Printmaking

Printmaking – creating a space scene using vegetables

John Lewis (2015) John Lewis Christmas Advert #ManOnTheMoon [YouTube]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuz2ILq4UeA (Accessed: 06/12/17).

Teacher’s notes:

This video can be shown to children to inspire ideas about what could be in outer space – there might be a man who lives on the moon! What else might be out there? Children could discuss different possibilities and participate in role play to explore their ideas.

Then, one activity suggestion could be printmaking using an assortment of vegetables to create a space scene. Ask children to imagine what ‘scene’/picture they might see if they were looking into space through a telescope. Children may offer suggestions such as spaceships/rockets, astronauts, planets, aliens.

Children could be provided with potatoes (of different sizes), Okra (possibly unknown to some children – new experience/vocabulary), peppers, leeks, and carrots, along with paints and different sizes of black paper/card to create their artwork.

Another possibility is that children could print the vegetable shapes onto their earlier work of watercolour nebula paintings.

Learning intentions:

• I can experiment to create different textures.
• I can use simple tools and techniques competently and appropriately.
• I can represent my own ideas through art (ELG)

Early Learning Goal: Expressive art and design: Being imaginative 

They represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through design and technology, art, music, dance, role play and stories (DfE, 2012:46)

 

Key questions:

• What do you think might have happened afterwards? Do you think the girl sent any more gifts to the man on the moon? What would you send to the man? why?
• If you had a telescope, what do you think you might see in outer space? (Pretend to have a telescope, model to children about what you would see in space through the lens to prompt ideas-  what planets you might see? any astronauts? or can you even see a spaceship? Who is on the spaceship?/where are they going?) Ask children to pretend to look through a telescope into space, what can they see?
• If you travelled into space to meet the man on the moon, what questions would you ask him? What do you want to find out about outer space? (Needs to be modelled to be suitable for the age phase/ ensure children know how to ask a question)

Vocabulary

• Aliens
• Astronaut
• Bright
• Colourful
• Earth
• Mystery
• Planets
• Printing 
• Rocket
• Scene
• Space
• Spaceship
• Stars
• Telescope
• Vegetables – Okra/Leek/Pepper etc