NATURE IN ART
EDUCATION www.nature-in-art.org.uk
NATURE IN ART Nature in Art is the world’s first museum dedicated exclusively to art inspired by nature. Its international collection includes work by world famous artists as well as lesser known artists and in scope, appeal and stature it is unrivalled. The museum holds regular temporary exhibitions, and artists in residence give visitors the opportunity to see original artwork being created. The whole collection is housed in a Georgian mansion. The museum grounds have sculptures and a nature garden, providing further opportunities for art and nature study. Nature in Art is a fully accredited museum with Museums, Libraries and Archives.
GENERAL INFORMATION ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗
2 miles north of Gloucester on the A38 Large free car and coach park Full access and facilities for wheelchair users Large gardens with ponds and sculptures Well stocked gift shop Licensed coffee shop (closed on Mondays) Fine Georgian mansion Website: www.nature-in-art.org.uk
OPENING TIMES: Schools and colleges: Other groups: Public:
Every day 9.30am - 5pm Every day 9.30am - 9.30pm Tuesday - Sunday 10am - 5pm (incl. bank holiday) Closed Dec 24 –26
EDUCATION SERVICE Our policy is to encourage young people to learn through enjoyment of practical activities and new experiences in a stimulating environment. Schools are encouraged to view the museum collection as well as undertaking practical activities. In addition to the education staff, artists in residence demonstrate their work in a variety of different media. Nature trails, pond dips and environmental activities complement the wide variety of art-based activities offered. Visits can be arranged for part of, or a whole day and can cater for students at all levels from infants to adults and for those with special needs. We usually accommodate groups of 20-70 pupils, other group sizes by arrangement. Our education service has been featured in the Times Educational Supplement and was commended in the National Heritage Museum of the Year Awards.
WHEN TO VISIT: We are able to welcome groups from schools at any time of year, including holiday times. The summer term is especially popular, so we strongly advise you to book early. If you are interested in including outdoor activities, you may need to ensure your visit falls at a particular time of year. We are happy to advise on the optimal time to ensure that you get the most from your visit.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS: ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗
Suitable for infants, primary, secondary schools, and colleges We only accept one school per day (so that you have our undivided attention) Free preliminary visits (by arrangement) Dedicated education staff and facilities Worksheets included if required Hands-on art sessions Nature walks, pond-dips and environmental education Indoor picnic area for wet weather days. All parties must book in advance
SCHOOL VISITS From only £4 per child
FREE Bring as many adult helpers as you wish - we don't charge!!
“WHAT CAN WE DO....?” We try to be flexible with the programme to suit each school that visits. Each activity lasts for an hour, assuming that the school arrives at 10.00am and finishes at 2.30pm. We encourage schools to spend one session in the museum, and then choose two other activities (see next page for choices). Choices are usually linked to the school’s own areas of study, and are agreed with the museum’s education officer before the visit. Some schools choose just two activities, but spend more time on each.
Museum Tour: A look at our collection, with the aid of a quizsheet to focus attention and increase observation and analysis. Quiz sheets, pencils and clipboards are provided. Our education staff do not take part in this activity, but Nature in Art stewards are in the galleries to help if needed.
Complementary Activities: Take place in the Education Centre and are led by the Education Officer and/or a Nature in Art staff member. Choose two activites, usually one art activity and one nature based or handling activity . It is essential to discuss your choices with us in advance of your visit.
