Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 2

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• Identify and use primary colours (red, yellow, blue).
• Create a symmetrical design using shapes.
• Explain what a pattern is.
• Use different textures in a collage.

Lesson summary

This week in Creative Arts, we're going to be exploring visual art and basic design. This is important because art helps us express our feelings and ideas in ways that words sometimes can't. It also helps us to see the world around us in new and interesting ways. In South Africa, art is a vital part of our culture, and understanding basic design principles will help us appreciate and even create our own beautiful and meaningful artwork. Think about the vibrant colours and patterns on Ndebele houses, or the intricate beadwork of Zulu crafts – these are all examples of visual art and design in action!

Lesson notes

2.1 Primary Colours: Primary colours are special because they cannot be made by mixing other colours together. They are like the building blocks of all other colours.

The primary colours are: Red: Think of a bright red tomato, a stop sign, or the colour of fire.

Yellow: Think of a sunny day, a ripe banana, or a cheerful sunflower.

Blue: Think of the clear blue sky, the deep ocean, or a beautiful bluebird. We can mix these primary colours to create other colours! This is how we make secondary colours.

Example: Red + Yellow = Orange (Think of an orange fruit) Yellow + Blue = Green (Think of grass or leaves) Blue + Red = Purple (Think of grapes or plums) 2.2 Symmetry: Symmetry means that something is the same on both sides. Imagine folding a butterfly in half – both wings look the same. That's symmetry! In art, we can create symmetrical designs by making sure that what's on one side of a line is mirrored on the other side.

Example: Draw a simple butterfly shape on a piece of paper. Draw a line down the middle of the butterfly. On one side, draw a circle. Then, draw the same circle on the other side, in the same position relative to the middle line. If you draw a square, then draw the square on the other side. Your butterfly will have perfect symmetry! Another example would be to think of a South African flag. Even though the flag is not entirely symmetrical, the colours and the placement of some of the shapes are symmetrical in certain sections. 2.3 Patterns: A pattern is something that repeats itself. It could be a shape, a colour, or a line. We see patterns everywhere! Think about the stripes on a zebra, the tiles on a floor, or the repeating designs on a traditional African fabric like shweshwe.

Example: Colour pattern: Red, blue, red, blue, red, blue...

Shape pattern: Circle, square, circle, square, circle, square...

Object pattern: Flower, leaf, flower, leaf, flower, leaf... You can create patterns using any shapes, colours, or objects you like. The key is to repeat them in a regular way. Many traditional African art forms use repeating patterns. Think of the repeating patterns of beads or the patterns in wood carvings. 2.4 Texture: Texture is how something feels when you touch it. It can be smooth, rough, bumpy, soft, hard, etc. In art, we can create texture by using different materials or techniques.

Example: Smooth: A piece of glass, shiny paper.

Rough: Sandpaper, tree bark, a rough stone.

Bumpy: Bubble wrap, a beaded bracelet.

Soft: Cotton wool, a feather, a piece of soft fabric. We can create a collage by sticking different textured materials onto paper. This makes our artwork more interesting to look at and touch. Using different textures can make your picture or sculpture more alive. Think about how the texture of sand on a beach feels compared to the smoothness of a pebble. Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Question 1: Draw three circles on a piece of paper. Colour one circle red, one circle yellow, and one circle blue. Label each circle with the correct colour name.

Solution: Learners should draw three circles, colour them red, yellow, and blue respectively, and label each circle correctly. This reinforces the understanding of the primary colours. _

Commentary: This question checks basic identification of primary colors._ Question 2: Draw a line down the middle of a piece of paper. On one side of the line, draw a square. Then, draw the same square on the other side of the line, in the same position. What kind of design have you created?

Solution: Learners should draw a symmetrical design with a square on each side of the line. They should answer that they have created a symmetrical design. _

Commentary: This question reinforces the concept of symmetry by guiding learners through creating a symmetrical design._ Question 3: Can you create a pattern using these shapes: triangle, circle, square? Draw the pattern three times.

Solution: Learners should draw a repeating pattern using a triangle, circle, and square (e.g., triangle, circle, square, triangle, circle, square, triangle, circle, square). There is no single correct pattern, as long as it's a repeating pattern using the given shapes. _

Commentary: This question focuses on pattern recognition and creation._ Question 4: Collect three different materials from your surroundings that have different textures. Describe the texture of each material (e.g., smooth, rough, bumpy).

Solution: Learners will collect three items and describe their texture.

For example: Leaf: Smooth Stone: Rough Piece of bark: Bumpy _

Commentary: This question reinforces the concept of texture._ Independent Practice (Questions Only) Mix red and yellow paint. What colour do you get? Draw a picture using only red, yellow, and the colour you made when mixing. Draw a symmetrical picture of a house. Remember that both sides of the house should look the same. Look around your classroom or home. Find three different patterns. Draw each pattern in your workbook.