Arts in the Primary School

TCHE2554

Activity Sequence

K Clark
s3538819

Contents:

Page 3: Overview and Rationale

Page 5: Lesson Plan One: Visual Arts

Page 7: Lesson Plan One images

Page 8: Lesson Plan Two: Music

Page 10: References

Indigenous Clap Sticks

Overview
Students are currently learning more about Australias Indigenous
heritage. Students will create their own indigenous instruments
and explore some possible sounds that Indigenous Australians
used. Both lessons are designed to engage the students by
allowing them the freedom and creatively to add their own touches
to the song/story.
Australian Curriculum Level 2: 8 years of age
Rationale
The Arts is rich in tradition and plays a major role in the
development and expression of cultures and communities, locally,
nationally and globally (ACARA 2015). The Arts within the
Australian Curriculum provides students with the opportunity to
communicate their knowledge through various forms such as visual
arts and music to allow them to make sense of the world.
Visual Arts allows students to create visual representations of their
thoughts, experiences and imagination. Through various activities
their fine motor skills are enhanced as well as their perception to
detail. Students will be presented with an activity that allows them
to apply visual conventions such as line, shape, colour and texture.
For the first lesson, students explore ideas, experiences,
observations and imagination to create visual artworks and design,
including considering ideas in artworks by Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander artists (ACARA 2015) through creating their own
Indigenous Clap Sticks after viewing and discussing images of Clap
Sticks. They will also Respond to visual artworks and consider
where and why people make visual artworks, starting with visual
artworks from Australia, including visual artworks of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Peoples (ACARA 2015).
Within the Australia Curriculum, foundation to Year 2, students
exploration of music involves listening and exploring sound and
learning about how music can represent the world. They share their
music with peers and experience music as audiences.
Within lesson two, students are provided with the opportunity to
use their Clap Sticks they have created in their visual art class.
They will first view a YouTube clip of Indigenous Australians using

their Clap Sticks. This lesson asks students to respond to music

and consider where and why people make music, starting with
Australian music, including music of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Peoples (Australian Curriculum, 2015). Further to this,
when they feel confident with their short piece of music, they will
sing and play instruments to improvise, practise a repertoire of
chants, songs and rhymes, including songs used by cultural groups
in the community (Australian Curriculum 2015). Students will
develop the art element components of rhythm. Within rhythm,
students will experiment will duration, time, tempo and metre
whilst creating the sounds and music.

Lesson Plan One

Title

Visual Arts: Clap Sticks

Duration of
lesson

Topic
and
Focus

Viewing and Creating

Indigenous Art

Year Level

Clas
40 s
Size
2

2
0

Learning Intentions/Objectives:
Students will be able to:

Students will appreciate the various visual arts that

Indigenous people have used on their Clap Sticks
Students will use visual conventions such as line, shape,
colour and texture on their Clap Sticks

Key Vocabulary List: Indigenous Australians, line, texture, shape,

colour, artistic, natural
AusVELS

Level: 2

Explore ideas, experiences, observations and imagination to

create visual artworks and design, including considering
ideas in artworks by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
artists
Respond to visual artworks and consider where and why
people make visual artworks, starting with visual artworks
from Australia, including visual artworks of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Peoples

Assessment Strategies to evaluate learning outcomes:

Observe students to see whether they have used various lines,
textures, shapes, natural colours. While I wish students to be as
creative as possible. I would still like to see them following ideas
with some of the example photos I have shown them.
Resources and Materials:

40 sticks 2 per child (approx. 15cm long and 2cm diameter)

Paint (children can chose any colours but will steer them
towards earth colours.

Fine brushes, cotton buds, toothpicks

Laminated photo examples of Indigenous Clap Sticks

Stageof
lesson

StudentAction/Tasks

Time

TeacherAction

Introductio
n

Studentstositinfront
ofteacherschairand
observe/engagewith
pictures

10mins

Greetschildrenandaskthemto
sitonthefloorinfrontofthe
chair.
Makesasoundwithtwosticks
andasksstudentswhetherthats
aninstrument.
ShowsimagesofIndigenous
AustraliansusingClapSticks
musically,pointingoutthe
variouslines,texturesandcolours
whichareused.
Askstudentstogetupfromtheir
seatandcomeovertothetableto
watchteacherdemonstration.

