CREATIVE AND PRACTICAL ARTS

STAGE: ONE / CLASS: / TERM:
DURATION OF PROGRAM: FIVE SESSIONS / UNIT TITLE: PLANTS
CONTENT STRANDS / UNIT DESCRIPTION
VISUAL ARTS / This unit is a mini unit in which the students will explore some of the features of plants. The students will examine and describe the features of a single flower. They will create this flower using a variety of materials. The students will describe a still life painting of a vase of flowers. The students will use crayons and a paint wash to create their own still life picture. The students will explore patterns and lines on leaves and bark. They will create clay models of leaves, leaf prints and bark rubbings.
This unit is 10 pages in length.
APPRECIATING OUTCOMES / MAKING OUTCOMES / PERFORMING OUTCOMES / ORGANISING SOUND OUTCOMES / LISTENING OUTCOMES / COMPOSING OUTCOMES
VA S1.3
VA S1.4 / VA S1.1
VA S1.2

CREATIVE AND PRACTICAL ARTS

SESSION: ONE
OUTCOMES / INDICATORS / MODELLING / LEARNING EXPERIENCE
VA S1.1
VA S1.2
VA S1.4 / The students may, for example:
  • Explore and describe the features of a flower
  • Use a variety of materials to create a flower
  • Discuss the way in which they created their art work
/ Put the word ‘plants’ on the board and brainstorm a list of words associated with this topic.
Show the students a flower and ask them to describe what they see in detail. Encourage them to include technical terms such as: flower, petals, leaves, stamen and stem. Also encourage them to comment on the size, colour, shape, texture and smell of the flower.
Explain to the students that they are going to create this flower using artwork. The students will be given the choice of materials. The materials include paint, crayon, pencil, tissue paper, crepe paper, coloured paper. Explain that they must use a lead pencil to draw the flower on a sheet of paper. Encourage them to consider the details they have brainstormed about the flower. The students then select at least two materials to add to their drawing. For instance the students may select to paint the stem and leaves of the flower and cut and glue tissue paper to form the petals.
On each set of desks, have a variety of materials. The students create their interpretation of the flower.
Discuss and share art work. / Brainstorm words associated with plants.
Describe a flower
Explain and demonstrate task – using a variety of materials to create a flower on paper
Share art work

CREATIVE AND PRACTICAL ARTS

SESSION: TWO
OUTCOMES / INDICATORS / MODELLING / LEARNING EXPERIENCE
VA S1.3
VA S1.1 / The students may, for example:
  • Identify the subject of a painting
  • Recognise an art work created with paint
  • Discuss colours, shapes and textures viewed in a painting
  • Suggest reasons why an artist has painted a particular subject
  • Identify other mediums an artist could use to create an art work
  • Compare perspectives of an object viewed from different angles
/ Show the students a still life painting of a vase of flowers. Lead the students in a discussion by asking them questions such as:
  • What has the artist used to create this piece of artwork? (I.e. paint)
  • What can you see in the painting?
  • What colours, shapes and textures can you see?
  • Why do you think the artist chose a vase of flowers to paint?
  • What else could the artist have used instead of paint? (E.g.: pencils, crayons, clay, photograph)
Show the students a vase of mixed flowers. Have the students observe and describe what they see in detail. Encourage them to consider the types of flowers, the texture, smell, colour, size and shape. Ask them to describe what they can see from where they are sitting and compare this to what another student can see from a different position.
Explain to the students that they are going to use wax crayons to draw this vase of flowers.
Continued over the page. / Discuss a still life painting of a vase of flowers.
Discuss in detail, features of a vase of flowers
Explanation of task

CREATIVE AND PRACTICAL ARTS

SESSION: TWO CONT’D
OUTCOMES / INDICATORS / MODELLING / LEARNING EXPERIENCE
VA S1.1
VA S1.2
VA S1.4 / The students may, for example:
  • Brainstorm the features of a vase of flowers
  • Use wax crayons and a paint wash to create a still life picture
  • Discuss the way in which they created their art work
/ First of all, they are going to take an imaginary photo of the vase of flowers. Ask them to form a frame using their hands and place this up to their eyes so that they can see the vase of flowers inside the frame. Ask the students to discuss what they can see inside the frame. (This is intended so that the students recognise that they are only focusing on the vase of flowers and not other peripheral things such as other students.)
Provide the students with a sheet of art paper and crayons. Have the students create a picture of the vase of flowers.
Create different coloured washes by mixing a small amount of paint with water. Have the students select a wash and use a brush to paint the wash lightly over their picture.
Share art works with the class. Discuss the reasons why they are different depending on what each student could see from his her position in the class. / Use crayons to create a picture of the vase of flowers
Paint a wash over the picture
Discuss and share art works.

