MTGS Year 6 and 7’s Road to Rio
MTGS Year 6 and 7’s Road to Rio
Years 6 & 7 joined together to learn about Olympic traditions and celebrate this year’s Olympic Games taking place in Rio. Throughout the day the girls have experienced a variety of activities aimed at integrating the new Year 7 into the Senior School.
The Geography Department worked with the girls highlighting the stark contrast between rich and poor communities within Rio de Janeiro. By watching video clips comparing life in the Rochinha favela, which is one of the poorest and largest shanty towns, with the lives of those living in the rich area of Barra di Tijuca, they were able to appreciate how Rio is a city of two halves. They discussed the sourcing of materials for shanty houses and got creative by designing then constructing their own shanty homes. Once completed, the models were combined to form a favela.
Some of the groups had the opportunity to explore Brazilian food. They also tasted ‘Brigadeiro’ which are traditional Brazilian chocolate truffles. The girls then baked their own delicious fairy cakes and decorated them with an Olympic theme made up of coloured rings and flags.
Acknowledging the symbols of the ancient Olympics, laurel wreath crowns were created by some groups to the sound of Rio carnival music. The girls had great fun modelling their finished pieces. Colourful Olympic rings were also cleverly constructed using the challenging art of origami.
The artist and sculptor Alberto Giacometti’s distinctive style was the inspiration for creating sculptured figures representing various athletic poses. The girls worked in groups, looking at the human form, movement and balance. Garden wire and foil materials were used to great effect.
The Classics Department explored the origins of the Olympic Games and studied the images portrayed on ancient Greek vases. They used these images depicting various sporting events from the ancient Olympics, such as: running, chariot racing, discus throwing, pentathlon, wrestling, boxing and pankration, in order to produce eye-catching bunting and intricate mosaic designs.
To unite all the activities and bring the amazing and busy day to a close the iconic Olympic rings were formed using a fingerprint from each pupil.
