UNIT PLAN PROFORMA

NAME:

Lesley KONG

TIME:

2x 75 minute lessons, 1x 60
minute lesson

ACTIVITY:

The Animal in Me

CLASS/YE
AR:

Year 3/4

LINKS TO CURRICULUM
AREAS:

The Arts (Visual Arts), English, History, Science

DATE:

Term 2, 2016

Overview Statement for the Unit

School context: The school is a primary and secondary school in a small Indigenous community located in remote South Australia. The majority of the
population in the community are Anangu and their first language is Pitjantjatra or Yankunytjatjara. English is introduced to children when they start school,
and English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EALD) methodologies underpin all curriculum learning areas. The school has 15 non-indigenous staff, an
Anangu coordinator, and several Aboriginal Education Workers (AEW). The school is equipped with suitable working spaces for teaching and learning in the
Arts, and also has strong links to the local Arts Centre, which is within walking distance of the school.
Class context: There are 18 students in the class, all of whom are enrolled in the EALD program. The students have varied reading/writing abilities. The class
is buddy classes with a Year 7 class.
Rationale: The Arts learning area is significant to the representation and development of communities and cultures at a national and global level. Anangu
law (Tjukurpa), which forms the basis of all relationships between the land, its people, animals and plants, is the foundation of Anangu life and society.
Animals are an important part of Tjukurpa; many animals are associated with ancestral beings. In Term 1, the students completed a Science unit in the
biological sciences on living things and how they may be grouped on the basis of observable features, with a focus on the animal kingdom. This unit
provides students with the opportunity to draw from this knowledge they have acquired to explore and develop their sense of identity through visual arts.
The lessons in this unit also assist students language development as the stimulus to language is a visual one.
Overview: In this unit of three lessons, student make and respond in visual arts through self-portraits. Students investigate how people are depicted in visual
artworks, more specifically, how artists represent themselves using self-portraits. Students explore how self-portraits may be used to communicate their
ideas about themselves. Students represent themselves using self-portraits that include the qualities of animals/birds through drawing and printmaking.
Students make personal evaluations of their own and others artworks.
General Outcomes for the Unit
Learning Outcomes:
Students examine artworks from different cultures and times (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander [ATSI] artworks).
Students explore self-portraiture as a means of representing self and identity.
Students develop knowledge and understanding of the genre of self-portraiture.
Students consider how meanings and interpretations may be conveyed in artworks and acknowledge the roles of artist and audience.
Students identify and explain how different art styles, forms, and visual conventions can be used to represent different historical, social and cultural
contexts.

Content Descriptions
General Capabilities
Cross-Curricular
Explore ideas and artworks from different cultures and times, including artwork by Aboriginal and
- Critical and Creative Thinking
Priorities
Torres Strait Islander artists, to use as inspiration for their own representations (ACAVAM110)
- Intercultural Understanding
- Aboriginal
Use materials, symbols, techniques and processes to explore visual conventions when making
- Personal and Social Capability
and Torres
artworks (ACAVAM111)
- Literacy
Strait
Present artworks and describe how they have used visual conventions to represent their ideas
Islander
(ACAVAM112)
Histories
Identify intended purposes and meanings of artworks using visual arts terminology to compare
and Cultures
artworks, starting with visual artworks in Australia including visual artworks of Aboriginal and Torres
- Sustainabilit
Strait Islander Peoples (ACAVAR113)
y
Evaluation of the Outcomes
Assessment Methods:
Formative assessment:
Observation and note-taking of participation and responses in: guided questioning, class discussion, think-pair-share, group discussion, class brainstorming,
individual work activities

Reflective journal entry

Summative assessment: Self-portrait using printmaking
-

Lesson
Sequence

Learning Outcomes

Activity

Teaching

Resources

Strategy

needed

Assessment

Lesson 1
Appreciating
Self
port
rait
art
wor
ks
(75 minutes)

Lesson 2
Creating
selfport
rait
s
usin
g
dra
win
g
(60 minutes)

Students examine
artworks from
different cultures and
times (including ATSI
artworks).
Students develop
knowledge and
understanding of the
genre of selfportraiture.
Students explore selfportraiture as a
means of
representing self and
identity.
Students consider
how meanings and
interpretations may
be conveyed in
artworks.

