Year 4 Art

In this first lesson, children look at and discuss a variety of different plant-themed artworks, by different artists, created in different periods of time. In their independent activities, children choose one artwork to explore their opinion of in m... Read More

Children find out what botanical illustrations are, and the original reasons for which they were created. They first look at the differences between these types of illustrations and other paintings of plants. Children then discuss how they can create... Read More

In this lesson, children examine colour more closely. They learn how different tones of colour can be used to create different effects in an artwork, and use the work of Georgia O’Keeffe to explore this. Children learn how to mix tints, shades and ... Read More

Children first learn and practise how to draw a tree, focusing in particular on the branches. They then explore what depth is, and how it can be created in an artwork. Children use both their skill of how to draw a tree and their understanding of dep... Read More

In this lesson, children learn what a sculpture is, and what materials they can be made out of. They focus on sculptures made from clay, and find out how to add or remove bits of clay to create detail. In their independent activities, children are ch... Read More

In this final lesson, children use all of the skills and knowledge they have gained in the previous lessons to discuss how they might recreate pictures of different plants as artworks. In their independent lessons, children choose one of these plants... Read More

The first lesson in this series aims to help your class become more familiar with the features and design aspects of pantomimes. They will explore what pantomimes are and some of the things you will always expect to see and hear at a panto. There is ... Read More

By the end of this lesson, your children will have designed their own set for a particular scene in a pantomime. Using the helpful pointers and information on the slides, your class will be guided through the process of designing a set, including the... Read More

Now that your class have designed their very own set for a particular scene in a pantomime, they can follow their design to make a model set using a variety of techniques and materials. The slides will help them consider what they need to do before t... Read More

This lesson takes a look at costume designs for different pantomime characters, paying particular attention to the costumes of the wackiest characters of all - the pantomime dames. Your class will be shown how to use a simple template as the basis, b... Read More

This lesson explores different props that certain characters need as part of their costume, such as wands, swords, wings or hooked hands. Your class will consider how the design of these accessories can help portray the character they are dressing, a... Read More

In the final lesson of the series, your class will imagine they are putting on a pantomime and their task is to create a poster advertising their panto to the public. They will think about what colours, fonts and design features to use, as well as ho... Read More

To promote discussion, children are first given a set of picture cards and encouraged to discuss both the artwork and what they think the artist might be like, based on their work. The artist is then revealed, and children find out about the early li... Read More

In this lesson, children continue to learn about the life and art of Sonia Delaunay. In particular, they focus on her experimentation with colour using a style of art known as Orphism. Children learn about complementary and harmonious colours, and th... Read More

In this lesson, children focus on how Sonia Delaunay created a sense of rhythm and movement in her artwork. They explore a collaborative piece of art made by Sonia and a poet, Blaise Cendrars, about a train journey across Russia. In their independent... Read More

Children learn how Sonia Delaunay began to design clothes. They explore how her artistic style impacted on her designs. In their independent activities, children create their own clothes designs based on the style of Sonia Delaunay. Alternatively, ch... Read More

In this final lesson, children begin by exploring how the work of Sonia Delaunay influenced both individual artists and the genre of modern art itself. They discover just how wide-ranging and successful her art and fashion designs became, and how she... Read More

The first lesson in this module starts by encouraging your class to think about their environment and how art can improve an area, before looking at a variety of sculptures and how they have impacted on the area they are in. Read More

Your class will soon have a wealth of visual information to inform their design ideas in this lesson as they use an area to collect a variety of sketches, rubbings and photographs. And, just in case such an activity is impractical, there is an altern... Read More

Children will use the ideas and information they have gathered so far to design a sculpture for a particular site. This could be a region in their local area, an area they are familiar with or one of the scenes shown on the pictures provided. Read More

Start by looking at the work of artists who have used 'found' materials to create sculptures for inspiration in this lesson before your class embark on making models (maquettes) of the sculptures they have designed. Read More

Now that your class now have the basic shapes of the sculptures they have designed, it is time for them to finish them off by covering them with papier mâché or modroc. They can then decorate them to create their fabulous finished sculptures. Read More

You now have a classroom full of fantastic sculptures! But how well will they fit into the environment they were designed for? Is there any way they could be improved? Get your class thinking about these questions and many more as they evaluate their... Read More

