Great Ideas for the Visual Arts - Multi Level

TOPIC ONE: BOAT RACING

Preparation…You will need driftwood, twigs, coloured paper, scissors, paints, glue.

Lesson Sequence

Challenge the pupils to create a most unusual sailing boat using an exciting looking piece of driftwood for the basic shape.

Drill and/or glue two or more masts to your driftwood. Make the masts out of twigs. Cracks in the driftwood can be used to place the masts in.

Now design coloured and different shaped sails from paper that can be threaded or attached to the mast. Take some care to make the sails a vibrant and interesting design.

More conventional hull shapes can be cut from wood, and dowels used as masts. The sails could also be made from rags or cloth Make the sail design colourful and interesting.

Add cotton rigging and design flags and bunting to add to the boat.

Use the school swimming pool to race the boats.

Hulls can also be painted with exciting designs.

Have the children set up a classroom display of their unusual and colourful boats.

MONUMENT FOR THE LOST BUSH TRIBE

Preparation

Tell the pupils that long before people came to live in your area, there was a fierce tribe of people who descended from the ancient Vikings. As more and more people came to live here, they were forced further and further back into the hills and it is thought that they eventually died out! … or did they?

Their task is to make a monument to the bush tribe … just to be on the safe side!

Lesson Sequence

You will need to make a collection of twigs, dead branches, stones and leaves. Perhaps some flowers could be used.
The children in groups have the task of creating outside memorials to a fierce tribe of people who once used to live in the hills and bush around the school.

Stones could be piled on top of each other in interesting shapes.

Twigs and branches could be joined together with thin twine and added to the basic shape.

Decorate the branches and twigs with leaves and perhaps flowers.

Have the children design a special dance along with a chant to be performed around the monument, at the dedication.

ARRESTING HEADGEAR

Preparation

You will need cartons or paper bags, scissors, felt pens, paints, glue and a stapler, coloured paper, clear plastic or coloured cellophane.

Lesson Sequence

Using your large paper bag or carton, cut out a large viewing area to make your space helmet. Cover the viewing window with clear plastic or coloured cellophane

Paint your helmet in geometric patterns of different colours to give that " look of the future". Use felt pens if you wish.

Design and attach communication gear such as antennae or aerials. Buttons or coloured cardboard
scales can be added to give an interesting texture to the helmet.

Show the pupils how to make a cone mask. Using cardboard or thick paper, cut out a semi circle or three quarters of a circle, if a more generous overlap is wanted. Glue and staple the mask into a cone shape.

Cut out features such as eyes ( small) and perhaps a mouth

Decorate and paint and attach any other unusual features to the mask. Coloured wool could be used as hair or even thin painted strips of paper attached to the top of the mask.

Have a parade of headgear for other classes. Get them to guess who each person is. A special voice may be necessary for the special character under the mask.