Art Lesson Plan: Cultural Expressions Through Art

General Information

- Subject: Art
- Year Level: Year 6
- Duration: 1 hour
- Class Size: 30 students

Curriculum Links

This lesson is designed to meet the objectives within the New Zealand Curriculum for The Arts, specifically targeting Visual Arts for students at Level 3:

- "Explore a variety of materials and tools and techniques to create artwork."
- "Understand how visual arts communicate meanings."

References:
- New Zealand Curriculum - Visual Arts

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Identify and describe different ways that cultures express themselves through visual arts.
2. Create an artwork inspired by a cultural style of their choice.
3. Discuss how different artworks can represent cultural stories, values, and traditions.

Materials

- Variety of art supplies (paints, brushes, coloured paper, scissors, glue)
- Sample images of art from various cultures (e.g., Māori, Pacific Islander, Asian, European)
- Laptops/tablets for research (if available)
- Art creation boards or thick paper

Lesson Plan

Introduction (10 minutes)

1. Discussion: Initiate a class discussion on what culture means and how it can be expressed through art.
2. Show Examples: Display images of cultural artworks such as Māori carvings, Japanese prints, and Indian mandalas. Discuss the unique elements seen in each.

Exploration and Research (10 minutes)

1. Group Activity: Divide the class into small groups. Assign or let each group choose a specific culture to research.
2. Online Research: If devices are available, guide students to conduct brief research on their chosen culture’s art forms. Recommended resource: Te Ara – Encyclopaedia of New Zealand

Art Creation (30 minutes)

1. Art Workshop: Using their research as inspiration, students will create their own piece of art that reflects the style or elements of their chosen culture.
- Demonstration: Show basic techniques suitable for their ideas (e.g., basic carving shapes, print patterns).
- Supervision and Guidance: Circulate to provide help and ensure each student successfully reflects their understanding of the cultural art style.

Presentation and Reflection (10 minutes)

1. Sharing: Allow students to display their finished artwork.
2. Discussion: Each group discusses what they learned about their chosen culture and how they incorporated this into their art.
3. Feedback: Provide constructive feedback on their understanding and creativity, and discuss how art provides insight into cultural identities.

Closure

- Recap the Learning: Highlight the importance of art in cultural expression and the variety of forms it can take.
- Homework Assignment: Ask students to write a paragraph about another culture's art form that interests them and explain why.

Assessment

- Assess students' artworks and their description to evaluate their understanding of the cultural elements.
- Observe participation and engagement during discussions as informal assessment points.

Additional Resources:

- Books and online articles about world cultures and their art forms from the school library or designated online platforms.

This lesson plan encourages cultural appreciation and awareness through artistic expression, aligning with New Zealand’s educational goal of fostering diverse competencies among students.