The first lesson in this series gives your children a general overview of the role of an architect, before exploring a range of famous buildings from around the world. Your class will discuss which building they think looks best and why, and think ab... Read More

This lesson takes a close look at one of Britain's most famous buildings and most famous architects. They will find out who Sir Christopher Wren was and what he achieved during his lifetime before looking at arguably his most famous design, St Paul's... Read More

No, they are not looking at the set of a Disney movie…they are looking at one of the most colourful and unusual buildings in the world! St Basil's Cathedral attracts millions of visitors every year with its weird and wonderful shapes and colours. Y... Read More

This lesson focuses on the Taj Mahal, looking specifically at its symmetrical design. Your children will identify lines of symmetry within the facade of the buildings, as well as in the building's reflection in the pool's water, before creating their... Read More

This lesson looks at a more modern building - the Sydney Opera House. Your class will find out about the lucky winner of a competition who became the architect of one of the world's most recognisable buildings. They will then go on to create their ow... Read More

The final lesson in this series allows your children to draw on everything they have found out about architecture and a variety of building designs to design their own building for a particular purpose. Focusing on the exterior aesthetics, your class... Read More

Explore the history of Indian painting and how the style has changed throughout the centuries. This lesson shows your children examples of Mughal, Rajput, Mysore, Tanjore, Kangra, Madhubani and Pattachitra paintings. There are opportunities to discus... Read More

In this lesson, find out about the famous Hastimangala festival, which is part of the Holi festival of colours. Children will look closely at the patterns and colours of intricate decorations which adorn elephants during the festival, then either cre... Read More

Beautiful and intricate mehndi patterns are explored in this lesson, in which children can decorate paper hands, feet, legs and arms using their own mehndi patterns. Symmetry plays an important role in this lesson, as children describe rotational and... Read More

Your class will learn about the fascinating technique of Indian block printing, exploring the ways in which intricate carved patterns are traditionally used to decorate fabric. They will find out about the tools used to make block-printed fabric, the... Read More

With the included slides, start by reminding children about Diwali and explaining that people celebrate this festival by participating in different customs and traditions. Learn all about the art of rangoli by examining a range of images showing deta... Read More

After thinking about where patterns can be found at home and in the environment, your class will see some work by famous artists' who use patterns in their work. You class will love finding and discussing the patterns they can see in professional pie... Read More

This lesson uses shapes to create interesting patterns for the children to explore. Use the slides to demonstrate how shapes can be reflected and rotated, and how symmetrical patterns can be constructed, before giving your class the chance to create ... Read More

This lesson demonstrates how stencils can be used to create some of the rotated, reflected and symmetrical patterns the children have been studying. Your class will then have the chance to make their own stencils and use these to create their own wor... Read More

Use the helpful step-by-step instructions on these slides to show your class how to make prints using string and card, then lets them have a go for themselves, encouraging them to be as creative with their patterns as possible. Read More

In this final lesson, your class will have the opportunity to consolidate all the work they have done throughout the series by designing a pattern for a particular person or purpose, such as a pattern for a wallpaper, dress or even a tattoo! Some fam... Read More

When did jewellery originate you ask? The first lesson in this scheme of work will answer this question as your children are introduced to the history of jewellery designing and how it has changed over time. Your class will see images of jewellery fo... Read More

What are gemstones and where do they come from? Take your class on a journey around the world to see where you can find precious, sparkly gemstones. Your children will learn about how gemstones are found and processed to be used in pieces of jeweller... Read More

Tiffany & Co. is a famous jewellery company most of us know and love. Your children will learn about the founder of Tiffany & Co. in this lesson and the history of this company. They will then have a look at some Tiffany and Co. designs, looking part... Read More

Bulgari's chunky jewellery designs are the inspiration for this lesson. Introduce your class to the famous Bulgari company, exploring who founded it and its history. Your children will learn about the different types of jewellery Bulgari created and ... Read More

This lesson reveals the third and final jewellery designer your class will have the pleasure of studying. Van Cleef & Arpels is a jewellery company with an interesting history. Your class will love seeing its colourful jewellery designs and will look... Read More

Invite your children to use all the knowledge and skills they have learnt throughout this scheme of work to help them create their own piece of jewellery. Your class will recap the skills they have learnt in these lessons and have the opportunity to ... Read More

