Evaluate the use of materials and techniques
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can evaluate the impact of different materials and reflect on their strengths and limitations.
Key learning points
- Reflecting on the impact of materials on artwork helps artists create informed creative decisions
- Analysing the characteristics of materials encourages material choices to support conceptual or thematic communication
- Evaluating and documenting the challenges encountered with materials leads to purposeful making
Keywords
Materials - the physical substances or tools an artist uses to create their work
Technique - the specific method or way an artist uses materials to create their work
Evaluate - to carefully judge or assess something by considering its strengths, weaknesses, and overall effectiveness
Purposefully - doing something with a clear goal, reason, or intention
Common misconception
Expensive or professional materials automatically produce better artwork.
The quality of the outcome depends more on how materials are used, combined, and manipulated, rather than their cost or brand.
Teacher tip
Encourage pupils to test materials in small experiments before committing to them in a final outcome—this builds confidence, reduces waste, and often leads to unexpected creative discoveries.
Equipment
Sketchbook, digital technology, voice recording equipment, pens, pencils, paper.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What does the term 'materials' mean in art and design?
Q2."Artists always choose materials just because they are the easiest option".
Q3.Why might an artist choose to use found or recycled materials?
Q4.Why is it important to test materials before using them in a final artwork?
Q5.Which of these materials would be best if you wanted to make a 3D sculpture?
Q6.Which of these is a benefit of evaluating the materials you’ve used?
To help you plan your 10 art and design lesson on: Evaluate the use of materials and techniques, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 art and design lesson on: Evaluate the use of materials and techniques, 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 4 art and design lessons from the First sustained project: working from a theme unit, dive into the full secondary art and design curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.