Storytelling Symbols

Overview

This is Lesson 2 of 6 in the unit Cultural Connections in Art for Year 6 students in New South Wales. The lesson explores the use of symbols in Aboriginal art as a visual language to convey stories, beliefs, and messages. Students will investigate how Aboriginal artists use symbolism and then create their own original symbols that represent personal or cultural narratives in preparation for future artwork creation.

The lesson supports the NSW Visual Arts curriculum with a focus on understanding cultural contexts and developing skills in communicating meaning through visual symbols.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this 60-minute lesson, students will be able to:

Explain the role of symbols in Aboriginal art to convey stories and cultural knowledge (ACAVAM119).
Discuss how artists use symbols to represent ideas and narratives in artworks from Aboriginal cultures (ACAVAR119).
Create original symbols that represent personal stories or cultural narratives using informed artistic choices (ACAVAM120).
Reflect on the meanings and purposes of their symbols and how they communicate stories visually (ACAVAR120).

These objectives are drawn from the Australian Curriculum: Visual Arts, with particular reference to the NSW Curriculum emphasis on cultural understanding and visual symbol manipulation for Year 6 students.

Resources Needed

Examples of Aboriginal art symbols (printed images or digital slide)
Whiteboard or chart paper
Visual Arts sketchbooks or drawing paper sheets
Pencils, coloured pencils, markers
Art inspiration cards with different storytelling themes (optional)
Worksheet template for symbol design (with space for visual and written explanations)

Lesson Breakdown (60 minutes)

1. Introduction and Engagement (10 minutes)

Whole class discussion: Introduce Aboriginal art and the important role symbols play in storytelling and cultural transmission. Show several Aboriginal art examples focusing on the symbolic motifs (e.g., waterholes, animals, people, tracks).
Teacher prompts: Ask students what they think the symbols might mean and how artists use them to tell stories without words.
NSW Curriculum link: Helps build understanding of Aboriginal cultural heritage and visual communication of ideas through culture-specific symbols (ACAVAM119).

2. Exploration of Symbols (10 minutes)

Small group or pairs activity: Provide students with copies or tablets showing a collection of Aboriginal symbols with brief descriptions.
Task: Identify the story or message behind select symbols and share with the class.
Teacher clarifies: Symbols often represent elements in the landscape, ancestral beings, or ceremonies.
Curriculum link: Encourages students to analyze artworks and understand meaning (ACAVAR119).

3. Creative Symbol Design (25 minutes)

Individual activity: Students design their own set of 3-5 symbols that represent a personal story or cultural narrative.
Guiding prompts: What story or message do they want to share? How can they visually communicate key ideas or feelings with simple shapes or marks?
Materials: Draw with pencils and coloured pencils on paper or in sketchbooks.
They complete the worksheet with brief written explanations of each symbol's meaning.
Curriculum link: Develops students' skills in creating artworks with intent and meaning, selecting appropriate visual conventions (ACAVAM120, ACAVAR120).

4. Sharing and Reflection (10 minutes)

Partner/share: Students explain their symbols and stories to a peer, practicing oral skills while reflecting on their choices.
Class discussion: Teacher guides reflection on how symbols convey meaning across cultures and personal experience.
Optionally, ask: How do these symbols help us connect by sharing stories without needing many words?
Curriculum link: Supports critical thinking and appreciation of visual arts as communication across cultures (ACAVAR119).

5. Wrap-up and Preparation for Next Lesson (5 minutes)

Summarise key learning points about symbols and storytelling.
Explain that in the next lessons, students will use these symbols to create larger artworks incorporating cultural connections.
Collect worksheets and art materials.

Assessment

Formative assessment through observations during discussions and group sharing, focusing on students' ability to explain symbolic meaning.
Review students' symbol drawings and written explanations to assess understanding of how symbols represent stories.
Use a simple rubric assessing Creativity, Cultural Understanding, and Communication of Meaning through symbols.

NSW Curriculum Alignment Summary

ACAVAM119: Explore visual art styles of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to communicate meaning.
ACAVAR119: Analyze how artists use visual conventions to represent ideas and viewpoints.
ACAVAM120: Create visual artworks that explore meaning using symbols.
ACAVAR120: Reflect on how meanings are communicated through artworks.

This lesson addresses both knowledge and skills strands in Visual Arts, and aligns with cross-curriculum priorities emphasizing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.

Teacher Tips

Use visuals sensitively and respectfully; introduce symbols as a complex cultural language, not just decorative motifs.
Encourage students to think deeply about meanings behind their own symbols, inviting personal and cultural connections.
Differentiate by offering scaffolded templates for symbol design or additional creative challenges for advanced students.
Consider incorporating oral storytelling or digital technologies in future lessons for expanded storytelling mediums.

This detailed plan ensures an engaging, age-appropriate, culturally responsive learning experience consistent with NSW curriculum standards for Year 6 Visual Arts.

Teaching Instructions