Early Stage One have spent the term engaged in their Unit of Inquiry ‘Our personal histories tell a story and help us to understand who we are’. During their art lessons, the boys have considered artwork from a range of artists and how families are portrayed. The boys were encouraged to express opinions on how families are portrayed in artworks. After reflecting on their classroom discussion, the students then drew, coloured and painted their family-portraits, which are now displayed proudly on the Art Room wall.

The Kindergarten boys also created a clay face of a family member. They have modeled and carved a head, eyes, eyebrows, nose, mouth and ears in clay. The students used various modelling techniques and tools whilst crafting their realistic human heads. The sculptures were painted using a variety of skin tones. We look forward to varnishing the completed work and developing the background of the picture by adding imagery from the memory of family events or from knowledge of their family’s history.

Stage One students have also applied their knowledge of how successful workplaces are organised and they have worked collaboratively to construct a mini theatre. The boys have created their own stand-up mini stage and invented a range of monster puppets, which will be used to emulate a working theatre. This week the boys will design props, created in modelling clay. Script-writing forms part of the mini theatre concept. The boys will have the opportunity to use the theatre with peers and collectively produce a theatrical based i-movie. I look forward to viewing the end product and seeing the connections made between an organised workplace and our attempt to generate a working mini theatre.

Kylie Bain – Art Teacher