Creating a Knowledge Artwork

Overview

In this seventh lesson of Stories That Sustain Knowledge, students move from examining how knowledge is carried across generations to communicating a personally relevant sustainability message. They plan and create an original visual or mixed-media artwork, then explain how their design choices connect with intergenerational knowledge and respect the cultural authority of others.

Learning intentions

• WALT communicate an important sustainability message through a visual or mixed-media artwork.
• WALT use original symbols and design choices intentionally.
• WALT explain how an artwork can carry knowledge between generations.
• WALT acknowledge inspirations respectfully and avoid copying sacred or culturally restricted designs.

Success criteria

• I can communicate a clear message about sustaining people, places, knowledge or relationships.
• I can use colour, shape, line, texture, words or materials intentionally.
• I can explain my process, intended audience and design choices.
• I can acknowledge my inspirations respectfully and create original symbols.

Curriculum links

• Social Sciences — using sources to examine perspectives and communicate understanding.
• Social Sciences — exploring environmental and social challenges, impacts and responses across the Pacific and globally.
• Social Sciences — examining identity, power and change, including whose knowledge is shared and protected.
• Social Sciences — engaging in respectful social sciences dialogue and communicating conclusions.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–7 min · Reconnect and provoke. Teacher displays two contrasting images of objects or artworks that communicate care for a place or community using the opening visual and retrieval prompt. Students silently respond to: “How can an image carry knowledge or responsibility from one generation to another?” and share one idea with a partner.

2. 7–15 min · Establish respectful creating principles. Teacher uses the respectful design guidance to revisit the difference between inspiration, copying and cultural appropriation. Emphasise that students should not reproduce tā moko, tukutuku, kōwhaiwhai, iwi-specific patterns, religious symbols or other designs they do not have permission to use. Students identify one personally meaningful sustainability issue and draft a message beginning, “I want people to remember that…”

3. 15–23 min · Model planning and artist statements. Teacher models a simple example, thinking aloud about audience, original symbols, colour and materials, then introduces the knowledge artwork planner and artist statement. Students complete the planning boxes: message, intended audience, inspiration, original symbols, design choices, materials and intergenerational connection. Confer with students to check that each idea is respectful and achievable.

4. 23–45 min · Create the artwork. Teacher sets up drawing, collage, print, digital or clay options and circulates, asking: “What does this symbol mean?” and “How will your audience understand the message?” Students create an artwork using their plan, revising where necessary. They may work independently or with a peer support partner, but each student must make intentional choices and retain ownership of their message.

5. 45–54 min · Write and share the artist statement. Teacher directs students back to the artist statement prompts and provides a two-minute warning before writing. Students complete a short artist statement on the knowledge artwork planner and artist statement explaining their message, audience, symbols or design choices, process, inspiration and connection to intergenerational knowledge. In pairs, students share their artwork and give feedback using: “I notice…”, “I think your message is…”, and “One question I have is…”

6. 54–60 min · Gallery reflection and exit check. Teacher displays the gallery reflection prompts and reminds students to view others’ work without touching or judging the artwork. Students complete a brief exit response: “My artwork helps sustain knowledge by…” and “One respectful choice I made was…”. Collect the planner and statement for formative assessment; artworks can be completed or curated in the final lesson.

Resources

• the complete knowledge artwork teaching deck
• the knowledge artwork planner and artist statement
• Drawing paper or card
• Pencils, coloured pencils, markers and erasers
• Magazines, coloured paper, scissors and glue
• Optional clay, printmaking materials or supervised digital drawing tools
• Device access and headphones where digital creation is selected
• Table coverings and drying/storage space
• Timer and display area for a mini gallery

Assessment

• During planning, check that each student has a clear sustainability message, an intended audience and original symbols rather than copied or restricted designs.
• During creation and conferencing, ask students to explain the meaning of at least one design choice and how it relates to sustaining knowledge.
• Use the artist statement and exit response to assess communication, intentional design, process explanation and respectful acknowledgement of inspiration.

Differentiation

• Provide a completed exemplar, a visual planning sequence and sentence starters such as “My message is…”, “I chose this colour because…” and “My inspiration came from…”.
• Offer drawing, collage, print, digital and clay choices; provide thicker tools, adaptive scissors, speech-to-text, enlarged templates or a quiet workspace as needed.
• Pair students strategically for discussion and practical support, while ensuring the artwork and message remain each student’s own.
• For EAL learners, allow labelled sketches, oral rehearsal and bilingual dictionaries; explicitly teach and display key terms such as message, audience, symbol, inspiration and intergenerational.

Extension

• Develop a layered artwork that communicates different meanings to two audiences, such as younger students and whānau.
• Create an accompanying oral narrative explaining how the artwork could be used to pass knowledge to a future generation.
• Add a short curator’s note explaining which choices were personal and which sources or people influenced the idea.