A whole school art and science day

Summary

Every year, this infant school strengthens its cross-curricular approach to teaching and learning through an arts event linked to another area of the curriculum. This year, it decided to hold a whole school art and design and science day.

The day focused on the scientific theory of colour and the way in which the artist Paul Klee used colour in his work. Children carried out research and tried activities such as chromatography, dyeing, using torches to look at colours in different lights, and making spectacles with coloured lenses. The day culminated in a display for parents of the children's artwork.

The excitement and energy generated by the day's activities had effects far beyond the day itself. Children gained confidence and a sense of achievement from their work. They became more willing to experiment and to take part in group discussions. Their skills in science and in art and design improved, and they developed greater understanding of colour in both subjects than teachers would have expected if they had been taught separately.