Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 2

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• This week, we're diving into the wonderful world of visual art and basic design! Art is all around us, from the colourful patterns on our traditional Ndebele houses to the designs on our clothes and even the way food is arranged on our plates. Understanding basic design principles helps us create our own beautiful and meaningful things. We will focus specifically on exploring different textures and patterns in our artwork. This is important because it allows us to express ourselves, appreciate the beauty of our culture and environment, and develop important problem-solving skills. Learning about textures and patterns expands our sensory awareness and allows us to connect with the world around us in a deeper way.
• By the end of this week, you will be able to:
• Identify and describe at least three different textures (e.g., rough, smooth, bumpy) using your senses (CAPS: Demonstrate an awareness of different materials and textures).
• Create a simple artwork incorporating at least two different textures using readily available materials (CAPS: Explore a range of visual art media and techniques).
• Recognize and name at least two different patterns (e.g., stripes, dots, zigzags) in your immediate environment (CAPS: Develop an understanding of basic design elements).

Lesson summary

This week, we're diving into the wonderful world of visual art and basic design! Art is all around us, from the colourful patterns on our traditional Ndebele houses to the designs on our clothes and even the way food is arranged on our plates. Understanding basic design principles helps us create our own beautiful and meaningful things. We will focus specifically on exploring different textures and patterns in our artwork. This is important because it allows us to express ourselves, appreciate the beauty of our culture and environment, and develop important problem-solving skills.

Lesson notes

What are Textures? Texture is how something feels when you touch it. Even if you don't touch it, you can often imagine how it feels just by looking at it.

Textures can be: Rough: Like the bark of a tree, a bumpy stone, or coarse sandpaper. Imagine touching a "roststeen" - a rusty stone - you might find in your garden. How would it feel?

Smooth: Like glass, a polished pebble, or a baby's cheek. Think of the smooth surface of a shiny, red apple.

Bumpy: Like a sponge, a gravel road, or the skin of an orange. Imagine feeling the bumps on a makhukhu(shack) wall made of corrugated iron.

Soft: Like cotton wool, a feather, or a fluffy kitten. Think of the soft wool used to knit a warm blanket for winter.

Hard: Like a brick, a rock, or a table. Think of the hard texture of a pavement when you play hopscotch.

Activity: Texture Hunt! Close your eyes and think about the different things in your home or classroom. What are some things that feel rough? What are some things that feel smooth? What about bumpy or soft?

How to Create Texture in Art: We can create the illusion of texture in our art, even if the paper itself is smooth.

We can do this by: Using different materials: Glueing on sand, string, fabric scraps, or dried leaves. For example, you could create a textured picture of a baobab tree by gluing small pieces of bark (collected responsibly, of course!) onto paper to represent the trunk.

Applying paint in different ways: Dabbing, stippling (lots of little dots), or using thick layers of paint (impasto). Try using a sponge to dab paint onto the paper to create a rough, textured look.

Drawing different kinds of lines: Short, scratchy lines can suggest roughness. Long, flowing lines can suggest smoothness. Practice drawing different types of lines. What are Patterns? A pattern is something that repeats itself. It could be a shape, a colour, a line, or anything else! Patterns are everywhere!

Think about: Stripes: Like on a zebra, a striped shirt, or a barber pole.

Dots: Like on a ladybug, a polka-dot dress, or on a painted traditional pot.

Zigzags: Like on a lightning bolt or the edge of some traditional fabrics.

Spirals: Like on a seashell or a sunflower.

Checks: Like on a chessboard or a checkered tablecloth.

Geometric shapes: Repeating squares, triangles, or circles. Look at the patterns in Zulu beadwork!

Organic patterns: Repeating shapes found in nature, like leaves or flowers.

Activity: Pattern Spotting! Look around the classroom (or your home). Can you spot any patterns? What repeats itself?

How to Create Patterns: Creating patterns is easy and fun!

You can: Draw them: Draw a shape and then draw it again and again next to each other.

Use stamps: Cut a shape out of a potato or an eraser and dip it in paint to stamp a pattern.

Use stencils: Cut a shape out of cardboard and use it as a stencil to paint or draw the shape repeatedly.

Use found objects: Dip leaves, bottle caps, or anything else with an interesting shape into paint to create a pattern.