Take One Picture Week

'Take One Picture' is the National Gallery's countrywide scheme for primary schools. Each year the Gallery focuses on one painting from their collection to inspire cross-curricular work in primary classrooms. The challenge is for schools to use the image imaginatively in the classroom, both as a stimulus for artwork, and for work in more unexpected curriculum areas. The picture chosen this year was ‘Still Life With Drinking Horn’ by Willem Kalf. 

The week has been an extremely creative one for the children and has provided a lot of photo opportunities! Enjoy!

Launch day.

Without seeing the picture, several objects were put into a bag and one child at a time was asked up to the front to choose one without removing it from the bag. The rest of the class had to ask questions to guess what the object was. The objects included a goblet, a lemon, a drinking horn, a rug and of course - a lobster! The picture was then revealed to the children and they were asked to brainstorm it in groups to discuss what they wanted to find out about the picture and what they thought it was about. This was followed by a research lesson where children found out the answers to their questions using the iPads and the internet.

Maths

Using the precious rug in the picture as a starting point, the children looked at the patterns on different rugs and how these patterns were either symmetrical or tessellated. Activities followed that encouraged the children to think about how shapes can tessellate or fit together and how to make a symmetrical pattern in pairs.

English

In English the children watched a video showing how lobsters were caught for food. This developed into a class debate on whether lobsters should be caught and killed for human consumption with children having the opportunity to voice their opinions on both sides of the argument. At the end of the session some children had the opportunity to sit in the ‘Hot Seat’ and take questions from the class on why they thought lobsters should or shouldn’t be caught. 

 Science

Looking closely at the lobster in the picture the children discovered that some animals have a skeleton on the outside of their body - an exoskeleton. A life size human skeleton then made an appearance in the classroom! It was compared to the skeletons and exoskeletons of animals and real X-rays were shown of broken bones. The children then used lots of cardboard tubes and boxes to build an exoskeleton on the outside of their teddybears body!

Art

After learning that each of the objects in the painting by Kalf represented Saint Sebastian and his life, the children were asked to bring in objects of their own that represented them and their life and/or interests. It was interesting to see what objects the children had chosen and why. I certainly learnt a lot more about them and their hobbies after the lesson!

Forest School

This week was the final in year three’s Forest School sessions. To have a decent send off the class had a gathering around a camp fire. The first job was to send the children off to collect sticks for the fire, then Krishan had the privileged opportunity to light the fire using a flint. Once the fire was going every child had the chance to toast some bread, butter it and of course - eat it! It was a great way to finish the sessions and I know the children have thoroughly enjoyed the outdoor learning opportunities Forest Schools has provided. We are all sad to see them come to an end.