Strings and Stories

Overview

Unit Name: String Art Adventures
Lesson: 1 of 5
Lesson Title: Introduction to String Art
Duration: 30 minutes
Year Level: 1
Curriculum Learning Area: The Arts – Visual Arts
Curriculum Level: Level 1 (NZC)
Class Size: 20 students

Big Idea

Through string art, students will understand that art can be made using different materials, arranged in patterns, and inspired by cultural stories and traditions — including those of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Achievement Objective (NZC – Visual Arts Level 1)

Developing Practical Knowledge in the Visual Arts:
"Students will share ideas about how and why their own and others’ works are made and their purpose, visual elements and materials used."

Communicating and Interpreting:
"Students will describe what they feel and think about the art of others."

Learning Intentions

• I am learning what string art is and where it comes from.
• I am learning to look closely at string art and say what I notice about colours, shapes, and patterns.
• I am learning to talk about what materials are used in string art.

Success Criteria

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

✅ Say what string art is and give at least one fact about where it comes from.
✅ Describe the shapes, lines, or colours they see in an artwork.
✅ Identify different materials used in string art.

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Lesson Outline (30 Minutes Total)

⏱️ 1. Karakia & Roll Call – 3 minutes

• Begin with a short karakia to start the day peacefully and connect with te ao Māori.
• Take the roll and settle students on the mat.

⏱️ 2. Mihi & Lesson Introduction – 2 minutes

• Welcome students warmly.
• Tell them: “This week we’re going to discover something really colourful and cool called string art! Today, we’ll look at what it is and what it can look like.”
• Show a simple sign that says: “We are string artists!” to anchor their identity in the unit.

⏱️ 3. Visual Discovery: String Art Around the World – 6 minutes

❖ Activity

• Present 4–5 examples of string art on printed cards or digital slideshow (ensure some are tikanga-based such as tukutuku and others more geometric or global examples).
• Invite students to notice and describe:
  • What colours do you see?
  • What shapes or lines?
  • What string-like materials can you spot?

🎯 Teacher Prompt:

• "Some string art was used long ago to tell stories or show special patterns, like tukutuku panels in a wharenui."
• Show a basic tukutuku panel and explain it’s one kind of string pattern from Māori culture.

⏱️ 4. Group Discussion: What is String Art? – 5 minutes

• On the whiteboard, draw a big heart. Inside it write student responses to:
  • "What do you think string art means?"
  • "What things do we need to make it?"
  • "Can art come from string?"

🗨️ Allow students to turn and talk to a buddy before sharing. Use this to express early ideas and test oral language.

📌 Key points to surface:

• String art uses thread or wool.
• It often shows shapes or patterns.
• Artists use boards, nails, holes, or cardboard.

⏱️ 5. Hands-On Exploration: Texture Table – 10 minutes

🌀 Setup: 3 small stations with different materials:

1. Wool/string in bowls
2. Cardboard shapes with holes punched
3. Paper with string glued into designs (pre-prepared textured art boards)

🎯 Instructions:
Let students rotate gently in groups of 5. They can:

• Touch string and describe how it feels (smooth, rough, bendy).
• Match yarn colours to colour cards.
• Examine how string has been used to make a shape.

⭐ Encourage phrases like:

• “This string is curly.”
• “It makes a triangle!”
• “This reminds me of a kite.”

🗣️ Teacher Role: Float and ask open-ended questions like "What lines can you trace with your finger on this board?"

⏱️ 6. Wrap-Up & Story Time – 4 minutes

• Return to the mat. Read a short illustrated story that includes string or weaving in the narrative – e.g. “The Woven House” or a simple tale about a grandmother knitting patterns.
• Ask students to connect it with what they saw today:
  • “Was there anything in the story that reminded you of what we saw on the string art boards?”

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Key Vocabulary

Te Reo Māori	English
toi ataata	visual art
aho	string/thread
tukutuku	traditional woven panels
tauira	design/pattern
pānui	notice/look at

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Assessment for Learning

• Teacher anecdotal notes based on students' oral responses and participation.
• Watch for understanding of materials, design features, and their use of descriptive language.
• Optional: Use a visual exit prompt — have students place a picture card of string, shape, or colour in a 'what I saw today' box.

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Next Steps

In Lesson 2, students will design a basic string pattern on card, selecting pattern shapes and colours in preparation for threading.

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Resources Needed

• Printed visuals of string art and tukutuku
• Wool and string in baskets
• Large cardboard shapes with punched holes
• Hot-glue textured paper boards (pre-made)
• Picture book that includes string/weaving
• Colour cards
• A3 whiteboard or butchers paper for mind map

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Teacher Reflection Prompt

☑ Did students engage with the sensory and visual elements of the artworks?
☑ Were they able to describe what they saw and ask questions?
☑ How did they relate string art to things in their world?

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This lesson embeds te ao Māori through the inclusion of tukutuku comparisons and use of te reo Māori. It is designed to foster exploration, notice-making, and sensory learning especially suited to akoranga at Level 1.