CREATIVE AND PRACTICAL ARTS

SESSION: THREE
OUTCOMES / INDICATORS / MODELLING / LEARNING EXPERIENCE
VA S1.1
VA S1.2 / The students may, for example:
  • Describe the features of a leaf
  • Discuss the lines and patterns evident in leaves
  • Use graphite pencils to draw leaves in detail
  • Explore the features of clay
/ Go for a walk around the playground and ask the students to collect leaves that have an interesting pattern and /or shape. (Alternatively, have the students bring in some leaves from home)
Provide the students with opportunities to show their leaves and discuss the colour, shape, size and the patterns of the veins on the leaves. Encourage them to describe the lines within the leaves. For example, “There is a straight line up the centre of the leaf and then a number of curved lines branching off to the sides.”
Have the students use graphite pencils to draw their leaves on a sheet of art paper. Ask them to include the detail they have observed and discussed.
Explain to the students that they will be using clay to make copies of their leaves. Demonstrate manipulating the clay in your hands. Discuss its malleability and the fact that it can sometimes become quite hard and leathery. A little water can make it easier to manage.
Continued over the page. / Collect leaf samples
Describe the patterns and lines in a leaf
Draw detailed sketches of leaves using graphite pencils
Explore features of clay

CREATIVE AND PRACTICAL ARTS

SESSION: THREE CONT’D
OUTCOMES / INDICATORS / MODELLING / LEARNING EXPERIENCE
VA S1.2
VA S1.4 / The students may, for example:
  • Use techniques such as cutting, carving and modelling clay to form leaves
  • Discuss the way in which they created their art work
/ Demonstrate using plastic utensils to cut the clay to the shape of a leaf. Use a pencil, stick or other instrument to make vein markings on the leaf, copying the markings on a real leaf. If the leaf has a stalk, mould a stalk using the clay. Explain that the clay can crack when it is dry and the stalk may fall off. Demonstrate making a join by welding it with additional clay and smoothing it into place.
Have the students create clay leaves.
Students share and describe their art works / Demonstrate task
Students create clay leaves.
Share and discuss art work.

CREATIVE AND PRACTICAL ARTS

SESSION: FOUR
OUTCOMES / INDICATORS / MODELLING / LEARNING EXPERIENCE
VA S1.1
VA S1.2 / The students may, for example:
  • Suggest the colours found in Autumn leaves
  • Use paint and a paintbrush to create leaf prints
  • Use a dabbing technique to apply paint evenly on the surface of a leaf
  • Create a pattern using leaf prints
  • Use scissors appropriately to cut leaf shapes
  • Contribute to a class display
/ Show the students a picture of Autumn leaves. Ask them to describe the predominant colours of the leaves i.e. reds, oranges and browns.
Explain to the students that during this session they are going to use their leaves to create an Autumn scene.
Have a selection of Autumn coloured paints on ice cream lids. Use a paintbrush to dab paint onto the back of the leaf. Press the leaf firmly onto a piece of art paper to form a print of the leaf. Continue until there is no more paint on the leaf. Select a different colour and make another print. Continue to add to the page so that there are a number of Autumn leaves covering the sheet.
For display purposes, a large tree trunk could be made using black crepe paper. The students could cut leaf shapes from their piece of art paper and position these on and around the black tree trunk. / Discuss the colours found in Autumn leaves.
Explain and demonstrate task – making Autumn leaf prints.
Display

CREATIVE AND PRACTICAL ARTS

SESSION: FIVE
OUTCOMES / INDICATORS / MODELLING / LEARNING EXPERIENCE
VA S1.1
VA S1.2 / The students may, for example:
  • Discuss the features of a piece of bark
  • Explore lines, patterns and texture evident in a piece of bark
  • Use wax crayons to create bark rubbings
/ Have the students bring in an interesting piece of bark. Allow the students an opportunity to describe the piece of bark. Have them consider:
  • the texture
  • lines
  • patterns
  • colour
Also encourage the students to describe the tree from which the piece of bark came.
Explain to the students that they are going to make rubbings of their pieces of bark. Demonstrate by placing a sheet of paper on top of the bark and using a wax crayon to rub over the top.
Have the students make the bark rubbings.
Allow the students an opportunity to show their rubbings to their peers.
Continued over the page. / Discuss the features of a piece of bark
Explain and demonstrate task – rubbings of bark

CREATIVE AND PRACTICAL ARTS

SESSION: FIVE CONT’D
OUTCOMES / INDICATORS / MODELLING / LEARNING EXPERIENCE
VA S1.2
VA S1.4 / The students may, for example:
  • Use graphite pencils to extend the pattern and lines in a bark rubbing
  • Discuss the way in which they created their art work
/ Explain to the students that they are going to recreate the tree from which the bark came from. Demonstrate how they will do this.
They will cut their bark rubbings into an interesting shape and glue this shape onto another piece of art paper. They will then use a graphite pencil to continue the pattern on the paper and to form a tree trunk. Encourage the students to attempt to continue the lines and the patterns that are evident in the original piece of bark. The students add branches and leaves to form the tree from which the piece of bark originally came.
Provide the students with opportunities to share and discuss their work with their peers. / Use graphite pencil to continue bark pattern
Create a tree
Share art work

CREATIVE AND PRACTICAL ARTS

POSSIBLE ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES
  • Outcomes based checklist
  • Anecdotal records
  • Collect and analyse one task
  • Photographs
  • Students self assessment

RESOURCES / WEB LINKS / EVALUATION
Flowers
Still life painting of a vase of flowers
Vase of flowers
Picture of Autumn leaves
Leaves
Bark
Graphite pencils
Paint
Art paper
Scissors
Glue
Paintbrushes
Wax crayons
Ice cream lids

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