20th Feb 2012 by Jenny Liggins

Atoms, Molecules and Compounds – an Active Approach to Chemistry at KS3!

Highly interactive half day sessions exploring how atoms interact to form the building blocks of life with former research chemist and theatre director Jackson Kavanagh.

Download the Secondary flyer here

With National Science and Engineering Week being celebrated in early March, An Active Approach to Chemistry is available until the end of May – and we’re blending drama and science precisely because chemistry is dramatic, dynamic and directional! Using theatre skills, Jackson will introduce students to the principal “characters” of organic chemistry, support them in seeing how these “characters” change when they bond with each other and provide them with improvisational opportunities to investigate the impacts of human behaviour on the chemistry of our skies and seas.

They will also be guided through a framework leading to pieces of “periodic poetry” that will not only help cement their learning but provide a lasting resource for your school.

In a series of drama-based activities developed to allow them to work individually, in pairs, in small groups and as a whole group they’ll…

  • Create an Atomic Dating Agency … asking who is attracted to whom – and why?
  • Investigate some Molecular Murders … asking what damage some compounds do to our habitats?
  • Devise some Periodic Poetry … asking why structure is at the heart of all life?

The levels of engagement and behaviour have been fantastic. These approaches will really help us! Senior Leadership Team, Broughton Hall

 

To find out more or to book a workshop please contact us on 0151 708 8886, or email j.liggins@as-creatives.com

 


20th Feb 2012 by Jenny Liggins

Plants – Putting Down the Roots of Life … An Active Approach to Science at KS1 and 2

With National Science and Engineering Week being celebrated in early March, we’re blending drama and science precisely because life cycles are dramatic, dynamic and directional!

Download the Primary leaflet here

Using theatre skills, former research scientist and theatre director Jackson Kavanagh will introduce pupils to the principal “sets” of plant life (the leaf, flower, stem and roots) – and then to the “characters” that we find there (light, water, minerals and minibeasts). Working with improvisational techniques, pupils will harness the dynamics of cause and effect to investigate why different plants survive in different habitats.

They will also be guided through frameworks leading to a number of “Plant Plays” that can be performed both for other pupils and at family assemblies.

Primary Science

“The activities were focused, based on different learning styles and allowed all children to have a go at everything.” Year 4 Teacher

In a series of drama-based activities developed to allow pupils to work individually, in pairs, in small groups and as a whole group they’ll:

  • Investigate the Photosynthesis Project … asking about the relationships between light, chlorophyll and growth …
  • Explore the Mineral Motorway … asking how plants take nutrients on board – and where they go …
  • Devise, rehearse and perform a series of Plant Plays … asking how plants engineer their own survival – and enquiring into their relationships with both minibeasts and the weather…

To find out more or to book a workshop please contact us on 0151 708 8886, or email j.liggins@as-creatives.com

“We’ve never done science like this before. it was brilliant!” Year 4 Student

 

3rd Feb 2012 by Kate Pankhurst

World Poetry Day 2012

Half-day sessions manipulating language and creating and performing poetry with former Royal Shakespeare Company actor Jo Stokes.

Working with Jo (whose appearances range from “Richard III” at the Globe Theatre, Tokyo to “Murder in the Cathedral” at the Swan, Stratford Upon Avon to Sam Mendes’ acclaimed production of “The Tempest” at London’s Barbican), students will gain valuable introductions into both the world of words and the life of a professional actor – and will produce new poems of their own!

Download the World Poetry Day Primary flyer

Download the World Poetry Day Secondary flyer

With World Poetry Day being celebrated on March 21st, these highly interactive workshops are available until the end of May. Students will be introduced to frameworks that allow them to construct and revel in poems that question the world around them – and learn the skills associated with performance. The first part of the workshop will see them drafting their poems – before exploring how they can be brought to life in individual, paired and group readings, exploring the impacts of varying such elements as pace, rhythm and volume. And they’ll end the session by beginning to translate their labours into tangible form.

World Poetry Day

Session Themes:

All sessions will both draw heavily upon the students’ imaginations and support their speaking, listening and team skills. We can combine the poetry with any topic of your choice (from the Vikings to Quadrilaterals!) in exciting and engaging explorations of:

  •  Soundscaping – how can comparing and contrasting bring poetry to life?
  • Viewpoints – how can a model developed by Michael Rosen help us see the world differently?
  • Concrete Poetry – how can a three-way approach incorporating words, feelings and images help lift the words from the wall?

Get in touch:

To find out more about our work or to book a workshop please contact Jackson Kavanagh, Director of Programmes on 07837855397 or email j.kavanagh@as-creatives.com

 

 

18th Dec 2011 by Kate Pankhurst

Extraordinary World of Curious Creatures – Half-term Holiday fun

Five fun filled days of creativity to stimulate the imaginations of 8 – 13 year olds in the spring half term

You will take away your creations to show friends and families the curious worlds you’ve explored!

  • Make your own amazing animals – and animate them!
  • Get messy as you create clay creatures!
  • Turn your mind into a menagerie with games and drama!

Only £25 per day. Discounts for multiple bookings.

Healthy snacks provided throughout the day. Please bring a packed lunch.

