26th June 20
We ensure that the Creative Curriculum is embedded in much of our teaching, allowing our girls to learn through creative and active teaching strategies. Creative curriculum focuses on big ideas, not learning by rote, incorporates interesting projects and individual students’ skills and needs.
Here is just one example of how we practice the Creative Curriculum, working across subjects to bring a greater appreciation and understanding to a subject matter.
To celebrate National Insect Week this week, the Year 6 girls have become entomologists, finding out about the plummeting insect numbers and the impact this can have on the Earth. They recorded the different number facts used by entomologists to monitor and communicate their findings, and take a look at the below photo of a beautiful information poster in the shape of a butterfly.
The girls then went on to research some number facts about common garden insects and had a look at the predatory bugs problem: three predatory bugs are initially sitting at the corners of an equilateral triangle, when all at once, each of the bugs begin crawling with equal speed directly toward the bug on their right. What is the path of each bug? The curves made by the bugs’ tracks are called ‘whirls’. If we plotted the bugs’ ‘sight-lines’ at regular intervals, what might the results look like? Take a look at the photos of the girls’ work to see these beautiful patterns.
Next the girls were shown how architects have used these whirls/curves in their designs, such as the Twisted Bridge in the Netherlands, The Bridge of Aspirations in Floral Street London and High Trestle Trail Bridge in Iowa. Google them to see – they really are amazing.
Today the girls will be looking at insect symmetry by creating their own art work inspired by the ornate Insects drawn by Alex Konahin and next week they will work on geometric patterns will be linked to R.E. as they look at Islamic four-fold patterns.
Creative Curriculum and STEAM in action!
