Session 2
Our second foray into giving students "time to create" started with the reading of "The Most Magnificent Thing". This is a story about developing your idea into a creation and has wonderful exampled of language associated with making something. The main character also shows wonderful character strengths such as perseverance, resilience and has a problem solving ability while working collaboratively alongside her faithful assistant, a pet dog.
With these traits and the story plot so connected with our inquiry it was obvious that students were excited about doing something similar, right from the start of the story. One students said, "I have that tingly feeling again because we are going to make something."
At the end of the reading, we gave one task:
Make and create a bridge using newspaper and tape.
Quite a familiar and popular activity but one in which students were able to choose to work alone, with a partner or within a group.
What did we notice?
Students were inspired by story - not a lot of discussion from this group of students
Excited and ready to begin
They want complete freedom to choose what goes on in their school day
We saw architects; foremen; builders; decorators
Some worked in a group; others as a group and some individually
All worked for the whole time- one group planned for the whole time, even discussing what might go wrong and adding it to their plan
All were sorry to finish
After completing their bridge, some went back and redesigned, added to etc. Constant refining and improving.
Some spent a lot of time drawing and thinking before commencing construction and others began immediately, thinking and discussing as they were handling the materials.
A few students worked alone but most others found themselves in groups of 3-5.
Some worked in groups but built a bridge each whereas others built one bridge as a group.
There was a high level of interest and engagement.
Bridges being added to by dismantling and strengthening parts of the structure
Planning, discussion and reviewing their progress and ideas.
Questioning parts of what they built.
Experimenting and then deciding to go with a decision and in some cases starting from scratch.
Planning, discussion and reviewing their progress and ideas.
What did students say?
One student put his photo at the top of the 'blob tree' because "My work today was awesome!"
"I love being able to manage myself!"
"I’ve got another idea!"
"I hope we get more time like this to work on our ideas!
When asked what they were doing by an EA g. Answer: "We're having fun!"
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