Each lesson includes a brief descriptor of the purpose and scope of the lesson. Most lessons are supported with many digital resources indicated by:
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Subcriptions for both overseas teachers and overseas schools are also available. Please email us at: starters@reap.org.nz and we will send you full details.
Visual Arts
(01) LINE COLOUR TEXTURE.pdf : [378 KB]
In this multi level unit we explore the essential elements of painting - line, colour and texture. For students of all ages to succeed in painting they need to be taught the skills of using these three essential elements. This unit, not only teaches these skills but also produces a stunning set of paintings allowing every student to succeed. Try it with your class - you won’t be disappointed. CAN YOU PAINT LIKE JACKSON POLLOCK - GIVE IT A TRY Let your students have some fun with shape,colour and texture using the ideas demonstrated at this 'slightly toungue-in-cheek website. Interactive website supporting this unit.
(02) STARTING WITH CLAY .pdf : [130 KB]
A beginners guide to clay where students learn to: • Explore, learning and use specialised techniques to prepare clay prior to working • Use learned techniques to produce and complete simple projects in clay • Make and enjoying co-operative clay projects & displays. Making Clay Tiles Lesson PlansWebsite supporting this unit.Activity Supporting this unit.
(03) BOX CONSTRUCTION.pdf : Subscription Only Download [516 KB]
(03) BOX CONSTRUCTION In this unit students will: create box constructions that represent concrete or abstract ideas using boxes of different shapes and sizes; develop awareness of shape and size and experimenting with how these elements can be combined to make a pleasing outcome; learn that there are many ways of applying decorative effects to enhance the box construction. Young students will also become involved in problem solving including manipulation of materials, creative construction solutions, discussion and visual appraisal to become more aware of detail and shape and how they affect the construction.Website to support this unit.
(04) CARDBOARD PRINTING.pdf : Subscription Only Download [76 KB]
Students will: Explore, learn about, and use the technique of simple cardboard printing.
Using pre-planning of visual elements prior to printing will give a more satisfactory outcome.Website to support this unit.
(05) CUBES AND SHAPES.pdf : Subscription Only Download [336 KB]
In these two activities we explore starter activities to introduce your students to construction ranging from colourful cubes to card free standing sculptures. Using imagination, design techniques and construction, your students can turn their classroom into a vibrant, colourful and stimulating environment.
(06) FABULOUS CLAY SPIKY.pdf : Subscription Only Download [93 KB]
Working with clay is one of the most exciting and interesting visual arts tactile experiences that young students can have as they manipulate and transform the clay to solve problems and use their imaginations to create visually appealing solutions. In this introduction to clay we learn to work with and manipulate the clay to create a ‘fabulous spiky’ and begin our explorations in the wonderful world of clay. Clay Rules and Tools – The Clay Teacher Talks Video Clay in the Classroom – Videos, Topics Website
The Arts Units
(07) MARBLING.pdf : Subscription Only Download [180 KB]
Have you ever tried Marbling? We outline a step by step process that shows how you and your class can get into one of the most creative and exciting visual art activities your children can experience. Try it. You’ll be hooked. Website supporting this unit. SIMPLE MARBLING WITH OIL AND DYE
Visual Arts
(08) MONOPRINT MAKING.pdf : Subscription Only Download [170 KB]
Achievement Objectives • Exploring, learning and using specialised simple techniques of monoprinting • Using learned techniques to produce and complete simple projects in monoprinting • Learning and using different monoprinting techniques.Website supporting this unit.
(09)STENCIL AND WAX PRINTS.pdf : Subscription Only Download [87 KB]
Achievement Objectives • Exploring, learning and using specialised simple techniques of stencil and wax resist printing • Using learned techniques to produce and complete simple projects in stencil and wax resist printing • Learning and using different printing techniques.
(10) TIE AND DIE PROJECTS.pdf : Subscription Only Download [211 KB]
Tie & dye is a resist form of dyeing, which means that patterns are created by preventing colour penetrating the fabric. This is done by knotting, binding, folding or sewing parts of the cloth so that when it is dyed the dye cannot penetrate to these areas. In this unit we dyeing T-shirts in a circle pattern as a fun way to introduce your students to tie & dye techniquesWebsite to support this unit.
(11) CHRISTMAS PROJECTS.pdf : Subscription Only Download [117 KB]
Seven art projectes on a Christmas theme including Christmas paper, angels, potatoe prints and collage.
(12) ROUTINES AND TOPICS.pdf : Subscription Only Download [110 KB]
Painting is to be treated no differently from any other classroom activity in that we want the children to have success. To help gain this success we first establish some simple routines. In this unit we focus on a classroom routine to follow. The unit includes many exciting painting topics.
(13)PHOTOGRAPHIC PROJECTS.pdf : Subscription Only Download [77 KB]
A stimulating feature showing how you can use photography to bring an exciting new dimension to the classroom visual arts programme. Using photography also provides countless opportunities for developing learning objectives in the English, Arts, Technology, and Health and PhysEd curricula.
(14) EXPLORING PRINTING TECHNIQUES.pdf : Subscription Only Download [81 KB]
EXPLORING THE WORLD OF PRINTING A major multi-level unit exploring the wonderful world of printing; textures and rubbing printing; carbon paper printing; stencil printing; wax printing; fold and dip printing; potato printing; mono printing; marbling; cripping candle ands drawing printing; lino printing
(14) MOBILES AND STABILES.pdf : Subscription Only Download [143 KB]
MOBILES AND STABILES Constructing mobiles and stabiles is a very rewarding visual art activitiy for students of all ages. They are imaginatively stimulating and add colour to your classroom and school environment. A mobile is free hanging while a stabile is fixed to a base and can be easily shiften around the room or the school or even outside into the playground where it becomes an outdoor sculpture.
