New
New
Art that shows nature’s resilience
I can create an artwork that expresses how nature can recover or heal.
Lesson 4 of 5
New
New
- Year 4
Art that shows nature’s resilience
I can create an artwork that expresses how nature can recover or heal.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Nature can recover and grow back after damage, showing its resilience.
- Nature’s changes inspire artists to create artwork that also changes or disappears.
- Creating art that is ephemeral helps us understand and appreciate the ongoing cycles of growth and repair in nature.
Keywords
Ephemeral - describes something that lasts for only a short time or is temporary
Resilience - ability to recover quickly from difficulties and continue growing
Common misconception
Pupils may think that art has to last forever to be important or valuable.
Remind pupils that art can be ephemeral - meaning it lasts only a short time - and still be very important. Just like nature’s changes, temporary art helps us notice beauty, tell stories, and understand ideas about growth and resilience.
Encourage students to observe and reflect on the natural changes happening around them - not just in their artwork but also in the environment. Use questions like, “What do you notice changing right now?” or “How do you think nature repairs itself?”.
Teacher tip
Equipment
Natural materials (leaves, sticks, stones, pinecones, flowers, bark, seeds, etc.).
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these natural objects can you use to make a sculpture?
Which of these natural objects can you use to make a sculpture?
plastic toy
bottles
paper clips
Q2.When making a sculpture outside, you might use , twigs, and stones.
When making a sculpture outside, you might use , twigs, and stones.
Q3.What happens to natural sculptures over time?
What happens to natural sculptures over time?
They stay exactly the same forever.
They turn into plastic.
Q4.A is a piece of art that is made by shaping or building materials into a three-dimensional form.
A is a piece of art that is made by shaping or building materials into a three-dimensional form.
Q5.Which of these is NOT a natural object you might use in a sculpture?
Which of these is NOT a natural object you might use in a sculpture?
pinecone
pebble
twig
Q6.Put these steps in the right order for making a natural sculpture:
Put these steps in the right order for making a natural sculpture:
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.What does ephemeral mean?
What does ephemeral mean?
something that lasts forever
something that never changes
Q2.What does resilience mean in nature?
What does resilience mean in nature?
giving up when things get hard
staying exactly the same all the time
Q3.True or false? Ephemeral art is still important, even if it disappears.
True or false? Ephemeral art is still important, even if it disappears.
false
Q4.Why might artists make ephemeral art using natural materials?
Why might artists make ephemeral art using natural materials?
to make something that lasts forever
to use plastic and metal
