Creative Explorer aims to provide role models, activities and inspiration for New Zealand children, helping them to realise their creative potential and become more involved in the arts. It provides teachers with a valuable teaching tool addressing a number of achievement objectives across a range of essential learning areas.
Creative Explorer was produced for Creative New Zealand by Learning Media Limited in association with CWA New Media with funding from the Lottery Grants Board, the CD-ROM contains information in English, Māori and Samoan and covers a range of art forms from break-dancing to Shakespeare.
Throughout the resource, the creative lives of six New Zealand artists are explored: how they came to their chosen art form, what inspires them and the techniques they use. The six featured artists are:
- Maree Sheehan - singer and songwriter
- Fiona Pardington - photographer
- Michael Hurst - actor and director
- Sima Urale - actor and film-maker
- Patricia Grace - writer
- Neil Ieremia - dancer and choreographer
For each art form Creative Explorer provides an interactive learning experience in which students can:
- Compose their own music
- Experiment with visual composition
- Explore dramatic improvisation
- Edit their own film clip
- Write their own story book, or
- Choreograph a dance
This purpose of this web site is to assist the use of the Creative Explorer CD-ROM in the classroom.
What's New
Frequently updated Creative Explorer announcements, features and news are posted.
The Discovery Kit
This contains all the contents of the original printed guide and each of the CD-ROM's sections are illustrated with their features explained.
Activity Units
This area contains unit plans to enhance the use of the CD-ROM in the classroom. Each unit offers ideas about integrating Creative Explorer into lesson planning. Extensions to the units are included to encourage the integrated use of other web based arts resources.
Online Gallery
Users are invited to send in pictures and writing that have been produced using Creative Explorer, for display in the gallery.
Other features of Creative Explorer online include online ordering, an installation guide and a comprehensive help section. A professional development package is also available for teachers.
