Creative Learning Journey Teacher ResourcesErth’s Prehistoric Aquarium

Stages ES1 – 3

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IntroductionThese Creative Learning Journey Resources have been prepared to help you get the most out of Erth’s Prehistoric Aquarium. These resources are full of activities and inspiration to prepare your students before coming to see the Sydney Opera House, what you can do on the way, what you can do at the Sydney Opera House and then unpacking the experience back in the classroom.

You should adapt these Resources to suit the student age and stage of your class and the curricu-lum foci and outcomes used in your school. These Resources are written as a creative document for you to bring to life. If you have questions about exercises or provocations please feel free to make contact to talk it through. We are always open to feedback, comments and working with you to assist and learn from you. Contact details are on the back page.

Some websites are suggested throughout this resource. It is recommended that you first visit the sites and assess the suitability of the content for your particular school environment before setting the activities based on these.

Performance Descriptionand SynopsisAn underwater universe kids won’t want to leave!Adventure to the bottom of the sea and unlock some ofnature’s greatest mysteries in this interactive experiencefrom the creators of Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo.

Deep below the surface, submerged below time, swim some of the world’s most amazing prehistoric marine reptiles. Kids will get up close and personal with an amazing array ofaquatic creatures and critters from bygone eras in this funand educational performance that connects youngaudiences to the science of palaeontology.

Watch wide-eyed from a distance or get up close; the lifelike puppets featured in this immersive theatrical experience will recreate an extinct underwater universe.

Sydney Opera House Creativity FrameworkThese Creative Learning Journey Resources have been written using the Sydney Opera House Creativity Framework as the pedagogy. This Framework underpins much of what we do in our work with schools. More information can be found at the Sydney Opera House website. In short the Framework aims to define the creative process in a way that educators can use to teach and be inspired by.

At a glance this Creativity Framework is:

Prepare: Tools and PathwaysPreparing mind, body, space, materials and time.

Buy in: Presence and EnthusiasmConvincing students that they want to be there.

Imagine: The Fertile UnknownExploring a subject through arts practice.Using form to uncover content. Allowing uncensoredexpression to reveal new ways of seeing a subject.

Question: Analysis, investigation and revelation Creating new understanding by analyzing what justhappened when honing the imagination.

Make: forging form from contentPutting shape to content and moving towardsa project; scripts, composition, choreography,project design.

Show: Commit, frame, judgementPerforming and presenting the work.

Reflect: Remembering, Processing, exitingCreating understanding and healthy memories fromthe creative process and product.

Creative Learning Journey Resource Notes Conceived and illustrated by Lilly Blue

Lilly Blue is a visual artist, educator (BFA, Dip Ed) and publisher with a background inphysical performance, installation and community arts. She edits, curates and publishesBIG Kids Magazine together with dancer/writer Jo Pollitt, which features the work of children and artists side by side. Lilly worked as Head of Creative Learning with The Red RoomCompany and travels Internationally delivering arts residencies, professional development, creative commissions and exhibitions, as well as designing programming for young audiences drawn from a rigorous personal practice. Lilly Blue is one of the Sydney Opera HouseTeaching Artists and was instrumental in developing the Creativity Framework.

New NSW Syllabus The existing NSW K-6 Creative Arts Syllabus

Pre Historic Aquarium

Early Stage 1Overview of the show/performance

Outcomes Content General capabilities and cross-curriculumpriorities

Science STe-6NEA student: identifies that the way objects move depends on a variety of factors.

Students: recognise the importance and relevance of science and technology in their lives now and for their future.

English EN1 - 8Brecognises that there are different kinds of texts when reading and viewing and shows an awareness of purpose, audience and subject matter.

Natural environment. ACSSU005

English ENe-6B A student: recognises that there are different kinds of spoken texts with specific language features and shows an emerging awareness of some purposes for spoken language

Speaking and listening 2. Difference and diversity Personal and Social capability.

Creative Arts Music MUES1.4Listens to and responds to music.

Listening.

Creative Arts Drama DRAES1.4A student: responds to dramaticexperiences.

Appreciating.

Creative Arts Dance DAES1.3A student: responds to & communicates about the dances they viewand/or experience.

Appreciating.

Creative Arts Visual Arts VAES1.3Recognises some of the qualities ofdifferent artworks and begins to realise thatartists make artworks.

Appreciating.

Classroom Context andCurriculum LinksThis performance provides the classroom teacher withmany opportunities for learning activities that linkto the following curriculum

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Stage 1

Outcomes Content General capabilities& cross-curriculumpriorities

Science STe-1VAA student: shows interest in and enthu-siasm for science and technology, re-sponding to their curiosity, questions and perceived needs, wants and opportunities

Students: recognise the importance and relevance of science and technology in their lives now and for their future

Science ST1 - 7PWA student: describes effects of pushes and pulls on objects they encounter

Physical World ACSSU033Critical & creative thinking

Geography GE1-1A student: describes features of places and the connections people have with places

People and Places ACHGK010ACHGK009

English EN1-6B A student: recognises a range of purposes and audiences for spoken language and recognises organisational patterns and features of predictable spoken texts

Speaking and listen-ing 2

Intercultural understanding Critical and creativethinking Personal andsocial capability

Creative Arts Music MUS1.4Responds to a range of music, expressing likes and dislikes and the reasons for thesechoices.

Listening

Creative Arts Drama DRAS1.4A student: appreciates dramatic work during the making of their own drama andthe drama of others.

Appreciating

Creative Arts Dance DAS1.3A student: gives personal opinions about the dances and their purpose that they view and/or experience

Appreciating

Creative Arts Visual Arts VAS1.3A student: realises what artists do, who they are and what they make.

