Welcome all teachers and administrators to the Vancouver Biennale online learning resources. A set of BIG IDEAS lesson plans has been developed in collaboration with King George School and Learning Services of the Vancouver Board of Education where multi-grade student teams design their exploratory routes to assigned 2009-2011 Biennale sculptures. At each installation, the student team faces the challenges or learning activities based on a “Big Idea” framed within a guiding question. These challenges are multi-disciplinary in nature, embrace multiple-intelligences, are open to multiple grade levels, and apply real world issues such as relationships, sustainability, First Nations issues and multiculturalism. The learning activities favors process over results while promoting the benefits of physical activity and mindfulness. Thus, the activity is not a race in the traditional sense as it opens teachers and students to mindfulness, inquiry based and experiential learning, as well as mental and physical well-being. See "Taking BIG IDEAS to the Street" explained [View Video].
The set of lesson plans is designed with involvement of the entire school in mind as well as applying it to selected grade or class as a pilot. Through 2010 - 2011 over 24 education institutions across 6 school districts participated in this "Taking BIG IDEAS to the Street" education program. Please visit Inspired-YoungMinds page or contact the Vancouver Biennale office to find out ways to bring this innovative education program to your school.
I would like to thank all the team members as listed on the Acknowledgements page for their commitment and ingenuity.
Terry Howe, Chair, Vancouver Biennale for Schools