Digital @ The Arts Unit Creative Classes

Going on an adventure

Explore and create using an adventure story stimulus

Student drama and visual arts resource developed by The Arts Unit

Preschool, Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 drama and visual arts

What will I learn?

You will:

  • explore and create movements

  • listen to a story

  • respond imaginatively

  • perform to communicate dramatic meaning.

Before you begin

You will need:

  • space to move around safely

  • paints and paper. You could also use textas or pencils if you do not have paints.

Photo credit: Anna Warr

  1. Watch

Watch and listen to the story 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt' written by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury.


We're Going on a Bear Hunt with Michael Rosen

Duration: 05:21

2. Perform

Now it is your turn to go on a bear hunt.

Stand up and get ready to join in with The Wiggles as they take us on a bear hunt!

Try and copy the words and actions that The Wiggles do.

You might like to divide your space into different areas so you can move around your space as you go on your bear adventure.

Good luck on your bear hunt!

Be sure to remember the actions you learn as you will need them in the next activity.

The Wiggles – We're Going on a Bear Hunt

Duration: 02:25

Movement freeze game

March around your space like you are going on an adventure.

When the music stops, get your teacher or another person to call out one of the actions that you must do.

Make sure you have your listening ears on!

Your teacher might get tricky!

Actions to choose from:

  • swishy, swashy long grass

  • splashy, sploshy river

  • squelchy, squishy mud

  • stumble, trip in the forest

  • swirly, whirly snowstorm

  • tip toe into the cave.

Musical chairs song

Duration: 07:05

3. Create

Did you have fun on your bear hunt?

Let's create a map that shows the way to the bear cave.

Experiment with different brushstrokes when painting your map to make your artwork interesting.

Here are some suggestions:

  • Divide your paper into 6 areas.

  • Draw your path through your 6 areas.

You can make your path any shape you like as long as it goes through all 6 boxes.

Example of paper divided into 6 with path in black texta dashes.

Our first box is 'long, wavy grass'.

  • Use long brushstrokes to create your grass.

  • Try using the side of your brush for thin lines and the body of your brush for thick lines.

Example of first box using long green brushstrokes for 'long wavy grass'

  • Add dimension by painting another piece of paper with the same effect. Be sure to paint both sides.

  • Cut the paper into thin strips, leaving a piece at the bottom uncut.

  • Fold the uncut piece and glue or tape on top of your grass.

Example of paper painted and cut to be used for texture.
Example of paper painted and cut to be used for texture.
Example of map steps

Continue on with your map. The second box is the 'deep, cold river'.

  • Use wriggly lines to create the waves of the water.

Example of 'deep cold river' painting instructions

  • Add dimension by adding strips of tissue and painting them onto your river.

Do you think it looks like waves?

Example of 'thick oozy mud' instructions

Next is 'thick, oozy mud'

  • Fat, splotchy paint marks look like mud.

  • Add extra paint onto your brush to make thick, splotchy marks.

Example of 'big, dark forest' instructions

Box 4 is the 'big, dark forest'.

  • You can create triangle trees using a zigzag action. Start at the top point and make your zigzag bigger as you create your tree.

Example of swirly, whirly snowstorm instructions.

Box 5 is the 'swirly, whirly snowstorm'.

  • Paint circles and swirls with your brush.

  • Add small pieces of tissue while you are painting to create snowflakes and snowballs.

Example of dark, narrow cave instructions.

The last box is the 'narrow, gloomy cave'.

  • You might like to try creating rocks around your cave with your fingerprint.

  • Add dirt or sand to your cave for texture.

  • Don't forget the scary eyes!

Example of completed map

Congratulations. Your map is complete!

Display it proudly for all to see.

Extension activity

  • Write a story to go with your map.

  • Perhaps you will have a different ending or are searching for a different animal.

Teddy Bear

Matilda SalterHunters Hill Public SchoolOperation Art 2019
Student artwork of a teddy bear drawn in pencil

4. A new adventure

Students from Curl Curl North Public School had their own adventure at the State Drama Festival 2018 when they performed 'Come Down Cat', adapted from the picture book 'Come Down Cat' by Sonya Hartnett.

Watch their performance as they show us their adventure to overcome their fear of the dark and of heights as they rescue their pet cat.

State Drama Festival 2018 – Come Down Cat

Curl Curl North Public SchoolDuration: 03:29

Think about the adventures the students from Curl Curl Public School had in their performance and the movements they used to show each of their scenes.

Move around your space and create your own movements for:

  • the cat stuck on the roof – Is he pacing up and down the roof? Is he meowing? Is he arching his back in fright?

  • the dark garden at night – move like the flowers and trees swaying in the breeze, growing taller and stretching out their petals and branches

  • being scared walking through the garden searching for your cat – walk on tiptoe, sneaking without making a sound, looking around you at what's in the dark

  • climbing the ladder – you are scared! You climb slowly. You try to make it to the top but you have to climb down quickly

  • oh no! You are a spooky zombie, a lion and a bear! Create these scary characters as you move around your space

  • You go to sleep. You wake up and move unafraid and happy through the garden in the morning sun and rescue your cat.

The Night-time forest

Maya WoodleyPottsville Beach Public SchoolOperation Art 2014
Student artwork of flowers in the forest.

You might like to play the movement freeze game, this time using the actions from 'Come Down Cat' when you stop:

  • cat stuck on the roof

  • swaying trees

  • tiptoe through the garden

  • climbing the ladder

  • spooky zombie

  • scary lion or bear

  • fast asleep.

Image of cartoon bear saying "Thanks for our adventure"

We hope you had fun on your adventures today.

Congratulations!

You have completed this Digital @ The Arts Unit Creative Class.

The Happy Bear

Ruby GhimireMorpeth Public SchoolOperation Art 2018
Student artwork of bear under a rainbow

You might like to explore more of our Digital @ The Arts Unit Creative Classes:







Third-party content attributions

  • Teddy Bear, © Matilda Salter, 2019, reproduced and communicated with permission.

  • The Night-time Forest, © Maya Woodley, 2014, reproduced and communicated with permission.

  • The Happy Bear, © Ruby Ghimire, 2018, reproduced and communicated with permission.