Overview

Introduction

Context

This lesson could be carried out using just one classroom computer, however teaching and learning would be greatly enhanced with the use of a data projector, and if possible, an interactive whiteboard together and access to an ICT suite or set of laptop computers.

ICT competences required by:

The teacher needs to:

• be able to transfer digital images onto the network/computer
  
• know how to bookmark websites as a favourite
  
• be able to demonstrate the use of a variety of painting tools including: crop, zoom, spray, fill, undo, different brush sizes, colours/tones to achieve required effects

Child

• use a variety of painting tools including: crop, zoom, spray, fill, undo, different brush sizes, colours/tones to achieve required effects
  
• be able to Save As
  

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The Learning Objectives


Children should learn about:

• the appearance of Henry VIII
• what information can be gathered from portraits.
  

Resources

• Classroom computer, ICT Suite/set of laptop computers
  
• Digital Camera
  
• Painting program e.g. Windows Paint, Colour Magic, Revelation, Dazzle, Fresco etc.
  
• Data projector (optional)
  
• Interactive Whiteboard (optional)
  
• Portraits of Henry VIII and courtiers preferably from books and the Internet.
  
• http://www.tudorhistory.org/
  
• http://www.npg.org.uk/live/room1.asp
  
• An example Tudor portrait - Tudor.jpg
  
  

Vocabulary: dignified, fierce, prosperous, proud, timid, jovial, sly, cold, calculating, courtier, portrait, digital camera, zoom, undo, redo, crop, colour palette, tone, brush size, spray tool, rubber, pencil tool, save, save as, fill, lines, folders, favourites, bookmarks

Preparatory work

Bookmark websites into pupil favourites prior to the lesson.

Children need to take photographs of each other using a digital camera.

The portraits need to have been transferred to the children' work area prior to the session.

Check to ensure that a painting package is available on all computers.

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The Lesson

Whole Class Teaching

Show the children how to access sites already bookmarked in pupil favourites. Focus initially on a portrait of Henry VIII.

Use this portrait to ask questions about Henry's appearance.

Q What words would you use to describe Henry's appearance?

e.g. handsome, portly, large, well-dressed, wealthy, princely etc.

Q What can you tell me about the clothes he is wearing?

Try to draw out from the children information such as materials, accessories including jewels, feathers etc
Ask the children to imagine what kind of person Henry was.

Q Can you think of some words to describe Henry's character?

e.g. dignified, fierce, ferocious, stormy, cold, calculating etc. Encourage children to add their own words.

Give the children 10 minutes to look at a few other portraits, either on the Internet or in books.

Draw children together to discuss features of clothing worn by Henry VIII and courtiers from the Tudor period. Teacher lists suggestions on whiteboard or flipchart.

Main Activity

Open the paint package and demonstrate how to navigate the folder structure to retrieve the pupil's portrait. Show children how to use the Save As option to save this file with a different filename in case of disaster later!

At this point allow children to open their digital photographs and Save As.

Q Why is using Save As a sensible precaution?

Using Save As ensures you always have the original file in case you need to start again.

Teacher then demonstrates how to add a hat and feather to the portrait, changing the brush size and colour. Add detail to the feather i.e. small lines using the pencil tool. A finishing touch could be a few jewels. Don't forget to show children how to use Undo.

Children should now be given the opportunity to add Tudor costume to their photograph. If children need some inspiration an example created by a lower junior child has been included: tudor.jpg

After the children have had the opportunity to add a hat to their portrait, encourage them to save their file again.

Demonstrate how to use the zoom tool to add fine detail e.g. pearls around the jewel or some reflections.

Children continue to add clothing to their portrait in the style of the Tudors.

Make sure your interactions with children focus on the techniques that they use to achieve a good Tudor likeness. Use the opportunities presented to highlight the effective use of tools and have children share them with others.

Children save and print. Children may need reminding how to select the colour printer.

Plenary

Draw the children back in order to reflect on the features that they have chosen to include in their portraits. Select a number of the portraits and focus the class on these, either as print outs or on a projector if available.

Q What makes this an effective example of a Tudor portrait?

Q What features have been included in this portrait? (Refer to list created in the Whole Class Teaching Session.)

Q What are the benefits of using the Internet as opposed to using books to research Tudor costume?

Children can all see the same portrait at the same time. Portraits can be saved using favourites and easily retrieved. They can be printed to be used away from the computer and can be incorporated into other ICT applications.

Q What are the advantages and disadvantages of using ICT to create portraits of this type?

A wide variety of tools is available e.g. zoom for fine detail. The ability to undo is the most crucial. The biggest disadvantage is how accurate children can be with their mouse control.

As a homework activity children could create a frame for their portrait made from pasta shapes, sprayed gold or bronze.

Why use ICT?

Demonstrating
Using ICT the teacher can effectively demonstrate methods and processes to the whole class to ensure that all children understand the task and will be able to achieve the expected outcomes.

Accessing and Analysing
ICT gives access to a wide range of sources of information to the whole class at once to support children in researching Tudor costume for their own portraits. These sources will supplement the limited traditional sources that schools may have.
Children can all see the same portrait at the same time; portraits from web sites can be saved using favourites and easily retrieved. They can be printed to be used away from the computer and can be incorporated into other ICT applications.

Presenting, representing and communicating
A wide variety of tools is available, zoom for fine detail. The ability to undo is the most crucial.
Their electronic portrait, once saved can then be inserted into other documents for example, topic folder cover etc. which would not be possible without ICT.