When the Dulwich Puxi Junior School students were asked to create, curate, market and launch a public exhibition using various STEAM components of Coding, Engineering, Sound Recording and Art, they were sure it would be a huge task requiring a lot of guidance. Luckily, they had STEAM expert, sound engineer and musician, Úna Monaghan to help them bring their vision to life.
For this exhibition, Year 5 students were tasked to bring all elements of STEAM to life through art and music. Here is what they learned and created together for their exhibition titled "The Sounds of Puxi".
S – Science – Students studied the science of sound, it’s pitch and acoustics in space.
T – Technology – Students learned how to code, patch and compose their own music tracks. They learned how to wire circuits, lay cables and safely adjust the voltage of sound.
E – Entrepreneurship – Students learned about marketing and broadcasting the event to a mass market through print, wechat and other social media channels. At the event, they led personalised tours for guests to explain the artworks on display. Their attention to detail was impeccable.
A – Art - Students listened to the music they had created and thought deeply about the colours, symbols and mediums to represent the sound. They created a series of astonishingly beautiful artworks which represent the sounds of Puxi.
M – Mathematics – Students were allocated a budget which they had to fiscally manage across all areas of marketing of this event. From materials used to beverages offered to attending guests, they managed the bottom line brilliantly.
Well done to the Year 5 students. Your spirit of entrepreneurialism, collaboration and creativity has been flawless. The school is so proud of your achievements. This really was an outstanding STEAM Art exhibition.
From our Director of Creative Arts
It has been a pleasure to watch this exciting project turn from an initial idea to a fully formed exhibition! The students have had an amazing time working closely with Úna Monaghan, learning all about the creative process of curating and installing an art and music installation. The initial ideas were recorded in various spaces around the school using hand-held recording devices with the aim of capturing ‘The Sounds of Puxi’.
From the swimming pool and the kitchen, to the stairwells and the playground, the students enjoyed discovering and exploring different sound worlds as well as creating new music from their findings. Throughout the project Úna inspired and challenged the students to think not only musically, but spatially and visually about the presentation of their work, and how to consider the perspective of the audience. The creation of the art work inspired by the audio recordings demonstrate how students have collaborated and expanded their creative thinking, which has led to the final exhibition. It is through the unique Puxi STEAM curriculum projects that the school is able to make learning visible and help prepare the students for a 21st Century world. What an epic journey this has been for the students. Well done!
[All images via Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi]
