Category Archives: ELP 1960s – groovy baby!

We all live in a Yellow Submarine…

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In CDT this term we have been working with Mr Tough and Ms Armstrong to put together a fabulous 3D structure for display in the front reception hall on Open Day. This is going to take the form of a replica yellow submarine from the Beatles song of the same name.

We have been investigating the works of the Beatles in our ICT and Music lessons and through this work came up with the idea of making a Beatles Museum just like the one in Albert Dock, Liverpool. As the centre piece of this museum we voted to make a large model of the Yellow Submarine and we commenced construction of this during our CDT lessons. We have been taking photographs of our progress as we go along – from papier mache making through to frame design. We hope to display this evidence of our planning and activity for everyone to see when we open the school doors to the community in June.

In Music we have also been learning the words and tune so that we can also perform a rendition of Yellow Submarine in the associated school concert to be performed on the evening of Open Day…

Corny Collins Show comes to Preston Lodge…

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As part of our work for the Whole School Project we have been lucky enough to take a trip to the theatre to see a production of Hairspray. Hairspray has been one of the major themes running through the ELP programme of activities studying the 1960s and we have been fortunate enough to have the help of the school drama teacher, Mrs Thacker, on a Friday morning to assist us.

Thus far we have undertaken the following:

  • studied the many of the main themes explored through Hairspray (prejudice, equality, US Civil Rights Movement)
  • explored the various aspects of each of the main characters in the musical (Tracy, her parents, Seaweed, Amber and Velma) and discussed which theme they may represent most
  • studied key scenes in the production to look for evidence of prejudice, humour and “the message” of the musical
  • undertaken a range of interactive activities that explore our own attitudes, prejudices and feelings
  • undertaken a sub project on Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King
  • undertaken a sub project on 1960s fashion and music
  • watched two film versions of the production
  • went to the live production of Hairspray at the Edinburgh Playhouse

I addition to this however, we intend spending the coming term working towards presenting an abridged performance of Hairspray for Open Day in May. This will involve us spending the next few months auditioning and rehearsing in the Drama Studio. The intention is that we will set up our very own Corny Collins Show Studio in the Drama class for Open Day and welcome people to come in and find out all about the 1960s…

Space…the final front ear?

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This term our Junior ELP Scientists are working on a fascinating unit that explores the many aspects of our universe. Whether it be Life on Earth or Life on Mars, we will be looking to land our thinking modules on learning planets…and find out a bit more about this thing called “space”.

We have already ascertained that we have a real interest in this area of science and have an impressive prior knowledge of our own solar system. In addition to consolidating our understanding of the small part of the universe Earth exists in we will be taking our learning to infinity and beyond. To the final frontier…

Aspects of our project are going to include

  • planet Earth (Poles, polar axis, the seasons, night and day)
  • our moon (Does it shine? Does it change shape? Why are there craters? Atmosphere on the moon. Moon landings).
  • the sun (Great balls of fire? Radiation, heat and light. Satellites of the sun/our solar system)
  • space race (Whole school project 1960s theme. What is it like to be an astronaut?)

We have sourced a wide range of activities, resources and experts to help us on our journey into the great unknown.  From NASA freeze dried ice cream for us to taste through to rotating models of Earth we will be hoping to experience many aspects of the project first hand. Mr Evans and Mr Kidd have kindly offered access to telescopes and so we will  be endeavouring to become amateur astronomers.  We will also be constructing our own scale model of the Solar System to be used by anyone in the school who is a budding space cadette…

Finally, by way of a bit of fun, we will be researching some of the many space related films or television programmes and be looking to compare the fictitious planets contained in them with real planets…so watch out for Yoda coming to a classroom near you soon!

The “If I had a dream” speech…

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As part of our 1960s studies we have been investigating the US Civil Rights Movement led by Dr Martin Luther King Jnr. We listened to his world famous “I have  dream” speech and watched video footage of this momentous occasion in Washington in August, 1963. Many of the words in the speech were quite difficult to understand however we were in no doubt as to the ideas behind them.

As a class we decided to “translate” the speech into one that would be more easily understood in current times and by most people. Line by line we went through it and discussed what we thought the original words stood for. We were given the challenge of putting things into our own words. At the bottom of this post you will find our own version – “If I had a dream…”

“If I had a dream…”

I have a dream that one day this nation will respect everyone no matter their colour.

I have a dream that one day people might forgive.

I have a dream that one day everyone will have fairness and freedom.

I have a dream that people will be judged on what they do and not how they look.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day black and white kids will play together.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day everything will be fair.

This is our hope…

With this faith we will be able to live side by side one day.

This will be the day when we are all free and equal.

 

US Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s…

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This week we will be completing a number of pieces of work before the Half Term break…

ELP Whole School Project

With Hairspray the musical as our focal point, we are exploring a number of issues associated with the 1960s. In particular, this week we are looking at racial segregation in the US and the Civil Rights Movement led by Dr Martin Luther King Jnr. One of the key sub-plots in Hairspray is exclusion of those who are different to the majority. The lead role is that of an overweight teenager who wants to be a dancer on a famous television show but is excluded because she is too heavy. Meanwhile, on the very same show black youths are only allowed to appear once a month – on something called “Negro Day”.

We decided that we would like to find out more as to why this kind of segregation happened, who challenged it and how things changed. We have concentrated very much on the work of Martin Luther King however we have also explored the world of Alex Hayley and “Roots” all the way through to considering  the presidency of Barack Obama, some 40 years after Martin Luther King was assassinated.