Zero Gravity: an education programme for 9 – 12 year olds
- Paper number
IAC-05-E1.3.05
- Author
Ms. Nicola Triscott, The Arts Catalyst, United Kingdom
- Coauthor
Mr. Rob La Frenais, The Arts Catalyst, United Kingdom
- Year
2005
- Abstract
The Zero Gravity programme was a series of projects for 9 – 12 year olds on the theme of gravity and weightlessness through dance, science and art, exploring the questions: What is gravity? How does gravity affects us? How has gravity shaped who we are and how we move? What if there was no gravity? How would we live in space in zero gravity? Each project was launched with a zero gravity seminar showing introductory videos of French dancer Kitsou Dubois and other artists in weightlessness and problem solving activities on living in space. Pupils then took part in number of art (video, performance and sculpture) and dance/movement workshops, led by artists Tim Millar and Graham Hudspon, and dancers Karen Lowe and Morag Wightman, imaginatively exploring concepts of weight and weightlessness, changing gravities, orientation, freefall and rotation. How do we recognise that a concept has been well understood? In the Zero Gravity projects, it was clear that the children were truly grappling with some of the concepts and struggling to find a way of articulating these new ideas. By synthesizing as many learning styles as possible the complexities and intricacies of the material can be shown in a way that reaches a range of abilities and interests. Implicit in this assertion is the need for children to have a significant amount of time on a topic. Although the Zero Gravity projects allowed the children to explore ideas in much more depth than is usually afforded them, we felt that even more time would have benefited them; extending and deepening their understanding. Vygotsky, the Russian psychologist made an enormous contribution to what goes on in the classroom by suggesting that it is through language that the child internalises what is happening and this internalisation then leads to thought. We observed how difficult the children found it to articulate their thoughts. The ideas sparked in the workshops created a need to communicate their ideas and formulate an understanding of the concepts and it is through this need that we can see them grappling to find the words and structuring their thoughts. Galton and Bennett have both drawn attention to co-operative or collaborative group work and the importance of it. But this needs to be facilitated to encourage children to maintain a high level of task related talk. Particularly in the dance workshops of the Zero Gravity projects, through the physicality of the work, children had to learn to trust each other and work together and this then developed group cohesiveness between the children. The project was run at a number of schools in the UK, in London and the South-East England between 2000 and 2003. Some of the project was featured on ESA’s Habla ISS website. This paper is new and original. It has not been presented at a previous meeting. Financing and attendance of an author at the IAC at Fukuoka to present the paper is assured.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-05-E1.3.05.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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