Rama and Sita Shadow Puppets with Allerton Primary School

Allerton Primary in Immingham have been very busy learning all about how artists use shadows and light to create intriguing shapes and performances.  Over three weeks, Education at 20-21 worked across years three and four to recreate the story of Rama and Sita and the beginning of Diwali.

Children learnt about the aspects of creating a shadow and what science was involved in making sure shadows were effective. Pupils spent the first part of the workshop, using black card to make themselves a Rama or Sita puppet that had moving parts.

Children were all very enthusiastic about being able to go home with their very own shadow puppet.

 

Each pupil also made a monkey and each table created a monkey chain for the story.

We reminded ourselves of the Diwali story and what happened to Rama and Sita. Class members took turns to read sections of the story out loud for all to hear.

 

 

And then the fun began! The whole class played various roles in the Diwali story, some pupils were even given vital technical roles such as Scenic Artist or Technical manager. 

 

Rama and his wife Sita lived in a beautiful Kingdom, where Rama's father was the king. Rama was due to take the crown and share his royal status with his beautiful wife whom he loved dearly.

But Rama's jealous step-mother wanted her own son to be the next in line to the throne and so banished Rama and Sita from the Kingdom!

They went to live in the forest with Rama's brother, who he developed an excellent reputation with, for fighting evil spirits.

Ravana, a ten headed demon king grew jealous of their reputation and fell in love with Sita, who he wanted for his wife.

Ravan conjured a beautiful golden deer to tempt Rama, who chased it through the forests. While Rama was away, Ravana kidnapped Sita and took her away.

When Rama heard what had happened, he was at a loss what to do. He turned to Hanuman, the monkey god for advice. Hanuman summoned all the monkeys of the forest to help in a 10 day battle with Ravana and his evil spirits.

Rama and Sita were finally reunited and looked to find their way home to the Kingdom, but they were lost. The people of the Kingdom heard of Rama and Sita's worries to make the way home and so lit the way with lanterns and candles.

Rama and Sita were made into gods who are still celebrated today by the Hindu religion.


Allerton Primary School had an awful lot of fun performing this world famous story and learnt a lot in the process, covering art, science, religion, geography and literacy.

The teachers said:
"[The delivery of the workshop was ] Very Good!"
"A fantastic delivery. Very inclusive of all children and catered for all abilities."
"All aims and objectives met."
"A fantastic start to a topic of light and shadow and end to myth and India topic"

The children said:
"I liked the profromence"
"I wanted to be the gold deer and I did!"
"I think that is was great and everyone has lots of FUN!"
"I enjoyed shaking the monkey"

If your school would be interested in the story of Rama and Sita, or any other topic story, please get in touch to see if we can help out with a creative workshop! contact us on 01724 297070 or email education.2021@northlincs.gov.uk

Messingham Primary discover Hidden Treasures at 20-21!

When Messingham Primary School told us they were studying Ancient Egypt and Hidden Treasures, we were delighted to be able to offer them a series of workshops so their children to create artwork in response to the school's theme.

Almost 90 children visited the centre over two weeks, to look at Richard Bartle's Deities at the Bottom of the Garden and to consider why particular images and symbols are associated with different religions.

Each pupil filled in a worksheet about Richard's exhibition, and many of them asked lots of valid questions, like:

 

1) "Why do the sheds smell?"
2) "Why are some sheds facing the wrong way?"

3) "Why did Richard Bartle want to make this artwork?"

 

The answers they discovered:

1) Some of the sheds have a distinct smell that is associated with the places of worship, for the religion they represent.

2) Some of the sheds are pointing away from the others. This is because those sheds host religions that worship in the direction of Mecca.

3) Richard Bartle is interested in the act of obsession, and displayed that interest by spending three years developing ideas that link obsessive behaviours in sheds, crafting and religious behaviour.

Children were encouraged to bring along objects that they hold dear to them; objects that aren't worth much money, but are valuable for other reasons. They sketched these objects, while considering why they were treasured. At Messingham Primary, the pupils are lucky enough to have iPods to record the work they see and make. Some groups used their iPods as reference for their chosen objects or things dear to them.

