Session 06 rip tear scrunch

Warm Up Activity: Cup and Code Stack Challenge

Materials: 6 paper cups, elastic band with 4 attached strings.

Setup: Students work in groups of 4. Each group receives a stack of 6 cups (3 at the base, 2 in the middle, 1 on top) placed on the floor near their desk. Each cup had a different Habit on it with the word Creative for the top.

Challenge: Using only the strings on the elastic band to manipulate the cups, the team must pick up each cup and restack them on the desk in the original order. We gave the groups tike to talk technique and strategy before they race started. This was a timed activity designed to encourage collaboration, teamwork, problem-solving, and communication.

It was cool to hear them talk to each other about the things we had discussed in the previous weeks. 

“Slow and steady wins the race.”

“No rush, we are doing well let's just focus on us.”

“We can't all talk at once because we hear nothing.”

“Right its not working - let’s step back and look at it again.”

We reflected afterwards about what did and didn’t work and how it felt to be finished first, just come in 2nd and not get it completed and how there were things to learn from all these scenarios and experiences. I talked about using ‘play time’ to test out stick-ability, resilience where it's not life or death and you can sit with the discomfort and be ok with it. 

1  - 30 circle challenge

Every student is given 2 paper circles - they have 5 minutes to come up with an original design/fold/curl/creation using finger/scissors/pencils to curl etc. - Tristan and I will walk around and buy creations for our 2 boards (we pay with 5 habits dots) to curate a collection of creative circles.

Review the styles and creations made and how many different creations came from the same initial shape. Tristan and I explain why we awarded different Habit Stickers to different shapes eg - finely fringed/cut paper - discipline/persistent etc. 

Main Activity 2

Students were then challenged to create a sample board of ways to shape and sculpt paper - at least 15 samples. We gallery walked around and ‘stole like an artist’ and used other people’s ideas and adapted and changed them to make them different and our own.

Once all the samplers were made we created a whole wall of reference shapes for kids to use when considering their new ideas and plans

Extension  - students combined 1-2-3 effects to create smaller 3D arrangements

Gemma wrote : We just did a little reflection after lunch using some coloured circles. Showing a new/favourite paper skill they’d learnt in the colour circle of the leaning habit they had to draw on the most or challenge themselves with while building. I was trying to get them to not just pick the one they did most but which one did they have to try and use or go out of their comfort zone with (some understood!) We will pop it in the journal and I’ll get them to write a quick reflection of why they picked it. (Blue was imaginative). Angiram chose yellow and explained how she had to create something or see something and then try to improve on it which no one thought of!

Gemma did a little survey about interests, what subjects were creative and which were not so creative  - great feedback for shaping the final idea events - it’s leaning toward a group of installations that explore tapping into personal interest and what feeds our soul - linked to Wellness and Mental Health also exploring how we learn and what our learning styles are and how to support that.Gemma conducted a survey to gather feedback on creative and non-creative subjects, which will be valuable for developing final event ideas. The emerging concept involves a series of installations focused on exploring personal interests and what nourishes us, connecting to themes of Wellness and Mental Health. This also includes an exploration of learning styles and how they can be supported.

Gemma and I feel the kids are more willing to ‘play outside the lines’ when trying new ideas. They are quick to get into the warm ups and games which is great to see. There is a new boy in the class who seems to have made a smooth transition despite some difficulties at previous school, this session gave Gemma a chance to spend some one-on-one time with him Gemma and I observe a greater willingness in the children to explore novel ideas and engage creatively. Their enthusiastic participation in warm-ups and games is encouraging. A new student has integrated well into the class, and Gemma was able to provide him with individual attention this session, which was beneficial given his prior challenges.

We are developing further on our session today with the paper sculptures but adding an element of light and shadows.

I’ll bring in some lamps and Gemma is sorting torches from science.

School classroom platform - session write up and photos being uploaded