ART ACTIVITIES *Batik: Batik: Practical batik work with fabric, hot wax and dyes. *Clay Sculpture: Using real clay to model animals or birds or plants. Please note that we cannot fire pieces that are made here, although such pieces can be taken back to school or be photographed for a permanent record of the work. Collage: Group or solo, using a variety of materials creatively. Both abstract and representational work encouraged. Observational Drawing: Using pencils or charcoal or pastels, and museum resources such as our fantastic shells and seeds collection. *Life/ Figure Drawing: Drawing the human figure (a professional model), either clothed or nude. Suitable for upper primary or secondary schools and colleges. *Lino Cutting: Cut and print your own A5 or A6 design. Card or polystyrene printing available for younger children. Mosaics: Children make their own mosaics using paper and card after investigating the topic from slides and real modern mosaics. Natural Sculptures: Collect natural materials from the grounds and then use them to create a sculpture. Painting: Watercolours or acrylics for older children, redimix for younger ones. Please bring aprons! Print making: Find out about different ways to print and create a picture based on these skills
Paper Sculpture: Explore different techniques to create 3D figures made only from paper. Scrap Sculpture: Meet our outdoor scrap metal sculptures, and then make your own versions from card, plastic, paper and other scrap materials. Wire Sculpture: Children learn basic techniques by each making a small figure of a person from lengths of wire. Plant and animal sculptures instead of people could be made. Other art activities may be available. Please ask if you have a specific requirement. Those activities marked * may incur an extra charge.
Nature-based and handling activities Sweep Netting &Tree Bashing: Investigate the gardens and trees for minibeasts. Pond Dipping: Investigate pond life, and meet a newt! Nature Walk: Guided tours of the grounds with a nature theme. Sculpture Handling: Guided tour and investigation of wide range of sculptures indoors and out. Lots of hands on!
Talks and presentations Slide Presentations: Presentations: Your chosen art topic, such as: wildlife art, sculptures, botanical art, African art, mosaics.‌ Slide Presentations: Your choice of an environmental issue - rainforests, recycling, bats, minibeasts, British wildlife .....
National Curriculum Subjects ART Knowledge, Skills and Understanding The museum collection provides an excellent opportunity to explore and develop ideas. Quiz sheets are provided in the galleries to help pupils to investigate and record responses to the art on display. Practical workshops allow children to experience and explore techniques and develop skills. Workshops can be arranged on particular themes such as colour, texture or pattern. The museum collection comprises work from over 60 countries and 1500 years, and is enhanced by temporary exhibitions on subjects as diverse as Picasso, mosaics, contemporary crafts, art from other cultures, and wildlife photography.
Breadth of Study Nature in Art has a collection of natural and man-made objects that may be used as starting points for art projects. Workshops provide experience of work in two or three dimensions, as well as the opportunity for individual or group activity according to the teacher’s preference. Our artist in residence programme encourages children to meet and be inspired by professional artists and craftspeople.
We are able to link with most QCA schemes of work such as:
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What is Sculpture? Investigating Materials Mother Nature, Designer Investigating Pattern Can we change places People in action
SCIENCE Life Processes & Living Things Nature based activities usually take the form of nature walks, pond dipping or sweep netting, or study of a particular topic such as flowering plants. Children are encouraged to use keys, books and charts for identification. We are licensed by English Nature to show great crested newts to children as part of the pond study sessions. Education staff can also offer slide presentations on a variety of themes such as British wildlife, minibeasts, conservation, pond life etc tailored to your requirements. The museum has strong links with many conservation bodies and can base study around particular themes such as Gloucestershire Wildlife, Art and Conservation, rainforests (an area that staff have extensive personal experience) or Endangered Animals. The education collection also includes shells, feathers, and seeds from all over the world, which can be used for science and/or art study. The museum collection of artwork shows plant lifecycles, predator and prey relationships, camouflage, adaptation and creatures in their habitats.
Materials Sculptures in the education handling collection can form the basis for grouping and investigating activities. Materials are varied and include soapstone, wood, ivory, bone, clay, glass, metal and fabric.
School Groups Infants Schools Many activities we offer are suitable for younger children. The main difference between a day for infants or older children regards the museum tour with worksheets. As written questions are inappropriate, we suggest the following compromise: The class is split into groups of four or five children with an adult helper. The adult has an information and ideas sheet with suggested questions and comments. They are then free to explore the museum with their group or interpret the collection in their own way if preferred. We suggest that you ensure that very young children are familiar with appropriate vocabulary (eg. gallery, texture, sculpture, landscape) before the visit takes place. As young children need more individual attention than older groups we also suggest that infants schools bring more adult helpers. The museum makes no charge for adult helpers, so you can bring as many as you like!
