Longer Projects
Longer projects usually involve three or more classes, or even a whole school, working together on one theme, to produce a final performance at the end.
Often schools receive funding for these projects from outside agencies.
See gallery for pictures.
The Magic Attic
“A fabulous creative project that energised the whole school!” (Head teacher, Stockton-on-Tees)
‘The Magic Attic’ is a week-long interactive storytelling project, for children aged 4-12, in primary schools, or for special schools...Read more >
The Story of the Earth
Evolution of Life on our planet – A performance project for up to 240 children.
This is a four or five day project that involves the whole school (from 4 to 12 years old) in exploring and celebrating life on Earth through science, poetry, puppetry and music.
Read more >
The Animal Earth Summit
- as devised by Mary for the International E-Day (Energy Day) Earth Summit 2009 on the Isles of Scilly (see www.e-day.org.uk).
Endangered and threatened animals, birds, reptiles and insects arrive from all over the world to discuss their problems...
Cultural Routes
A route map for primary schools to promote identity, cultural diversity and community cohesion.
(As devised with Artforms, and Education Leeds Equality and Entitlement Team, in partnership with the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust.)
Cultural Routes is about how to get children to look at their own sense of identity within the community, and as world citizens, through writing, drama, art and puppetry. They research their neighbourhood history, explore their present state of belonging, and their hopes and fears for the future...
Active Learning:
Writing for the Spoken Word
(In partnership with Leeds Artforms and ‘Find your Talent’.)
Mary has been involved in research with other writers and teachers into Oracy, Literacy and the Spoken Word...
Special Needs: "Let's Make a Festival!"
Mary created this new project for Special Needs children and adults in Romania recently. Over a one week period children and adults created a Tribe, and made stories, puppets, masks, shadows, songs...
Other Longer Projects (3-5days)
Africa and Afro-Caribbean Projects, including Carnival.
World Myth and Landscape – a project that incorporates history, geography and culture from around the World.
For example, recently we have done 2 - 3 day projects on South America, Australia and Africa. Also, we have done a residency for schools in Wakefield Art Gallery on "Proverbs from around the World".
Healthy Body, Healthy Food – a project, involving puppets and stories, to make health issues interesting and fun for children.
We often devise longer projects to order, on a given theme, e.g. Nursery Rhymes, Ancient Cultures and Myths, and, for a school in the Yorkshire Dales, a project about limestone kilns!