The first lesson in this series introduces your class to Aboriginal art and looks at how it uses symbols for the everyday objects of the Australian bush. This provides the starting point for your class to invent their own symbols to use in their artw... Read More

Continuing the theme of Aboriginal art, this lesson looks at the Dreamtime and how the spirits created the world. Your class will then have the chance to create their own Aboriginal artwork based on a Dreamtime journey. Read More

This lesson allows children to use familiar journeys they take every day (such as the journey to school) and turn those journeys into works of art. The step-by-step instructions on the slides demonstrate how to create paths, add symbols and use colou... Read More

Looking at the work of famous artist Paul Klee, this lesson explores the more abstract side to journey art and encourages your class to think about how line, colour, shape and tone are used. Your class will also have the chance to take their pencils ... Read More

This last lesson gives your class the creative opportunity to consolidate all the ideas they have gathered throughout the scheme of work to create a final piece of 'Journey' art. They will look back at the work they have done and consider how they ca... Read More

This first lesson introduces your class to a variety of group portraits by various artists and encourages your class to speculate on the possible relationships between the subjects. They will think about a variety of different ways in which people ca... Read More

Taking a closer look at how artists use a variety of techniques to portray the relationships between the people in their work, this lesson encourages your class to look for artistic clues left by the artist to try and decipher the various relationshi... Read More

Turn your class into posers this lesson and they study how to arrange figures to portray different relationships and how to capture the image. They will think about how body shapes will change depending on the relationships between the people in the ... Read More

Your class will have the chance to begin their own group portraits in this lesson as they sketch the outline of their own masterpieces! They will consider who they will portray in their paintings, what the relationship will be between the subjects an... Read More

Children will get the chance to create their own group portraits based on their sketches and ideas from the previous lesson. The slides will teach your class how to use a variety of painting techniques, such as colour-washing, building layers and bru... Read More

This final lesson gives your class the opportunity to reflect on their finished relationship portraits and to critically evaluate their own work and the work of others in a fun and engaging way. Read More

This Introducing Seurat Art lesson introduces your KS2 class to Seurat and the Pointillist movement. It starts by describing the art of the Impressionists and explaining how Seurat's style differed to that of Monet, Renoir and other Impressionists. I... Read More

This Experimenting with Pointillism lesson plan recaps what the children have learnt so far about Seurat and Pointillism before giving your KS2 class the chance to experiment with Pointillism for themselves. The included slideshow presentation sh... Read More

Seurat was very interested in the science of colour and this Optical Colour Mixing KS2 Art lesson teaches your Year 3/4 class about his theories of optical colour mixing and complementary colours. During their independent activities, your childre... Read More

This Pointillism Shading lesson takes a closer look at some of Seurat's Pointillist paintings, looking specifically at how he used Pointillism to create shading. The slides then show your KS2 children how they can use dots to create areas of ligh... Read More

This KS2 Art lesson explores other Pointillism artists who befriended Georges Seurat and joined in the Pointillist movement, including Signac, Angrand and Luce. Your class can then either choose one of these Pointillist artists to explore in furt... Read More

The final lesson in this series gives your KS2 class the chance to express everything they have learnt about Pointillism in their own Pointillism art project. They will think back to everything they have learnt and all the techniques they have used t... Read More

The first lesson of this series gets children thinking about the purposes of a variety of types of chairs and then gives them the chance to study a range of chairs from different periods and cultures. Read More

Some familiar fairy-tale characters make an appearance in this lesson as they tell your class their specifications for the chairs they want designed. Will your children be able to design the kind of chairs they want? Read More

Use the photos on the slides to give your class some ideas for how they can use paper, card and other materials to create interesting 3D effects. The hands-on activity ideas will encourage them to improve their skills and produce ideas for how they c... Read More

Consolidating their learning from the lessons so far, children have the opportunity in this lesson to design a model chair for a particular person or purpose. They will consider what shapes, colours, materials and tools they will use on their models,... Read More

This practical lesson allows your class to construct the model chairs they have designed, putting the skills they have been practising to the test. They will consider whether any parts of their designs could be improved before using a variety of mate... Read More

Introduce the children to Mr McCritic as he demonstrates how to carry out an evaluation of a chair. Your class can then use his example to evaluate their own finished chairs, thinking about what worked well, what didn’t, how effective their design ... Read More