31 Mar 2011

Cave Art Project

Thursday science has somewhat expanded with the addition of some good friends.

We're in our second week of learning all about caves. First week we looked at a virtual cave and learnt about how caves are formed, and we also learned about various types of speleothem. This was followed by a crystal growing/speleothem creating experiment, using Epsom Salt.

This week we continued by looking at another virtual cave, (Lascaux in France), and studied cave paintings. When I asked the children why did people then paint? There were various answers such as the Cave men were very bored with their lives! ;)

Anyway, we concluded the class by trying our hands at cave painting.
First each family brought their own soil. Altogether we had 6 different shades of brown to paint with. Amazing how much variety there is with soil alone! The children pounded the soil using mortar and large stones, then sieved the large stones out.  Then they mixed in some water and a bit of vegetable shortening/oil.

 Paint ready, they began painting. First pictures were drawn using charcoal, then painted with the "soil paint".


Pounding soil


drawing pictures with charcoal (can you guess what's this?) Ok..it's a Bull. haha..
Picture by Du (aged 4)


Can you guess what this is????
It's Little Du's horse. :) (LOVE his drawing!!)


Dd's completed painting (drawn with charcoal, painted with pounded soil mixed with glue)

this is mine..done when I showed the chidlren how to do one.

All in all, it was enjoyable, easy to do and fun. :) Do try it! however, be forewarned that it can be messy, coz when children's imagination go wild, they CAN do a lot of other things with the soil!  :)
(Group projects are really fun. I think, more worthwhile than going for tuition after tuition.)




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