Lachlan Wilson

Backwards
Unit title: “Aspects of your
mapping environment”
presentation Stage: 2
KLA: Visual arts
Introduction to backwards mapping
Backwards mapping is an educational model that is
opposite to a typical planning system, this technique
works from the end to starts ensuring the achievement of
What is backwards mapping ? desired aspects including learning goals, objectives and Why is it used ?
outcomes etc are all met. A curriculum is then developed
to meet those specific goals, objectives, and
outcomes(McLeod et al., 2004).

Increased organisation of
Backward mapping is programs by working Increased student
Planning for assessment at
perceived to have benefits backwards ensuring no gaps engagement through well
the beginning of a course
including: in the program planned activities and content
surface(McLeod et al., 2004).

Formulating broad goals and

objectives
Rationale
This unit will be taught to promote and develop
knowledge and skills in visual arts surrounding Desired learning goals/intentions.
major learning areas intentions such as technique,
appreciation and collaboration. The unit will Establishing goals including:
involve 4 lessons primary relating to outcome
VAS2.1(Creative Arts K-6 | NSW Education • Develop a vast range of visual arts techniques
Standards, 2006). These lessons will also focus on • Appreciate a range of different environmental contexts
the driving theme of the unit “Aspects of your • Understand how to use different mart mediums
environment”, as each lesson requires students to • Compare artworks with others
review and apply their own knowledge of their • Express their experiences through art that are natural
environment whilst also reflecting on prior
learning. Additionally these lessons will Essential questions through backwards design
contribute to a portfolio assessment which will • What is the task ?
involve the students work being accumulated for • Why am I doing it ?
one piece of work across the unit (Kivunja, 2015).
• How will I know that I have done it ?
These work samples will involve multiple aspects
of visual arts that primary aim on representing
“aspects of your environment”.
Outcomes and indicators/ content descriptors

NSW Creative Arts K-6 syllabus (Creative Arts K-6 | NSW Education Standards, 2006)
• VAS2.1 Represents the qualities of experiences and things that are interesting or beautiful by choosing among aspects of subject matter
• VAS2.4 Identifies connections between subject matter in artworks and what they refer to, and appreciates the use of particular techniques.

What students are expected to learn and be able to do (Creative Arts K-6 | NSW Education Standards, 2006)
• how artists, including themselves, can interpret the world in particular ways in their artmaking
• select and explore different aspects of subject matter in particular ways in their making of artworks
• use particular artistic traditions guided by the teacher’s instruction in artmaking and experiment with techniques, tools and graphic
schema (eg in drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking and digital works)
• interpret the meaning of artworks by taking into account relationships between the artwork, the world and the artist
 How will you asses ?
This form of assessment in this activity focuses on summative and divergent aspects of
assessment, as feedback is based on the completion of the task (Kivunja, 2015) (Center for
Excellence in Learning and Teaching, 2021). This assessment strategy will involve an assortment
of work samples created by the student, demonstrating progressive achievement of multiple
learning outcomes and in particular VAS2.1(Creative Arts K-6 | NSW Education Standards,

Assessment
2006). Also using authoritative judgmental and quantitative feedback within this process
providing corrective feedback with a section detailing what they did right and wrong and how
to improve, and evaluative feedback with a grade. Formative assessment will also be used

task
throughout the unit through pair and share activities and observation and questioning,
informally assessing and providing concurrent and conclusive feedback (Kivunja, 2015) .
What will you asses? (Creative Arts K-6 | NSW Education Standards, 2006).
• Students ability to process their intentions for artmaking and recognises how these affect
their selection of ideas, materials, tools and techniques can represent meaning
• investigates various construction techniques and spatial arrangements
• experiments with techniques in painting, drawing, photography, digital and video to create
particular effects to suggest such things as close-ups, middle distance and long distance
views, mood and atmosphere, light and dark suited to how subject matter may be
interpreted

How will you record/collect the information? Creative Arts K-6 | NSW Education Standards,
2006).
Recording via tick list against the ACARA achievement standards, providing A-E mark for the
portfolio.
Overview of unit

Visual arts lessons:

This unit involves 4 lessons which primary relate but not only to “VAS2.1 Represents the qualities of experiences and things that are
interesting or beautiful by choosing among aspects of subject matter” Creative Arts K-6 | NSW Education Standards, 2006).

Each lesson incorporates this outcome with the theme of “Aspects of your world” effectively as this outcome requires students to
represent “interesting and beautiful” subject matter.

This done by requiring students to participate in lessons that show a variety of different aspects of visual arts including painting,
collages, traditional art making and drawing.