Appreciating

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Stage 2

Outcomes Content General capabilities& cross-curriculumpriorities

Science STe-1VAA student: shows interest in & enthusiasm for science and technology, responding to their curiosity, questions and perceived needs, wants and opportunities.

Students: recognise the importance and relevance of science and technology in their lives now and for their future.

Science ST2 -7PW A student: describes everyday interactions between objects that result from contact and non-contact forces.

Physical World. ACSSU076Critical & creative thinking.

Geography GE2-1 A student: examines features &characteristics of places and environments.

The Earth’sEnvironment.

ACHGK021ACHGK022 ACHGK024Critical & creative thinking.

English EN2-6B A student: identifies the effect of purpose and audience on spoken texts,distinguishes between different forms of English and identifies organisationalpatterns and features.

Speaking &listening 2.

Intercultural understanding Personal & social capability.

Creative Arts Music MUS2.4Identifies the use of musical concepts andmusical symbols in a range of repertoire.

Appreciating.

Creative Arts Dance DAS2.3A student: gives personal opinions about the use of elements and meaning in their own and others’ dances.

Appreciating.

Creative Arts Visual Arts VAS2.3A student: identifies connections between subject matter in artworks and what they refer to, and appreciates the use ofparticular techniques.

Appreciating.

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Stage 3

Outcomes Content General capabilities& cross-curriculumpriorities

Science STe-1VAA student: shows interest in & enthusiasm for science and technology, responding to their curiosity, questions and perceived needs, wants and opportunities.

Students: recognise the importance and relevance of science and technology in their lives now and for their future.

Science ST2 - 16PA student: describes how products aredesigned and produced, and the ways people use them.

Products. Critical & creative thinking.

Geography GE3 - 2A student: explains interactions and connections between people, places and environments.

A Diverse andConnected World.

ACHGK031ACHGK032

English EN3-5BA student: discusses how language is used to achieve a widening range ofpurposes for a widening range of audienc-es and contexts.

Responding and composing.

Critical & creative thinking.

Creative Arts Music MUS3.4Identifies the use of musical concepts andsymbols in a range of musical styles.

Listening.

Creative Arts Drama DRAS3.4A student: responds critically to a range of drama works and performance styles.

Appreciating.

Creative Arts Dance DAS3.3A student: discusses and interprets the relationship between content, meaning and context in their own and others’ dances.

Appreciating.

Creative Arts Visual Arts VAS3.4A student: communicates about the ways in which subject matter is represented inartworks.

Appreciating

Erth’s Prehistoric AquariumLearning Resource Activities

Underwater World

Erth’s Prehistoric Aquarium provides an opportunity for audiences to become immersed in ancient oceanic worlds imagined to life by the artists, puppeteers andperformers. Spark student’s creativity by inviting them to transform their classroom by imagining prehistoricunderwater worlds and then re-designing the spaceinspired by their visions.

What do you imagine a Plesiosaurus looks like?

What would it feel like to dive into your classroom and fall through time?

Murals: Collect up all the markers, crayons, paints and pencils you have in shades of blue and colour a mural sized piece of paper to become your ocean. Invite each child to draw and cut out swimming dinosaurs and ancient ocean creatures to collage onto your mural. Keep drawing, painting, collaging and adding to the mural until it has grown across a whole classroom wall and is bustling with wildly imagined creatures of the deep.

Moblies: Create mobiles of weedy plants and prehistoric starfish to hang from the ceiling. Use circles of wire hung with blue and green cellophane so that children can hide inside seaweed enclaves. Caves: Invite children to hang little creatures from the underside of their desks to create little personal aquariums. They can lie on the floor on their backs and look up into their imagined watery worlds. Costumes: Choose a day where students can come to school in wetsuits or swimming costumes (they might need rashi’s if its cold!).

Sound: Create a soundtrack using your voices or instruments to provide an underwater ambiance. Or play some music that sounds watery and ancient.

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Reflections

What was your favourite moment in Erth’s Prehistoric Aquarium? What words would you use to describe the show? In what interesting ways did the performers use lighting? How did the musical score make you feel? What did you notice the puppeteers doing to manipulate the puppets? What are your thoughts about children from the audience participating in the show? Did the performance inspire you to create something of your own?

What can you see out the window? Count the number of trees or cars you can see while you are holding a single breath. Can you spot any birds or other animals? What do you imagine the trees and animals would have looked like in Prehistoric times? How did feel? How did it sound? What did it smell like? Describe it to your friend.

The Opera House is almost entirely surrounded by water. Look out at the harbour and imagine the creatures swimming underneath the surface.How do you think those creatures have changed over thousands of years?

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Shadow Puppets

Create a shadowy underwater world. The Puppets: Draw outlines of creatures inspired by Erth’s Underwater Aquarium onto card and then cut them out (the inside of cereal boxes is great to use). make sure all you characters have a profile view so that it is possible to see their faces. Teeth, noses and googly eyes could be exaggerated. To create movable body parts use paper fasters for knees, tails or necks. You could use a hole-punch for eyes, cellophane for jellyfish tentacles or shredded paper to create seaweed. Use bendable straws or skewers as rods to hold the puppets. Larger puppets will have more than one rod and might be manipulated by a couple of puppeteersworking together. The Screen: String up a white sheet or cloth to use as a screen. Or make table top screens out of cardboard boxes and tracing paper. The Lights: You will need a light source behind the screen and the puppeteers. Desk lamps with movable heads work well or for a large screen the light from an overhead projector is great. The Story: Work in small groups to write a story for the prehistoric characters you have created. The Music: Add a sound track made by experimenting with found objects andsurfaces in the classroom or choose a piece of music that evokes the right mood.

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