The Extraordinary World of Curious Creatures will take place from Monday 13th to Friday 17th February 2012 in the National Wildflower Centre – Court Hey Park, Liverpool L16 3NA (http://www.nwc.org.uk/)

9am- 5pm, drop off from 8.30am

To book for The Extraordinary World of Curious Creatures, ring as creatives on 07595 675 078 or email us at info@as-creatives.com

11th Dec 2011 by Jenny Liggins

Programmes for Secondary Schools – Ideas for 2012

We offer an extensive range of tried and tested programmes for secondary schools that target specific curriculum areas and utilise creative approaches, techniques and methodologies to engage students in highly effective learning processes.

You can read more about all of our curriculum enrichment programmes by downloading the booklet here. In addition we are excited to announce four new programmes now available:

English / Drama: From Page to Stage
Business & Enterprise: An Introduction to Enterprise
Business and Enterprise: Enterprise in Action
Art and DT: World Book Day 2012

Memorable Creative Learning Experiences

 

All of our programmes can be adapted to meet the needs of different year groups and group sizes. Furthermore one of the great things about working with us is that we recognise that what teacher’s value most highly are new resources, ideas and strategies that they can take away and use in their classrooms the very next day. That’s why we provide all participating staff with frameworks to support them in finding and recording their own applications for all the activities we model.

We couldn’t believe how much the students enjoyed the programme – you modeled learning in fun and practical ways. The Year 7 Group can be quite challenging but there were no behaviour issues at all – and they performed really well when it came to unpicking the skills they had used. Maths teacher, New Heys Business and Enterprise College, Liverpool

As a result of this the students have all improved their grades by one level. Head of Art, Holly Lodge Girls School

12th Jan 2012 by Jenny Liggins

Harnessing entrepreneurship to raise attainment – the 2012 Global Entrepreneurship Congress

What does “entrepreneurship” mean in schools? … And how can entrepreneurial skills help to drive up standards? These are key questions in a rapidly changing global economy – so we’re delighted to have been asked by Liverpool John Moores University to design and deliver an event especially for schools during this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Congress: Harnessing Entrepreneurship to Raise Attainment.

Taking place on the afternoon and early evening of Wednesday 14th March, we’ll provide two interactive and innovative sessions – one exploring ways of supporting the development of teachers’ enterprise skills and the other investigating methodologies for promoting enterprise in learners. The sessions will take place in The Automatic, a dynamic space in Liverpool’s Innovation Centre that LJMU has purposely designed to develop creative thinking and cultures of change.

Enterprise Development in Schools

To find out more information about this event please download the Harnessing entrepreneurship to raise school attainment flyer.

You can also contact Jackson Kavanagh at j.kavanagh@as-creatives.com

This CPD event is a LJMU fringe event to the Global Entrepreneurship Congress 2012 taking place 9 – 16th March 2012 in Liverpool  - visit gec.unleashingideas.org/ for more information.

 

11th Jan 2012 by Jenny Liggins

Enterprise in Action

What does it take to develop, package and market a product, working from scratch? Enterprise in Action gives students an opportunity to find out for themselves in this innovative one day programme combining maths, science, business studies and design technology.

Developed as a “taste” of the world of industry, Enterprise in Action challenges students to perfect, price and pitch perfumes branded under the names of “celebrities”.

Enterprise in Action

After an experiential and energetic introductions to “the science of smell” and “the science of branding”, your students will work in small production teams in designing celebrity scents. The tightly budgeted design process will see them considering both the brands their celebrities represent and their potential markets as they create recipes for their perfumes, select appropriate packaging and develop marketing campaigns. Then, as the day’s climax approaches, they will be given training in presentation techniques as they prepare to sell their products to a Dragons’ Den made up of senior teachers ….

Enterprise in Action is suited to all KS3 groups and can be delivered to up to 30 participants at a time. And, if you have sufficient space, we are able to facilitate two or three sessions concurrently! The programme has multiple outcomes, including offering students opportunities to explore three key areas of the mathematics national curriculum:

• Combining understanding, experiences, imagination and reasoning to construct new knowledge.
• Using existing mathematical knowledge to create solutions to unfamiliar problems.
• Posing questions and developing convincing arguments.

To find out more about this Enterprise Programme download the leaflet, call us on 0151 708 3587 or email Jackson Kavanagh, Director of Programmes j.kavanagh@as-creatives.com.

“What did I like about this programme …? The activities for the students to get involved with, seeing full teamwork for all the pupils involved … Basically, all of it!” (Science teacher, Hollingworth Business and Enterprise College)

Enterprise Development Programmes for Secondary Schools

In addition to this programme we also deliver a number of Enterprise Development Programmes for Children and Young People and for Teachers. You can read more about these programmes by downloading the booklet for Children and Young People: Enterprise in Action and for Teachers:  Enterprising Futures

Opportunity for Teachers: Promoting Enterprise Skills – the 2012 Global Entrepreneurship Congress

What does “entrepreneurship” mean in schools? … And how can entrepreneurial skills help to drive up standards? These are key questions in a rapidly changing global economy – so we’re delighted to have been asked by Liverpool John Moores University to design and deliver an event especially for schools during this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Congress: Harnessing Entrepreneurship to Raise Attainment. Click here to find out more….