Creative Science in Cross-Curricular Contexts

1. Creative Science in Cross-Curricular Contexts

2. Allie BeaumontZoë CromptonJane Turner Joy ParvinNetwork of Science Learning Centreswww.slcs.ac.uk

3. Civet Ear

4. Creative

5. Learning Outcomes You will be able to: • distinguish between ‘teaching for creativity’ and ‘teaching creatively’ • describe examples of creative and cross-curricular good practice

6. Implications of the Primary Review • The principles of the revised curriculum are intended to promote creativity and disciplined innovation in teaching and learning . Consultation Overview • Children should be encouraged to think creatively and inventively about how things work. Draft Scientific and Technological Understanding Area of Learning

7. What is creativity?

8. It’s a Bobby Dazzler! Bargain Hunt • The object of the game is to buy and sell facts, sharing each others knowledge. • Start by writing down 3 facts you know. • You have 30p. (virtual money.) • Buy and sell your facts in the market. Everything costs 10p. • The winner of the market is the one who has collected the most facts by buying and selling well. Everything’s cheap as chips!! Lisa Meek AST Plymouth LA

9. Creativity is……… • According to NACCCE creativity is: • “an imaginative activity fashioned so as to produce outcomes that are both original and of value.” • Creativity relies on: • Thinking or behaving imaginatively • Imaginative activity that is purposeful • Something original being generated • An outcome of value in relation to the objective (NACCCE) National Advisory Committee on Creative and Cultural Education All our futures: Creativity, Culture and Education 1999 report

10. Examples from the Pollen project(Science education and the cross-disciplinary approach, SLCEM) • Exploration of Victorian kaleidoscopes, pinhole cameras and epidiascopes. • Pupils worked in pairs to make pinwheels • powered by a motor. • They had to make the wheel spin at • different speeds to get the optimum effect. • Manipulation of variables in circuits was • new to the class. Investigating how to vary a motor’s speed to make a Pinwheel Years 3 & 4 · Cross-curricular links: science, history and design & Technology http://www.polleneuropa.net/?page=Y2z37kcGjK0%3D&element=SbuivDi8BsE%3D (Cross-curricular booklet autumn)

11. Investigating materials for an effective World War 2 blackout • The starting point - an authentic oral history account. • Pearl had to make sure that her blackouts met the exacting standards of the strict air raid warden. • The class investigated a selection of materials to find the best combination of layers and/or colours to do the job. • They reported back to Pearl their findings Years 5 & 6 · Cross-curricular links: science, history and literacy http://www.polleneuropa.net/?page=Y2z37kcGjK0%3D&element=SbuivDi8BsE%3D (Cross-curricular booklet autumn)

12. Science and Design and Technology Year 3 explored the properties of colour changing ducks and spoons then thought of a new use for a colour changing material: Cuddly Colour – changes colour to red if your baby is too hot or too cold.

13. What is Creativity? Creativity is...... A creative person is… • What do they think about? • What do they do? • How do they work?

16. Electricity Poem In a complete circuit… Picky switches mood swing clumsily, Slinky wires weave flexibly, Glossy bulbs sparkle fluorescently, Startling crocodile clips chomp aggressively, Bulky batteries kick forcefully, Bashful buzzers chant rudely, In a complete circuit…

18. Pupils’ Opinions • “I like it because it gives you time to explore.” • “…there’s a lot of active stuff.” • “I think every school should have creative science because much more kids concentrate…It’s fun and easier to learn.” • “It helped me understand more.” • “You can enjoy it but learn at the same time.” • “…great practice for teamwork.” • “You have fun in your lessons and don’t moan when your teacher says you have Science today.”

19. Sample activities for ‘forces’ • Name & Action Today I pushed / pulled… • Sculpture Push, pull, stretch, squeeze • Accumulation Words coming alive on the body

20. Case Study: Ann I introduced children to the idea of creating their own movements to represent different vocabulary for light and shadows. One group expressed shadow, the boy at the back is the sun, the girl is the object and the boy lying down is the shadow. I like the fact that there is no gap between the object and the shadow.

21. Ann’s action point To give teachers within St Michael’s School the confidence and motivation to be more creative in their science teaching, allowing children more freedom to explore and investigate. Staff carried out an open-ended enquiry blowing bubbles.

22. Ann’s staff meeting They loved it. They began by making observations, which gradually changed to investigation questions. This gave me the perfect opportunity to ‘sell’ this approach. Most teachers were relieved that they had been given ‘permission’ to not stick rigidly to QCA units and decided to adjust their teaching to allow children to explore and come up with their own questions.

23. Science Learning Centre Courses • Creative Cross-curricular Science • Essential Science Enquiry Part 2: Responding to Pupils’ Ideas • Science and the Creative Arts • Science and Design and Technology For more information or to organise your own event visit www.slcs.ac.uk