Learning objective
- To evaluate the context and intention of street art.
Success criteria
- I can discuss the similarities and differences between art styles.
- I can discuss ideas about ‘what art is’ or ‘should be’ and justify choices.
- I can identify something I feel strongly about and consider how to represent it through a drawing.
National curriculum
Cross-curricular links
Before the lesson
Check all images, videos, links and presentation slides are suitable for your class.
- Presentation: Speak like an expert.
- Presentation: Street art.
- A flipchart (optional).
- Sketchbooks.
- A range of drawing materials including pencils.
- Scissors (one pair each).
- Glue sticks (enough for each table).
Print in advance of the lesson.
Lesson plan
1: Recap and recall
Display the Presentation: Speak like an expert and allow time for paired discussion.
Presentation: Speak like an expert
Take feedback about any key points the children recalled from the previous lesson. Responses could include:
- The word chiaroscuro comes from Italian, meaning light and dark.
- It is used to describe drawings or paintings where the main feature is dramatic light and shade.
- Chiaroscuro helps make drawn or painted objects look more three-dimensional and realistic.
- The technique has been used by many artists, including Da Vinci, Caravaggio and Vermeer.
- Da Vinci used charcoal and chalk to create areas of dark and light.
- Chiaroscuro can also be applied in other art mediums, such as photography.
- Images with a limited number of tones can produce a powerful effect.
2: Attention grabber
Display slide 1 of the Presentation: Street art. Ask the children to discuss in pairs or groups how these two images are the same and different and then share ideas as a class.
Similarities could be:
- They both use symbols/simple images.
- Colour choices.
- Similar patterns.
- Drawn on walls, not canvases.
Differences could be:
- The age.
- Materials used.
Ask the children how they would describe these two images. Note the words they use on the whiteboard or a flipchart.
They may use the term ‘graffiti’ (artwork that is created in a public space, typically without official permission). If they have not suggested it, prompt them by asking:
- Are either of these graffiti? Why do you think that?
- Why is Maya wall painting not graffiti — or is it?
Use this to spark further discussion around street art. Display slides 2 and 3 that include some example images and some of the following questions:
- Should you graffiti?
- Does graffiti represent all street art?
- Is it graffiti if an artist is commissioned?
- Why do you think these artists chose to produce their art this way?
- Does all street art communicate a message?
- Why do you think street art is used to express opinions, thoughts and ideas?
- Why do you think they have chosen to create their art in that specific place?
Display slide 4 and read the statements. Ask the children to discuss in pairs how they would organise them into a diamond shape, reflecting how important each statement is based on their ideas about what art is.
Take feedback and drag and drop the statements to organise them.
Optional: Provide each child with Activity: Diamond nine. Children cut out the statements and then organise them into a diamond shape.
3: Main event
Display slide 5 of the Presentation: Street art. Ask the children to consider something that they feel passionate about. This could be: an environmental issue, a charity they support, something local or something in school.
Ask the question shown, “How can you make your voice heard?”
Encourage the children to discuss the question in pairs or small groups, using sketchbooks to jot down ideas.
Play the Pupil video: Inspiration, illustrating the different techniques the children learnt about and tried.
Pupil video: Inspiration
Give the children time to discuss in pairs or small groups what they enjoyed from the previous lessons.
In sketchbooks, ask the children to begin to think about how they could create a powerful drawn image to shout about their passion, cause or issue.
Prompt them by asking them the following questions:
- Will it have bold colours? If so, what will these be?
- Will you include symbols to express meaning?
- Will your image draw inspiration from a particular style, like patterns from the Maya or another artist we have looked at?
- Will it include dramatic light and dark (chiaroscuro)?
- Will it be tonal and use just one colour?
By the end of the lesson, ensure the children have decided what they want their image to be about and have made notes and sketches. This could be in the form of a mindmap at this stage to begin generating their ideas.
4: Wrapping up
Ask the children to consider where they could display their art and who their intended audience might be. Discuss this as a class or ask them to record their thoughts in their sketchbooks, explaining their choices.
Questions
- Will it be somewhere significant to the message you want to convey?
- Will it be in a place that many people can easily see?
- Will you need permission to place it there or is it a piece of guerilla art to surprise?
Extended-mode explainer videos
How to extend your display to view the lesson page and preseantion mode simultaneously. Choose your operating system below to watch the video
If you need further support with extending your display,
please contact enquiries@kapowprimary.com.
Extended-mode explainer video: For Mac
Extended-mode explainer video: For Windows
Adaptive teaching
Assessing progress and understanding
Vocabulary definitions
Maintained by: Kapow Primary team
Last update: 18th November, 2024
