Connecting Nature Through Time

Overview

In this second lesson of Nature Through Time, groups of three develop a shared concept for their gala artwork. Each student takes responsibility for one time frame—past, present or future—while planning how the three sections will connect through composition, forms, colour and visual ideas.

Learning intentions

• We are learning to develop and communicate an artwork concept using visual art ideas.
• We are learning to plan composition, key forms, colour and connections between sections.
• We are learning to contribute responsibly to a collaborative artwork.
• We are learning to give, receive and use respectful feedback to improve a design.

Success criteria

• I can explain what my time frame shows and why it matters.
• I can include labelled ideas for composition, key forms, colour and connections.
• I can listen to my group and help make decisions fairly.
• I can use peer feedback to revise and strengthen our shared plan.

Curriculum links

• Visual Arts — developing and communicating ideas through selected visual art elements, processes and conventions.
• Visual Arts — responding to and building on the ideas of others through collaborative art-making.
• Te Mātaiaho — manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and participation through respectful contribution, listening and shared responsibility.
• Te Mātaiaho — communicating ideas clearly, considering audience and making purposeful creative choices.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Reconnect and hook. Teacher displays a three-part example of a landscape changing over time, using the opening artwork comparison, and asks, “How can separate artists make one artwork feel like a single story?” Students silently notice one visual connection, then share with a partner.

2. 5–12 min · Model the planning process. Teacher uses the planning and composition slides to model a simple shared plan: dividing the artwork into past, present and future, choosing a focal point, repeating a form across sections, and using colour to show change. Emphasise that planning is not a finished drawing; it is a clear guide for making. Students identify where the example shows composition, forms, colour and a connection between sections.

3. 12–17 min · Explain roles and criteria. Teacher places students in groups of three and distributes the shared artwork planning sheet. Explain that each student owns one time frame, but the group makes decisions together. Assign or let students choose past, present or future, ensuring every section has an artist. Students read the success criteria, agree on a group focus, and decide how they will take turns speaking and recording ideas.

4. 17–29 min · Collaborative concept planning. Teacher circulates, prompting with questions such as, “What will the audience notice first?”, “Which form could travel through all three time frames?”, and “How will your colours show change?” Students sketch the overall composition and add their section ideas to the worksheet, labelling key forms, colour choices, textures or patterns, mood, and at least one visual link between sections.

5. 29–36 min · Peer feedback carousel. Teacher pauses the class and directs groups to leave their plan visible. Using the feedback prompt slides, explain “Two stars and a next step”: feedback must name a successful visual idea and offer one specific, kind suggestion. Students visit one other group’s plan, discuss what is clear and memorable, and write or verbally share feedback. Groups then return to their own plan.

6. 36–42 min · Revise and rehearse the explanation. Teacher asks groups to use the feedback to make at least two purposeful changes, recording revisions in a different colour on the shared artwork planning sheet. Students refine unclear ideas, strengthen the links between time frames, and practise a 30-second explanation in which each member describes their section and the group’s shared concept.

7. 42–45 min · Share and exit reflection. Teacher invites two or three groups to present briefly and uses the closing reflection slide to revisit the question from the hook. Students complete the success criteria exit ticket slips, identifying one contribution they made, one revision their group made, and one decision they need to make next lesson.

Resources

• the Nature Through Time planning slide deck
• the shared artwork planning sheet
• the success criteria exit ticket slips
• Projector or interactive whiteboard
• A3 paper or large planning paper
• Pencils, erasers and coloured pencils
• Group folders or clipboards
• Timer
• Exemplars or teacher-created three-part artwork

Assessment

• Listen during group planning for students explaining purposeful choices about composition, forms, colour and visual connections.
• Check worksheets for all four planning components and evidence that each student has contributed to a shared concept.
• Use peer feedback and exit tickets to identify students who need support with collaboration, communicating ideas or revising designs before the next lesson.

Differentiation

• Provide a visual planning checklist, a small vocabulary bank and sentence starters such as “Our section shows…”, “A form we could repeat is…” and “I agree because…”.
• Offer students who need support a pre-divided composition template, a choice of suggested natural forms, or the option to explain ideas orally while a peer records them.
• Support EAL learners with images, gestures, paired rehearsal and permission to use familiar words alongside art vocabulary.
• Extend confident students by asking them to justify how scale, viewpoint, contrast or a repeated motif will guide the audience’s eye across all three time frames.
• Establish inclusive group roles—artist, recorder and discussion facilitator—and rotate roles where appropriate so every student has an active voice.