Stories and global learning World Book Day

A focus on Jeannie Baker’s books Where the Forest Meets the Sea Window Belonging All images © Paula Owens

A focus on Jeannie Baker’s books (continued) Where the Forest Meets the Sea, Walker Books, 1987 The reflections of a young boy exploring a rainforest in Queensland. The book evokes ideas about how the landscape was, is and might be. Window, Walker Books, 2002 The rural landscape becomes gradually urbanised as the countryside changes to a city over the course of a lifetime. Belonging, Walker Books, 2004 Changes showing the regeneration of an inner city area over time. Themes: place, environmental change and sustainable development

Thinking about change… Discuss what you have read and how it relates to pupils’ own lives: What changes can you see through your window, or in your local area? Why are these changes happening? Speculate, then do some fieldwork and investigate the wider locality. Use ‘viewing frames’ to focus on a particular view. Using first-hand experience, apply skills to develop empathy and speculate about ‘windows’ in other parts of the world.

Other ideas Create a 3D-plan of the view from your window or local area using collage, inspired by Jeannie Baker’s illustrations. Use existing maps of the local area as the basis for a display and link to current images of key features; use this as a starting point for teaching in subsequent years – identifying changes. Use past and present aerial images of a locality to identify change.

Other ideas (continued) Imagine and envision how your own locality might change; create a series of pictures and words to tell the story. Map your school grounds, or even just your playground; envision changes you would make. Collaborate with others in your class to create a 3D- plan of what you would like it to look like. Present your ideas to governors; plan what you can achieve and how.

Use ‘view finders’ made from cardboard to frame views and draw what you see.

Work as a school to record views in your locality Stained glass windows are simple to make – use pupils’ drawings as a starting point for composite pictures that can be traced on Perspex® and coloured in with water-based glass paints.

What experiences link to this finished work? Learning new and relevant vocabulary First-hand experience of place, (fieldwork) Creative inspiration from a sense of place Learning how to improve and sustain localities Asking questions and critical thinking, e.g. Where is this place? What is this place like? Why is it like this? How is it changing? Using relevant skills, e.g. annotated sketching, digital imaging, collaboration

Create your own ‘windows’ showing a snapshot in time Create your own ‘windows’ showing a snapshot in time. Other panels can be added over time to record changes.