Play in Grade 5/6

 

Play is not only for little kids! 

In Grade 5/6, we inquired into the following question during visual arts: 

How can we use watercolor in different ways? 

What better way to learn than through play?

We curated resources on this Padlet to help us learn new techniques. 

Some of the techniques we tried out were...

• dry wash
• wet paint onto a wet wash
• water drops onto a wet wash
• color blending
• underpainting
• layering
• watercolor blooms

Some of us used different tools such as salt and plastic wrap to see what kind of effect there would be on the paint. 

Sometimes, our art turned out differently from what we had initially expected. 

This is OK because we learn through experimentation.

 The process of questioning, trying different approaches, and reflecting with a growth mindset is so important for developing new skills and understandings!

Now that we have learned some techniques, we can't wait to create more complex pieces starting next week!

In our Unit of Inquiry, we finished our unit on human migration last week. 

Check out our unit wall and how much we learned!

Grade 5/6 Band!

 As a connection to our first unit with the central idea "Our mindsets and understanding of the process of learning enable us to build skills and habits to reach our goals" in music, we have been working towards the goal to learn to play instruments we have never played before. 

Rather than waiting for the teacher to tell us what to do, we demonstrated agency by researching resources that would help us learn to add to this Padlet. 

We worked together in groups and partnerships and supported each other to reach our goals. We shared strategies, gave and received feedback to improve our skills!

Once we were able to play some melodies on our own, we were ready for the challenge to play a song as a group. 

Take a look at our Grade 5/6 band!

 

People who Represent Attributes of the Learner Profile

In visual arts, we have been learning about the seven elements of art. 

Check out the sketch-notes below! 

Because we are all different people making meaning through different connections, our sketch-notes are all unique!

Over the past weeks, we have been inquiring into different ways the elements of value and colour are used in art.

For our first long-term project, we practiced using acrylic paint to tint and shade colours. 

Once we developed this new skill, we applied it to create monochromatic paintings of a person who represents a Learner Profile attribute. 

We also used our research skills to find out about these people and explain how the person represents that particular attribute. 

 

Below are our finished paintings!

 

These paintings will be hung in our classroom throughout the year as a visual reminder of the attributes of the Learner Profile.