Emotions in Art

Lesson 1: Introduction to Emotions in Art

Year Group

Year 6 (Age 10-11)

Duration

30 minutes

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National Curriculum Links

Art and Design – Key Stage 2 (Years 5 & 6)

• Pupils should be taught to:
  • "produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences"
  • "improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials [for example, clay]"
  • "learn about great artists, craft makers and designers in history"

Specifically:

• Use sketchbooks to collect, record, review, revisit and evaluate ideas
• Develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space
• Learn about the work of artists who have explored emotions and human experiences

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WALT (We Are Learning To):

• Understand how artists express emotions through art
• Explore the theme of emotions in sculpture and art
• Learn about Kathe Kollwitz and her emotional artistic themes

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Success Criteria:

• I can explain how artists use their work to show feelings
• I can identify emotions in artwork by Kathe Kollwitz
• I can share my own emotional response to a piece of art
• I can begin recording ideas about emotions in a sketchbook

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Resources Needed

• Projector or interactive whiteboard
• High-quality images of Kathe Kollwitz’s sculptures and prints (dyslexia-friendly image labelling with large font)
• Sketchbooks or paper for drawing
• Pencils and coloured pencils
• Emotion word list (with symbols and colours, dyslexia-friendly)
• Sentence starters for emotions (e.g., “This artwork makes me feel…”)

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Lesson Outline

Time	Activity	Details
5 min	Starter: Emotion Brainstorm	- Teacher writes “Emotion” on the board - Whole class brainstorm of different emotions — use a visual mind map - Use emotion word list visuals to support all learners, including dyslexic pupils - Encourage pupils to share a time they felt an emotion vividly
8 min	Introduction to Kathe Kollwitz	- Show images of Kollwitz’s work (both sculptures and prints) - Explain her use of art to express emotions linked to human suffering and sympathy - Discuss what feelings students notice in her work (e.g., sadness, empathy, grief) - Use simple but powerful questioning: “What do you see? How does it make you feel?” - Provide sentence starters on screen and in paper format for support
10 min	Group Discussion and Reflection	- In small groups (3-4 pupils), pupils discuss their emotional responses to one image - Each group chooses one emotion to describe verbally - Teacher circulates to scaffold language and understanding - Encourage use of sketchbooks to jot or sketch quick impressions/emotions
7 min	Individual Sketchbook Response	- Pupils begin their first exploratory sketch or word-map in their sketchbooks linked to the emotion they felt during discussion - Emphasise no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to express emotions — personal responses valued - Provide differentiated prompts for those needing support (e.g., emotion word bank, simple image prompts)

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Differentiation Strategies

• For pupils with additional needs/dyslexia:
  • Use emotion word lists with symbols and colour coding
  • Present clear, chunked instructions visually and orally
  • Provide sentence starters and scaffolds
  • Allow oral responses and paired discussion before writing/drawing
• For advanced learners:
  • Challenge them to compare Kollwitz’s work with another emotion-based artwork of their choice (teacher selected or pupil suggested) and begin to note differences or similarities in a sketchbook
  • Encourage more detailed sketching or short written reflections on how style affects emotion perception
• For EAL learners:
  • Use visuals more intensively, model vocabulary explicitly
  • Pair with supportive peers during group work
  • Use bilingual emotion word flashcards if available

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Assessment for Learning

• Teacher observation during group discussions to check emotional vocabulary use and understanding
• Review pupils’ initial sketchbook entries for engagement with emotional themes
• Oral feedback: ask pupils to describe one emotion and how art expressed it before closing the lesson

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Plenary (2 minutes)

• Quick round: “One word to describe how Kollwitz’s art made you feel?”
• Link back to WALT and success criteria
• Reinforce that emotions are powerful tools in art and will be explored further in coming lessons

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Homework/Extension (Optional)

• Pupils to bring in a photo or picture that makes them feel a strong emotion
• Encourage reflection on why it makes them feel that way (can be oral or drawn)

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This engaging and inclusive plan supports national curriculum aims by encouraging pupils to explore emotional expression through art, fostering both creativity and critical thinking aligned with year 6 expectations.