Once sketches were complete, we started to construct a specialist book structure, called the "Flag Bind". This book holds lots of opportunities to hide our secret treasures away, much like the Egyptians did in tombs. There was lots of concentration in the room, when pupil's were following careful instructions for measuring, marking and cutting.

Once the flag books were put together, the group used our initial sketches, to make mono prints of them. There were some great outcomes, and some children were amazed to see their drawings recreated backwards and with different textures than they'd expected.

Once the content of the books were complete, we moved on to mono printing an image for the covers. Using Egyptian imagery for inspiration, pupils drew pyramids, palm trees and hot blazing suns to decorate the outside of their books.

 

These pictures were cut in half, and applied to the books pages. If stood in a certain position, the image is recreated into one whole - this is a conceal and reveal feature of the flag book.

One class had so much time at the end, they wrote about their Hidden Treasure, on the blank spaces inside the books - another conceal and reveal asset of this book structure. Once the book covers are pulled apart... the original image reforms to reveal itself once more.

 

Feedback from teachers and pupils reveal Hidden Treasures as one of the most successful workshops on offer at 20-21:

 

"Thoroughly enjoyed and very well led. Thanks!"

"...lof of new ideas. Thank you"

"Lots of WOW!!"

"It Was Amazing! I would do this all the time if i could, I will be coming without school oneday! because its great" (sic)

"I Liked the mono printing because it Lookes effective. It could of been better if we spent the WHOLE day there" (sic)

"10/10 because the sheds were really awesome!"

"I thought the 20-21 centre was unique in many ways."

 

It is easy for the workshop to be adapted to suit class room topics. If you are interested in booking this workshop, or one similar, get in touch with our Education Officer, Hayley McPhun on 01724 297074, or email her at hayley.mcphun@northlincs.gov.uk

 

Thanks for reading! :)

NEW FREE Self Guided Tour Packs

We are pleased to announce an exciting venture for 20-21 Visual Arts Centre and a creatively stimulating opportunity for schools, colleges and groups in North Lincolnshire and beyond. Our new Self Guided Tour Pack is currently FREE to any schools wishing to make a visit to 20-21 in order to enrich their arts delivery.

The new packs are specially designed to compliment our changing exhibition programme, as well as being directly related to art and design national curriculum at each key stage. This means each pack will be specific to a school's requirements, as well as being relevant to our exhibitions; enhancing any educational visit to the centre.

By attending 20-21 Visual Arts Centre and following our new Self Guide Tour Pack, pupils will be given the chance to:

• Engage with contemporary art, craft and design, and work in a creative environment, as well as make work in response to local cultural influences.
• Develop their own views and express reasoned judgements through spending time, physically, with real quality artwork that has been well researched and beautifully crafted.
• Make links between art and design and other areas across the curriculum.
• Achieve parts of their Arts Award.

"Deities at the Bottom of the Garden" Tour Pack 
Available 15th Dec 2012 — 23rd Feb 2013

Our first FREE Self Guided Tour Pack is built around “Deities at the Bottom of the Garden”; an exhibition by Richard Bartle. Students will experience contemporary art, made specifically for Scunthorpe’s  20-21 Visual Arts Centre, that explores a range of images, symbols and artefacts from different faiths. This exhibition is a series of twelve miniature garden sheds, displaying characteristics from different cultural temples, shrines and places of worship. The pack inlcudes worksheet activities, prompt questions and all the info required for your trip.

Contribute to our blog!

After your school have taken part in a Self Guided Tour, why not contribute your studies, creative outcomes and experiences, onto this blog. For more information on how to do so, contact Hayley on the details above.

Interested?

If you'd like to book a Self Guided Tour and use our new pack to enhance your visit, please contact our Education Officer, Hayley McPhun on 01724 297074 or hayley.mcphun@northlincs.gov.uk for more information or to be forwarded the pack.