Exploring Art Symbols

Overview

Year Level: Year 4
Subject: Visual Arts
Curriculum Focus: Australian Curriculum: Visual Arts (Year 3-4)

Strands:

1. Exploring and Expressing Ideas
2. Responding and Interpreting

Content Descriptions:

• Explore ideas, experiences, observations, and imagination to create visual artworks and examine how meaning is communicated through subject matter, colour, shape, line, and texture.
• Discuss the meanings and stories communicated in artworks, particularly focusing on symbols, patterns, and techniques.

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Learning Competency

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Explain the meanings behind the designs, colours, and patterns featured in selected artworks, applying their understanding to create small personal artworks with symbolic meaning.

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Lesson Objectives

Students will:

1. Analyse the use of symbols, patterns, and colours in Indigenous Australian art as a primary focus.
2. Create their own small artwork incorporating chosen symbols, colours, and designs to convey personal meaning.
3. Reflect on how visual elements communicate emotions, stories, or cultural values.

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Materials Needed

Provided by the teacher:

• A3 sheets of paper for sketching
• Acrylic paints, brushes, and palettes (or suitable alternatives)
• A few small rocks cleaned for dot painting tasks (optional alternative canvas)

Prepared by the teacher:

• A variety of visual examples of Indigenous Australian artworks (including stories behind the patterns and symbols)
• Small print-outs of common Aboriginal art symbols (for reference)

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Warm-Up Activity (10 minutes)

Conversation Starter

1. Group Discussion: Show a vibrant Indigenous Australian artwork, such as a dot painting or bark painting. (Ensure proper acknowledgment of the artist and cultural context.)
   • Ask: What do you notice about the shapes, colours, and patterns?
   • Prompt responses that describe elements like earth tones, repetitive patterns, and symbols.
2. Cultural Insight: Share the story or meaning behind the artwork to provide context. Highlight symbols for waterholes, animal tracks, or significant journey lines.

Purpose:

• To engage students by introducing storytelling through art.
• To encourage them to observe patterns and decipher cultural meanings.

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Main Activity (30 minutes)

Step 1: Brainstorm Symbols (5 minutes)

On the whiteboard, collaboratively brainstorm symbols that could represent personal experiences, such as:

• A swirl for a family trip or holiday
• A star to represent a favourite memory
• A track symbol for exploring a new place

Alternative Task (for tactile learners): Pass around examples of Indigenous-inspired artworks on rocks or small canvases and have students identify symbols they recognise.

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Step 2: Create the Artwork (25 minutes)

1. Guidelines:

   • Students choose a personal experience, memory, or idea they want to express.
   • Incorporate 1-3 symbols or patterns inspired by Indigenous art.
   • Use no more than 3 colours to simplify the composition.

2. Execution:

   • Provide A3 sheets or clean rocks for students to paint on.
   • Encourage precision with patterns (dot painting is a fantastic focus for this year level).
   • Offer colour mixing to create earthy tones or unique shades.

3. Moving Around:

   • Walk around and assist students, asking questions like:
     Why did you choose that colour? What story does your pattern tell?

Teacher Tip:
Model briefly on the board how to build a design using repetition, symmetry, and layering to inspire confidence.

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Reflect and Share (10 minutes)

Step 1: Silent Gallery Walk (5 minutes)

• Display all students' artworks around the room.
• Encourage students to walk around silently, observing their peers' designs.

Key Questions to Consider During Walk:

• What story might this artwork tell?
• What meaning could the colours hold?

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Step 2: Group Reflection (5 minutes)

• Ask 2-3 volunteers to explain the symbols and colours in their artwork.
• Discuss the connections between their choices and their personal stories.
• Conclude by emphasising how designs, patterns, and colours communicate universally, regardless of culture or age.

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Assessment Metrics

• Ability to explain the meaning behind their designs and choice of colours (verbal reflection).
• Inclusion of at least one clear symbol or pattern in their final artwork.
• Demonstration of effort and connection between personal meaning and visual elements.

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Differentiation Strategies

For Advanced Students:

• Allow them to integrate more than 3 symbols into their art pieces.
• Challenge them to create complex patterns using multiple layers.

For Supportive Scaffolding:

• Provide pre-drawn outlines of symbols for painting (reduce cognitive load).
• Pair with a partner to help brainstorm meanings behind their designs.

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Conclusion and Takeaway

Final Thought for Students:
“Art is a visual language. Today, you’ve learned how symbols, colours, and patterns tell stories—your stories! Keep observing, creating, and exploring how art connects people.”