PART A

Visual Arts Lesson Plan: Nature Story Books

Tamara Alo-Emile, Sean Jackson, Kaitlin Kleemann and Cara Andriani

Lesson Title: Nature Story Books

Selected School Context: Class Number 2

Arts Subject for this Lesson: Visual Arts

Year level: 3/4 Lesson Length: 45 mins

CURRICULUM LINKS

Content Descriptors Elaborations

Visual Arts Year 3-4

Practicing a variety of techniques and use various technologies to
Use materials, techniques, and processes to explore visual
find different ways of interpreting a theme and/or subject matter,
conventions when making artworks
for example, making a simple animation or storybook.
(ACAVAM111).

English Year 3-4 Drawing upon literary texts students have encountered and
Create literary texts that explore students’ own experiences experimenting with changing particular aspects, for example the
and imagining. time or place of the setting, adding characters or changing their
(ACELT1607) personalities, or offering an alternative point of view on key ideas.

General Capabilities Cross Curriculum Priorities

o Critical and Creative Thinking o Personal and Social Competence o Sustainability

Students use a variety of materials and techniques to convey a message or meaning through art.
It is important that students understand the techniques, materials and processes behind the storybooks
to deepen and explore their knowledge of visual conventions.
As many students have rich cultural heritage values, the use of nature can be specifically related to
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories.
Context and Broad It is evident in the scenario that class number 2 are taught story-lines from their Elders of the
Goals community, therefore, students are able to link their stories to their respective storyline they have
learned from their community experience.
It is assumed that in the past 2 lessons that students will have already read nature story books, created
their story in the format of a comic strip plan and receive feedback from their teacher/peers. This
lesson is creating the story book, obtaining materials and beginning to transfer their designs from the
comic into the book.

In this lesson, students will create their own story books based on their interpretation of the ‘nature’
Specific Learning theme and using their ‘comic strip’ plans created in the previous 2 lessons. They will show their
Outcomes understanding of the visual arts elements, specifically texture and colour through using materials and
drawing as they create their stories in their story books.

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 Introduction of Lesson (5 minutes):
- Recap their plan *refer to appendix 1 for comic plan*
- In the past few lessons they will have created a story, modified and adapted their pictures (in the
format of a comic strip), gained feedback from peers and teachers
Lesson (30 minutes): *refer to appendix 2 for design of story book*
- Student begin the lesson by going outside for 5 minutes to find nature items such as leaves and
Description of the sticks that could be stuck in their storybooks.
Lesson Sequence - Students use their planners to begin creating their storybooks
- Materials are placed up the front where students can access what they need as required
- Encourage students to not waste materials as sustainability is important and to put all materials
they can't be reused in the next lessons in the recycling bin during pack up.
Lesson Conclusion (10 minutes):
- Students pack up and place things back in their respective places. Storybooks should be given
back to teacher to look after and they will be completed in the following lesson.

Students with hearing disabilities:

- Activity focuses on written abilities
- Students sit at front of classroom
- Teacher may wear a hearing aid microphone
- Repeating the task several times if needed
- Explaining the activity separately to the students if needed
Differentiation Lack of attendance:
- Encourage class participation
- In class completion and presentation
- Parents are invited into the class for students to present their story books once completed
Different year levels:
- Grade 3 students will require more scaffolding

Achievement Standards (ACARA)

- They use visual conventions (elements, design and principles, composition and style), techniques and
processes to communicate their ideas.
Assessment Types:
Students will have taken on peer feedback after creating their comic strip plans.
Assessment
Teacher will complete criteria checklist after storybook completion:
➔ Complete storybook based on the ‘nature’ theme
➔ Use their ‘comic strip’ plans as a basis for their storybooks
➔ Show understanding of the visual arts elements, specifically texture and colour
Parent feedback of completed storybooks when done also

Preparation:
● Material based story books to refer to
● Students need their comic strips plan and feedback
Equipment:
● Textured & coloured materials
Preparation /
● Nature materials: leaves, dirt, sticks, etc.
Equipment ● Ream of A4 paper
● Coloured textas
● Hole Punch
● Glue
● Brown Jute Twine
● Stack of Brown A4 cardboard (front and back covers)

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 ● Australian Curriculum
● Textured picture books
Resources ● Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander picture books
● Placement Observations for ideas
● Comic strip layout sheet

Part A Reflection: 438

REFERENCE TO ARTS TEXT AND OTHER THINGS
Lesson Content Critique
Overall, I believe our lesson plan was well thought through and met the ACARA (2016) curriculum links for
both Visual Arts and English well. The planning of the lesson would have fit perfectly into a 5-6 week unit and
the lead in and follow-up lessons would have timed well. When looking at the improvement of the lesson plan,
there should have been more detail for the ‘class content’ as we used the template provided, but did not explain
the considerations or diversity or inclusion in as much depth as there was.
With our assessment task, we did explain the requirements in our teaching, however, did not include the rubric
in the lesson plan appendix, this would have ultimately assisted our teaching and explanation of the summative
task. In our differentiation of the lesson plan, we identified that ‘lack of attendance’ was an issue, however more
of a behavioural aspect and did not need to be mentioned.
Group Work and Organization
Our organization and group work was very good, the four of us decided on a topic and lesson idea together and
participated in the teaching and content equally. As we were only able to teach 20 minutes of a 45 minute
lesson, I believe that our planning of timing and pace for a year 3-4 class would have been sound and our
explanation of the task simple to follow, yet a challenging activity for the students.
Teaching Strategies
One area I struggled most with was teaching a 45 minute lesson in 20 minutes. It did not allow the class to gain
much understanding of the task and felt like the lesson was rushed. Due to the time constraints of the teaching,
our strategies, management skills and cues had to be precise and clear for the class to fully understand and get
the most out of the lesson. When walking around the class, I observed the learning taking place, and asked
prompting questions to see the students ideas and thinking. In their reflections, it was good to see they liked
making the ‘texture story books’ and creating using different materials.
Lesson Feedback/Responses
After looking at the class feedback, some goals I should consider for future improvement could include
incorporation of other curriculum areas, for example, this is a nature story book and could have been used in a
HASS: Geography story. Our class context also did not have many considerations for differentiation, only
children with hearing disabilities, this lesson may need some adapting for children with ASD/ learning
difficulties, for example, if I were to teach this in a classroom setting.

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 Appendix 1 - Comic Strip Format

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 Appendix 2 - Example of Completed Story Book

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