Artistic Community Expressions

Unit: Creative Community Connections

Lesson 2 of 6

Duration: 60 minutes

Year Level: 4

Number of Students: 25

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Lesson Overview

In this lesson, students will explore and analyse various art forms that represent community, such as murals and sculptures. They will investigate how these artworks express community values, stories, and identity. Through discussion, observation, and hands-on activities, students will begin to understand how art can communicate messages about community and cultural connections.

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Australian Curriculum Alignment

Learning Area: The Arts – Visual Arts

Year Level: 3 and 4

Content Descriptions:

• AC9AVA4E01: Explore where, why and how visual arts are created and/or presented across cultures, times, places and/or other contexts (exploring community artworks like murals and sculptures).
• AC9AVA4D01: Experiment with a range of ways to use visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials.
• AC9AVA4P01: Share and/or display artworks and/or visual arts practice in informal settings.
• General Capability – Critical and Creative Thinking: Students are encouraged to explore multiple perspectives and think critically about artworks and their meanings.

Achievement Standard Exemplar:
By the end of Year 4, students describe how visual arts artworks are made and where and why they are presented. They use materials and techniques to create artworks that communicate ideas about their world and community.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Understand how different art forms (murals, sculptures) portray community identity and values.
• Analyse specific examples of community art and discuss the messages they convey.
• Begin to apply visual arts conventions in their own creative expression related to community.
• Express their ideas about community through visual artwork and oral discussion.

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Lesson Plan Breakdown

Time	Activity	Details	Curriculum Links
0-10 min	Introduction and Discussion
Teacher introduces the concept of community in art. Show images/videos of murals and sculptures that highlight community themes (e.g., local historical murals, Indigenous community sculptures). Discuss questions:

• What do you notice about these artworks?
• What stories or messages do you think they tell about the community?
• Why might artists create these artworks in public places? | AC9AVA4E01, AC9AVAFE01 |
  | 10-25 min | Art Analysis Group Activity |
  Divide students into 5 groups (5 students each). Each group receives a different printed or digital example of a mural or sculpture related to community. Using guided questions, groups discuss:
• What images or symbols do you see?
• How do the colours, shapes or materials make you feel about the community?
• What story or values does the artwork express?
  Teacher circulates to scaffold and prompt deeper thinking using visual arts language. Groups then share key points with the class. | AC9AVA4E01, AC9AVA4D01 |
  | 25-40 min | Hands-on Creative Activity: “Community Symbols Collage” |
  Students create a small collage representing their own community identity using materials such as coloured paper, fabric scraps, magazines, markers and glue. Encourage them to think of symbols, colours or images meaningful to their community and express these visually. Teachers assist with material use and composition ideas. | AC9AVA4D01, AC9AVA4P01 |
  | 40-55 min | Class Gallery Walk and Reflection |
  Display students' collages around the classroom. Students walk around silently to observe peer works. Then, in a circle, invite volunteers to share their artwork and explain the community symbols or stories they used. Peer feedback focuses on understanding different perspectives of community connections. | AC9AVA4P01 |
  | 55-60 min | Conclusion and Linking to Next Lesson |
  Recap key ideas: how artists use various art forms to express community values and identity. Preview next lesson’s focus (e.g., planning a collaborative community mural). Provide an exit question: “How can art help people understand each other’s stories?” | AC9AVA4E01 |

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Resources Needed

• Images or videos of community murals and sculptures from Australia (including First Nations artists if possible)
• Printed examples of artworks for group analysis
• Art supplies: coloured paper, magazines, fabric scraps, glue, scissors, markers
• Display boards or wall space for class gallery

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Assessment & Reflection

• Formative assessment: Observe student participation in group discussions and ability to describe the meaning or intent behind artworks.
• Creative output: Student collages representing community symbols are assessed for use of visual conventions and communication of ideas.
• Self and peer reflection: Sharing and discussing artworks in gallery walk promotes critical thinking and communication skills.

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Teacher Notes:

• Ensure the inclusion of First Nations Australian artworks or community art examples to honour cultural diversity and local histories, linking to AC9AMA4E02 content emphasizing connection to Country/Place.
• Use simplified visual arts language appropriate for Year 4, introducing terms like ‘symbol’, ‘composition’, ‘texture’, and ‘material’.
• Promote respectful listening during group and class discussions to build community within the classroom aligned with social capabilities.
• Scaffold students who may find analysis challenging by using guiding questions and modelling answers.
• The lesson builds foundational understanding towards collaborative community art making in subsequent lessons of the unit.

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This lesson plan draws explicitly on the Australian Curriculum (v9) Visual Arts content codes for Year 3 and 4, particularly AC9AVA4E01, AC9AVA4D01, and AC9AVA4P01, ensuring students explore, create, and share artworks that reflect community identity and meaning through visual conventions and purposeful art-making.