Four quick ways to explore The Jurors on site Documen ng

Four quick ways to explore The Jurors on site
The emphasis in all these quick exercises is in children exploring for themselves. There is no need to talk about the stories at this stage.
Documen ng
If this is a new way of exploring for you and your class, it’s a good idea to prac ce this before you visit The Jurors.
(see Classroom ac vi es before you visit The Jurors)
Materials: A3 or A2 paper and pencils.
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1. 2. 3. 3.
4. Make a ‘sketchbook’ for each child by folding up the paper in a book or concer na format. This is theirs for the whole visit (and back in the classroom). Explain that they can record anything in the sketchbook – what they see, hear, feel and say. The more the be er. Use words, marks, sketches. Ideally you would have prac sed this at school (see above). Start documen ng as you walk towards the artwork, across the field. Stop along the way and see if you can work out where and what the artwork is. Listen to sounds of traffic, people, birds and weather. Record as much as can: textures, landscape, glimpses of the artwork in the distance.
At the artwork let the children explore for themselves and document as much as they can for as long as seems right for your group. The emphasis at this point can be on wri ng down ques ons – as many as possible.
Choose one, choose two, compare Materials: Ribbon, string or s cky notes (and ideally, each child has their ‘sketchbook’ from above)
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1. A er each child has explored the artwork, ask them to choose their favourite chair, or the one that interests them the most. They can each ex plain their choice.
An alterna ve to this is each child is given an adjec ve (picked out of a hat) and has to find the chair that best fits the word (eg lonely, stormy, confusing, simple, rough, smooth, noisy, crowded, broken, polished, sharp, fragile).
2. 3. 4. 4.
If you are planning using this exercise please let Na onal Trust staff know in advance when you no fy them of your visit and make sure you take all the ribbon away! Choose a second one that they think connects with it (or is the opposite).
Use s cky notes, ribbon or string to connect the two visually. Discuss the choices and document this if you are using sketchbooks.
Zoom in, zoom out
Connec ng the box of things
Materials: sketchbooks (as above) and addi onal paper and crayons for rubbings, and cameras if you wish
Materials: the box of things (see above) and ideally sketchbooks as well.
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1. 2. 3. 4. Following one or both of the above quick tasks it is useful for each child (or groups of 2 or 3) to focus on one chair or part of a chair.
Each child records everything they can about the chair.
Some children could look carefully at the whole arrangement, the order of the chairs, the sizes and distances.
Some parts of the chairs are great for taking rubbings, so take thin paper and crayons to do this but please be careful not to get crayon on the artwork.
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3. Bring the box of things you have already explored in the classroom on your visit.
A er allowing me for everyone to explore the artwork (perhaps using one of the tasks above) organise the children into pairs or small groups. Ask them to take an object, find a chair that connects with it in some way and place or fix the object or image to the chair.
Discuss and document the connec ons. If you use all four tasks you should now have a wide range of informa on about The Jurors, all based on personal responses. This is very useful back in the classroom for recalling the visit and referring to in follow up tasks.