Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 3

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• Identify natural and man-made art materials.
• Describe how different materials feel (their texture).
• Learn how to make a collage.
• Use our art tools safely and tidy up.

Lesson summary

This lesson introduces Grade 3 learners to the foundational concepts of creative arts: the materials we use and the techniques we apply. In the South African context, art is not just something in a gallery; it is woven into the fabric of our daily lives. We see it in the vibrant beadwork of Zulu and Xhosa cultures, the geometric patterns on Ndebele houses, the wire and bead animals sold at craft markets, and the resourceful toys children make from discarded materials. This topic encourages learners to see their environment as a source of inspiration and materials, fostering creativity, resourcefulness, and an appreciation for both natural and man-made objects.

Lesson notes

What are Art Materials? Art materials are the things we use to create art. They are the building blocks of our imagination! We can find them in our classroom, our homes, and even outside in nature.

We can group them into two main types: Natural Materials: These are materials that come directly from the earth and nature. They haven't been made in a factory. Think about our beautiful South African landscapes!

Examples: Sand: The fine, grainy sand from a Durban beach or the red sand of the Kalahari.

Stones and Pebbles: Smooth, small stones from a riverbed in the Drakensberg.

Leaves and Twigs: Fallen leaves from a Jacaranda tree or small twigs from an Acacia (thorn tree).

Clay: The soft, mouldable earth found near rivers, which has been used for making pots for thousands of years in Africa.

Seeds: Pumpkin seeds (pampoenpitte) or seeds from a sunflower can be used to make patterns.

Man-made Materials: These are materials that people have made, usually in factories. This includes things we buy from the shop and things we can recycle.

Examples: Classroom Supplies: Paper, paint, crayons, glue, pencils.

Recycled Items (Junk Art): Old magazines or newspapers, plastic bottle tops (from a cooldrink bottle), cardboard boxes (like a cereal box), fabric scraps (off-cuts of shweshwe fabric), wool, plastic bags. Exploring Texture Texture is one of the most exciting parts of art. Texture is how something feels when you touch it. Closing your eyes and touching different things can help you understand texture better.

Texture Words: Rough: Like sandpaper or the bark of a tree.

Smooth: Like a glass window or the surface of a photograph.

Soft: Like cotton wool or a fluffy blanket.

Hard: Like a stone or a wooden desk.

Bumpy: Like a gravel road or some types of shells.

Sticky: Like glue or a piece of tape. Why is texture important? Using different textures in an artwork makes it more interesting to look at and to touch. Imagine making a picture of a sheep. You could use smooth paper for its face and fluffy cotton wool for its woolly body. This makes the picture feel more real! What are Art Techniques? A technique is the special way or method we use to work with our materials. If the material is the ingredient, the technique is the recipe! This week, our main technique is collage.

Collage (pronounced kol-LAJ): A collage is an artwork that is made by sticking different materials onto a background. The word comes from a French word 'coller', which means 'to glue'. How to Make a Simple Collage (Step-by-Step): Gather Your Materials: Collect interesting things like coloured paper, pictures from old magazines, fabric scraps, and maybe some natural materials like flat leaves.

Plan Your Idea: What do you want to create? Let's say you want to make a picture of the South African flag.

Shape Your Pieces: You can tear the paper with your hands for a rough edge, or use safety scissors for a clean, straight edge. For the flag, you would need pieces of black, yellow, green, white, red, and blue. Arrange First, Stick Later: Before you use any glue, place all your pieces on your background paper. Move them around until you are happy with how your flag looks. This is a very important step!

Glue It Down: Once you are happy with your design, pick up one piece at a time, put glue on the back, and stick it down firmly. Taking Care of Our Tools and Space Creating art can sometimes be messy, and that's okay! But being a good artist also means being responsible.

We must always: Put the lids back on glue sticks and paint pots so they don't dry out. Wash our paintbrushes with water after using them. Use scissors safely, always pointing them away from ourselves and others. Work on a newspaper or plastic sheet to protect the table. Help to clean up our area when we are finished. Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Question 1: The Texture Bag Activity: The teacher presents a fabric bag that contains several items: a small stone, a piece of cotton wool, a plastic bottle top, and a dry leaf. A learner is asked to put their hand in the bag (without looking) and choose one object. They must describe how it feels using texture words before guessing what it is.

Worked example

Learner: (Feels the object) "It feels hard and a little bit bumpy, but also smooth in some places. It is cool to touch."

Teacher: "Great describing words! Hard, bumpy, and smooth. What do you think it could be?"

Learner: "Is it a stone?"

Teacher: "Let's see!" (Learner pulls out the stone). "You are correct!"

Commentary: This activity directly engages the learner's sense of touch and reinforces the use of descriptive vocabulary for texture. It's a fun, game-like way to practice a key concept.

Question 2: Sorting Materials

Activity: On a mat, there is a collection of items: a twig, a piece of cardboard, a bottle top, some sand in a small dish, and a crayon. The teacher asks the learners to sort these into two hoops labelled "Natural" and "Man-made".

Worked Solution:

Natural Hoop: twig, sand

Man-made Hoop: piece of cardboard, bottle top, crayon

Commentary: This practical sorting task helps solidify the learners' understanding of the difference between natural and man-made materials. The teacher should discuss each choice, asking "Why does the twig go in the natural hoop?" (Because it grew on a tree) and "Why does the crayon go in the man-made hoop?" (Because people made it in a factory).

Question 3: Planning a Collage Shape

Activity: The teacher wants the class to make a collage of a simple flower. She asks, "I have my background paper, my glue, and my torn pieces of coloured paper. What is the very next step I should do before I start sticking anything down?"

Worked Solution: The next step is to arrange the torn paper pieces on the background to form the shape of the flower (a circle for the centre, and petal shapes around it). You should not use the glue yet.

Commentary: This question targets a crucial step in the collage process that learners often forget. Emphasizing the "arrange before you stick" rule helps prevent mistakes and encourages thoughtful composition. It teaches learners to plan ahead in their creative process.

Independent Practice (Questions Only)

Draw a line to match the object to its main texture:

A feather -> Hard

A brick -> Smooth

A mirror -> Soft

List two natural materials you could find on your way home from school.

List two man-made materials that are in your lunchbox.

You are finished painting. What are two important things you must do to take care of your paintbrush and paint?

In your own words, what is a collage?

Imagine you are making a collage of a green, grassy field with a bright yellow sun. What man-made materials could you use from the recycling bin?

Name one material that is smooth and one material that is rough.

Why is it a good idea to arrange your collage pieces before you glue them down?