Secondary Schools We appreciate that museum visits can disrupt the timetable but we are sure that a visit to Nature in Art is well worth overcoming any difficulties. Our collection allows students to see original art and can introduce the techniques of sculpture, batik, ceramics, acrylics, print-making, collage and glass engraving, as well as the more traditional watercolours and oils. Artists in Residence are usually available to demonstrate techniques, and the education centre is available for students to explore their ideas through practical work. You may wish to use your visit to Nature in Art to introduce a new style of work or theme to your class, or to gather information and ideas ready for more intensive study at school. We can arrange for live animals and birds to be brought to the museum so students can get reference sketches from direct observation. Our staff are keen to plan a day to suit your requirements and can also provide items from the reference collection and resources to enhance the learning experience.
Colleges and Further Education Nature in Art offers students in further education excellent opportunities. Apart from the benefits that can be gained from viewing the exhibits, other areas of interest are:
Research With work spanning 1500 years, from over 60 countries by over 600 artists, the museum collection is unrivalled and offers many areas for study. We show work by famous artists such as Sir Peter Scott, David Shepherd, Michael Cardew, Emile GallĂŠ and even Picasso. The collection includes work from representational to abstract, ethnic art and sculptures in various styles and media. Examples of the decorative arts eg. Lalique and Beilby glass, netsuke, fine bone china etc. are also included. As the whole collection cannot be displayed at any one time, we are happy to show items from the store by prior arrangement. The museum also has a small library and a slide reference collection.
Temporary Exhibitions Each year the museum holds a series of temporary exhibitions that celebrate the work of an artist or school or highlight a particular media or theme. Some of these are assembled by the museum itself from collections around the world, some are taken as complete shows from other institutions. Exhibitions from Japan, Brazil, Kenya and the USA have been shown in recent years as well as others from the UK. A programme is published each year.
Artists in Residence Our artist in residence programme offers the student a unique opportunity to meet and see professional artists at work. Each year we welcome over 50 artists to work in the art studio, each one staying for a week (Tuesday to Sunday). Most are from the UK, but artists from as far away as Japan, New Zealand, Kenya, USA, Canada, and Germany also take part, reflecting the international flavour and importance of the museum collection. Inevitably, a huge variety of styles and media are included. There are sometimes opportunities for students to work directly with the artists and receive guidance and tuition.
Students with Special Needs Nature in Art aims to make accessible as possible.
our educational facilities and activities as
Since the term “special needs” can encompass so many different ability levels it is difficult to give specific information here. We suggest teachers contact us in advance of the visit to discuss their individual school’s needs. We’ll help as much as possible with your visit, but obviously we need input from teachers so that we understand how best to help you. We also ask that teachers in mainstream schools inform us of any special needs within their group prior to the school visit.
Access •
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The museum and education centre are 100% accessible to wheelchair users. There are ramps to gain access and toilets and a lift are provided, but there are some size restrictions. Please enquire if you have any concerns. Sculptures that can be touched are placed at a level accessible from a wheelchair and labels are set at an appropriate height. Suitable objects for handling can be provided for those with visual impairment. Please arrange this with us in advance of your visit. Outside the education centre, raised flower beds and a pond have been provided to benefit wheelchair users. Every part of the garden is not currently accessible by a wheelchair user independently, but with assistance, wheelchairs can reach all parts of the grounds.
Work Experience The museum has provided opportunities for special needs students to undertake work-experience. We are always prepared to discuss this possibility with teachers.
The Standard School Visit It’s hard to describe our “typical” school visit; they vary so much in content, age range and school size. However, most school visits follow a similar pattern of three activities, with a short break mid-morning and a lunch break.
An Example of a 10.00am - 2.30pm visit: 10.00 10.15 11.15 11.30 12.30 1.15 2.15 2.30
School party arrives plus welcome from Education Officer First activity Mid morning break Second activity Lunch (outdoors, or in Education centre) Third activity End of activity. Collect coats, bags, shop purchases, artistic creations Return to school.
or like this: 10.00 10.15 12.00 12.45 2.15 2.30
School party arrives plus welcome from Education Officer First activity Lunch (outdoors, or in Education centre) Second activity End of activity. Collect coats, bags, shop purchases, artistic creations Return to school.
