New
New
Year 9

Building community

I can design a mural for a community space.

New
New
Year 9

Building community

I can design a mural for a community space.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Art is often used as a tool to build emotional support, reduce isolation and foster connections.
  2. Art helps to develop community by providing a welcoming environment.
  3. Community murals can be used to bring diverse families together, celebrate cultures and strengthen social bonds.

Keywords

  • Community - a group of people living, working or socialising in the same places

  • Environment - the surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal or plant lives

  • Mural - a painting or other work of art made directly onto a wall

Common misconception

A common misconception about murals is that they are only decorative.

They often carry powerful social, cultural, or political messages.


To help you plan your year 9 art and design lesson on: Building community, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Encourage students to explore the history and cultural significance of murals from different times and places. This will help them to see murals as powerful storytelling tools, not just decoration.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Paper, pencil, ruler, dry or wet media of choice.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Loading...

Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Is it normal to have mixed or complicated feelings about family?
No, you should always feel close to your family.
No, it's best not to talk about those feelings.
Correct answer: Yes, families can be complex and it's okay to have different feelings.
Q2.
What does the word connection mean in a relationship?
Correct answer: A link or bond between people or things
A place where people gather
A job someone does for another person
Q3.
What does family mean?
Friends you only see once in a while.
Correct answer: A group of people connected by love, support, or shared history.
People related by blood only.
Q4.
How can a family portrait show a positive connection?
By only including one family member in the picture
By using dark colours and the family members spaced out.
Correct answer: By positioning the figures near to each other or overlapping.
Q5.
Does a family portrait have to be realistic?
Correct answer: No, it can be abstract or use different styles to show feelings
Yes, it must look exactly like the people
Yes because otherwise the viewer wouldn't recognise anyone in the painting
Q6.
Which colour could express an argumentative relationship?
Green as it's a calming colour
Yellow which is a joyful colour
Correct answer: Red which is often used to express anger

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

5 Questions

Q1.
What is an online community?
Correct answer: A group of people who connect and share ideas or interests on the internet
A group of people who live on the same trainline
A group of people of the same age
Q2.
What is meant by community?
A place where only animals live
Correct answer: A group of people sharing common interests or goals
A single person living alone
Q3.
How can art help build community cohesion?
Correct answer: By encouraging people to work together and share ideas
By isolating individuals from each other
By creating competition between community members
Q4.
What is a common misconception about murals?
Murals can tell stories or express community values
Murals are created to inspire or provoke thought
Correct answer: Murals are only decorative and have no deeper meaning
Q5.
Are murals a modern art form?
Correct answer: No, murals have existed for thousands of years
Yes, murals were invented only in the 21st century
Yes, murals are only found in urban areas today

Additional material

Download additional material