- Year 10
Natural forms in 3D design
I can review the range of ways artists have been inspired by natural forms in 3D design.
- Year 10
Natural forms in 3D design
I can review the range of ways artists have been inspired by natural forms in 3D design.
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
- Natural forms offer organic shapes and lines that can contrast with rigid geometry.
- Artists use biomimicry to design functional, efficient and sustainable objects inspired by nature.
- Nature inspired design can raise awareness of climate change, deforestation and biodiversity loss.
- Sculpture based on natural forms can inspire action by highlighting environmental issues.
Keywords
Biomimicry - design inspired by the structures, patterns and systems found in nature
Natural forms - shapes, patterns, and structures found in the natural world (e.g. shells, plants, bones)
Asymmetrical - a lack of symmetry; when two sides of something are not identical but may still balance visually
Common misconception
Natural forms are just used to make things look pretty; they don’t have real purpose in design.
Natural forms can inspire smart, efficient and eco-friendly designs through biomimicry. For example, the form of a bird’s wing has influenced airplane design. Artists can use natural forms to solve problems and raise awareness about the environment.
To help you plan your year 10 art and design lesson on: Natural forms in 3D design, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 art and design lesson on: Natural forms in 3D design, 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 3D Design unit, dive into the full secondary art and design curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Access to the internet or a library of art books. Sketchbook or paper for recording ideas, pencils, pens.
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which word best describes a shape found in nature like a leaf or rock?
Q2.A form has height, width, and ...
Q3.What type of texture might describe tree bark?
Q4.Match the keyword to its correct definition:
A 3D object with depth, height and width
A flat 2D outline of an object
The surface quality (real or visual)
Space taken up by a 3D form