Please use the UCS Contact for each taster session to discuss the content of the taster. All bookings should be made through schoolsliaisonucs.ac.uk| or by contacting Rachael Miller on 01473 338759.
Arts and Humanities Taster Sessions
Computer Games Design: Rapid Games Design|
Creative Music|
The Dancing Body - Dance Science in Action|
Dance: An Introduction to Contact Improvisation|
Dance: Devising Performance through Improvisation|
Dance: Interviews, Auditions and the Dreaded Personal Statement!|
English: Adapting a Story Text for the Screen|
Fashion and Textiles: Instant Couture|
Film and Media|
Fine Art|
Graphic Design|
History: Auschwitz and the Hoecker Album|
History: Do you Believe Everything you Read? Wreckers, Wrecking and Newspapers|
History: Do you Want to Know a Secret? The Hidden World of the Historian|
Interior Architecture and Design: Mind the Gap|
Photography|
Visual Media Production: Live Blue and Green Screen Compositing|
Computer Games Design: Rapid Games Design
The work of a games designer involves not just a love of playing games but also for turning the ideas they have into games. Most game design begins with the rapid prototyping of ideas on paper. This introductory session takes you through some of the simple exercises you can employ for ideas generation and game development, without a computer in sight!
UCS contact; Robert Kurta, r.kurtaucs.ac.uk|
Venue: UCS Ipswich
Maximum number of students: 20
Length of session: 2hrs
Year group: 9-13
Creative Music
Working from supplied musical building blocks (chords, intervals, scales etc) and a provided stimulus (description, image, etc), participants will be encouraged to use one to support the other. Basic guidance on the use of the Cubase SX3 music sequencing package will be part of the session. Participants will also be encouraged to write a short production report in a style suitable for higher education.
UCS Contact: Paddy Shaw, p.shawgyc.ac.uk|
Venue: UCS Great Yarmouth
Number of students: 5-15
Length of session: 3hrs
The Dancing Body - Dance Science in Action
This is a practical session which explores the anatomy and physiology of the dancing body through exploration of key questions, for example: How does the skeleton ‘dance’? How does the cardiovascular system adapt to dance class and performance? What is the relationship between dance and fitness? What activities will improve balance and proprioception? Why are dancers so flexible?
UCS contact: Helen Angove, h.angoveucs.ac.uk|
Venue: UCS Ipswich
Maximum number of students: 20
Length of session: 1-2hrs as required
Year group: 11-13
Dance: An Introduction to Contact Improvisation
Following a fast, fun physical warm-up, students will explore the basics of contact improvisation through a series of playful explorations, creating choreography as we go. Wear loose clothing!
UCS contact: Helen Angove, h.angoveucs.ac.uk|
Venue: UCS Ipswich
Maximum number of students: 20
Length of session: 1hr minimum
Year group: 11-13
Dance: Devising Performance through Improvisation
Make a work from scratch in 90 minutes or less! A lively workshop session where students will use improvisation and a range of written, visual and kinaesthetic sources to create a group performance. This session is suitable for students interested in dance or drama.
UCS contact: Helen Angove, h.angoveucs.ac.uk|
Venue: UCS Ipswich
Maximum number of students: 20
Length of session: 90mins
Year group: 12/13
Dance: Interviews, Auditions and the Dreaded Personal Statement! Preparing to enter Higher Education through UCAS
This interactive session will provide students with an insight into the UCAS process from the perspective of a university admissions tutor. What makes a good personal statement? What makes a tutor sit up and take notice and what makes them groan! What should you expect from an interview? How do you prepare for an audition? This session is suitable for students applying for higher level study in any aspect of the performing arts.
UCS contact: Helen Angove, h.angoveucs.ac.uk|
Venue: UCS Ipswich
Maximum number of students: 20
Length of session: 1 hour
Year group: 12
English: Adapting a Story Text for the Screen
An interactive workshop focussing on adaptation. Students will consider how they might adapt a particular story for a new medium; television or film. Students will work in groups to ‘pitch’ their proposals to the larger group who have the funds to back the film. The best, most imaginative or interesting idea will win.
UCS Contact: Gill Lowe, g.loweucs.ac.uk|
Venue: UCS Ipswich
Maximum number of students: 25
Length of session: 2-3hrs
Year Group: 11/12
Fashion and Textiles: Instant Couture
Experience fashion design using a range of every day items. Ever wandered what you could do with old carrier bags? Use them to create a garment directly onto a mannequin using carrier bags and pins!
