PBL: A Book About Me! Day 1
Date: 1st August 2022; Monday.
Facilitators: Auindrilla, Priyanka, Sonai, Sanmoyee, and Anupriya.
Participants: Arya, Hazzel, Nitara, Rishit, Shanaya, Shannaya, Sharlav, Shivansh, Shivanshikaa, Viaan, Yuvaan (Bhopalka), Yuvaan (Mehra).
Tags: Art, understanding ourselves, understanding our surroundings, PBL.
Welcome to the beginning of a brand new PBL series at Arth Hours!
In our last series, we saw the enthusiasm with which our Arthlings built their own homes, to share with the people they love. Although our children always enjoy building, the project held special meaning because of the personal connection!
Our Arthlings are expert explorers. After the success of the last project, our facilitators asked: Why not carry this exploration further inward? An idea for a project was born: A Book About Me!
In the course of this project, we will invite our Arthlings to explore the concept of the self through stories, art, and play!
Some questions to guide us on our journey are:
What do I look like?
Where am I from?
What do I like/dislike?
What makes me unique?
At the end of this journey, our Arthlings’ work will be compiled and published as their very own book!
Our facilitators decided that the best way for our Arthlings to kick off this new series would be to get to know themselves — in the mirror! The following step would be an artist's self-portrait!
Planning and Setup
The activity was divided into the following steps:
Mirror Observation: The wall mirror in the play area was left clear so the children would be able to see themselves.
Drawing Myself: White A3 paper, coloured A4 paper, pencils, colour pencils, crayons, soft pastels, popsicle sticks, glue, and stickers were made available as tools for the children to express themselves.
How it happened
Mirror Observation: Priyanka Didi opened the proceedings by telling the Arthlings some exciting news — they were all going to be authors! They were all going to write a special book about themselves.
She then invited them to follow her to the mirror! Each Arthling peered closely to observe their eyes, nose, ears, hair and mouth. Some ears appeared to be missing, but after some digging, were eventually found!
The Arthlings employ their powers of observation!
Priyanka Didi asked - what can you see?
Shivansh found his ears!
Shivansh, can you show me your ears?
Shanaaya found her ears too!
Priyanka Didi and Sonai Didi then showed the children drawings they had made of themselves from their reflections. The children then got to work at their tables!
Sonai Didi shows the Arthlings her self-portrait!
Sonai Didi points out her features.
Time to choose our coloured paper!
Drawing Myself: Each Arthling captured a unique perspective in their self-portrait. Yuvaan (Mehra) drew very, very long legs! Shivansh drew himself standing from afar. Many others chose a more abstract representation!
Arya, Yuvaan (Mehra) and Viaan get to work!
Rishit unleashes his artistic skills on the paper!
The Arthlings also showed us that portraits need not be confined by the boundaries of realism! Skin colour could be green, blue, or whatever other colour you could want!
After sticking the A4 sheet on the A3 background, the next step was making a popsicle frame for the mirror drawing! Arya and Shanaya decided that popsicles were more than just frame material. They used them in their portraits to great artistic effect.
Hazzel adds glue!
Picking colourful popsicles for the frame!
Building frames, one stick at a time.
What colourful frames!
Shannaya squeezes glue…
…Which makes a design of its own!
The Arthlings finished by decorating their frames and drawings with assorted stickers. Crystal stickers were a crowd favourite — the sparklier, the better! Smiley faces were another preferred choice.
Nitara embellishes her portrait with stickers.
Nitara adds stickers on the portrait, and on the frame too!
Viaan finishes his creation with stickers.
As a finishing touch, Priyanka Didi and Sonai Didi invited the children to write their names! Arya confidently wrote her name, and chose to include text as part of the drawing! Viaan was unsure at first, but then added his name in brown pencil with courageous strokes.
Arya writes her name all by herself!
After clean-up, the Arthlings' artwork was carefully collected and preserved for publishing!
Hazzel and Yuvaan (Bhopalka) pose for the camera.
Shivansh is hidden behind his portrait!
Nitara and her work of art.
Shannaya’s portrait…
…And Shanaaya’s portrait!
Outcome and Future
The first exercise in this PBL series encouraged the Arthlings to get to know themselves better. Although the mirror was provided as an aid, the whole class chose to draw from memory!
Each child's portrait, as well as the process by which they created it, was a window into their inner self. This is an introduction to further exercise in introspection and reflection.
As this PBL series continues, we hope to lead our Arthlings onto further explorations of their identity!