:Warriors and Soldiers
Trend Task
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Approach:  One to one
Level: Year 4 and year 8
Focus: Students can identify and describe the features and meanings of sculptures. 
Resources: 2 pictures: carved Mäori warrior, war memorial soldier.
1Mb
Questions/instructions:

I’m going to show you two pictures of sculptures, and I want you to think about why they were made.

Show the two pictures alongside each other.

 

 
% responses
2003 ('99)
y4
y8
Let’s start with the picture showing a carving of a Mäori warrior.

1. You hold the picture so that I can’t see it, then try to describe the carving as best you can. Tell me all about what it looks like, and its special features.
2. This carving was made to tell a story. What story does it tell you — or what ideas does it make you think of?
3. What do you think would be a good name or title for this sculpture?
   
Features mentioned:



7 or more
7 (7)
16 (8)
4–6
46 (49)
60 (58)
2–3
41 (41)
21 (32)
1
5 (3)
2 (2)
0/no relevant features
1 (0)
1 (0)
Elaboration of descriptions:



rich elaboration on several features
5 (2)
17 (10)
rich elaboration on 1 or 2 features
26 (26)
34 (28)
little elaboration
46 (49)
38 (41)
no elaboration
23 (23)
11 (21)
Response to the story, meaning or ideas in the sculpture:


elaborated story linked to features of the carving
12 (5)
23 (27)
simple idea or story
75 (78)
73 (70)
no story or idea given
13 (17)
4 (3)
Now let’s look at the picture of the soldier.

4. Now I want you to hold the picture so that I can’t see it, then describe this sculpture as best you can. Tell me all about what it looks like, and its special features.
5. This sculpture was made to tell a story. What story does it tell you — or what ideas does it make you think of?
6. What do you think would be a good name or title for this sculpture?
 
   
Features mentioned:



7 or more
7 (6)
14 (10)
4–6
39 (42)
54 (46)
2–3
43 (41)
27 (34)
1
9 (10)
4 (9)
0/no relevant features
2 (1)
1 (1)
Elaboration of descriptions:



rich elaboration on several features
6 (6)
12 (8)
rich elaboration on 1 or 2 features
19 (17)
34 (25)
little elaboration
48 (54)
40 (40)
no elaboration
27 (23)
14 (27)
Response to the story, meaning or ideas in the sculpture:


elaborated story linked to features of the carving
11 (7)
22 (17)
simple idea or story
80 (91)
76 (79)
no story or idea given
9 (2)
2 (4)
Commentary
In this trend task, students’ responses in 2003 were compared with a carefully selected sample of students’ responses in 1999. Both sets of responses were assessed by the same team of teacher markers. While the results show a few minor differences from 1999 to 2003, particularly at year 8, the general pattern of scores has been maintained. The most encouraging feature of the results is the progress from year 4 to year 8 in students’ ability to identify, describe and discuss features of the sculptures. There was no marked difference in the pattern of responses to the two different sculptures: Mäori warrior or war memorial hero.
 
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