Art – Page 6 – Penpol Primary School

What’s that noise coming from the Mac Suite?

20th November 2017 by Jacob Woolcock

Since the beginning of November I’ve been asked the same question time and time again: “What’s that noise coming from the Mac Suite, Mr Woolcock?”

It’s a very valid question as there has indeed been a pretty irritating noise coming from the Mac Suite for the last few weeks. The machine making the annoying noise isn’t finished yet though, in fact it’s likely to be making that same, annoying noise for a few more weeks yet.

So what is it doing??

Well, the machine is our Makerbot 3D Printer and it’s currently undertaking the biggest print-run of its life – printing out 200 unique and individual winter decorations which have been designed by the children in Key Stage 2.

Each child in the Juniors has been using an online program called Tinkercad to imagine, design and construct their own decoration, based on any theme they wish.

To get their creative juices flowing I showed each child how they could make a unique and beautiful Snowflake design, which a lot of children actually ended up choosing as their final decoration. However, each child could also design their own decoration with their own choice of colours too.

Since then, myself and Paul have been busy making sure that all 200 decorations get printed. It might seem like a simple task, but in reality it’s far from it! Each 3D model takes around 50 minutes to print and as they all use two colours we also have to stop the printer to change the coloured plastic mid-way through each print. Sometimes it’s a little easier, for example when five children have all chosen a red base and a white top layer, as all five can be printed at once during a morning. But for the most part it’s been a case of setting countless alarms, reminding teachers to pause the printers, scrambling under the table to find the next colour plastic and hoping that the 3D printer doesn’t jam after 4 hours of printing (thus ruining the prints!).

Plenty of late nights and early mornings have been spent coming back into the Mac Suite to set more prints off in the dark, but we’re finally getting towards the end. We’ve now printed over 120 decorations and they are looking INCREDIBLE.

When all the decorations are printed we’ll be giving the children a chance to bring in a small donation of 50p to cover the cost of the plastic filament in return for taking their decoration home to keep forever. The children are already excited about this!

As to what the decorations actually look like? Well, you’ll just have to wait until December to find out. It’d ruin the surprise to share all the photos of them now, but as soon as we’ve got all 200 ready to go we’ll update the Penpol Times so you can see how great they look!

In the meantime, back to the printer for me!

– Mr Woolcock

Art from Tehidy by Class 5

13th November 2017 by Penpol School

Autumn patterns

Class 5 ventured into Tehidy woods to experience the seasonal changes of Autumn and to do some sketching for their art topic ‘Mother Nature’.

Back at school the children used a view finder to choose an area of their sketches which had lots of detail. They then drew what was in the finder and coloured it in.

The children then had to arrange the images to make a pattern.

The results speak for themselves!

I liked the sketching in the woods. I thought I couldn’t do it but then I saw the yellow bits and I could then match them up yo make my pattern – Remy

It was a bit difficult to make a pattern but I like my finished work especially the flower bit – Ruby

Jacques a dit…on va dehors!

10th November 2017 by Jack Emery

This week, students have been enjoying the dry weather by learning French outside. Classes 3, 4, 7 and 8 were involved in a series of activities and competitions which tested their understanding of instructions and knowledge of body parts in French, which is the current topic they are learning about with Mr Emery.

At the start of each lesson, students followed Mr Emery around the school via instructions in French, until reaching the playground area. Out in the fresh air, students began by doing a number of fun warm-up activities in French, from star jumps to the Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes (tête, épaule, genou, pied) song. Following the warm-up activities, students then moved on to the more challenging competitions, such as “la souris contre le chat” (very similar to duck duck goose) and “Jacques a dit” (Simon says).

From class 3, Hazel held her nerve and won the Simon says competition, showing an excellent understanding of body parts in French.

It was really fun learning French outside. I really like winning too! – Hazel – Class 3 – Year 1

Upon returning to the classroom, students were able to recap what they had learnt about body parts in French by drawing and labelling their own monsters. With all classes having sung a French colour song with Michèle in the Harvest assembly, they were also keen to add plenty of colours to their monsters.

Alex, from Class 3, also enjoyed counting the number of heads in French on his monster, going all the way up to “quinze”, (15, pronounced ‘cans’).

When asked at the end of the session what was their favourite part of the lesson, the overriding response was “learning French outside!”

I loved having lots of space outside to play games in French! – Sienna – Class 4 – Year 1

Let’s hope for more sunshine next week!

The two finalists in the ‘Simon says’ game

Class 4 have an Art Attack!

25th June 201831st October 2017 by Penpol School

Class 4 love art! They have been having great fun investigating materials in their art lessons and have been making metal sculptures using everyday objects including cheese graters, cutlery, tin cans, mixing bowls and anything else they can get their hands on! Check out their fantastic owl creations!

I love the metal feather bits on your owl Lily. Can I help? – Alfie

Evie and Sienna are really happy with the way their owls are turning out. They are using jam jar lids for the eyes and sticking on squashed foil cases and beads. They’re looking great.

I like my owl. I want to take it home and show my mum. – Tyler

Ada and Flora help each other choose the best buttons and beads to stick on to the wings.

I love my owl. I brought in my sieve and my whisk from home and Mrs Anthoney helped me stick all the bits together. – Zak

I am really happy and so proud of the children. They put in a lot of hard work and were very creative. I think their owls look fantastic! – Miss Ryan

Owl Facts

Owls live in barns, trees, old buildings and tunnels.
Owls eat mice, rats, birds, raccoons, skunks, snakes, squirrels and other small mammals.
Owls can’t digest bones, fur or feathers so they spit it out.
Owls have sharp beaks that they use to shred their food.
Owls grab their ‘prey’ with their sharp claws.
Owls don’t make any sound when they fly.
Owls camouflage themselves in the trees.

