Category Archives: art activities

Latest worksheets

New worksheets

A fishy flavour for this set – big fish, small fish, fish to wave or fish to wear on your head!

There are two pages to each worksheet: a “leader’s sheet” with equipment list and hints on leading the activity and a straightforward “how-to-do it” page.  One page of the Flying Fish sheet has flown away…will track it down!

The original books for these sheets was “Talking to the Earth”. That and the more recent “Celebrating Nature’ are still available – follow the link to my website: Gordon’s books

Enjoy!

"Giant fish" activity sheet
"Giant fish" activity sheet
"Flying fish" activity sheet - leader's sheet to follow
Fat Fish on Sticks - worksheet
"Fat fish on sticks" leader's notes
"Fishy windsocks" - leader's sheet
"Fishy windsocks" activity sheet
Made along the lines of a "giant fish"

A week of workshops

A week of hectic workshops pushed African memories to the back of my mind for a while as I need to concentrate on the here and now of slightly mad puppet characters and their evolving stories*.
A whirlwind week with 5 days of workshops since last Monday including three Moorland stories sessions for Borderland Vocies (why not look at and join our Facebook group Moorland Stories), a noisy day making night-time mobiles to carry bats, owl and other excitements into your dreams, a dauntingly quiet day with the woodland Trust (but a chance to meet some excellent Woodland Trust rangers and the delightful Cath Aran, another storyteller )

storytellers, rangers and remarkably few members of the public!

 

And to-day, a pleasant workshop at Tittesworth Reservoir and maybe 40 people settling down to make puppet s- some to take away and some for us to keep….gradually accumulating numbers for our Moorland Stories Enchanted World of Puppets at the Just-So Festival

 

* The old woman who lives in Rock Hall in the Roaches and spends her time counting fossils, the mermaid who lives in Doxey Pool nearby, the Moorlands Bear and his endless quest for more honey, and the puppy who lost his voice – stolen by the frog in his throat……

 

Adventures Everywhere! Creeping Toad on Tour 2011!

Adventures Everywhere!

stories under our feet, tales from hills and woods and local streets

 

in the woods or in a classroom, Gordon's tales captivate and enchant....

…sneaking out of school what did the children find?

…what did we see, when the salmon swam up the river?

…the tiger’s roar shakes the clouds with thunder and the world changes…

With stories to inspire, enchant and engage, workshops to captivate, books to make and new stories to find, Creeping Toad activities involve participants in worlds of marvel and wonder and leave people full of words and images and ready for action

“like dogs who need toys to have fun and be happy, children need fun and to play to be happy. Then we learn well. With Gordon we play and have fun and learn at the same time”

Year 5 pupil, Runcorn

Gordon MacLellan – Creeping Toad – is one of Britain’s foremost environmental art and education workers…and he tells stories too! Newly returned from project work in South africa over the summer, Gordon sets off across Britain on another tour of terrible tales, mischeivious legends, wild stories and moments of gentle wonder

 

Tour dates (these are still tentative and may shift a bit as bookings come in)

Week beginning:

29th August 2011: central Scotland

5th and 16th September, 2011: Highland Region

early November:         Perth and eastern Scotland

December 2011, January 2012: East Midlands, Cheshire, Lancashire

 

making stories, building books

A day’s visit to your school might include

 

storytelling performances: lasting up to 60 minutes for up to 90 children at a time

stories outside! using the school ground, we’ll take storymaking out of the classroom and use the immediate environment, the day’s weather and whatever we can find to shape a set of stories never told before (allow 60 minutes for a class session)

story and book workshops: taking a bit longer (allow 90 minutes for a class) as well as discovering the stories that no-one has ever heard before, now we will build those into the books that no-one has ever read before and leave the classroom with a library no-one has ever visited before!

 

your own themes and ideas: or are you exploring a particular theme that you would like to involve some stories in? pirates….tropical islands….ancient cave people…..where in our school would bears live?…castle adventures,  have all featured in recent Creeping Toad projects

Charges: £250 a day: includes storyteller’s fee, travel and materials. Can be paid on the day or I can invoice you

 

For further information:

visit the Creeping Toad website at www.creepingtoad.com

 

To book: contact Gordon directly at

creepingtoad@btinternet.com

or by telephone on

01298 77964

effective workshops absorb people.....

 

 

 

 

Pop-up Theatres: miniature marvels: thrills, chills and daredevil adventures!

Thursday 24th February 2011

using old prints of the Peak District join artists from the Footsteps make your own Victorian–style pop-up theatre complete with scenery, heroes, villains, animals and monsters!

tell adventures from the hills and dales that no-one has ever heard before!

Ages: suitable for anyone from 8 years of age. Younger children are welcome but must bring an adult to help them

2 sessions

Sessions are free but space is limited and places must be booked. Call the Museum on 01298 24658

Session 1:10am – 12 pm:

Session 2: 1pm – 3pm

Buxton Museum and Art Gallery, Terrace Rd, Buxton, SK17 6DA

unlikely adventures on the banks of the Wye?

Footsteps project: http://www.mubu.org.uk/nothingbutfootsteps/

Environmental Art Worksheets

Environmental Art Worksheets

Way back in 1995 or so, I wrote a book called Talking to the Earth exploring environmental art and creativity. We did a set of worksheets to accompany the book that have been out of print for a few years now. So over the next year or so, I’m going to post these on this website  for people to download, use and (hopefully) enjoy!

If you use these sheets, please add a comment below!

Talking to the Earth and my other environmental art book Celebrating Nature (2009) are both still available – with lots more ideas and activities for individuals, groups and occasional boggarts to make the most of!

bristling, feathered, rushy, grassy and flamboyant!

get carried away on top of someone's head.....
hints and advcie for head Sculptures workshops

advice for people leading a "Standards" workshop