Students look at artworks by Paul Czanne (SelfPortrait at the easel) and Vincent van Gogh (SelfPortrait in front of the Easel). Discuss:
What are these artworks of?
Who do you think these people are?
Who is the artist of each artwork?
Introduce self-portraiture to the students.
Students look at artworks by Australian artists
Margaret Olley (Portrait in the mirror) and Brett
Whiteley (Self-portrait in the studio). In pairs (thinkpair-share), students discuss the composition of the
self-portraits. As a class, discuss the similarities and
differences in the artworks.
Students stand behind an empty picture frame and
adopt an expression and pose. The other students try
to guess how they are feeling and what they are doing.
Students study their facial features In a mirror and
draw self-portraits using pencil.
Students write one sentence summaries of the lesson
in their journals.

Students examine
artworks from
different cultures and
times (including ATSI
artworks).
Students explore selfportraiture as a
means of
representing self and
identity.
Students consider
how meanings and
interpretations may
be conveyed in
artworks and
acknowledge the
roles of artist and
audience.
Students identify and
explain how different
art styles, forms, and
visual conventions
can be used to
represent different
historical, social and
cultural contexts.

Students look at Owl dreaming (Self-portrait) by

Aboriginal artist Bede Tungutalum. Explain that the
artwork (a lino print) represents an aspect of the Tiwi
Creation story. Introduce the Tiwi people and their
Creation story to the students. Play video of the
creation story of the Tiwi Islands.**
As a class, discuss:
How has the artist has represented himself in the
self-portrait?
What bird has the artist chosen?
What characteristics/features in the portrait remind
you of an owl?
Why do you think the artist chose to represent
himself as an owl?
The class brainstorms a list of Australian animals and
birds that may be associated with particular personal
characteristics/traits (for e.g., strong, brave, quick,
etc.).
Students choose an animal/bird that they feel they
identify with. Students create a self-portrait combining
their features with those of their chosen animal/bird
using charcoal, focusing on the features of the
animal/bird (for e.g., fur, feathers, scales, etc.).
Students seal their self-portraits outdoors using fixative
with the help of students from their buddy class.
Students share their artworks with the rest of the class,
and respond to the artworks of their peers.

Guided
questioning
Class
discussion
Think-pairshare
Group
discussion
Individual
work to
develop ideas
and concepts
discussed
Class
brainstorming
Open-ended
challenge to
create selfportraits

Guided
questioning
Class
discussion
Brainstormin
g
Open-ended
challenge to
create selfportraits
Working with
buddy class
Peer
feedback and
assessment

Interactive
whiteboard
(IWB)*
Empty
picture
frame
Pencils
Erasers
Art paper

IWB*
Pictures of
Australian
animals and
birds
Art paper
Charcoal
Fixative (or
hairspray)

Assessment strategies
Formative assessment
Observation of guided
questioning, class
discussion, think-pairshare, brainstorming
One sentence
summaries
Assessment criteria
The student:
identifies similarities
and differences in the
artworks
displays understanding
of the genre of selfportraiture
represents
himself/herself in the
self-portrait
recognizes how the
subjects
expression/pose tell us
about them
Assessment strategies
Formative assessment
using observation of:
Class discussion, class
brainstorming, sharing
of artwork
Self-portraits created
Assessment criteria
The student:
represents
himself/herself in the
self-portrait
identifies the chosen
animal/bird and
explains reasoning
behind choice
illustrates the different
patterns/textures used
to represent the
animal/bird and
techniques used to
achieve these
respond to their own
and others artworks
using personal
interpretations

*Links to online images of the self-portraits are included below

** Link to online video of the film is included below.

Lesson

Learning Outcomes

Sequence
Lesson 3
Printmaking
selfportraits
(75 minutes)

Further

Students examine
artworks from
different cultures and
times (including
Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander
artworks).
Students explore selfportraiture as a
means of
representing self and
identity.
Students develop
knowledge and
understanding of the
genre of selfportraiture.
Students identify and
explain how different
art styles, forms, and
visual conventions
can be used to
represent different
historical, social and
cultural contexts.

