Exploring Outer Light

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Curriculum Area & Level

Arts – Visual Arts | The New Zealand Curriculum
Levels: 1–3
(Designed for Year 1–6 students, differentiated accordingly)

Linked Learning Areas:

• Science (Planet Earth and Beyond strand)
• English (Speaking, Listening, Describing)
• Key Competencies: Thinking | Managing Self | Participating and Contributing | Using Language, Symbols and Texts

School Values Connection:

• Whanaungatanga — Group collaboration in art-making
• Kaitiaki — Understanding and caring for our place in the universe
• Hauora — Emotional expression through creative media
• Ako — Peer-to-peer learning through group work

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WALT (We Are Learning To)

• WALT collaborate in a large group to create a mixed-media art piece of the solar system
• WALT use painting and pastel techniques to represent space and planets
• WALT express ideas visually using colour, texture, and placement

Success Criteria

Students will be successful when they can: ✅ Work together respectfully in a group to create a shared space artwork
✅ Represent at least one celestial body using appropriate shape and colour
✅ Use at least two different materials (paint and pastel) in their artwork
✅ Communicate their creative choices to a peer or teacher using art vocabulary (e.g., blend, texture, background)

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Materials

• A3 white or black paper for each group (11 total groups of 5–6 students)
• Acrylic/poster paints
• Oil pastels and chalk pastels
• White pencils or crayons (for stars/light)
• Bowls of water, paintbrushes, paper towels
• Printed image references of planets (optional)

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Group Arrangement

Divide the class of 61 into 11 groups of 5–6 students.
Each group is responsible for part of a collaborative classroom solar system mural — either a planet, the sun, a moon, or the background space.

This strategy encourages:

• Tuakana-teina (older supporting younger learners)
• Cross-year interaction in shared creativity
• Self-management and collaboration

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30-Minute Lesson Plan Outline

Time	Activity
0–5 mins	Karakia + Topic Introduction (Te Reo Māori and English)

• Begin with a short karakia
• Introduce the solar system – link to Te Whānau o Tamanuiterā (the sun whānau)
• Discuss how we’ll co-create a collaborative wall-sized solar system | | 5–10 mins | Design Discussion & Group Duties
  Each group decides:
• Which object they are representing (planet, sun, moon, stars, etc.)
• The colours, shapes and materials they will need
• Who will paint the background, who will use the pastels (roles assigned to support self-management) | | 10–25 mins | Create Group Artwork
• Students use paint and pastels to create their portion
• Adults circulate for support and encouragement
• Students are encouraged to blend colours, think about textures, and fill the space creatively | | 25–30 mins | Reflection & Sharing (Mihi Whakataka)
• Groups pair up briefly and describe what they made, why they chose those designs
• Mā te kōrero, ka ako tātou – through discussion, we learn
• A short tidy up session finishes class, reinforcing self-management
• Early finishers help with dry space setup for mural collecting |

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Teaching Notes

Differentiation Strategy

For Years 1–2:

• Provide templates of planet outlines if needed.
• Use pastel more for ease instead of detailed brushwork.
• Verbal prompts: “Is your planet hot or cold? Big or small?”

For Years 3–4:

• Encourage descriptions of surface features (e.g., Saturn’s rings, Mars' red dust).
• Combine both media intentionally (layer pastel over dry paint).

For Years 5–6:

• Push colour theory (warm vs. cool colour use for different planets)
• Introduce scale: how would your paper-sized planet compare to others?

Extension Ideas for Advanced Learners

• Add Māori pūrākau (stories) connected to stars or planets into their group work (e.g., Matariki stars)
• Create visual textures to show gas, rock or ice properties
• Use descriptive writing after class to narrate a fictional journey through their artwork's solar system

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Te Ao Māori Integration

• Name celestial bodies in te reo Māori (e.g., Tamanuiterā for the Sun, Marama for the Moon)
• Introduce whakataukī:
  “Whāia te iti kahurangi, ki te tūohu koe, me he maunga teitei”
  (Seek the treasure you value most dearly: if you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain.)
  – Encourages students to aim high in their creative expression.

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Follow-up & Assessment Opportunities

• Display all artworks together as a classroom “Solar System Mural”
• Peer & Self-assessment: Use thumbs-up/thumbs-side/emoji chart for reflection
• Prompt Questions:
  • Which part did you enjoy?
  • What was challenging?
  • How did you contribute to your group's success?

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Optional Literacy Link

Shared Book Reading:

• "The Solar System" by Jill McDonald (Year 1–2)
• "The Planets" by Gail Gibbons (Year 3–6)

Writing Prompt:
“Imagine waking up on your group’s planet — what do you see, feel, smell, and hear?”

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Teacher-to-Teacher Tip

Prepare work areas with labelled trays or paper anchors where each group knows where their piece begins and ends. This cuts down time confusion for younger tamariki and ensures clear expectations and direction.

Let tamariki take charge of their own materials and lead their own discovery. You’ll be amazed what a mini Saturn and a determined six-year-old can create when you give them the space.

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He toi whakairo, he mana tangata.
Art is a manifestation of human expression and spirit.