Bodyof
Lesson

Studentstoobservethe 25mins
teachersdemonstration
andprovideassistance
whenthestudentsare
askedwhatelsethe
teachershouldplaceon
theirstick.

Teachertoassiststudentswhere
needed

Studentstaketheirtwo
stickstotheirtableand
beginworkontheirown
IndigenousClapSticks.
Conclusion Studentstoplacetheir
ClapSticksonthe
dryingrackwiththeir
namebesidetheirwork
Studentstohelpclean
uptheclassroom

Teachertodemonstratehowto
createtheirownClapSticks,
makingsuretopointoutthelines,
texturesandcoloursandhowto
createsomethingsimilarwiththe
materialsinfrontofthem.

5mins

Askstudentstoplacetheirwork
onthedryingrackwiththeirname
besidetheirwork.
Then,askstudentstohelpclean
uptheclassroom.

Examples of Clap Sticks to show students.

Lesson Plan Two

Title

Music:ClapSticks

Topicand
Indigenousmusic
Focus

Durationof
lesson

40

YearLevel

Class
20
Size

LearningIntentions/Objectives:
Studentswillbeableto:
7

Studentsshoulddevelopinstrumentalskillsbyexploringandimitatingand
creatingsounds,beatandrhythmpatterns.
Thelessonwillfosterthestudents'creativityandgivethemtheopportunity
toexploredifferentinstrumentstocreatesoundsinspiredbyvideo.

KeyVocabularyList:beat,rhythm,sound,pitch,quickly,slowly
AusVELS

Level:2

Singandplayinstrumentstoimprovise,practisearepertoireofchants,
songsandrhymes,includingsongsusedbyculturalgroupsinthe
community
Respondtomusicandconsiderwhereandwhypeoplemakemusic,starting
withAustralianmusic,includingmusicofAboriginalandTorresStrait
IslanderPeoples

ResourcesandMaterials:
StudentsClapStickswhichtheyhavepreviouslymadeintheirvisualartclass.
WatchYouTubeclipofchildrenofasimilaragedancingtoClapSticksastheir
beat.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZV2LXRAdC4
AssessmentStrategiesto evaluate learning outcomes:
Observewhetherstudentswereabletoworkcollaborativelyandusetheirsticksto
performamusicalpiecefocusingonbeattotheirclassmates

Stageof
lesson

StudentAction/Tasks

Time

TeacherAction

Introductio
n

Studentstositina
circle.

510
mins

Teacherasksstudentstositina
circlesotheycanviewthe
interactivewhiteboard.

Studentstowatch
YouTubeclipof
Indigenouschildren
dancinganddiscuss
whatwashappening
andhowthebeatwas
created.

Explaintostudentsthattraditionally,
IndigenousmusicwasonlyClap
Sticks,voicesandthedidgeridoo.
StudentstowatchYouTubeclipof
childrenofasimilaragedancingand
observethebeattheywerelistening
to.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=jZV2LXRAdC4
8

Bodyof
Lesson

Studentstocopythe
teachersbeatroutine
withtheirownClap
Sticks.

15

Studentsto
collaboratively
developa40second
pieceintheirsmall
group

Conclusion Studentstopresent
theirsmallmusical
piecestotheir
audience
Closure

TeachertohandoutstudentsClap
Sticksandprovideexamplesof
variousbeatroutinesstudentscan
copy.
Teachertoaskstudentstogetinto
groupsof4andcreatetheirown
simpleClapStickroutinemaking
suretothinkofthebeattheyare
using.

10

Teachertoasksmallgroupstocome
tothefrontandperforminfrontof
theiraudience.

Studentstoplacetheir 5
ClapSticksinatubto
usefornextweekand
lineupatthedoor

References:
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority
[ACARA]. (2015). The Arts. Available online from
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/the-arts/introduction

Kiupers L, 2010 March 29, Aboriginal Dancing in Numbulwar School,

Australia, retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=jZV2LXRAdC4

10