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Lesson 1 of 4
  • Year 3

Charcoal worlds: draw, smudge, imagine

I can use charcoal to create an imagined place.

Lesson 1 of 4
New
New
  • Year 3

Charcoal worlds: draw, smudge, imagine

I can use charcoal to create an imagined place.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Charcoal can be used in many different ways: smudging, shading, erasing and layering
  2. Artists use marks, shapes and atmosphere to build places and tell stories
  3. Animation or atmosphere can transform a still drawing

Keywords

  • Charcoal - a black, crumbly art material made from burned wood

  • Smudge - a blurry mark made when something like charcoal is rubbed or smeared

  • Atmosphere - the mood or feeling created in an artwork

Common misconception

Charcoal is just for colouring or outlines.

Remind children that charcoal is a powerful tool for mood and space – it can create atmosphere.


To help you plan your year 3 art and design lesson on: Charcoal worlds: draw, smudge, imagine, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

For Task C, children may require photocopies of thier work so their original drawings are not rubbed out.
Teacher tip

Equipment

charcoal, rubbers, A4 paper, digital devices to take photographs, photocopies of artwork made in Task B, pencils

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

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
What is a sculpture?

a type of song
Correct answer: a 3D artwork you can walk around
a flat painting
a piece of writing

Q2.
What is sketching?

painting with water
building with blocks
Correct answer: drawing quickly to show an idea
cutting paper

Q3.
What is mark-making in drawing?

Correct answer: using lines, dots or shapes to create a picture
writing words neatly to create a story
cutting shapes out of paper to make art
mixing paint colours to create art

Q4.
Match the sculpture tool to its use.

Correct Answer:hands,shape clay

shape clay

Correct Answer:pencil,make marks on paper

make marks on paper

Correct Answer:wire,support or build framework

support or build framework

Q5.
Put these drawing steps in the right order.

1 - Look carefully at your subject.
2 - Draw the main shapes lightly.
3 - Add details using lines.
4 - Add shading or colour.

Q6.
What material can you roll, shape, and build with?

Correct Answer: Clay

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
What material did we use in this lesson to draw?

paint
pencil
Correct answer: charcoal
chalk

Q2.
What word means the feeling or mood in a picture?

colour
line
Correct answer: atmosphere
shape

Q3.
What can you use to smudge charcoal?

Correct answer: a finger or tissue
a ruler
a wet sponge
a paintbrush

Q4.
Match the charcoal skill to what it helps with.

Correct Answer:smudging,Create soft shadows.

Create soft shadows.

Correct Answer:pressing hard,Make bold, dark lines.

Make bold, dark lines.

Correct Answer:soft strokes,Draw light lines and shapes.

Draw light lines and shapes.

Q5.
Put these ideas in order to show how atmosphere is created.

1 - Think about the feeling you want (happy/spooky/calm).
2 - Use charcoal lines and marks to show that feeling.
3 - Add smudging, shadows and light areas to your drawing.

Q6.
What word means to rub and blur your drawing?

Correct Answer: Smudge, blending