Art Spiral

ART SPIRAL

Skills: Being Creative, Thinking, Decision-Making

What is it? This activity allows pupils to personally reflect and communicate their thoughts, ideas and feelings in a creative way on a particular issue.

Implications for classroom layout: A large space is needed for ease of movement and interaction. Alternatively, if pupils are seated at desks, they can use an individual piece of paper which can then be made into a group collage/spiral.

Steps: 1. A large spiral of paper is placed in the centre of an open space. The paper should be large enough to allow for easy movement and space for all pupils’ contributions.

2. Everyone in the group selects a free space on the spiral and draws something which represents their thoughts on a particular topic. The pupils might be encouraged to include a few words which spring to mind on the topic beside their drawings.

3. After an allocated time pupils might move onto another free area of the spiral and graphically represent their thoughts on a related issue. For example:

4. After completion of the activity, the teacher should allow time for pupils to look at the whole spiral and view other people’s contributions. Pupils might be encouraged to develop or add to other people’s contributions.

5. A debrief afterwards might encourage pupils to communicate verbally their initial individual thoughts on the issue and then their emotions after viewing the drawings of the whole class. Were their thoughts and feelings modified as a result? How did they feel if someone developed their own contribution?

Idea for Class: Personal Development. How would you represent your past? How would you represent your hopes for the future? How would you represent your fears?