Whilst also aiming to evoke appreciation for art and the artists that create different meanings through the artworks.
 •Introduction:
• Students will participate in a native
Australian themed activity as they first see
some local Australian artworks on “rain
Lesson 1- sticks” •Resources:
•“https://www.youtube.com/
• Students will start by watching a short video
Indigenous on the sound it makes. watch?v=5YCJMbet4Q0
NAIDOC week •Body:
• Then they will individually paint their own
•-Postal tubes, Paint,
Cardboard or any type of desk
rain sticks rain sticks provided as a postal tube painting
the outside with dots and various native protector, Smartboard, Paint
animals if they chose. brushes, Cups of water, pencils
• Aiming to focus on developing students skills
such as colour and specific flora and fauna
•Differentiation:
used to represent Australia and techniques •Students who struggle or
used to paint the stick such as dot work cannot use paint can use
using the brush or leaves and sticks.
pencils to create their artworks
•Conclusion
• Finishing with a q&a activity as a class,
having some students show their artworks
and explain why they integrated certain
indigenous designs and animals on their
rainstick as they sit in a circle and the
student talking shows their surrounding
peers their rain stick.
 Introduction
• Teacher will describe Perspective Drawing as a technique that will be taught in the
second lesson that contributes to the students portfolio. Also conveying This technique
that is used in visual arts to represent three-dimensional shapes and images on a two-
Lesson 2- dimensional medium will be shown by showing various drawings of each variety.
•Body:

Perspective • The focus of three-dimensional shapes will be revealed and a variety of shapes from the
classroom will be placed at the front of the room

drawing • The students will then watch the teacher model one of the objects eg large dice.

•
Showing the steps how to create the three-dimensional aspects
students will then choose their shape and attempt to draw it an a three dimensional
way on a two dimensional plane
•Conclusion
• Students in the class will conclude the lesson with a class review as students work
samples are displayed to the class voluntarily, requiring the class to state a positive
aspect of the piece and an aspect to improve on

Resources:
•2-D and 3-D shape images
•-A4 pages of paper, pencils, classroom items
•Differentiation:
•Students who struggle to grasp the concept of drawing the figures can
use outlined models of a 3-D shape.
 •Introduction:
• Teacher introduces the concept of a
reflective task, requiring students to
retrieve photos that represent
Lesson 3- aspects of their life and
environment what they think is
•Resources:
•Smart board
reflective beautiful and interesting.
•Word
• This will be modelled through
collage Microsoft word and the images tab •Computers
within word initially by the teacher
•Body: •Differentiation:
• Students are to then use their own •Students who struggle to use
computers and use the ICT platform ICT’s exemplar images that the
to make their own collage teacher would use will be on
• Selecting various photos from the the board eg an image of a
search engine to represent their dog or a bike.
own environment
•Conclusion:
• Once completed they will print and
laminate their art work and present
their final products briefly to the
class
 Introduction:

Lesson 4- Self • The teacher will explain that the lesson will involve self portrait painting will
be incorporated in the portfolio assessment.

portrait • Initially showing self portrait works of famous artists including Frida Kahlo
and Vincent Van Gogh, showing the need for appreciation

painting •Body:
• Students will then use small hand held mirrors for assistance if needed to
then start their own self portrait paintings
• Students will use a range of colours and paint brush sizes showing their
ability to use multiple tools and techniques
•Conclusion:
• Students will participate in an activity involving students placing their artwork
at the front of the class and randomising their positions. Then students will
be required to pick an art piece and guess who painted the self portrait.
Resources:
•Google images of self portraits including Frida Kahlo and Vincent Van Gogh
•Paint, Cardboard or any type of desk protector, Smartboard, Paint brushes, Cups of
water, pencils, canvas’
•Differentiation:
•Students who struggle or cannot use paint can use pencils to create their artworks
 Teaching strategies
Explicit teaching
Explicit teaching is used through
each lesson involving the teacher
clearly telling the student what
they will be learning, why it is
important and how it relates to
their prior learning (VIC
government, 2020). The unit
involves this strategy in the lesson
through directing students using
modelling and direct instruction.
This use of explicit instruction
develops the basic academic skills
that are important to literacy and
numeracy as the activities follow a
set structure (VIC government,
2020).
Collaborative learning
The second teaching approach
that would be applicable in this
unit is collaborative learning
(Bergin, 2018). This was applied
through entailing students to work
and review each others work. This
strategy also ties into Vygotsky
social constructivist theory which
has a strong emphasis on learning
being socially situated. Aiming to
derive the outcome that cognitive
growth in the classroom can be
greatly improved through
collaboration (Santrock, 2018
Modelling
Modelling is also used
throughout each lesson. This is
a crucial aspect in every KLA but
especially visual arts involving
painting and creating. Using
modelling in these lessons
provided students with an
accurate representation of what
the task is meant to look like
(Kivunja, 2015). Allowing for
confidence and a visual
understanding of the task to be
created before participation
References
ARC :: Visual Arts: Insects - 3D Sculptures. (2021). NESA.
https://arc.nesa.nsw.edu.au/go/stage-2/arts/activities/visual-arts-insects-3d-sculptures#work-samples
Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching. (2021, October 6). Formative and Summative Assessment.
Retrieved October 15, 2021, from https://www.celt.iastate.edu/teaching/assessment-and-evaluation/assessment-
overview/
Christi Bergin, C. B., David Bergin, D. B., & Sue Walker, S. W. (2018). Child and Adolescent Development for
Educators (1st ed.). Cengage.
Kivunja, C. (2015). Teaching, Learning and Assessment: Steps towards Creative Practice (UK ed.). Oxford
University Press.
McLeod, E. D., Australian Teacher Education Association (ATEA). Conference (2004 : Charles Sturt
University), & Charles Sturt University. (2004). Making Spaces - Regenerating the Profession. Australian
Teacher Education Association.
Santrock, J. (2018). Adolescence (17th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.