Heroes In A Small World
Please note that this workshop will only be running until Fri 30th March 2012.
Aims (Skills, Knowledge, Activity, Result)
- To use paintings as a stimulus for drama, role play and creative writing.
- To help children recognise and use basic story structure.
- To give children the opportunity to develop story ideas through play.
- To encourage children to work in co-operative groups and share ideas.
What happens in a workshop
Using drama and role play we bring a variety of paintings to life in the gallery, exploring the different talents and special skills of the heroes we find in them. We gather the ideas together to create stories based on what we can see, and what we imagine we would hear.
Back in the studio the children are split into small groups. Each group is provided with a storybox containing a ‘small world’ backdrop with figures and objects, some of which relate directly to the paintings visited. The children are given time to play with the boxes, discuss ideas and create their own stories featuring a hero who saves the day!
Prepare for your visit
- Familiarise the children with the basic structure of a story. Practise breaking down the main events of known stories into beginning, middle and end.
- Discuss different types of heroes and superheroes and the special skills that make them heroes. Discuss personal qualities that make the children themselves special.
- Split the class into six smaller groups of mixed ability and assign an adult to each group to supervise and assist the children.
- Find out how to plan your visit, including booking information, parking, facilities and a downloadable risk assessment.
What people are saying about the workshop
“My favourite bit is when the knight slays the dragon and it falls to the ground with an almighty thud!”
“The imagination of the children amazes me. They interpret the paintings and the storyboxes in such a way that we always get different ideas and stories.”
“We once had an Invisible Man who liked to tickle people!”
