1916 Rising

I've had a few messages about art based on the 1916 rising (some of you are very organised!!). Here are a few ideas that may come in handy!
This is a great resource: http://www.easter1916.ie/index.php/schools/primary/#

Tea Stained Photographs:

Firstly, the setting-
Examine old photographs. Children are fascinated by these. This link has some details about cameras in history: http://photodoto.com/camera-history-timeline/

Photos took a long time to capture and develop in 1916. Often moving objects are not captured properly because of this.

Photos can be compared before and after the rising, or then and now. There are some photos on the Easter 1916 website mentioned at the top of this post.

The children can work on creating their own old photos. Using tea bags, they stain the paper. Leave to dry and then using pencil draw their 1916 scene. Trace over the pencil drawing in black marker.

http://source.southdublinlibraries.ie/bitstream/10599/312/2/wm_4562.jpg

It's worth mentioning the the site this photo is from has fantastic resources- southdublinlibraries.ie

Especially this pdf:

http://source.southdublinlibraries.ie/bitstream/10599/11506/5/1916SchoolsPack.pdf

Posters:

Discussing the use of propaganda posters, the class could design some of their own. Imagine what they might say in regards to the 1916 rising.

http://astro.temple.edu/~bigred76/c63/britishwwi.html

Seomra Ranga has a post with some slogans and quotes that may be a good starting point.

http://www.seomraranga.com/2010/07/1916-slogans/

When children are creating posters, remind them about clear writing. If the students are more able, can they tie in the writing with the theme of the poster? What clues will we see in the poster about the rising?

Responding to Poetry:

W.B. Yeats famously wrote "All that changed, changed utterly" (full poem here: http://www.easter1916.net/peom.htm).

http://izquotes.com/quote/279895

There are other poems related to the 1916 rising here: http://www.1916rising.com/pic_poetry.html

The children could read, maybe pick their favourite line/poem. And create a response to it. 

This may be using the writing and decorating it, or maybe a more abstract response. 

They could explore the colour and shapes that comes to mind as they read it. Is it dark and sharp? What kind of lines can they imagine as a response?

Maybe a creation in clay as an abstract response? 

The abstract response can be displayed with the poem, or not.

Construction:

Using a shoe box, the class could work in groups to create the scene of the 1916 rising. 

The background can be painted, buildings made from cardboard and attached and figures from clay or plasticine. 

I stumbled across this image on http://diarmada.scoilnet.ie/blog/files/2011/05/DSCF2992.jpg- how fantastic is this! 

Responding to Art from 1916

This article outlines some of the paintings created during this time. This may be a great talking point for the children to respond to the art created during this era.

http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/1916-schools/the-art-of-conflict-paintings-of-1916-1.2361898

Info about this painting: http://www.hughlane.ie/curators-choice/1224-menofthewest

Walter Paget’s Birth of the Irish Republic

Other Resources:

Powerpoint download: www.iisresource.org/Documents/0A4_1916_Images.ppt

Another useful site: http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/1916-schools

As I have already mentioned, I work with younger years, so am a bit out of touch with some of the senior classes history curriculum. I'm very open to others sharing ideas that they have also! :)