Year Four History Homework Challenge!

30th October 2017 by Colin Jones

In Year Four, the children have been learning about the Romans and their time in Britain. Whilst learning, about the Roman Army, the children were really interested in this aspect and as a result, last week, the children were set an optional homework challenge. The children were tasked with making a historically accurate Roman shield. The teachers in year Four were overwhelmed and delighted with the response. Due to the outstanding quality of the work produced, all children who participated were given a golden ticket.

They look amazing in the classroom and some have even been used in Roman Army marching drills. The teachers would like to thank everyone who helped the children create these fabulous shields and we look forward to the products of the next challenge.

I really enjoyed making the shields – Tom – Class 4

Industrial Inspiration for Year 5

20th October 2017 by Nic Stanlake

Our Year 5 classes have been studying the Industrial Revolution over the last half term. They have looked in depth at inventor and inventions as well as it’s effect on the modern world.

I’ve really enjoyed researching inventors because it shows how important the Cornish are!

The children have been undertaking their own research on the 6 main factors: population, agriculture, factories, power, transport and empire as well as researching an inventor of their choice including Humphry Davy, George Stephenson and Richard Trevithick. Once cumulated the children used these notes and facts to plan and create a biography so they can share their research with each other and parents at home.

I found it amazing that George Stephenson made the first train, especially after teaching himself to read and write!

The Industrial Revolution has also provided inspiration for some wonderful art. The children studied the painting ‘Coalbrookdale By Night’ which was painted by Philip James de Loutherbourg in 1801, in the heart of the revolution, before creating their own.

Using paints and water the children created a wash to represent the fiery sky before designing and cutting out an industrial themed silhouette to lay on top.

Between the 49 children in year 5 they have produced some breath taking pieced of art work that can be seen on display outside of classes 11 and 12 but also in their topic books.

Learning About Autumn

8th October 2017 by Elizabeth Nidds

Children in classes 1 and 2 have been busy learning about Autumn and Harvest this week. We have learnt all about the changes that take place during Autumn such as the leaves changing colour and falling from the trees. In class 2, we looked at different photos of Autumn scenes and the children have been painting the leaves onto trees using their fingers.

I used red, yellow and brown on my fingers for the leaves – Erin

I liked using my fingers to paint. My favourite colour was red – Ayveeahnah

In class 1, the children foraged for leaves in the wildlife garden and discussed the different trees the leaves came from. We studied the shape of them and the different colours. We then brought them back to class and painted them to make leaf prints.

I liked learning about Autumn. My favourite picture was of the leaves in the wood – Kieran

In Autumn, the leaves fall down. They go gold, yellow and red. – Bella

Learning is fun in Year 1

2nd October 2017 by Amanda Aspden

We started the year with an exciting class outing to the Hall for Cornwall in Truro. We were lucky enough to see the amazing story of the ‘Gruffalo’ by Julia Donaldson on the stage and joined in with some of the narration remembered from the book.

I liked the fox when he growled and ran away. Harvey

We visited the cathedral and walked to Victoria Gardens to eat our picnic lunch.

I liked the high ceiling and the windows in the cathedral. Hazel

I liked lighting the candle in the cathedral. Myla

We finished the day having great fun in Hendra play park and travelled back to school on the double decker bus.

I liked it when we went in the park. Safi

Back at school the children have produced excellent writing and art work inspired by the Gruffalo story. Mr Jones has even taught them a Gruffalo song!

I liked it on the bus when i was at the top. Felix

Super Self Portraits

27th September 2017 by Amanda Aspden

The reception classes have been busy this week painting their own self portraits. To fit in with our topic of ourselves, the children spent time looking at their own reflections and made decisions on which colours where needed for their master pieces.

I like painting because I paint at home with Mummy. We paint pictures. Derora

The children experimented mixing the colours together and learnt about the primary colours and different colour combinations.

I liked painting all of it. I painted my eyebrows black. Chloe

The children were encouraged to pay attention to detail by observing their different eye colours, including pupils, the shape of their lips and noses and were encouraged to study all the different shades they have in their hair.

I liked painting my eyes because I like the blue colour. Ayveeahnah

The paintings have turned out beautifully and the children really enjoyed painting their own self portraits.

Class 6’s Brilliant Moving Pictures

20th April 2017 by Elizabeth Nidds

Children in class 6 had a very busy Spring term in DT in their ‘moving pictures’ topic. Over the course of the term, each child designed and made many different types of moving pictures. These ranged from pop up Chinese new year cards, to making their own class flap book all about themselves, to Easter cards that could be ‘cracked’ open to reveal the message inside!

I liked making the flap book about me because I liked writing all the information under the picture – Jasmine

I enjoyed making my Easter egg card as I liked decorating it how I wanted – Isla

I really liked the All About Me book because I could tell the reader about everything I like doing – Patrick

Their biggest project however, coincided with their History topic ‘the Titanic’. Each child was given the opportunity to design their own moving picture based on the skills and techniques they had used in previous weeks. The children came up with many unique and individual designs using cardboard flaps, lollipop sticks and even designed parts of the pictures that were to pop up. Once the design was finished, it was onto creating their masterpieces

I liked being able to make my own Titanic picture the way I wanted. I did much more on it than I thought I would when I designed it – Bella

Class 6 worked incredibly hard on their pictures and each child produced their own unique picture. They have all worked very hard on their moving pictures and are looking forward to designing and making puppets next term. Well done Class 6!

I enjoyed making my Titanic picture because I got to do lots of cutting and sticking and use lots of different colours – Tess

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“Penpol pupils are curious, creative and courageous learners. Our school community believes in authenticity as the foundation of deep-rooted learning. Through our rich and relevant curriculum, we nurture community-minded, forward-facing international citizens of the future.”