Autumn Artefacts

Springwell Village Primary School invited Vicky from Durham Wildlife Trust to support their Fantastic Creatures project by developing the children’s knowledge and appreciation of the natural world. The nursery and reception classes were taken on a nature walk to collect leaves, conkers, twigs and acorns which they brought back to their classroom to make their mini-beasts together. They also brought autumn artefacts from home to add to their collection of autumn drawing materials. Inspired by Eric Carle’s new book Blue Horse, the children created their own individual creatures as well as larger collaborative collages. Once each group finished their creature, it was photographed and the materials were recycled by the next group.

Group work can be challenging for this age Boys in particular, who may not usually choose pencils and paper to record or represent, found this physical form of drawing enjoyable, while the older ones who like getting things right, welcomed the chance to re-arrange the materials, leaving no record of a mistake!

Puffin Fantastic Creatures Awards

The Puffin Fantastic Creatures Award is for the best Big Draw event to take inspiration from  Eric Carle's The Artist who Painted a Blue Horse. "I am an artist…" begins Eric Carle's vibrant tribute to the creative life. And just like an imaginative child, this is one artist who paints the world as he sees it-a red crocodile, an orange elephant, a purple fox, a black polar bear, and a wonderful polka-dotted donkey.