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INSPIRATION AFRICA!
Project 6
LITERACY PAGE


Malory lesson

On Day 3 the main part of the project was described to the pupils. They would be split up into two groups (A and B) and, like the Trinidadian Midnight Robbers, each group would be

writing their own 'bravado' rap and
designing and screen printing their own
Midnight Robber cape and hat.

On the final project day a video team would also come to the school to video the pupils performing the rap in their robber hats and capes.

As well as exploring bravado and learning how to boast effectively it was explained that they would be looking behind the mask to explore the Midnight Robber's alter ego. Andrew started the day performing some of his work including a rap he had written based around the opposites - I am hard like... I am soft like...

Malory lesson

The groups then wrote their own lists of opposites - first using single words:

stop
quiet
friends
argue
boy
hot
smooth

go
loud
enemies
agree
girl
cold
rough

and then following Andrew's rhyming hard as/soft as example (excerpts shown below).


Group A

I'm hard like metal
I'm soft like water in a kettle
I'm hard like steel
I'm soft like orange peel
I'm hard like iron
I'm soft like Diane
I'm hard like wood
I'm soft like a coat hood
I'm hard like a chair
I'm soft like hair

I'm hard like an iron
I'm soft like a sea lion
I'm hard like a huge rock
I'm soft like a fur sock
I'm hard like a train
I'm soft like the rain

Group B

I'm hard like a table
I'm soft like a sponge
I'm hard like metal
I'm soft like gunge

I'm hard like the rock that protects the ground
I'm soft like a jelly that's wobblin' around

I'm hard like Tyson's muscles
I'm soft like sprouts and brussels
I'm hard like your head
I'm soft like her bed

I'm hard like an iceberg in the sea
I'm soft like a teabag in your tea
I'm hard like the concrete on the floor
I'm soft like a fly splatted on the door


Next the pupils moved to the computer suite where they were each given a Midnight Robber profile form to be completed along with photocopied pictures of actual Midnight Robbers to refer to. These profiles would inform the artwork as well as the literacy. They were asked to give their Midnight Robber a name, powers, alter ego (explained as their soft-side/weaknesses which in turn can be powerful) and also to design and draw the front and back view of a Robber hat and cape. This would include patterns to express their Robber's personality and the pupils were asked to refer back to the worksheets from the visit to the African Worlds exhibition for inspiration. The profiles were then separated into their appropriate groups.

Midnight Robber profilePupils with Midnight Robber profile

Read and see more about the profiles under the
Midnight Robber profile page

After sharing some of their work with the class, the pupils moved onto the computers to access their project page on the Inspiration Africa! website (project6.html). This page links to an on-line word document which was saved to their individual machines to be completed. Featuring an excerpt from the 'Midnight Robber Talk' - lines were repeated with spaces provided to enable the pupils to write their own robber talk.

Pupils sharing workPupils writing robber talk

Read and see more about the process under the
I.C.T. page

I am (put your Midnight Robber name in here)
From the day my mother gave birth to me ....
At the age of one ...
At the age of five ...
At the age of eight ...
At the age of 12 ...
Now I am ...

Once completed these documents were attached to e-mails and sent to Jacqui at home for editing.

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