The Big Book of Primary Club Resources: Science and Outdoor Learning

Fe Luton, Lian Jacobs

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2018
• eBook ISBN: 9780429844942
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

These days, running a club is an accepted part of the teacher's remit, adding additional pressure to an already substantial workload. The Big Book of Primary Club Resources: Science and Outdoor Learning aims to ease that burden, providing a simple and clear week-by-week plan for science and outdoor learning clubs.

Each chapter aims to explore science and outdoor learning in a context that complements classroom practice without specifically following the National Curriculum. Containing two years' worth of club sessions, this book is a quick, accessible and easy-to-use guide which provides clear and creative ideas, all of which are straightforward to resource, set up and run. A myriad of science and outdoor learning topics are covered, including:

• The human body
• Weather
• Chemistry and special effects science
• The environment
• Mathematics of the natural world
• Outdoor survival skills

All activities are adapted for three age groups (4–7 years; 7–9 years and 9–11 years) and achieve highly satisfying outcomes for pupils. Taking the strain out of club planning, this book is an invaluable resource for teachers and teaching assistants running clubs for children aged 4–11.

1
Art and nature

Over the course of this block, children will use nature to create and inspire pieces of artwork. The block can be completed at any time of the year, although autumn, spring and summer will offer a wider choice of colour and texture to explore.

This block includes the following sessions (key resources underneath):

1. Natural paints
   Mixing bowls; spoons; pebbles; water; pigments: e.g. turmeric, paprika, instant coffee, charcoal, cooked beetroot, blueberries, blackberries; paint pots; thin strips of card; paintbrushes; cellophane
2. Landscape painting
   Sample landscape images; paints from Session one; paintbrushes; painting paper; clipboards or painting boards; drawing pencils; mixing trays
3. Outdoor photography
   Digital cameras; printer; mounting paper
4. Nature’s textures
   Nature items; aluminium foil; A4 card; PVA glue 5 Anthony Goldsworthy: artist study Examples of Goldsworthy art online (www.goldsworthy.cc.gla.ac.uk/); digital camera; chalk; paint
5. Collaborative tree sculpture
   Decorative items: bottles, CDs, metal and plastic scraps, fabric, nature items; wool, ribbons and string; glue sticks and PVA glue; wire

In preparation for this block, gather together the ingredients for creating natural paints and look for examples of nature-inspired art. You will also need access to an outdoor area with trees and plants to create the artwork in Sessions two through six.

Session one
Natural paints

Paint is a mainstay in most creative spaces, but how were pigments created in the days before poster paints? Children will spend this session creating their own homemade, plant-based paints that they will then use in Session two to paint an outdoor landscape.

Resources needed

Mixing bowls; spoons; pebbles; water; pigments: e.g. turmeric, paprika, instant coffee, charcoal, cooked beetroot, blueberries, blackberries; paint pots; thin strips of card; paintbrushes; cellophane

Activity

1. Ask children how they think paint is made. Explain that it contains a range of ingredients, depending on the type of paint. Paint is generally created using pigments, resin, solvent and additives. The pigments often come from metals (oxides) or other natural substances (see Figure 1.1)
2. Explain that today, children are going to create their own paints using plant sources for their pigments (see Figures 1.2 – 1.5)
3. Show children the paint pigments (turmeric, paprika, instant coffee, charcoal, cooked beetroot, blueberries and blackberries) and ask them to suggest how they think they might create paint from these items. Give them a couple of minutes to discuss in pairs. Then explain that the paints will be made by crushing or squashing pigment in their bowls using the pebbles, adding water if required. Highlight that children may need to use more than one pigment to create the colour they are after
4. Working in pairs, children then go about making two or three colours (make sure each pair makes different colours to ensure that a range of colours are created within the group). They will need to make enough paint to be shared with everyone for landscape painting in the next session
5. Once finished, children paint some sample strips to glue around the paint pots they are to be stored in, so that children can see the colour of the dried paint. Cover each paint pot with cellophane to store
   • 4–7 years – children make the colour as described
   • 7–9 years – children make different shades of the same colour
   • 9–11 years – children make versions of the same colour, e.g. brighter, deeper, redder

Key questions

• How could you make the colour brighter/different?
• How do you think the paint will look on paper? Will it dry the same colour?

Helpful hints

• If the paint becomes too runny, add some honey to thicken it up

Figure 1.1 Paint pigments

Figure 1.2 Berries

Figure 1.3 Beetroot

Figure 1.4 Charcoal

Figure 1.5 Coffee

Prep for next session (landscape painting)

Store the paints for next session. Children may like to make more paints at home to bring in

Session two
Landscape painting

Having created their own all-natural, plant-based paints during Session one, this week children are going to test out their products as they use them to paint a landscape.

Resources needed

Sample landscape images; paints from Session one; paintbrushes; painting paper; clipboards or painting boards; drawing pencils; mixing trays

Activity

1. Look at the landscape images and ask children to identify ones they like and why. Highlight the range of subjects and variety of colours involved. Then show children Figures 1.6 – 1.8, highlighting the order in which the landscapes have been painted (sketch lines first for the main sections, background painted, detail painted)
2. Explain that children will paint their own landscape today using the paints they made in Session one. Do children think the paint might feel different to poster paints, acrylics, oils or watercolours? What was the liquid ingredient? Water! So these paints will be a bit like watercolours. They may also be a bit textured
3. Give children paper and a clipboard and head to an outdoor area where they can paint a landscape. It doesn’t matter if it is ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• List of contributors
• Introduction
• 1 Art and nature
• 2 Special effects science
• 3 Environmental issues
• 4 Amazing bodies
• 5 Maths in nature
• 6 Sensational structures
• 7 Outdoor skills
• 8 Electrical and magnetic wonders
• 9 Weather station
• 10 The experimental kitchen
• 11 In the garden
• 12 Wild races