The above timings are given only as a guide; schools choose their own arrival and leaving times according to the distance to be travelled etc. Larger groups (40+) are usually split into smaller groups, which then rotate around the different activities e.g. a school party of 60 pupils will be split into three groups of 20 children. Each group undertakes the same activities but not in the same order. Smaller groups may also be divided if that would be more suitable for the chosen activity.
Quite simply, Nature in Art will try to arrange an ideal day for each school that visits - just tell us what you want to do!
Gift Shop We all know of children’s desire to visit the gift shop during a school trip, and also the difficulties that such a visit may entail! We welcome children to our shop, and try to make shopping as stress-free as possible for our staff and teachers alike.
Option 1: Children Shopping We suggest:
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children only visit the shop during their museum tour. we put each child’s purchases in a bag with his/her name on it. These bags
go in to a larger carrier bag which is given to the teacher at the end of the day. We ask you to:
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supervise your group (especially
young children who may need help
with money).
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ensure that no more than eight children visit the shop at any time. This gives a better view of the goods on display and reduces queues.
Option 2: Goody Bags Nature in Art goody bags are an alternative option to children visiting the museum shop. They are particularly suitable for schools bringing very young children or those with limited time at the museum. Goody bags should be ordered in advance of the school trip and will be given to the teacher at the end of the visit. Standard prices and contents are shown below but we are happy to arrange alternatives. £1 Bag Metallic notepad Metallic pencil Eraser NiA Postcard
£1.50 Bag Metallic notepad Metallic pencil Eraser NiA Postcard Stickers Spinning top
£2 Bag Safari notepad Metallic pencil Eraser NiA Postcard Stickers Ladybird peg Coloured pencils
The above items are subject to availability. Nature in Art reserves the right to substitute items of a similar quality and value when necessary.
School visit prices. ∗ ∗
£4 (inc VAT) per child. In the rare event of a school’s choice of activity requiring additional special materials or extra specialist staff to complement the museum team, there may be an additional charge.
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Teachers and adult helpers free. All costs will be confirmed before the visit. Please bring a school cheque with you on the day of your visit. Schools may be invoiced (by prior arrangement). Cheques should be made payable to Nature in Art Trust
Bookings and Enquiries Enquiries can be made by phone or email, however all bookings must be made by telephone. All party visits must be booked in advance. All school and college bookings need to be made through our education officer Christina Leach the contact details can be found below. NATURE IN ART Wallsworth Hall Twigworth Gloucester GL2 9PA Tel: 01452 733947 (Education officer direct line) Tel: 01452 731422 (Museum direct line) Fax: 01452 730937
email: education@nature-in-art.org.uk www.nature-in-art.org.uk
The following centre pages are copyright free and may be photocopied for distribution prior to the visit. The first page is a list of DOs and DON'Ts for older children visiting the museum. The second page may be useful to adult helpers who may be unfamiliar with the museum and the schools programme. Please help us by ensuring that visitors to the museum are aware of applicable museum policies such as those regarding the shop, coffee shop and photography.
A piece from our ‘sculpture handling’ collection
DURING YOUR VISIT PLEASE: DO ∗
Remember that this is a public place. Please be considerate to those around you.
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Ask questions of museum staff, stewards and Artists in Residence. Listen carefully to instructions. Remember to wipe your feet on entering buildings, especially in winter! Keep to the paths in the nature garden. Remember that there are ponds in the grounds. Please don't fall in ! Put litter in the bins provided, or take it home with you. Put used chewing gum in the bin (not under tables and chairs). Enjoy your visit!
DON'T ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗
Take school bags into the museum (leave them in the Education Centre). Touch any exhibit in the museum unless you are told that you may do so. Climb or sit on sculptures. Keep going back to the shop, as this causes even longer queues. Please help us by making all your purchases in one go.
