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
Art and design
Pupils should be taught:
- To develop their techniques, including their control and their use of materials, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design.
- To create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas.
- To improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials [for example, pencil, charcoal, paint, clay].
- About great artists, architects and designers in history.
Cross-curricular links
History
Pupils should be taught about:
- A non-European society that provides contrasts with British history – one study chosen from: early Islamic civilisation, including a study of Baghdad c. AD 900; Mayan civilisation c. AD 900; Benin (West Africa) c. AD 900-1300.
Before the lesson
- 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).
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’. 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 2–3 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?
Provide each child with Activity: Diamond nine. Either read the nine statements to the class or ask the children to read them in pairs or groups.
Slide 4 illustrates the task. Children cut out the statements and then organise them into a diamond shape, reflecting how important each statement is based on their ideas about what art is. Encourage them to discuss it with a partner.
When they are happy with their order, ask the children to glue this into their sketchbooks. They could make notes to explain their choices.
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 which illustrates 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?
Adaptive teaching
Pupils needing extra support
Could work in pairs to arrange the diamond nine together (make sure both partners participate in the discussion and both have a copy to stick in their sketchbooks).
Pupils working at greater depth:
Should justify all diamond nine choices with annotations to explain why they have put the statement where they have; should support their choices with examples where appropriate.
Assessing progress and understanding
Pupils with secure understanding indicated by: participating in a discussion that examines the similarities and differences between different styles of art; forming their own opinions about what art is and justifying their ideas; identifying an issue or cause and deciding what message they want to convey.
Pupils working at greater depth indicated by: participating in and possibly leading a discussion that examines the similarities and differences between different styles of art; offering strong opinions about what art is and justifying with reasoned ideas; identifying an issue or cause with a clear idea of what message they want to convey.
Vocabulary definitions
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audience
The group of people the artist intended to interact with a work of art.
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commissioned
When someone is asked to create a piece of art.
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graffiti
Spray-painted words and images that appear on property without permission.
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guerilla art
Similar to graffiti because it is often produced without permission. It usually appears unannounced in unusual places and can have a controversial message.
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impact
The strong effect or influence that something has on a situation or person.
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issue
Something important that people are discussing.
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street art
Artwork that is created in a public space, typically without official permission.
Maintained by: Kapow Primary team
Last update: 18th March, 2024
