Seasons and Creativity

Duration

50 minutes

Year Level

Year 2

Curriculum Area

Visual Arts (aligned with the Australian Curriculum: The Arts - Visual Arts, Year 2)

• Content Descriptor: Explore ideas, experiences, observations, and imagination to create visual artworks and design, recognising content in artworks (ACAVAM106).
• Content Descriptor: Use and experiment with different materials, techniques, technologies, and processes to make artworks (ACAVAM107).

Cross-Curricular Priorities:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
• Sustainability

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Lesson Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

1. Recognise how seasonal changes are depicted within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
2. Use visual art techniques to represent the mood, feelings, and textures of a specific season.
3. Experiment with colours, textures, and sound to create an artwork inspired by seasonal transitions.

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Resources

• Visual aids: Examples of Aboriginal art related to seasonal storytelling (teacher-selected prints or images).
• Art materials: Oil pastels, sponges, watercolours, thick paper, and glue.
• Natural elements: Leaves, twigs, small stones (collected from the school grounds or prior preparations).
• Soundscapes: Pre-recorded sounds for the seasons (e.g., rain for winter, birds chirping for spring).
• Whiteboard and markers.
• Student reflection worksheets (at the end).

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

a. Class Discussion - What Are Seasons?

• Begin with a brief discussion: What are the four seasons? How do they differ?
• Encourage students to think about what they see, hear, and feel during each season (e.g., autumn leaves, summer heat, the sound of rain).

b. Connecting to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures

• Show students images of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artworks that represent seasons and cycles in nature. Highlight their use of texture, colour, and pattern to depict seasonal changes.
• Explain the importance of these cycles for survival, such as knowledge about food availability, migration, and ceremonies tied to seasonal transitions.

Teacher Prompt: Why do you think certain seasons are so important in these artworks?

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2. Main Activity: Seasonal Art Collage (30 minutes)

a. Setting the Scene (5 minutes)

• Play a short sound clip related to one season (e.g., a thunderstorm for winter). Ask students to close their eyes and imagine they are in that environment.
• Ask guiding questions: What colours do you see in your mind? What does the air feel like? Are there any textures you notice, like wet leaves or cool winds?

b. Creating the Artwork (20 minutes)

• Students will create Seasonal Art Collages using mixed media. Assign each table a season (autumn, winter, spring, summer).

1. Begin with watercolour washes for the background to show the general mood of the season (e.g., blues for winter, yellows for summer).
2. Add details using oil pastels (such as autumn leaves, raindrops, or sunshine).
3. Incorporate natural elements like leaves, twigs, and stones by gluing them onto the artwork to create texture.

Teacher Role:

• Circulate to support students as they mix colours and experiment with layering textures.
• Ask open-ended questions to guide their creativity: How does this colour make you feel? What does this texture remind you of?

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3. Reflection and Sharing (10 minutes)

a. Gallery Walk (5 minutes)

• Display the completed artworks around the room. Students will participate in a short “gallery walk” to view one another’s work.
• Encourage students to notice the textures, materials, and colours used by their peers.

b. Class Reflection (5 minutes)

• Gather the class for a discussion:
  • How did you represent your season in your artwork?
  • Did the sounds inspire your choices?
  • How do you feel when you think about your season?
• Introduce a reflective worksheet with three prompts: "My favourite part of my artwork was…", "The colours I used to show the season were…", "I used these materials because…"

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Extension Activity (Optional for Early Finishers)

• Students can use musical instruments (triangles, maracas, or chime bars) to create a seasonal “soundtrack” that matches their artwork. They will explain to the class how their chosen sounds reflect the season.

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Australian Curriculum Links

General Capabilities:

• Critical and Creative Thinking - Developing and symbolising ideas.
• Intercultural Understanding - Exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art.
• Personal and Social Capability - Expressing feelings and emotions through art.

Cross-Curriculum Priorities:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures: Focus on “Country/Place” and seasonal cycles.
• Sustainability: Encouraging respect for the environment through art.

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Assessment

• Visual analysis of student artworks: Did they effectively use colour, texture, and materials to represent their season?
• Observations during class discussion: Did students demonstrate an understanding of the connection between seasonal changes and Aboriginal storytelling?
• Reflection worksheets: Assess how students articulate their creative process and choices.

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Optional Homework

Ask students to create a "Seasonal Treasure Bag" at home by collecting objects from nature that represent their favourite season. In the next class, they can share their items and explain why these objects remind them of that season.

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This lesson is designed to integrate creativity, cultural understanding, and cross-curricular links, empowering students to explore and represent the world around them through art.