THE PALM PILOT PROJECT FOR TEACHERS

PROJECT BRIEF - version 1

8 weeks

This version of the project is designed for classes (perhaps those with a support tutor), where it is possible for the pupils to go out of the classroom and draw in the school at large, and around the school grounds.

As there are only one or two palm pilots, the idea is for children to take it in turns to draw during the week, unsupervised, whilst other class activities are taking place. Once a week a time should be set aside for group discussion, downloading the images, emailing them, and assembling the drawing wall.

week 1 introduction

the idea of a medium

introduction to Palm Pilot practice using IT

comparison of Palm Pilot with pencil, charcoal, pen, other drawing media

what is drawing?

what different things can drawing be used for?

week 2 The idea of the mystery school

examples of Simon Faithfull's drawings

practice using the palm pilot

aims of drawing in this project:

The aim is to explain to an alien where the school is and what it feels like to be there.

The point is NOT to make a real map of the space of the school, but to draw details. These should be specific, not general. Picking out objects to draw may be a bit like selective memory, but drawing should be done from close observation, not from memory.

Make it into a game of leaving clues for the other school. These drawings should be a bit mysterious - not necessarily the most obvious view of something. Don't make it too easy for them. For example, the artist drew a tennis court lights but not the court, pipes and fans on sides of buildings and other things which did not have a straightforward reading.
Tennis court lights

Pipes and fan

Stuff

The other reason for not drawing the most obvious view of an object is to learn to appreciate a drawing for its own properties, not for what it depicts.

week 3 drawings within the classroom

pupils make and save one or two drawings each on the palm pilot.

with the pupils, the teacher transfers drawings from palm pilot to computer

save and name each drawing

email to the other school

print out a selection of the drawings

naming the drawings: encourage them to be oblique in naming the drawings - a word or two that will offer a clue but not necessarily give it away

week 4

open the other school's email and guess their drawings

print a selection of the other school's drawings

prepare a wall or screen for displaying the drawings - one side for our school and one side for the mystery school

can we tell anything about the other school yet? Where it is? What the school is like? Describe the project, and perhaps the mystery school - for other children in the school who are not involved in the project

week 5-6 Drawings around the rest of the school

Download, name, print, email to the other school

Add to the wall

Select some drawings to have enlarged (pupils and teacher vote)

ones that are specific, but not necessarily recognisable
ones that best convey information
ones that make pleasing drawings
Open the email of the other school
Print and add to the wall

week 7-8 Drawings outside in the school grounds

Download, name, print, email to the other school

Add drawings to the wall and discuss

Select drawings to have enlarged

Open the email of the other school

Print images and add to the wall.

The end of the project should be marked by some more direct contact with the other school. If they are local to one another, the classes could arrange to meet. If not, there could be email conversations about the schools and their drawings.