Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 3

Lesson Video

This page supports the lesson note with a companion video and a short classroom-ready summary.

For class groups and homework, share this lesson page so learners also get the summary, objectives, and full lesson context.

Performance objectives

• Identify and describe different textures like rough, smooth, and soft.
• Create a 2D collage of a familiar scene.
• Use scissors safely and correctly.
• Apply glue neatly to paste materials.
• Explain why you chose certain materials for your artwork.

Lesson summary

This lesson introduces Grade 3 learners to the exciting world of collage and mixed media art, focusing on the exploration of different materials and their textures. In South Africa, a country rich in diverse cultures and natural beauty, art has always been a powerful way to tell stories and express identity. By using everyday 'found' materials (like leaves, sand, and pebbles from our gardens) and 'recycled' materials (like old magazines, bottle tops, and fabric scraps), learners discover that art is accessible to everyone, not just those who can buy expensive supplies. This fosters creativity, resourcefulness, and an appreciation for our environment.

Lesson notes

What is a Collage? A collage is a piece of art made by sticking different materials, such as paper, fabric, photographs, and other objects, onto a piece of paper or cardboard. The word 'collage' comes from the French word coller, which means “to glue.” Think of it as building a picture with different pieces instead of just drawing it. Exploring Key Art Materials In this lesson, we are art detectives! We look for clues in the world around us to make amazing art.

Found Materials: These are natural or man-made items you can find outside or around your home. They are free and make your art unique!

Examples: Leaves, twigs, sand, small stones or pebbles, seeds, feathers, grass. Why use them? They bring nature into your art and have wonderful, real textures.

Recycled Materials: These are things we might normally throw away, but we can give them a new life as art. This is great for our planet!

Examples: Old magazines or newspapers, fabric scraps (like shweshwe off-cuts), bottle tops, plastic wrappers, wool or string, buttons, cardboard from boxes. Why use them? They come in bright colours and interesting shapes, and using them helps reduce waste. Understanding Texture Texture is one of the most exciting parts of art. It is how something feels when you touch it. When we make a collage, we can use materials with different textures to make our picture more interesting and feel more real.

Rough: Feels scratchy and uneven.

Example: Sandpaper, the bark of a tree, a piece of old brick.

Smooth: Feels flat and even, with no bumps.

Example: A glossy page from a magazine, a river stone, a plastic bottle top.

Soft: Feels gentle and cushiony.

Example: A cotton ball, a piece of wool, a fluffy feather.

Bumpy: Has lots of little lumps and bumps.

Example: Bubble wrap, a piece of corrugated cardboard (the cardboard with ridges inside).

Essential Techniques Safe Cutting: Scissors are a tool, not a toy.

How: Hold the scissors with your thumb in the smaller hole and your other fingers in the larger hole. Always point the scissors away from your body and your friends. When you cut, open and close the blades smoothly. For tricky shapes, it's easier to turn the paper with your other hand than to twist the scissors around.

Tearing Paper: How: Hold the paper with both hands, close together. Pull one hand towards you and the other away from you. Tearing creates a soft, fuzzy edge, which looks very different from a sharp, cut edge. This is great for making clouds, mountains, or fur.

Pasting and Gluing: How: The secret is: “A dot, not a lot!” Too much glue makes the paper wet and wrinkly. You can use a glue stick or liquid glue. If using liquid glue, you can spread a thin layer with your finger, a small brush, or a piece of cardboard. Press the material down firmly for a few seconds after applying glue.