Mrs Brown's Class of 2008

Middle Ages

Our Social Studies and English reading was centered on the Middle Ages.   We looked at people distant in time and place and explored different ways to research, collect and present information.   We read and discussed widely about the topic, focussing on the different roles people played in medieval society. 

We have presented information about peasants on a 3 D diorama and written facts next to it.

At home we worked with our parents to find out about noblemen and women.  We dressed a peg to look like a person from that age and shared with the class the information we had gathered.  After researching with a buddy the different jobs a peasant had we presented more information on concertina folded paper which our classmates can read in class.

We were fortunate to have two parents who are very creative in our class.  One worked on the maps for Lord of the Rings and the other designs props for films.   These two dads spent time with the class showing them how to do calligraphy style writing as would have been used in the Middle Ages and props of a castle chair and instruments of torture!

 

 

 

The class also produced art work on castles.   We chose two colours and then made a collage landscape using magazine pictures.   Above this we drew and coloured a castle outline.  We coloured it using only the two colours and making sure that we had different height and patterns in our pictures.   They were framed with black paper and an offset colour at the top.

 Paper

In our class we have completed an integrated technology and science unit on the topic, “Paper”.   The children conducted a series of science experiments to work out and test the various properties of paper.  Examples of this are: Which paper is the strongest?   Which paper rips easily?   What does paper look like when it is viewed up close?   We also went to Pataka Museum and Art Gallery in Porirua and viewed an exhibition featuring paper craft.  The art teachers there worked with us to manipulate paper through rolling, twisting and curling.  We tried out the various techniques and then produced a collaborative art work based on the Legend of Maui and the Sun.   The final product was the face of Maui. 

 

 

In technology we explored the way paper bags are constructed, how paper bags are used in society and the different types of bags both past and present.   We took a paper bag apart, constructed a net out of newspaper and then made and decorated our bags.   We used the skills we had learnt at Pataka to make them attractive.