Exploring Nature Through Art

Lesson Overview

Subject: Art and Design
Year Group: Year 3
Duration: 60 Minutes
Class Size: 30 Students
Curriculum Area: National Curriculum for England – Art & Design
Key Links to Other Subjects: Science (Plants, natural materials)

In this lesson, students will create art inspired by nature using real natural materials such as leaves, sticks, and flowers. They will explore texture, pattern, and composition while developing their observational and creative skills.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

• Understand how artists are inspired by nature (science link: plants and natural environments).
• Collect and use natural objects to create a textured piece of artwork.
• Experiment with patterns, symmetry, and layering using leaves, twigs, and other materials.
• Develop observational skills by paying close attention to the details in plants and natural forms.

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Curriculum Links

Art & Design (KS2 – Year 3)

• National Curriculum Aim: "To improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials."
• Specific Focus:
  • Explore nature-inspired techniques.
  • Use natural objects for artistic expression.
  • Recognise and discuss the work of artists inspired by nature.

Science (KS2 – Year 3)

• Plants:
  • Identify different parts of plants and trees (leaves, bark, flowers).
  • Explore natural materials and their textures.

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Lesson Breakdown

Starter Activity (10 minutes) – Nature and Art Discussion

1. Visual Exploration: Display and discuss images of art created using natural materials (e.g., Andy Goldsworthy's work).
2. Think-Pair-Share: Ask students:
   • What natural objects can be used in art?
   • How do artists use nature to inspire them?
3. Mini Demonstration: Show how textures and patterns in leaves, twigs and flowers can be used artistically.

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Main Activity (40 Minutes) – Creating Natural Art

Step 1: Collecting Materials (10 minutes)

• Outdoor Exploration (if possible): Take students outside (school garden/playground) to collect leaves, sticks, flowers and bark.
• Alternatively: If going outside is not possible, provide pre-collected materials and encourage students to examine texture and patterns.
• Discussion Prompt:
  • Which materials have interesting textures?
  • How could we use symmetry in our designs?

Step 2: Designing & Arranging (10 minutes)

• Students will experiment with pattern-making using the natural resources.
• Encourage exploration of:
  • Symmetry: Mirroring leaf patterns.
  • Layering: Placing different textures on top of one another.
  • Rubbing Technique: Using crayons over leaves to capture vein structures.

Step 3: Creating the Artwork (15 minutes)

• Options for students:
  1. Nature Collage: Arranging and gluing leaves/sticks onto a large sheet to form an image or pattern.
  2. Rubbings & Prints: Rubbing over leaves with crayons or pressing leaves into paint to make prints.
  3. Land Art (if outside available): Arranging found objects into a temporary artwork.
• Encourage Creativity: Ask students to create an abstract pattern or image inspired by plants.

Step 4: Reflecting & Sharing (5 minutes)

• Pair discussions:
  • What worked well in your artwork?
  • What would you change next time?
• Mini gallery walk: Students walk around the room and observe others’ work.

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Plenary (10 Minutes) – Mini Critique & Science Link

1. Class Discussion:

   • How did using natural materials help make the artwork unique?
   • What did we learn about the textures of leaves, sticks, and flowers?
   • How does this link to Science (e.g., examining leaf veins, bark texture)?

2. Teacher Questioning:

   • What would happen if we used different seasons’ natural resources?
   • If you were to do this again, what new natural materials might you use?

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Differentiation & Support

For Students Needing Extra Support:

• Provide larger materials for easier handling.
• Offer stencils or templates to help guide patterns/designs.

For Students Wanting a Challenge:

• Encourage them to form detailed symmetrical plant-based designs.
• Introduce discussions on famous nature-inspired artists like William Morris.

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Resources & Materials

• Leaves, sticks, flowers, bark (either gathered outside or pre-collected).
• Large paper/card.
• Glue, scissors.
• Crayons, paint, brushes (for rubbings/prints).

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Assessment Opportunities

• Observation: Are students engaging in the exploration of textures and materials?
• Discussion Contributions: Can students explain how their artwork connects to nature and science?
• Final Artwork: Does the artwork show experimentation and creativity using natural resources?

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Extension Activity

• Nature Sketchbook: Encourage children to start a nature-themed sketchbook, drawing interesting plant textures found in different environments.

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Reflection & Teacher Notes

• How engaged were the students in using natural resources?
• Did they make links between art and science effectively?
• Were there any challenges in collecting/exploring materials?

This lesson integrates creativity with scientific observation, ensuring students develop a deeper appreciation for the natural world while improving their artistic techniques.