Drawing: Lines and Shapes — Year 1 Lesson Plan
National Curriculum: Art and Design KS1 — To use a range of materials creatively to design and make products; to use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination; to develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space.
Overview
Pupils explore a wide range of drawing tools and surfaces to investigate how different types of line can be used to create marks and shapes. Inspired by the abstract work of Wassily Kandinsky, they develop vocabulary for describing lines and begin to draw from direct observation of simple objects.
Learning Objectives
- To identify and name different types of line: straight, curved, zigzag, wavy, dotted and spiral
- To use a range of drawing tools including pencils, wax crayons and felt tips with increasing control
- To draw simple shapes from direct observation of natural objects
- To discuss own artwork and the artwork of others using basic art vocabulary
Key Vocabulary
Suggested Lesson Structure
Show pupils examples of Kandinsky's abstract compositions. Ask: what shapes and lines can you see? Introduce the line vocabulary display and ask pupils to physically trace different line types in the air.
Demonstrate how to use a pencil to draw each type of line. Show how pressing harder or softer changes the line. Model drawing a leaf or shell from observation: look first, then draw slowly.
Pupils explore different line types across a strip of paper, practising control with various tools. They then select a natural object from the class collection (leaf, shell, pebble) and complete an observational drawing focusing on the outlines and any internal lines they can see.
Pupils create a Kandinsky-inspired composition using at least four different line types on A4 paper. They may add colour using felt tips or crayons if time allows.
Pupils share one thing they are pleased with in their drawing. Introduce the word abstract and ask: how is Kandinsky's work different from your observational drawing?
Common Misconceptions
- Pupils often press too hard with pencils, limiting the range of marks they can make — encourage light, exploratory strokes before committing to a final line
- Some pupils believe drawing means copying exactly, which can cause frustration — reinforce that all artists make choices about what to include and how to show it
Prior Knowledge
Pupils should already be able to:
- Experience of mark-making with a variety of tools from EYFS provision
- Basic shape vocabulary: circle, square, triangle and rectangle from EYFS and Maths
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