DCR Intervention Project

Year Nine Intervention 

Resources for making starter activities

Starter Activity Outcomes

Intervention Project Outcomes

Whole School Intervention Opportunities

Cross Curricular Implementation of Craft.

Two teachers were approached and asked to take part in my intervention research.   This would assess the value of a ‘handmade’ starter within other curriculum areas within Academy Y.  It was decided that a Year 10 History class (Teacher A), Year 8 English class (Teacher B) and a Year 7 Graphics class (taken by myself) would make up the cross section of cross curricular Intervention lessons taken. As my practice continues, I would like to implement craft starters in primary education and SEN education over a longer timescale.  Results were on this occasion gathered in the form of questionnaires, discussions with Teacher A and Teacher B as well as observations and focus discussions with learners.

I decided to involve Teacher A and Teacher B in my intervention although I knew that they may find difficulties due to lack of practical lesson experience.  Also it is relevant to note that the implementation of such a starter activity could have had a detrimental effect on the lesson that followed. 

Example Questioning for Teachers Taking Part

Students are to use the materials in their envelopes to produce a curious object or wearable piece.

Hand out the envelopes.

Explain that it is not necessary for students to use all materials

A pen may be used

The envelope may be used

Scissors may be used if available. 

Students should be given eight minutes to complete the task, no glue, tape or additional materials should be handed out.

The teacher should listen to student commentary and questioning and observe student interaction during the starter activity.

After five minutes students should be stopped and the outcomes should be put in the tray.

Left over materials should be put into a polythene bag with the exception of waste paper.

The lesson should then commence as normal.

After the lesson could the class teacher write a brief statement commenting on:

-Student motivation during the lesson

-Student curiosity and questioning during the lesson

-Student dependency during the lesson

-Student behaviour during the lesson

Please feel free to summarise the whole experience using both observation and personal opinion.

Finally, would you use this type of starter activity in your lessons in future? Please explain your answer.

Teacher B described how the students were ‘intrigued by the task’.  Difficulties arose with the practical aspect of the task.  As a Teacher of English, Teacher B found the experience a little daunting,   it had not been usual practice for her to have pins wire and ‘mess’ in her English classroom.  She stated that ‘when all materials were removed and distractions eliminated after the activity, students completed a film review and worked much more quietly than they usually would’.  Teacher B felt that the starter had a positive impact on student motivation, she described how learners wanted to know if they would be ‘doing this again next lesson’.   Teacher B felt that this activity had particularly benefitted those students who may sometimes display a poor attitude to learning.  She said it gave them a burst of enjoyment prior to the main task.

When asked if she would implement this kind of starter in future lessons,  Teacher B said that she would like to try it with all year groups.  She had seen its value but had concerns about preparation time and cost for this kind of activity if it were to become a long term strategy. Would it work as well if materials were simply laid out for students to work with?  Would this cause too much disruption and movement in a task with a strict time limit? 

Teacher B and myself discussed how Art and Design lessons should have literacy and numeracy incorporated in order to be seen as good or outstanding, so why therefore should creativity not be seen as essential it other curriculum areas?


Teacher A took part in the intervention research, targeting a class who she described as ‘usually difficult to encourage to work autonomously.’

Her comments read as follows:

‘Pupils expressed enjoyment at being asked to do something different.  I hadn’t thought about the merits of engaging pupils so creatively straight away – but there were good levels of initial motivation after the starter.  Pupils were noticeably looking for the next task/challenge….’

Teacher A described how student behaviour did not differ due to the activity yet she observed ‘greater independence in later tasks’. 

Year 8 Graphics Starter Activity Outcomes

When carried out with a Year 8 Graphics class prior to a Coral Draw logo development lesson,  with a class that I have taken for a number of weeks, it was possible to reflect more thoroughly than a teacher taking on this intervention in an isolated lesson.  Although the feedback given from other members of staff is insightful, to comment further or see an impact on English and History lessons at Academy Y the intervention would need to be explored further.

Learners in the Year 8 graphics class were asked to define ‘curious’ and create a ‘curious object’.  The task was varied with this group of students.  Previously learners had been asked to work individually for five minutes.  This time students were able to work in pairs, which gave opportunity to comment on any differences in outcome.  The envelope provided contained, pieces of coloured straw, squares of card, blue tac, pieces of tree bark and string.  I gave students the option of also using the envelope in their creation.  Students had a slow start, possibly due to the team working aspect, time for discussion needed to be accounted for.

'A round man cannot be expected to fit in a square hole right away. He must have time to modify his shape.' (Twain)