Children’s collaboration often flourishes through various forms of expression, mainly when they engage in projects that allow them to communicate using what Loris Malaguzzi called the "hundred languages of children." These "languages" include different ways of expressing thoughts and ideas, such as speech, art, movement, and imagination. When children collaborate using storytelling and visual arts, as seen in the Three-Eyes Alien project, they build on each other's ideas, expanding narratives and bringing characters to life through creative and unexpected means.
This project is an excellent example of how children come together, each contributing their voice and creativity through two primary art forms: narrative storytelling and visual arts, including drawing and painting. The process highlights the fluid nature of collaboration, where one child’s imagination sparks ideas in others, leading to a collective work of art.
The Three-Eyes Alien Project
This project began with Child 1, who invented a character called Three-Eyes, the Alien from Outer Space. As part of a storytelling unit, the group explored how stories can help express ideas and connect people. Child 1 described and drew Three-Eyes, who had three eyes—one positioned above his head, allowing him to see in all directions. Three-Eyes also had one large foot that was shaped differently from the other.
Child 1 introduced the story to the group:
“Far away in space, a spaceship is approaching Earth. Its lights are flashing, and there’s a beeping sound in the air. Inside the ship is an alien named Three-Eyes, who speaks his language and a little bit of broken English: ‘I... am... landing... on... planet... Earth.’”
Child 1 then demonstrated Three-Eyes’ alien language, making twanging, whining sounds, which captivated the other children. The group was then asked to invent friends for Three-Eyes. Here’s how their collaboration evolved:
Child 2’s Contribution: Suggested an earth boy named Garen, who meets Three-Eyes during an expedition to the moon. Garen is a scientist, and his parents are also on the moon studying rocks. This idea expanded the storyline by adding a human character, introducing an element of adventure and exploration.
Child 3’s Contribution: Introduced a ghost as a friend of Three-Eyes, with the power to become invisible and move through solid objects. The ghost brought a sense of mystery and supernatural abilities to the story.
Child 4’s Contribution: Created a shadow character capable of disappearing into dark places and detaching itself to act as a helper. This idea added depth to the theme of friendship and assistance within the group.
Child 5 contributed the idea of a dinosaur as another friend of Three-Eyes and painted the dinosaur using toy models from home as a reference.
Each child added new layers to the story, creating an interwoven narrative with diverse characters and imaginative settings. The story’s scope expanded beyond Earth to the moon, with each character playing an essential role in the adventure. The children collaborated to illustrate their characters, using painting and drawing to give them a visual form.
For instance, Child 2, Child 6, and Child 7 collaborated on a painting depicting the first meeting between Three-Eyes and Garen. This crucial moment in the narrative symbolised the crossing of boundaries—both spatial and linguistic—as the characters explored the moon’s craters together.
Similarly, Child 8 painted the pink alien girlfriend of Three-Eyes and her house. The house featured a green rock where the alien had lost her handbag, bringing humour and personality to the story.
Final Collaborative Artwork
At the end of the project, the children combined their ideas into one giant, collaborative painting representing the complete story of Three-Eyes, Garen, and their friends. The artwork showed the spaceship hovering above a crater on the moon, where Garen and Three-Eyes first met. Surrounding them were the ghost, the dinosaur, and the shadow, each contributing to the ongoing adventure of exploration and friendship.
This final artwork symbolised the story and the collaborative effort of all the children involved. Their contributions came together to form a cohesive narrative, illustrating how storytelling and visual arts allowed them to express themselves and expand meaningfully on each other’s creativity.
Lili-Ann Kriegler (B. A Hons, H. Dip. Ed, M.Ed.) is a Melbourne-based education consultant and award-winning Edu-Chameleon and Roots and Wings author. Lili-Ann owns Kriegler Education and writes to share the wisdom she has acquired through her training and 30 years of experience in education. She is a child, parent and family advocate who believes education is a transformative force for humanity.
Website: https://www.kriegler-education.com/
To purchase Lili-Ann's book: 'Edu-Chameleon: 7 Dynamic Learning Zones to Enhance Children's Concept-Based Understanding'.
To purchase Lili-Ann's book for parents: 'Roots and Wings - A Parents' Guide to Learning and Communicating with Children to Forge a Family with Mettle'.
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