Sketching Designs

Overview

Unit: Upcycling: Creativity Meets Sustainability
Lesson: 5 of 12
Duration: 45 minutes
Class Size: 30 students
Age Group: Year 5 (9-10 years)
Curriculum for Wales Area: Expressive Arts; Science and Technology; Health and Well-being
Cross-Curricular Links: Literacy (annotations and vocabulary), Digital Competence (optional use of sketching apps in extension)

Learning Intentions

By the end of this lesson, pupils will:

Use sketching techniques to represent their chosen upcycled product focusing on design and functionality.
Annotate their sketches with clear, relevant descriptive labels.
Explain how their design supports sustainability and upcycling principles.

Curriculum for Wales Alignment

Areas of Learning and Experience (AoLE)

Expressive Arts
- Knowledge and Understanding: Explore how artists/designers use sketches to communicate ideas (Expressive Arts, Yr 5).
- Skills: Use a range of media to create visual representations with annotations to clarify intentions.
Science and Technology
- Design and Technology: Understand and apply the design process, including sketching, to produce functional products (Technology, Yr 5).
Health and Well-being
- Ethical Informed Citizenship: Appreciate sustainable practices and responsible consumption (HWB, Yr 5).

Statements of What Matters

"Exploring and engaging with the artistic process develops creativity and imagination."
"Design thinking can help find creative, practical solutions to problems."
"Sustainability and ethical choices influence well-being and the environment."

Success Criteria

I can create a detailed sketch of my chosen upcycled product.
I can add labels and annotations to explain my design features and materials.
I understand how my design improves sustainability through upcycling.

Resources Required

Sketching pencils (HB, 2B), erasers
Plain A4 paper and sketching templates (for scaffolded learners)
Colouring pencils/markers for annotation emphasis
Whiteboards and markers (for brainstorming annotations)
Examples of annotated sketches (projected/displayed)
Recyclable materials for optional 3D modelling (cardboard, bottle caps, fabric scraps)

Lesson Structure

1. Starter (7 mins)

Recap: Briefly revisit previous lessons about upcycling and sustainability. Highlight the importance of thoughtful design.
Show Examples: Present 2-3 annotated sketches (real or teacher-made) of upcycled products to illustrate how annotations clarify design decisions and functionality.
Discussion: Prompt pupils to identify design features that make the product useful and sustainable.

2. Main Activity (30 mins)

Task: Pupils create detailed sketches of their chosen upcycled product incorporating annotations.

Step 1: Planning (5 mins)
- Pupils quickly jot or discuss with a partner key features of their product: shape, materials, function, sustainability aspects.
- Teacher circulates to support and prompt annotation ideas (e.g., "What materials will you reuse?", "How does this improve the product’s lifespan?").
Step 2: Sketching (20 mins)
- Pupils sketch their product on A4 paper.
- Scaffolded learners can use templates showing basic shapes to annotate and build confidence.
- Encourage use of arrows, labels, and short notes to explain parts and functions.
- Teacher models annotation language using the whiteboard to support vocabulary (e.g., “This handle is made from recycled wood for sturdiness”).
Step 3: Peer Feedback (5 mins)
- Pupils pair up to explain their design and annotations.
- Peers give one positive comment and one suggestion for improving clarity or sustainability.

3. Plenary (8 mins)

Invite 3-4 volunteers to share their sketches and annotations with the class.
Highlight examples of clear annotations and sustainable design ideas.
Recap how sketching and annotation help designers communicate ideas and support sustainability.
Introduce extension: Creating a 3D model of their design using recyclable materials (encourage them to start thinking about this for next lesson).

Differentiation Strategies

Learner Needs	Approach
Additional support learners	Provide sketch templates with guided annotation prompts. One-to-one support during planning. Use step-by-step visuals.
English as an Additional Language (EAL)	Use labelled picture cards with key vocabulary; model key annotation phrases; pair with bilingual buddy if possible.
Higher ability / advanced learners	Challenge to create a 3D model prototype with recyclable materials either in next lesson or as extended homework. Encourage use of more technical vocabulary and multiple viewpoints in their sketch.

Assessment for Learning

Formative: Teacher circulates to assess the level of detail and understanding in sketches and annotations, providing immediate feedback.
Peer Assessment: Use peer feedback to check clarity of annotations and sustainable design features.
Self-Assessment: Pupils complete a simple checklist—“My sketch shows all parts clearly / I explained materials and function / My design supports sustainability.”

Cross-Curricular Opportunities

Literacy: Enhances vocabulary and ability to write concise explanatory notes.
Digital Competence (optional): Use simple digital sketching apps or tablets to allow pupils to experiment further, if school resources are available.
Personal and Social Education: Develop communication and listening skills through peer feedback.

Teacher Reflection Prompts

Did pupils grasp the relationship between design features and sustainability?
Were the annotations sufficient to communicate design intent clearly?
How effectively did scaffolding support less confident sketchers?
What strategies helped stretch more able pupils?
What adaptations would better support diverse learning needs?

This lesson brings design and sustainability alive through practical, student-centred activities grounded in the Curriculum for Wales. The structured opportunities for creativity, reflection, and peer learning will engage a range of learners while developing key 21st-century skills.

Teaching Instructions