The family in art
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can create an artwork to represent family connections
Key learning points
- Artists often explore family as a theme in their work, reflecting on relationships and connections to others.
- Artists explore wider aspects of what family means, both literally and conceptually.
- Artists use various creative methods, including portraiture to explore family relationships.
Keywords
Family - family means the people who care for us, support us, and help us feel safe, whether related by blood, by choice, or by circumstance
Connections - A relationship in which a person is linked or associated with someone or something
Represent - to serve as a sign or symbol of something
Common misconception
Pets are not part of a family because they are animals.
Many people give their pets names, celebrate their birthdays, and care for them every day. Pets can be part of the family.
Teacher tip
Encourage pupils to think beyond traditional ideas of family. Remind them that families and relationships come in many forms including biological, chosen, cultural, or emotional. Create a safe, open space where pupils feel comfortable representing their version of family.
Equipment
A3 or A4 paper, acrylic or ready mix paint, oil pastels, pencils, erasers, figure outlines or templates, pieces of card
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of the following would most likely represent a melting ice cream?
Q2.In art, what does it mean to express something?
Q3.Why might an artist use memories in their artwork?
Q4.How can an artist show sound in a drawing or painting?
Q5.How could a pleasant smell be expressed through art?
Q6.How can memories be captured?
Assessment exit quiz
5 Questions
Q1.Why is family important for many people?
Q2.Which of the following best shows how artists can represent different types of families in art?
Q3.For what reasons do families have difficult relationships?
Q4.Which of the following is a common misconception about pets and families?
Q5.Does a family portrait have to be realistic?
To help you plan your 9 art and design lesson on: The family in art, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 art and design lesson on: The family in art, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 art and design lessons from the Connections: home, space and family unit, dive into the full secondary art and design curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.