The Valley Community Primary School

Literacy Project

Further down the page is a detailed summary and evaluation of the outcomes.

Description

Year 5 pupils at The Valley Community Primary School created shadow puppets with artist Jean Compton as part of an exciting literacy project which used Bolton’s Aquarium as a starting point.

Pupils visited the Aquarium and were interested to learn about the fish from Pete Liptrot and Paul Dixon, Aquarium Service Officers. They made observational drawings of a wide variety of fish, which they used as the basis for their shadow puppet designs.

Working in groups, pupils developed short plays which they performed for another class at the end of the project. Each group devised a narrative, using their imaginations to develop their characters through oracy, adding detailed description over the four sessions. Some pupils wrote scripts using play conventions and took note of their audience and the purpose of their work. They were able to ad lib during their performances and their voice projection and public speaking skills improved with practice.

Pupils used lots of practical skills to see what would work. They designed puppet shapes, testing and modifying their designs, adding colour and pattern. Planning, cutting and sticking skills were developed, and pupils created sound effects to accompany their performances. They worked out the chronological order of their stories, enabling them to use puppets and scenery in the correct sequence. They also worked out the appropriate sizes of the different puppets for their narratives.

Pupils were very enthusiastic about the whole project, and felt a sense of achievement when they successfully created puppet shows which entertained their schoolmates.

A pupil commented that: “The skills that we learned was to do everything together and work as a team. It was very fun working with Jean the artist because she taught us how to make puppets. You should go to the Aquarium some time because there are really good fish there like: knife fish and red bellied piranha and some others.”

Pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs, were able to participate and achieve. The inclusive nature of the activities, together with the sense of achievement and development of self-esteem for every child, was a particular success of this project.

Summary of aims and outcomes

Speaking and listening skills

Pupils listened attentively to Jean’s explanations and suggestions and to the performances.
Communication with each other while planning their work was excellent.
They were able to ad lib during their performances, and their voice projection and public speaking skills improved with practice, leading to a marked improvement during their final show.

Styles of learning

Visual:

Pupils watched demonstrations and a performance by Jean.
They made close observational studies/drawings of the fish in the aquarium. They designed puppet shapes and tested and modified their designs, adding colour and pattern.

Auditory:

Pupils listened attentively (see above).
They created appropriate sound effects to enhance performance.

Kinaesthetic:

Pupils used lots of practical skills to see what would work.
Cutting & sticking skills were developed, including learning how to make sellotape loops.

Cross-curricular links - areas of study:

Literacy:

Pupils developed their stories through oracy, adding detailed description over the sessions.
Some students wrote scripts using play conventions.
They developed their narratives leading to an ending.
Pupils took note of their audience and the purpose of their work and rose to the occasion for the final performances.

Development of practical, creative and intellectual skills

Practical skills:

Pupils developed their planning, cutting and sticking skills.
They learned to be aware of the shadows created by their shapes and simplified their designs appropriately.
They learned about transparency and the use of acetates.

Creative skills:

Pupils used their imagination to develop ideas for narratives.
They designed and created puppets, including articulated figures.
Pupils created sound effects to accompany their performances.

Intellectual skills:

Pupils worked out the chronological order of their stories to use their puppets and scenery in the correct sequence.
They also worked out the appropriate sizes of the different puppets in their stories.

Enjoyment

Pupils were very enthusiastic about the whole project.
They were very interested in the Aquarium and asked Pete and Paul many questions about the fish.
They enjoyed making observational drawings of the fish, creating their puppets and performing their plays.

Raising self-esteem

Pupils recognized their own achievement when they created a good puppet show.
They had the confidence to overcome problems and try again. There were very mixed abilities in the class and all pupils were able to achieve.

Did any further aims arise in the course of the project? If so, what where they and how did you meet them?
No further aims arose. We were all delighted to see how well the pupils responded to all the adults.

How useful did you find the planning day and how did you use it?
It was essential and necessary to achieve the success of the project.

Please comment on the delivery phase of the project. What were the successes?
The inclusive nature of the activities and the sense of achievement for every child was a particular success. Even children who were statemented and had the highest level of Special Needs were able to achieve and feel a sense of success, developing self-esteem.
Pupils made connections between previous learning and the visit to the Aquarium.

What were the problems / difficulties?
There were no problems.

What, if anything, would you do differently next time?
Jean suggested that more adult help to assist children would make the project calmer.

How integral a part of the project was the museum visit? What impact did it have on the children? How did it contribute to the whole experience?
Working from real material raised the standard of work. Children were very enthusiastic from the start. The Aquarium visit was the springboard for the project and set an exciting tone for the week.

How do you feel this project has been received by pupils? Please give examples of behaviours, comments etc to illustrate your claim.
Pupils kept asking if Jean and Miriam were coming again. They made many positive comments including the following from their own evaluations of the project:

"I thought it was exciting working with the artist and learning how to make shadow puppets!"

"I couldn’t wait to show the other class what we were doing and I think they liked it. It was a very nice surprise for the other class to see our puppets."

"The skills that we learned was to do everything together and work as a team. It was very fun working with Jean the artist because she taught us how to make puppets. You should go to the Aquarium some time because there are really good fish there like: knife fish and red bellied pirahna and some others."

"I couldn’t wait to tell my family about it."

"I learned the skills of shadow puppets and that you don’t need that much detail. Hole punching for the eyes...It was really good and Jean was really artistic with the shadow puppets. I really liked the Aquarium because it had the Giant Knife Fish and the Red Bellied Pirahna even the Humbug catfish that was really fat and it took loads of space and I couldn’t wait to tell everybody about it. It was so cool."

"I enjoyed it because we didn’t have to do work for 3 days."

This last comment indicates that the pupil in question enjoyed the project so much that he didn’t think that he was doing any work!

What feedback did you get from parents/carers/community?
None

How did the project link to the work of the school? Please give examples of curricular links, parental involvement links, inclusion etc.
As well as the curricular links with Literacy and Art and Design, the project also linked to ICT through the pupils’ use of cameras and the creation of a video of the performances.

Do you think that teachers’ practice will change as a result of the project and if so, how?
The project has reinforced the benefits of thematic project work and Gemma hopes to do more project work in the future.

Anything additional you want to add?
The project made the children aware that the Museum and the Aquarium are there. Pupils realised that these facilities are available outside school and are easily accessible, enabling them to engage in personalised learning. Some pupils asked about making their own puppets and shadow puppet theatre screens at home.