Stage One have been exploring the Arts and storytelling in their current Unit of Inquiry. The boys have engaged in a number of workshops, allowing for their exploration of telling a story through a range of artistic modes. In dance and drama, they have been looking at ways to show the key parts of a story, its characters and setting through movement. Removing dialogue from our initial explorations in drama has allowed the boys to consider how their body tells a story rather than relying on using dialogue. We have discovered the way that music can tell, or contribute to a story. The boys have created soundscapes by choosing percussion instruments to represent the contrasting characters in Nick Bland’s King Pig. They have also interpreted Vivaldi’s classical piece, Four Seasons by creating a linear artwork to represent the change in seasons. The boys have also explored symbolism used in art to tell a story.

Next week have the Bell Shakespeare Company visiting to introduce the boys to the magic and mayhem of Shakespeare’s comedies. This will be a two hour literacy workshop involving the boys in drama, script, movement, costume design and creative thinking.

There is a perception that people are inherently creative or not. In Stage One, we are challenging this. The boys are realising that every person is creative and there are ways they can enhance their creative processes and turn their ideas into something wonderful! The boys will be manipulating well known fairy tales, to educate and engage an audience. To support their process, the boys will generate and organise their ideas using the design thinking model and visible thinking routines. We are looking to their telling of fractured fairy tales, through all of the artistic modes!