. For Term 2, Habits were represented by coloured treasures collected like magpies by the student, so together we made a nest for them in the classroom. For Term 3, students made a coloured Creative Habit planet that they would stick their mini-astronaut selves into each week.
She helps me make things like those stars and she also helps us collaborate making stuff every time. Student
From the beginning, Kristie and Tanya made sure to encourage activation of student voice and energy. Many of the warm-up games centred on a theme and involved moving around the space. We asked the children to share an idea that we could all explore together through movement. This could then be carried forward into the lesson’s activities in various ways.
What did we discover?
For this age group, lots of the learning is very active and involves learning through play and experimentation. Through working within an activity rotation system, a structure the students were used to, we were able to cover many different angles at looking at the one theme, for example, one full rotation might have involved: movement, listening and aural, and more imaginative collaborative construction.
We observed growth in confidence and curiosity for exploration in all the students. For example, in our final session a particular student who was very reserved in sharing ideas or being vocal about them, clearly and beautifully shared in front of the group his very thoughtful and imaginative trajectory for our travelling through our mapped landscape.
When we had some parents come and visit for our space walkthrough, many noted just how much their child had enjoyed the program. One mentioned how their son had said how excited he was that it was a Thursday because they have a new teacher, and they go on adventures with her.
The impact on the teacher/creative partnership
Tanya and I have had a very positive partnership and have enjoyed collaborating on our projects. She has helped me view our environment through a different lens and see new possibilities that I hadn't considered previously. My students have loved their 'adventures' with Tanya and are beginning to use some of the language from the Five Habits in our everyday learning. It was great to see some reluctant students join in with the activities and have everyone be engaged and participate.
- Teacher
The students have been such an inspiration for me, their bravery, curiosity and warmth rekindled a creative spark in me. To see this program run within a school firsthand has given me excitement and hope for where the education system here in Perth could be heading, in time for my daughter. Also being able to place a value and a beauty on the way my brain works and how it can help others was also really encouraging.
- Creative Practitioner
With this being Kristie’s first class as the main teacher, it has been amazing to see her confidence grow in her own creative capabilities. There was definitely a moment where I realised she had now a greater trust in her ideas to engage creatively with curriculum. You could see the possibilities popping up in her head. Excited for where she will take this in her future.
- Senior Teacher
The impact on the school:
As it is the third year of Creative Schools, it was beautiful to see how the Five Habits have infiltrated our school, from programming to engagement and practice. It has been exciting to see over time how the benefits present themselves.
Being part of Creative Schools has been a wonderful journey of watching staff, students and families learning together in a much more creative, engaging, motivating and exciting way. Hearing kids talk excitedly about their learning and how learning can be fun too has been rewarding. It has challenged some thinking about teaching and learning which has been great to see and required change which isn’t always easy. I am so proud of my staff for their willingness to try and be learners themselves. We have all seen the positive impact and effects it has had on our students and staff and it’s now just a part of what we do at Camboon Primary School.
- School Principal
Main Curriculum Focus: Science
Cross-Curricular Links:
• Health and Physical Education
• Design and Technology
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