Materials and Colours

Overview

This is Lesson 3 in the Year 2 art unit Insect Costume Creations. Students will explore a variety of materials, learn basic colour theory, and select colours and materials to represent their chosen insect. They will create a materials list for their costume-making project.

The lesson is designed for 20 students and lasts 30 minutes. It aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh, particularly the The Arts learning area, emphasising creativity, exploration, and communication. This lesson also integrates the development of key competencies such as thinking, using language, symbols, and texts, and managing self.

Learning Objectives

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

Understand and describe different materials (e.g., fabric, paper, feathers, recycled items) suitable for costume creation.
Identify and use basic colour theory concepts (primary colours; warm and cool colours).
Choose materials and colours that represent features of their selected insect.
Collaboratively generate a materials list needed for their insect costume.
Use language to explain their choices clearly.

Alignment with New Zealand Curriculum Refresh

Learning Areas

The Arts (Visual Arts): Students explore, create, and communicate ideas connecting imagination and senses with expression.
English: Use descriptive language to explain choices clearly and collaboratively.

Achievement Objectives (Year 1–2)

Visual Arts:
- Explore ideas using a range of material, objects, and technology.
- Explore and describe the use of colour and texture in artworks.
- Use visual and tactile qualities of materials to convey ideas.
English:
- Use descriptive language to describe familiar objects and their properties.
- Participate in shared discussions using appropriate vocabulary.

Key Competencies

Thinking: creatively select materials and colours to represent ideas.
Using language, symbols, and texts: describe materials and colours and explain selections.
Managing self: set goals by compiling a materials list to support independent learning.

Resources Needed

Samples of materials for costumes (fabric scraps, paper, feathers, cotton wool, recycled items like bottle caps, etc.)
Colour swatches or crayons/paints showing primary colours and simple warm/cool colour groups
Chart paper and markers
Student worksheets with space to draw or write their selected materials and colours
Visual aids showing common insects and their colours
Example insect costumes or pictures (optional)

Lesson Breakdown (30 minutes)

1. Introduction and Recap (5 minutes)

Briefly review prior learning: remind students they are designing insect costumes.
Show an image or example of an insect and ask, "What colours do you see? What materials might feel or look like this insect’s skin or wings?"
Introduce the lesson focus: choosing materials and colours to match their insect.

2. Exploring Materials (7 minutes)

Present various materials samples on a table or in trays.
Pass materials around, encouraging students to feel and describe textures, colours, and suitability for costume parts (e.g., wings could be light and shiny; legs might be firm).
Use guided questions to prompt thinking: "Is this soft or hard? What colour is it? Does it remind you of your insect?"
Record some observations collaboratively on a chart (e.g., "Soft fabric could be wing material," "Bright colours might show insect markings").

3. Introduction to Basic Colour Theory (7 minutes)

Introduce primary colours: red, blue, yellow using colour swatches. Explain these are colours we can mix to make others.
Introduce warm (red, orange, yellow) and cool (blue, green, purple) colours simply.
Show pictures of insects and point out warm or cool colours they use.
Ask students to say what colours their insect might have and whether these are warm or cool.

4. Material and Colour Selection Activity (8 minutes)

Students draw or list materials and colours they want to use for their costume on their worksheet.
Teacher circulates, prompting them with questions like, "Why did you choose this material? How does its colour help show your insect?"
Encourage students to think about texture and colour representation.
Students share one chosen material and colour with a partner or small group.

5. Consolidating Materials List (3 minutes)

As a class, make one combined materials list on chart paper for all the insects represented.
Emphasise managing self by planning for what they will need to bring or prepare next lesson.
Reinforce how this list will help their costume creation in upcoming lessons.

Assessment

Formative: Observation during material exploration and group discussions assessing students’ ability to describe materials and colours and their relevance to their insect.
Student Work: Review worksheets to see if students have identified suitable materials and colours linked to their insect.
Self/Peer: Sharing explanations with peers to demonstrate understanding and use of descriptive language.

Differentiation and Inclusion

Provide materials and colour aids that support sensory needs (e.g., non-toxic, tactile-safe).
Offer sentence starters/scaffolds for describing materials and colours, e.g., “I chose ___ because it is ___ and looks like ___.”
Use small groups or paired work to support oral language development.
Use visual cues and modelling for colour theory concepts.

Extension Ideas

Introduce mixing colours with finger paints or crayons to explore colour creation practically for interested students.
Use digital tools (e.g., simple paint app) to experiment with colours virtually.
Incorporate te reo Māori colour terms (e.g., whero/red, kākāriki/green) to enrich language learning.

This plan ensures rich, sensory engagement appropriate for Year 2 learners, rooted in New Zealand Curriculum Refresh principles with a clear focus on developing visual arts knowledge and vocabulary, while fostering key competencies through collaborative and self-managed learning opportunities .

Teaching Instructions