Personal to universal: art as connection
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I understand how art can share ideas and emotions that connect people, even if they are from different places or times.
Key learning points
- Art can transcend language, geography and time to communicate ideas or emotions.
- Universal themes can be understood globally, even when expressed in different ways.
- Artists create spaces or artworks to promote shared feelings or experiences creating connection among their audiences.
- Discussing an artwork helps us to make connections and deepen our understanding.
Keywords
Feelings - an emotional reaction
Connection - when people, places, or things feel linked together through feelings, experiences, memories, or relationships.
Story - a way of sharing something that happened whether real or imagined.
Common misconception
Art only connects people if everyone understands it the same way.
Art connects people because it sparks emotions and ideas, even if everyone sees it differently. It’s the shared experience, not exact understanding, that brings people together.
Teacher tip
This lesson has options for either using a camera or drawing a design. If there is computer access, students could print their own imagery to place the figure over.
Equipment
Paper, pencil, camera, figure template, paints, pencil crayons, oil pastels, marker pens
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Risk assessment required - equipment
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these is not an example of self-expression?
Q2.What does intention mean?
Q3.What does pure self-expression mean?
Q4.Artists use self-expression in their art to share their inner and ideas with others.
Q5.Which of the following is art intended for an audience?
Q6.Match the keywords with their definitions:
when people, places, or things feel linked together
an emotional reaction
a way of sharing something that happened whether real or imagined
Assessment exit quiz
5 Questions
Q1.Can art connect people?
Q2.What are feelings?
Q3.Art can people by sharing feelings and stories that others can relate to.
Q4.Is it true that art only connects people if everyone understands it the same way?
Q5.Is it beneficial to talk about artwork?
To help you plan your 9 art and design lesson on: Personal to universal: art as connection, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 art and design lesson on: Personal to universal: art as connection, 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 Personal identity unit, dive into the full secondary art and design curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.