Connecting the Learning: Collaborative Unit. Case Study. Bangor Academy

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1 Connecting the Learning: Collaborative Unit Case Study Bangor Academy

2 It s a Wrap Collaborative Unit (led by Arts subjects) The project will run over a period of 10 weeks from Wednesday 10 th January 2007 until Friday 16 th March It will culminate in an end of term event with an Awards Ceremony on Friday 6 th April Skills Focus: Communication Working with Others Opportunities for Connected Learning with: Home Economics ICT Mathematics Employability - healthy drinks - internet as a research tool - fonts, graphic art, advertisements and basic film techniques. - net diagrams - statistics - working in advertising - English/Media Education Prior Learning Pupils will have had prior learning in many of the subject strands involved in this project, but it is unlikely that pupils will have much formal knowledge of advertising techniques and/or filming experience. However, from their television and film viewing, they will have gained quite a lot of relevant information subliminally.

3 Learning Outcomes At the end of this project we want pupils to know/have learned: How to achieve a healthy balanced diet and make a healthy drink (Home Economics); About a range of factors that influence consumer choice (Art/ English/Home Economics); How to design packaging for a product (Art and Design); How to devise a script and use drama to effectively present an advertisement (Drama); How to write a memorable jingle/song to music (Music); How to identify font types and their appropriate use. How to use the internet to research graphic art/advertising material and how to perform basic filming techniques (ICT); How to draw basic net diagrams and present statistical information for market research (Mathematics); What it is like to work collaboratively to make a product and an advertisement. Learning Teaching Assessment Activities Mathematics Prior to the start of the project pupils will learn about net diagrams and how to present statistical information (between Halloween and Christmas). This will connect with package design in art and market research in home economics. Home Economics Pupils will investigate a range of factors that influence consumer choices and decisions when buying a soft drink. For example, value for money, peer pressure, ethical issues, and nutritional value. They will learn about a healthy balanced diet and healthy drink options. Finally, they will make and name a healthy drink product. Art Pupils will investigate and respond to the use of visual language, logos and catchphrases in advertising. They will use this knowledge to design the packaging for a healthy drink. This may

4 involve constructing and designing a package or simply designing a label to be applied to a plastic bottle or can. Music Pupils will explore the power of music to evoke mood and atmosphere and to influence behaviour and consumer choice. They will use this knowledge to select or write music to accompany a jingle or song used to advertise a product. Drama Pupils will express themselves emotionally and imaginatively through drama and improvisation. They will research and manage advertising information, explore and respond to the feelings of others. Then they will use this information to write a script and use drama strategies effectively to communicate ideas in the form of an advertisement. ICT Pupils will use appropriate software to explore different fonts and WordArt. They will use the internet as a research tool to collect and select graphic art work and advertising information which can be used to inform the development of their creative work in art, music and drama. They will use ICT to word process their script and jingle and to improve presentation of their group exhibition. Finally, they will learn how to use a video camera and basic filming techniques. Process Pupils from each Year 8 class will work in groups of four. Each group will decide on a new healthy soft drink product. They will have to decide on a new brand name. Pupils will work in groups over an extended period of 10 weeks to follow the process of production of a healthy drink, from the initial stages of market research, through the design operations and on to the marketing and advertising. In order to set the whole process in motion, the project will be launched, to the whole year group, on Wednesday 10 th January 2007 during periods 7 and 8. Pupils will be asked to create a new healthy soft drink. They will be encouraged to think about a healthy drink that there would be demand for, and how it could be packaged in a way that would appeal to the teenage market.

5 The actual drink will be made and the packaging will be designed and manufactured. This will take some time and will encourage the development of a variety of different skills. The process will then move towards the aspect of advertising, where pupils will be encouraged to ask critical questions, such as: What makes a good advertisement? What makes an advertisement memorable? What makes a strong visual impact? What makes a good script? How does music help to sell a product? How does comedy help to sell a product? Pupils will also need to consider how to market a product. How and where they could advertise their product? What sort of retail outlets would sell it? Can a slogan or a jingle become as important and memorable as the product itself? This Advertising project will start with the healthy drink product as a stimulus, The large majority of the learning and teaching involved will take place as part of the curriculum. Leading up to the culmination of this project the timetable will be collapsed on two Wednesday afternoons and one Thursday (periods 1 to 6). This will give pupils an opportunity to draw together all the various strands of their work into the advertisement itself. Scheduled filming will take place during timetabled ICT, Art and Home Economics classes throughout week 9. During week 10, in their double period of English, class pupils will review and evaluate the advertisements made by each of the groups in their English class. They will judge the advertisements and decide on the awards nominations in a variety of categories. Similarly, in music each class will make nominations for the Best Jingle Category. Finally, the project will culminate in an end of term screening of the best advertisements and an awards ceremony. Years 8 and 9 will attend.