(RA01) STARTING DRAMA.pdf : [81 KB]
Drama is a generic name for all activities that encompass movement, creative dance, exploring space, music and movement, acting out. For young students it is an important and expressive art in its own right that. This unit provides a framework to introduce drama and a list of drama topics to explore with your students. Drama Warm-ups and Circle Games Websites for additional 'Drama' activities.
(RA02) RELATED ARTS.pdf : [74 KB]
What are the Related Arts? All art forms, as well as having the ability to stand alone – also have the qualities to enrich each other. The related arts include music, dance, drama, mime, language and the visual arts but- can also be expanded to include any field of activity or curriculum area carried out with ‘dedication and personal style’. This description provides teachers with a framework of ideas to be able to establish a related arts programme in the classroom.
(RA03) MAORI LEGENDS.pdf : Subscription Only Download [119 KB]
As a class and as a group, this related arts unit shows teachers how to encourage young students to tell and retell Maori legends. Students will use mime, music, drama and art activities to portray these legends.
(RA04) UNDER THE SEA.pdf : [109 KB]
A related arts unit where students, working both as a class and within groups, transform their classroom into an exciting and stimulating undersea world. To allow students to experience the wonderful world under the sea, play the following highly visual video filmed at the Poor Knights Islands in Northland.
(RA05) ENCHANTED FOREST.pdf : Subscription Only Download [98 KB]
THE ENCHANTED FOREST A major Related Arts unit where students create a vibrant and exciting environment in the classroom providing a stimulus for many English activities. Mimes and dramatic sequences are enacted in this environment. Music is composed and added to this environment to create atmosphere. The Enchanted Forest is a true adventure in learning.
Music – Sound Arts
CREATIVE MUSIC.pdf : Subscription Only Download [76 KB]
The following series of lessons are a listening and creating programme dealing with the basic raw elements of music. They encourage students to create and write their own music in a graphic and personal form. The introduction deals with the aims and objectives of this exciting programme. NB: No formal musical knowledge is needed to implement the creative music programme.
CREATIVE MUSIC 01: Listening Inside/Outside Classroom.pdf : Subscription Only Download [81 KB]
The best music is made by people with the 'best ears'. To have good ears you must be able to listen to sounds. Project one introduces students to the world of listening – both inside and outside the classroom.
CREATIVE MUSIC 02: Classifying Sounds.pdf : Subscription Only Download [82 KB]
In this project, students begin to refine their listening skills and become aware that sounds can be loud to soft and can be classified as natural or man-made sounds.
CREATIVE MUSIC 03: Writing High/Low/Short Long Sounds.pdf : Subscription Only Download [80 KB]
High to low – short to long are all classifications of sounds. In this unit, students come to grips with these concepts and begin to write their own music for these types of sounds using a simple form of graphic notation.
CREATIVE MUSIC 04: Wind and Storms.pdf : Subscription Only Download [93 KB]
Sound Pictures. Using voices, movement, conventional and unconventional instruments, students compose their own wind, rain and storm music sound pictures. Cross curricular activities including visual arts and English and a performance conclude this unit.
CREATIVE MUSIC 05: Triangle Music.pdf : Subscription Only Download [103 KB]
Students explore the amazing range of sounds that can be created using triangles. Groups put their discoveries together to create music for triangles and they are challenged to come up with innovative ways of writing down their compositions so others can enjoy playing them. The unit concludes with a surround-sound listening experience.
CREATIVE MUSIC 06: Wooden Instruments Music.pdf : [118 KB]
Students use wooden instruments commonly found in schools and explore the full range of sounds that these instruments can produce. Instruments include: tone blocks, 2-tone blocks, single and double guiro tome blocks, guiros, tulip blocks, and claves.
Music – Sound Arts
IMPROVING CLASS SINGING 07.pdf : Subscription Only Download [162 KB]
IMPROVING CLASS CINGING Some years it seems that you have a ‘tone deaf’ class. This is entirely unlikely as less than 1% of the population is tone deaf. It is more likely that they have got into bad singing habits over the years and are deficient in listening skills. You can improve your class singing markedly by following these simple steps regularly
NEWSPAPER MUSIC.pdf : Subscription Only Download [104 KB]
Students create sounds from newspapers and organise their sounds for an 'ear cleaning' musical experience.
Visual Arts
NoToGraffiti.pdf : [513 KB]
No To Graffiti – Yes to Community Art Social Sciences: Students will gain an understanding that the relationship between people and the environment they live in can be badly harmed by the vandalism of graffiti tagging. They will also learn that communities can band together and take positive actions to overcome these problems and restore community pride. Health & PhysEd: In the context of removal and prevention of graffiti, students will gain an understanding of how participating in communal events enhances the well-being of a community. Students will also understand how planning and implementing a programme of community art will enhance their school and local environment. Visual Arts: By exploring the process of making a mural, supported by the study of other artists’ works, students will take an appropriate, artistic imaginative, and creative response to creating community art.
Music – Sound Arts
POLYRHYTHMS 08.pdf : Subscription Only Download [107 KB]
A simple definition of a polyrhythm is 2 or more rhythms being played against or with each other at the same time. Polyrhythms give music interest, excitement and tension and are wonderful for dance improvisation. In this unit we explore use and enjoy simple polyrhythms and then we use the rhythms of words, combined with body percussion and movement to create a fantastic machine.