Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Castle for the Child Within


Every child has dreamed of going to, or living in a castle.  This place may be real or even make-believe.  Yet, it sparks stories, oh so grand! I had a chance to revisit my childhood dreams, when a teacher approached me and asked about creating a background for a play, featuring a compilation of fairytales. First, I thought "another thing to do".  Then I began to fantasize and my imagination ran away with me.  WHOOSH! As a kid, I often wished I could play in a castle. Soon the excitement of bringing this to life-size seemed quite doable.  I wanted it to become a reality for the students in my school.  
I wanted them to experience going from idea, to model, to life-size.  I wanted them to experience "DOABLE". 

 This project supported the mandated literacy components:
  • ·      Characters
  • ·      Settings
  • ·      Events
  • ·      Problems
  • ·      Conclusion

 We needed a background or setting to support the characters and events. 

First, I created a paper model. I used simple shapes like rectangles, squares, triangles, and circles.   Then, the students and I recreated it on a larger scale.  The students were intrigued about changing the scale and adding texture to make it look more believable.


The play was a success!  Many children wanted to draw and write fairytales of their own.  It was amazing to see and hear their creations and stories. I always tell them that they can create their own worlds inside and outside of their imaginations.










                                                               Go Literacy!