Visual arts / Year 5 and 6

Curriculum content descriptions

Explain how visual arts conventions communicate meaning by comparing artworks from different social, cultural and historical contexts, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artworks (ACAVAR117)

Elaborations
  • making discerning judgments about how they work as an artist, and what and why they design and create, using appropriate visual conventions, for example, a sculpture that expresses movement
  • Considering viewpoints – critical theories: For example – Compare these paintings (one from India, one Australian). What do you recognise? What do you understand? What is new?
  • explaining the artistic vision of artists from different contexts, particularly referencing the meaning their artworks convey, for example, Aboriginal rock art, graffiti art, Egyptian art
  • Considering viewpoints – meanings and interpretations: For example – What is this artwork about? What visual conventions have been used to convey meaning? How did the artist represent their subject matter? How does the artwork reflect the artist’s perspective about the environment? How did the audience react to the artwork when it was first displayed?
  • analysing how symbolic meaning or metaphor is constructed in their own artworks and artworks of others
  • Considering viewpoints – psychology: For example – What elements are used to show excitement in the sculpture? Make a scary monster.
  • expressing an opinion about the way numerous artists communicate multiple viewpoints through their artwork
  • Considering viewpoints – evaluations: For example – Did it make you think more seriously about the issue? Did the rest of the class understand your message?
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
  • Intercultural understanding Intercultural understanding
  • Personal and social capability Personal and social capability
Cross-curriculum priorities
ScOT terms

Settings (Narratives),  Aboriginal art,  Torres Strait Islander art,  Visual arts

Interactive

Strange faces

Students explore the artworks of Italian artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo, who lived four hundred years ago. He loved creating artworks out of other objects. He used objects like fruit, vegetables, sea creatures, flowers, bowls, barrels and books. Students create their own artwork in his style.

Video

Creating art and meaning from waste

Welcome to Marina DeBris's exhibition, "Beach Couture: A Haute Mess". How would you describe Marina's art? What are the ideas she communicates through her artworks? How do the processes, materials and techniques Marina works with contribute to the creation of meaning in her art? Do you agree with Marina's belief that art ...

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Finding beauty in the everyday

Lin Martin is passionate about the connections between science, nature, humanity and Buddhism, all of which come together in her art. Her photographs explore the beauty all around us, in our everyday natural surroundings. It is in these small moments captured by her work, where she draws attention to tiny details in nature, ...

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Alexander Schramm: 'Adelaide, a tribe of natives on the banks of the river Torrens' 1850

This is a painting made in 1850 by Australian colonial artist Alexander Schramm depicting Kaurna people, sheltering under gum trees in Adelaide parkland. The painting is shown as an enlargeable image and in a video. Text onscreen gives information on Schramm’s life and practice as he is known for his sympathetic representation ...

Online

Through my own eyes: a self-portrait - teacher resource

This resource for teachers is a visual arts unit that leads to a resolved two-dimensional self-portrait on paper. The unit combines the techniques of drawing and painting and explores the concept of a personal environment. It is in four parts: exploring examples of portraits by artists across history; developing line-drawn ...

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The Mughal Court paintings

This is an enlargeable image of a Mughal Court painting (1560-1858) from a Bhagavata Purana showing a battle between Krishna and the fire-headed demon Mura. The Bhagavata Purana is a collection of Hindu devotional stories in Sanskrit, illustrating the stories of Krishna in human form. Accompanying the image is information ...

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Zhang Xiaogang, 'Bloodline (Two comrades with red baby)', 1995

This is a painting by Chinese artist Zhang Xiaogang (b1958) depicting two parents and a child. The painting is shown as an enlargeable image. Text onscreen gives information about the context and intention of the work of art, critical of the one-child policy in China, as well as a comprehensive visual analysis explaining ...

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Hans Heysen: 'The saplings', 1904

This resource includes an enlargeable image of the painting 'The saplings' by Hans Heysen and catalogue information about the painting. There is also a video with audio commentary and corresponding onscreen text that provides an interpretation of the painting and information about the artist's views. The painting pays homage ...

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Carol Rudyard: 'Northern theme', 1973

This resource includes an enlargeable image of the painting 'Northern theme' by Carol Rudyard and catalogue information about the painting. There is also a video with audio commentary and corresponding onscreen text that provides an interpretation of the painting and information about the artist's views. The painting references ...

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Sidney Nolan: 'Ned Kelly', 1946

This web page focuses on Sidney Nolan's famous Ned Kelly series of paintings held by the National Gallery of Australia including links to a gallery of enlargeable images, a primary education resource and a lesson plan with interactive resource for Years 5 and 6. The webpage also includes a video with audio commentary about ...

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Ian Fairweather: 'Monastery', 1961

This resource includes an enlargeable image of the painting 'Monastery' by Ian Fairweather and catalogue information about the painting. There is also a video with audio commentary and corresponding onscreen text that provides an interpretation of the painting and information about the artist's views. The abstract painting ...

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Sidney Nolan: 'Kiata', c1943

This resource includes an enlargeable image of the painting 'Kiata' by Sidney Nolan and catalogue information about the painting. There is also a video with audio commentary and corresponding onscreen text that provides an interpretation of the painting, and information about the artist's views. The painting represents ...

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Margaret Preston: 'Flying over the Shoalhaven', 1942

This resource includes an enlargeable image of the painting 'Flying over Shoalhaven River' by Margaret Preston and catalogue information about the painting. There is also a video with audio commentary and corresponding onscreen text that provides an interpretation of the painting and information about the artist's views. ...

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'Garak the Universe - larrakitj', 2005

This is a larrakitj (hollow funeral pole) sculpture created and painted by Yolngu artist Gulumbu Yunupingu. It depicts the universe ('Garak'); not only all the stars that can be seen with the naked eye but everything that exists beyond. The larrakitj is shown here in a colour image that can be enlarged and is accompanied ...

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Proportions of the human figure

Sculptor Nina Grey made a number of sculptures of human figures which are quite realistic in the way that they are modelled. If you are looking to make a realistic figure drawing or even a sculpture what proportions should the figure be? This lesson plan was inspired by the work of sculptor Nina Grey and can be used by ...

Video

Ordinary landscapes

A lesson plan inspired by the work of sculptor Erin Dickson and painter George Shaw who both make work about ordinary landscapes that have meaning for them. This lesson can be used by students to develop drawing skills and use of sketchbooks to develop ideas, to produce creative work, exploring their ideas and/or to evaluate ...

Video

Antony Gormley: Angel of the North

This lesson plan was inspired by The Angel of the North and the work of sculptor Antony Gormley. This lesson can be used by students to develop drawing skills and use of sketchbooks to develop ideas and/or to gain an understanding of the work of one of the most famous contemporary artists.

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Legendary Textile Tales

This resource includes some teaching ideas based on a project facilitated by textiles artist Caitlin Bowe and students from two secondary schools. In this resource, teaching activities prompt exploration of the framework for Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey. Students choose a story that aligns with the hero’s journey structure ...

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Albert Namatjira: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the book Albert Namatjira in which award-winning artist Vincent Namatjira tells the life story of his great-grandfather, Albert Namatjira, one of Australia’s best-known artists. This unit includes practical ideas for using this book in your classroom.

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In search of Monet

In search of Monet is presented as an adventure, a series of games where students imagine that they are taking a trip to France to find out about Monet and his work. Students create a trip diary, postcards, souvenir shop items such as T-shirts and shopping bags; a Monet exhibition and catalogue; and a quiz, exploring a ...