6 Each group must produce: Samples of the drink, which must be innovative in some way, produced in 3D format and packaged appropriately. Art/Home Economics A script, using a variety of techniques narrative, humour, character, use of accent, costume, make-up etc. Drama/English At least one jingle which is to be composed from scratch. This could be a recognised melody with parodied lyrics, or to increase the complexity, it could consist of a longer piece of original underscored music which might include sound effects. Music The video advertisement itself, filmed by pupils who should employ basic film-making techniques, using a single camera and a tripod, a fixed shot and no more than two locations (can be inside/outside). ICT During this pilot project Bangor Academy have not made assessment a priority. However teachers of the various subject strands will make use of the many opportunities for Assessment for Learning throughout the course of the extended project. Staff feel that the awards ceremony will be an ideal occasion to celebrate pupils effort and initiative while promoting the importance of peer evaluation. Timeline: Week 1 Wednesday 10 th January 2006 Periods 7 and 8 All year 8 in assembly hall for launch of collaborative unit. Introduction: What is a collaborative unit? Outline It s a Wrap : Highlight competition/awards and pupil input to judging Show TV adverts pausing and highlighting what makes a good ad? - English Show DVD of teachers involved in similar activities Maths/ICT Announce groups Art

7 (These will have been worked out by teachers before Christmas to take account of personalities/split classes/gender.) Get into groups for ice breaker activities: Brand It Name that advert Working with others English Music Home Economics Week 2 Mon 15 Jan Fri 19 Jan 2006 During timetabled teaching periods teachers in each of the five subjects will introduce their area of the project, outline possibilities and limitations and set parameters. Pupils discuss and share their ideas in their groups. Ideas may well change as pupils move through the five subjects taking on board new information. Week 3 Monday 22 January 2006 Period 1 Form Tutor Divide into groups. By end of period each group must have agreed: Name of product Slogan Group name Shape/type of package Weeks 3-7 Monday 22 January to Wednesday 21 February During timetabled teaching periods pupils will work in their groups in each of the five areas of the advertising project. The large majority of teaching and learning involved will take place as part of the curriculum.

8 (Duration: 4 weeks except for pupils timetabled Tues periods 1-8 and Wed periods 1-6 who get 5 weeks, due to half term break.) Wednesday 21 February Periods 7 and 8 Year 8 off timetable: Pupils start to draw together all the various strands of their work into the actual advertisement itself. They will then critically review and evaluate their advertisement making adjustments, as necessary. Evaluation worksheet to be completed. 45 groups approx 10 venues, 4-5 groups per venue 10 facilitators Week 8 Wednesday 28 Feb + Periods 7 and 8 Year 8 off timetable Thursday 1st March Periods 1 to 6 Year 8 off timetable Pupils rehearse and refine their work. Pupils mount a display of work showing the development of their advertisement through the five subject areas. Pupils will also show evidence of their market research and communicate their ideas as to how they could market their product. (Each group will receive 5 manila folders at the start of the project, one to be kept in each subject room. Pupils to collect evidence from each stage of their project and use in a final display.) 45 groups 10 venues + assembly hall + 2 rooms for CASS staff + 2 Home Economics rooms 10 static facilitators + floating facilitators Keyboard + assorted music equipment per venue Display Board per group Clock in each venue Art materials/drawing pins/velcro/ /assorted paper etc. Props and costumes brought in by pupils as required.

9 5 manila folders belonging to group. Thursday - Round Robin 1 x period in Home Economics room to make drink. 1 x period with Studio On staff who will judge good team work awards 1 x period final rehearsal. 1 x period mounting group exhibition in assembly hall. 1 x flexible period at group s discretion - either rehearsing or finish mounting exhibition. Period 6 all pupils evaluate displays and vote for Best Display Week 9 Friday 2 nd March to Start recording. Groups taken out of ICT, Art or Home Friday 9 th March 2007 Economics as scheduled. Reserve group to be nominated each day. ICT technician to support. Week 10 Monday 12 th March to Friday 16 th March In English and Music classes - review finished advertisements, (using edited CD with authored menu), completed by each of the 4 or 5 different groups within that class. Pupils to evaluate systematically using a three point system and teacher designed assessment sheet. Pupils will use this to agree awards nominations in the categories indicated below. Friday 6 th April End of term - Show edited recording of best adverts to whole campus. Awards Ceremony with presentations for: Best drink in each group pupils to judge on 1 st March Best display pupils to vote on Thursday 1 st March Best art work nominations from each Art class Best jingle nominations from each Music class

10 Best script nominations from each English class Best male actor - nominations from each English class Best female actor - nominations from each English class Funniest advert - nominations from each English class Best Choreography - nominations from each English class Best overall advert nominations from each English class Best group costumes/make-up/props - nominations from each English class Most Original Team Name - nominations from each English class Best Script Drama teachers to judge Teamwork Awards Studio On to judge on 1 st March. Sponsor to be approached: Personality to make presentations Supply fruit for drinks? Supply awards ceremony prizes? Presentation to Whole Staff - Tuesday 29 th August 2006 Outline collaborative unit / Handout / all staff on Clanmorris will have role to play 5 mins Staff Development Day/Studio On Brief outline of day (2 mins) and show CD 6 mins Home Economics input to collaborative unit - 2mins Art input to collaborative unit - 2mins Drama input to collaborative unit - 2mins Music input to collaborative unit - 2mins ICT input to collaborative unit - 2mins