3/4Elm   Learning Update

Central idea: History has changed the distribution of resources and ideas.

The class has been concluding their studies into how the past has influenced current development. This has included transport, communication, medicine and building. We studied the filthy state of the River Thames back in Victorian London and the appalling impact it had on people's health; cholera and other diseases were rampant. We then investigated Ethiopia and realised that what we take for granted, clean water, is actually a rare resource for the people who live there. Many people in the East African country do not have access to fresh water, basic sanitation and therefore suffer from diseases that have been eradicated in our country.

From there, we started investigating the news reports of water companies in the UK dumping waste and raw sewage into the streams, rivers and oceans. We are going to use this opportunity to write letters of complaint to the government, explaining why these companies shouldn't be allowed to do what they're doing.

We have completed our artwork for the module, creating paintings inspired by Jim Dine and portraying moods. The class planned their final artwork, deciding the colours they were going to create according to the moods they wished to portray. They were only allowed to use the primary colours (blue, red and yellow) to create the colours they needed. The results are fantastic!