NEWS FEED
Arts, history, maths, English and IT, you don’t often find a project that can combine such a wide range from the school curriculum, but 34 pupils from Wimborne’s St John’s First School recently discovered that a 3D modelling workshop offered more than design and creativity.
Artist Darrell Wakelam shows St John’s First School pupils how to decorate the 3D Models
The 3D model-making project, with artist in residence Darrell Wakelam, took place at Wimborne Model Town. The Year 3 children worked in two groups and began by studying the Model Town’s historic replicas and selecting a building on which to base their 3D model. The first group then created the building façade using cardboard and papier maché. Putting their maths into practice they worked out the angles for the roofs, gables and dormers.
Whilst the ‘construction work’ was underway the remaining children explored the Model Town and discovered what Wimborne was like in the 1950s. Construction complete, the groups swapped and the decoration of the models began.
Artist Darrell Wakelam showed the children how to create tile and brick effects, how to blend paints and how to make windows look reflective.
The project was a joint initiative between the model town, the school and Wimborne History Festival; the latter funded the project thanks to support form the Heritage Lottery Fund, local councils and the Wimborne BID.
As well as calling upon the children’s creativity, the workshop illustrated the importance of teamwork, observation and attention to detail, with each of the six models illustrating different aspects of the buildings on which they were based.
Year 3 teacher Mrs Weir was delighted to see the children so engaged with the project. She said: “This has been a real cross-curricular experience for the children, using their knowledge of angles, together with history and creative design. It has been wonderful to see them working first hand with an artist and putting into practice their newly-learned art techniques.”
The 3D models will be taken back to St John’s where the children will discuss the processes they used so that the two groups can learn from each other. Using IT and English skills, the children will then create shop/business names to put on the models to complete them. The models will be on display in the school and at the History Festival site.
To find out more about Wimborne History Festival, 16-17 July go to www.wimbornehistoryfestival.org.uk
