EYE OF THE DRAGON (Lower Key Stage 2)

Teaching Pack

5 Lesson Presentation Slides
Knowledge Organiser
Medium Term Planning
Teaching resources
Additional Presentation: Elements of Art
Additional Presentation: Using Sketchbooks
Additional Presentation: 5 Minute Drawing
Additional Presentation: Art Museums

Unit Overview

Sequence of Learning for Teachers

This unit of work follows a common thread of dragon’s eyes and children create different dragon’s eyes using a range of media and techniques. Key learning covers blending colours when using coloured pencils, paints, and soft pastels. These activities provide an opportunity to extend and deepen children’s understanding of the elements of art and in particular colour, the colour wheel and mixing colours using colour theory. Children also learn about texture as another element of art. When creating a clay-bas relief tile of a dragon’s head children develop techniques to create texture when using clay. When drawing a dragon’s head children learn how artists create visual (or implied) texture using different drawing techniques. Children bring all this learning together to create a ceramic dragon’s eye which is painted using acrylic paints.

This knowledge, skills and understanding is delivered through the following convergent task sessions:

Session 1: Blending Using Pencils

Session 2: Ceramic Textures

Session 3: Creating Visual Texture Using Pencils

Session 4: Blending Using Pastels

Creative Outcome (Divergent task) – Dragon’s Eye Sculpture

The unit of work completes with the creative outcome (divergent task) activity that can be delivered over two or more sessions. These sessions can also be used for children to complete activities from sessions 1-4. For the creative outcome children create a ceramic sculpture of a dragon’s eye applying their learning from this unit of work on ceramic sculpture and colour techniques. The creative outcome activity provides an opportunity for children to apply their knowledge, skills and understanding from previous sessions in this unit of work. Through the creative outcome children will develop their creativity and understanding of the creative process by combining their imagination with the knowledge they have acquired.

Learning Sequence

Session 1

This session focuses on developing children’s skills and techniques in using colouring pencils when creating art and how colours can be blended for artistic effect. Children apply their knowledge of the colour wheel and analogous colours to blend colouring pencils to create a dragon's eye.

Session 2

This session focuses on creating a clay-bas relief tile based on a sand sculpture of a dragon’s head. This introduces children to the idea of artists adding detail and texture to their sculptures. Children learn about clay-bas relief tiles and how they are created using clay. They are taught the score and slip method for joiningg together pieces of clay to create their tile. They use a range of techniques to create texture and detail on their tile.

Session 3

This session builds upon children's experiences from the previous session creating texture. In this session children learn about drawing techniques that can be used to create visual (implied texture). Having created 'real' texture in the previous session, in this session they draw the dragon's head combining line, shape, colour and pattern to create detail and implied texture.

Session 4

This session develops children’s knowledge and skills in using colour techniques to show detail and texture when using soft chalk pastels. This session teaches the skills of blending pastels to create different colour value. Using the skills of blending and creating value children draw a large dragon's eye and add colour and detail for artistic effect.

Creative Outcome

Children create a ceramic sculpture of a dragon’s eye – Starting with a acrylic reptilian eye, children apply their learning from previous sessions to create a ceramic sculpture of a dragon's eye. They and create patterns and textures using ceramic tools to add detail and complete the sculpture. When adding colour. children apply their knowledge of colour and blending techniques to complete their ceramic sculpture.

ART ACADEMY