Activity
Students visit the local Arts Centre. A curator gives the
students a brief talk about the history of ATSI
printmaking and the different techniques that have
been used.
Inform students that they will be making prints using
their self-portraits from Lesson 1. Students copy their
pencil drawings as linear images onto styrofoam food
trays using biros. They incise textures and patterns on
and/or around their portraits. Then, they cut the curved
edges off their styrofoam trays. The trays become their
printing plates. Guide the students through the
printmaking process.***
Students reflect on their prints and write an account of
the printmaking process in their journals.

Teaching

Resources

Strategy

needed

Excursion to
arts centre
Open-ended
challenge to
create prints
Modelling
Critical
reflection

Styrofoam
food trays
Biros
Scissors
Black waterbased paper
printing ink
Perspex
sheets
Rollers
Art paper

Assessment
Assessment strategy
Formative assessment of:
Critical reflection
Summative assessment of:
Self-portrait prints
Assessment criteria
The student:
understands the
printmaking process
recognizes the
differences between
prints and printing
plates (positive vs
negative images****,
prints are mirror
images of printing
plates)
represents
himself/herself in the
self-portrait
demonstrates
creativity

An exhibition is held at the end of the term. A combination of artists works, students drawings, prints, and photographs are displayed to visually
demonstrate the different forms that portraits can take. Student invite their families and friends.

***The printmaking process is detailed in Appendix 1

****Not necessarily using these specific terms

Lesson 1 Links to online images of self-portraits

Self-Portrait at the easel by Paul Czanne: http://www.wga.hu/art/g/gogh_van/16/selfpo26.jpg
Self-Portrait in front of the Easel by Vincent van Gogh: http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/media/collection_images/4/454.2001%23%23S.jpg
Portrait in the mirror by Margaret Olley: http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/media/collection_images/7/7322%23%23S.jpg
Self-portrait in the studio by Brett Whiteley: http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/media/collection_images/1/1.1977%23%23S.jpg
Lesson 2 Links to online images of self-portraits

Owl dreaming (Self-portrait) by Aboriginal artist Bede Tungutalum:

http://www.printsandprintmaking.gov.au/media/cache/80/59/805984d8cfbe8af9b8f1bd8f4851b38a.jpg

Lesson 2 Link to online video of film

Murtankala by by Tiffany Parker: https://vimeo.com/83437577

References
Australian Aboriginal Art Network 2015, Printmaking Techniques, The Australian Art Network, viewed 1st May 2016,
http://australianartnetwork.com.au/printmaking-techniques/
Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority 2015, The Australian Curriculum: Visual Arts,
Commonwealth of Australia, viewed 1st May 2016,
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/the-arts/visual-arts/curriculum/f-10?layout=1
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) 2016, Tjukurpa, AIATSIS, viewed 3rd May
2016,
http://aiatsis.gov.au/exhibitions/tjukurpa
Department of Education and Communities 2011, The animal in me, State of New South Wales, viewed 2nd May
2016,
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/primary/creativearts/assets/visualarts/pdf/vas1animinmeprg.pdf
Department of the Environment 2016, Plants and Animals, Commonwealth of Australia, viewed 3rd May 2016,
https://www.environment.gov.au/topics/national-parks/uluru-kata-tjuta-national-park/natural-environment/plants-andanimals
Department of the Environment 2016, Welcome from Anangu: Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, viewed 3rd May 2016,
https://www.environment.gov.au/resource/welcome-anangu-uluru-kata-tjuta-national-park

Appendix 1
The printmaking process:
Students spread ink onto a sheet of perspex, then roll the ink onto the incised surfaces of their trays.
Students place a piece of art paper onto the inked surfaces of their trays and roll over the back of the
sheet of paper with a clean roller to ensure that the image is transferred. Then, they carefully peel off
their prints and hang them up to dry.