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Run in the museum.
Letter to adult helpers accompanying school parties to Nature in Art Thank you for helping with this school visit; I hope that you will enjoy participating in the children's discoveries. Your role is important, both in a supervisory capacity (especially at break and lunch times), and as an encourager to the smaller group of children in your care. If you are unfamiliar with the museum and our schools’ programme, I hope the following information will be useful. The part of the day that requires most participation from you will be the museum tour when the children work in small groups under your supervision. Nature in Art staff do not lead this activity, but our stewards are in the galleries if you need help. Older children will have a quizsheet to complete, but they may still need extra input from you, clarifying ideas and finding exhibits etc. The aim of the quizsheet is to encourage children to think, observe and analyse. It is not essential to answer every question. Please help children to reach their own conclusions; help can be given as hints or clues, rather than just providing the answer. For many of the questions there is no single correct answer, the response depends on an individual's own ideas. If you are with a group of infants, you (rather than the children) will be given the quizsheet. Your job is to read the questions so that the children can then respond verbally to the exhibits they see. This allows children to experience the art without being limited by fledgling literacy skills. You will find that the quiz sheet also offers hints and further comments relating to the original question. Please feel free to use these to stimulate the children further, and of course you may wish to add your own thoughts, ideas and questions. Again, it isn’t necessary to answer every question on the quizsheet but rather to encourage an enjoyable and effective learning experience. I regret that it is not possible to provide you with advance copies of the quizsheets. Displays in the museum are changed regularly to allow us to show as much of our collection as possible, but unfortunately this means that quizsheets quickly become out-dated. In addition to the museum tour the children will also take part in two other activities, chosen by the class teacher. Like the museum tour these activities usually last for approximately one hour. Again, we ask that helpers play a full part, to enable the children to gain the maximum value from the activities undertaken. The activities are led by a staff member from Nature in Art, or occasionally the class teacher, but never solely by an adult helper. Finally, may I ask you to help us by ensuring that the children in your care listen to instructions and are considerate to other museum visitors, thus ensuring a stress-free day for everyone. I look forward to meeting you and hope that you enjoy your visit to Nature in Art. Christina Leach Education Officer, Nature in Art
Health and Safety We aim to ensure the safety and well being of all visitors to Nature in Art. Some outdoor activities may require extra consideration when you are planning a school visit. For example, minibeast hunts are a popular activity but will bring children in to contact with insects. Stings are therefore a possibility, albeit a rare occurrence. We also have several ponds around the grounds, all are behind fences and children are warned of their existance at the start of the visit. We have first aid kits (in the education centre, shop and coffee shop), though schools usually bring their own. You may also wish to bring insect repellant, sunscreen, sunhats etc. for added peace of mind. Please also be aware that some activities might bring children into contact with feathers or animal fur or pollen. Please discuss any potential problems with education staff in advance of the visit so that we can try to minimise any difficulties. In addition, we ask that children come with suitable clothing for their activities: raincoats if outdoors and a spare change of footwear, aprons if painting or taking part in any equally messy activity.
Risk Assessment We have produced a risk assessment for schools, which is available on request. Nature in Art staff also strongly recommend that teachers and group leaders make a (free) preliminary visit so that they can make their own assessment of the venue. Schools and similar groups are under the guidance of museum staff whilst at Nature in Art. Our risk assessment is based on the understanding that school parties are supervised by at least two adults (one of whom must be a teacher) with an appropriate number of other staff and responsible adults in accordance with their own education authority standards. Non-school groups must have a designated group leader in overall charge with an appropriate number of adult helpers in accordance with Nature in Art’s guidelines. Natures in Art’s guidelines for supervision of group visits are:
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1 adult to every 2 children aged 4 or under 1 adult to every 6 children aged 5-7 1 adult to every 10 children aged 8-11 1 adult to every 15 children aged 11+
We do not charge for teachers or adult helpers so you can bring as many as you like!