UCS Contact: Donna Goddard, d.goddardgyc.ac.uk|
Venue: UCS Great Yarmouth
Number of students: 5-15
Length of session: 45mins
Year group: 11/12
Film and Media
Students will participate in a number of interconnected taster sessions based on the BA (Hons) Film course. The day will begin with screenings of short films and clips for discussion and analysis to get the creative juices flowing. Students will then be introduced to the screenwriting process and will develop ideas for one to three minute short films, which they will then spend the afternoon filming and editing. The day will conclude with a screening/evaluation session to discuss the work made and opportunities for further development.
UCS Contact: David Baldry, d.baldryucs.ac.uk|
Venue: UCS Ipswich
Maximum number of students: 20
Length of Session: 3hrs
Year Group: 12/13
Fine Art
Students will work on understanding methods and materials within Fine Art, and will make life drawings using charcoal and chalk. They will discover the importance of drawing in the development and communication of ideas.
UCS Contact: Sarah Jacques, s.jacquesucs.ac.uk|
Venue: UCS Ipswich
Maximum number of students: 25-30
Length of session: 3hrs
Year Group: 9-13
Graphic Design
The session will look at the importance of typography for graphic design, illustration or motion graphics. It will consider the nature and character unique to a variety of typefaces, and demonstrate how type can be used creatively. The session will include a brief lecture about the creative use of typography, a demonstration on using basic elements of Adobe Illustrator to create imagery, and a practical exercise for students to complete. Some basic IT knowledge required.
UCS Contact: Nigel Ball, n.ballucs.ac.uk|
Venue: UCS Ipswich
Maximum number of students: 15
Length of Session: 1.5-2hrs
Year Group: 12/13
History: Auschwitz and the Hoecker Album
The Hoecker Album is a collection of photographs believed to have been collected by Karl-Friedrich Hoecker, an officer of the SS during the Nazi regime in Germany. It contains over one hundred images of the lives and living conditions of the officers and administrators who ran the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp complex. During this taster session students will examine photographs and explore issues around the active role of recognisably ‘humane’ and ‘civilised’ European people in genocide.
UCS Contact: Dr Harvey Osborne, h.osborneucs.ac.uk|
Venue: UCS Ipswich
Maximum number of students: 25
Length of session: 45 minutes
Year Group: 11/12
History: Do you Believe Everything you Read? Wreckers, Wrecking and Newspapers
The practice of history uses investigatory and critical thinking skills, much like that of detectives in crime novels. To introduce these skills, in this session students will investigate the veracity of a newspaper report describing the plundering of a wrecked ship off the Cornish coast in the early nineteenth century. Together, we will learn that what we read is not always what it seems...
UCS Contact: Dr Cathryn Pearce, cathryn.pearceucs.ac.uk|
Venue: UCS Ipswich
Maximum number of students: 20
Length of session: 45 minutes
Year Group: 11/12
History: Do you Want to Know a Secret? The Hidden World of the Historian
In this session students will be introduced to the hidden, secret world of the historian, and will learn about the multiple career options open to history graduates.
UCS Contact: Dr Cathryn Pearce, cathryn.pearceucs.ac.uk|
Venue: UCS Ipswich
Maximum number of students: 40
Length of session: 45 minutes
Year Group: 11/12
Interior Architecture and Design: Minding Gaps
Students will work on model making as a way to experiment spatial and structural solutions with a particular purpose. This will create awareness of capacities of different materials and the importance of the model architecture.
UCS Contact: Dr Fidel Meraz, f.merazucs.ac.uk|
Venue: UCS Ipswich
Maximum of students: 20
Length of the session: 4hrs
Year Group: 12/13
Photography
The Creative Process and Preparation for Higher Education: Students will consider how to generate ideas and the research involved in informing image making. They will then find out more about studying Photography at degree level, with advice on interview techniques and portfolio editing. Students will have the opportunity to see the state-of-the-art photography facilities including the colour and black and white darkrooms.
UCS Contact: Geoff Buono, g.buonoucs.ac.uk|
Venue: UCS Ipswich
Maximum number of students: 25
Length of session: 2-3 hours
Year Group: 12/13
Visual Media Production: Live Blue and Green Screen Compositing
In this workshop, students will be introduced to key aspects of visual media production, including visual perspective, combining moving and still imagery, and colour keying of background and foreground material to create realistic imagery. Students will be able to edit footage to include synchronised audio tracks, and then evaluate the impact on an audience.
UCS Contact: Phil Bury, p.burygyc.ac.uk|
Venue: UCS Great Yarmouth
Number of students: 6-16
Length of session: 2hrs
Year group: 12/13
All taster sessions can be booked by email on schoolsliaisonucs.ac.uk|, Alternatively telephone Rachael Miller on 01473 338759.