As part of a scheme that involves schools in the Lord Mayor’s Show in London, we were contacted by the Unicorn Theatre to make a float for the parade. After meeting with them we visited Kew Gardens to look at the plants, flowers and trees. We talked a lot about the shapes of plants and the children drew pictures and took photos.
On our return we discussed designing costumes that would look like the cactuses, flowers and other plants chosen by the children. There was a lot of discussion about kinds of appropriate materials, the weight of the costumes and the fact that it might rain or be cold on the day of the parade.
The children then drew their designs and made them with the help of Unicorn Theatre designers. The materials were donated by the theatre.
The project was cross-curricular, covering design and technology, art, history (of the Lord Mayor’s Show) and language: they had to describe their costumes and explain why they had chosen to do a particular design and use a specific material.
Before the Lord Mayor’s Show we held a parade of the costumes in school.
The day itself, in November last year, was exciting and challenging as we were in the procession for three hours.
Afroza Ali Year 5 teacher, Harry Gosling Primary School, Tower Hamlets, London
* Lord Mayor’s show Email: show@lordmayorsshow.org
www.lordmayorsshow.org