MUSEUM POLICIES Photography Nature in Art welcomes photography within the education centre and museum grounds, but prohibits photography of artwork within the museum galleries. Light from flash photography can cause damage to some pictures, and photography of artwork may be an infringement of copyright. Reproductions of some of our collection are available from the museum shop. Teachers needing photographic evidence of pupils working in the galleries or specific images from the collection are requested to discuss this with us during their preliminary visit.
Coffee Shop The Hayward Coffee Shop at Nature in Art is open 10am - 5pm each day except Mondays (open Bank Holidays). Teachers and/or helpers are welcome to purchase refreshments to take back to the education centre. We ask that pupils do not visit the coffee shop during the peak hours 12-2pm. School groups should bring their own packed lunches which may be eaten outdoors, or (in the event of poor weather) in the education centre.
Artists in Residence The Artists in Residence programme runs from February to November inclusive. Each artist works in our art studio for a week (Tuesday to Sunday). The programme covers a wide range of techniques including painting, sculpture, batik, print-making and mosaic, and is an ideal opportunity to introduce a new art technique to your class. We encourage school parties to visit the artist, usually as part of their museum tour. The artists are professionals working on their own commissions, so they do not run workshops for schools, except occasionally by prior arrangement.
The Library Nature in Art has its own library devoted to books and magazines on Art and Nature. The library is available by prior arrangement to students working on specific projects (usually GCSE or A-Level). Books are for use within the library only and may not be taken away from Nature in Art.
Yet another day at school ? The same old scenery ? The same old queue on the way to work ? Wouldn’t you rather spend your day in beautiful surroundings with world-class art on display, nature and sculpture gardens, and delicious food from our licensed coffee shop . You deserve a little pampering ! So why not spend your next INSET day at Nature in Art ? Find out about our schools’ programme, or use your time to expand your own artistic skills. A better service from us. Less stress for you. We can organise an INSET day for you focusing on the arts or environment, or we can contribute to your own programme. Or, why not use our superb facilities as a venue for your own activities ?
For details about INSET days contact Christina Leach
DON’T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT.... This is what the teachers say: “I can honestly say it was the best outing that we have had for a long time and I can’t remember the children being so enthusiastic. We were all so impressed with the happy atmosphere and for the teachers it was a relaxed and stress free day—quite unheard of!” “We all had an extremely enjoyable and interesting day with you. One of the parents has since commented that he has never before known his daughter to speak at such length and with such obvious enthusiasm. Thank you for all the effort you put into making it fun and a valuable learning experience.” “It's great to see children who aren't motivated in school really engrossed in the pond dip.” “The handling session really brought together the whole idea of sculpture and material use.”
This is what the children say:
“Very interesting and good. I learnt much with fun.”
“I loved everything.”
“I really enjoyed going to Nature
“It’s just like having a day off school.”
in Art it really inspired me to do more art independently.”
“I’ve been on twelve school trips and this is the best ever.”
“Making wire sculptures was brilliant and very challenging, it was worth it. The wire people are very fun.”
Gloucestershire offers a superb range of venues suitable for those studying nature, the environment and the arts. Nature in Art has associations with most of the arts and nature providers in the county. These venues can complement the programme of activities offered at Nature in Art, or we can offer joint educational programmes organised in liaison with their education staff.
Before you visit, have you confirmed..? ∗ The date of your visit ∗ Group size and age range ∗ Abilities of your group and any special needs ∗ Arrival and leaving times ∗ How many accompanying adults you will bring ∗ What you want to study ∗ What you would like us to provide ∗ That the children will have suitable clothing for their activities Do you need further details or clarification about..? ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗
Teachers’ free preliminary visit Directions Opening times Parking facilities and access Eating arrangements Available activities Work sheets Costs
WE HOPE THAT THIS EDUCATION PACK ANSWERS ALL YOUR QUESTIONS If you need more information on any aspect of our activities, just give us a call.
We’re here to help! 01452 733947 / 731422 E.mail: education@nature-in-art.org.uk Nature in Art is owned and managed by the Nature in Art Trust Registered Charity No 1000553. Company Limited by Guarantee No: 2530202. Copyright NATURE IN ART 2009.