Teacher name: Kate Toensmeyer

Lesson title: Aboriginal Australian Dot Paintings

Grade level: 1 -2
Time frame: 1 hours
st

nd

Sequence Theme/Big Idea: Where in the World?

Through the series of lessons in this six-week sequence,
students will become art explorers, visiting a variety of
countries and learning about each areas artistic culture.
Lesson Narrative: In this lesson, the class will explore
both the wildlife and aboriginal art of Australia. Students
will discover new animals native to the continent, using
these creatures to inspire their own aboriginal dot paintings.
Lesson Rationale: During Lesson 3, the class learned
about primary colors. In this lesson, I plan to expound upon
the topic of color, introducing the use of secondary colors
and prompting students to experiment with the full color
wheel.
As Ive learned more about my students throughout the course of Saturday Art, Ive
discerned that many have a heavy interest in animals. Although I had initially planned to
teach about aboriginal Australian art, I have now decided to allot a greater focus to animals
and wildlife in the lesson.
Key Concepts:
Australia is a country and a continent on the other side of the world.
Most people speak English in Australia now, because they came from England, but
the earliest people to live in Australia were called aboriginals, and they had their
own unique culture.
Aboriginal art comes from ancient stories, often inspired by nature.
There are many amazing animals living in Australia.
Secondary Colors are made by mixing the primary colors. Secondary colors include
orange, green, and purple.
Objectives:
1.) Students will create artworks inspired by the native animals and aboriginal art of
Australia.
2.) Students will implement knowledge of primary colors and secondary colors to
create vivid artworks.
3.) Students will discover the unique wildlife native to Australia.
Standards:
3PE Examine one or more cultural and historical artworks and respond to the visual,
expressive features in the work. (First Grade)

1PR Demonstrate increasing skill and craft in the use of art tools and materials with
attention to their diverse qualities.
(Second Grade)
5RE Discuss the meanings of visual symbols, images and icons observed in artworks.
(First Grade)
Materials:
Black poster board
Acrylic paints in primary colors, secondary color, and white
Q-tips
Plates or painters palettes
Pencils
Assortment of pre-cut stencils
Lesson Vocabulary:
Australia: A country on the other side of the globe. It is also a continent.
Aboriginals: The first people to live in Australia. They have their own unique culture.
Dot paintings: Aboriginal Australians often told stories through their art. To create these
artworks, they painted with lots of dots to form a picture.
Secondary Colors: Made by mixing the primary colors. Secondary colors include orange,
green, and purple.
Historical/Multicultural Exemplars:
The class will search for Australian animals hidden around the classroom on a small
scavenger hunt. The students will then reconvene and discuss their findings, placing each
animal photo on the board for reference.
Visual Culture Component:
Students will discuss their own favorite animals.
Do any of their favorite animals live in Australia? Are
there animals living in Australia theyve never seen
before? Would they want any of these animals for pets?
(One of Miss Kates favorite animals of all-time is the
Quokka!)
Questions:
1. What is your favorite animal?
2. Which of these Australian animals is new to you?
3. Would you like any of these Australian animals as a pet? Why or why not?
Procedure:
1. After students enter the classroom, introduce Australia as the country of the day.
Show class Australia on the map projected via PowerPoint.

2. Explain that today students will go on a scavenger hunt to find Australian animals
hidden around the classroom.
3. After students locate all the hidden photographs, discuss their findings as a class.
Place photographs on the board for future reference.
4. Discuss students favorite animals and the new animals they discovered today. (See
Visual Culture)
5. Ask:
What is your favorite animal?
Which of these Australian animals is new to you?
Would you like any of these Australian animals as a pet? Why or why not?
6. Explain that people have lived in Australia for a long, long time. The first people to
live in Australia were called aboriginal Australians. Show photos of some aboriginal
Australian people and families.
7. Explain that aboriginal Australians created lots of beautiful art, rooted in stories that
were often inspired by the many amazing animals living in Australia. This art and the
aboriginal culture is still a part of the country today.
8. Show class examples of aboriginal Australian dot paintings.
9. Review primary colors, which students learned about two weeks prior. Introduce
secondary colors, and explain that students will use all of these forms of color to
create their own dot paintings. Tell them to experiment with which colors look best
next to each other. Every color has different qualities and relationships, which the
students will learn more about if they continue to study art.
10. Offer brief demonstration about tracing the stencils and using Q-tips to create dot
paintings. If students wish, they may cut out their dot animals and place them on
another sheet of paper, or they may work with the full black paper.
11. Student work time. Answer any questions as they arise.
12. Have students share their work. What animals did they include? Why did they
choose these animals? Students may walk around the class to view their peers work
in closer detail. See Assessment.
13. Upon completion of the lesson, each student will receive an Australia sticker.
Assessment:
Share student work and hold final discussion. Students may walk around the class to view
one anothers dot paintings.

Questions:
Why do aboriginal Australians make their dot paintings?
What animals did students include in their dot paintings? Why did they choose
these animals?
What are secondary colors?

Do students show understanding of the meaning behind aboriginal Australian art? (3 PE,
5 RE) Did they demonstrate skill and craftsmanship in painting with a different style (no
brushes) than what is typical? (1 PR)
Hook: The class will partake in a group scavenger hunt to discover new Australian animals,
as well as discuss their own favorite animals.

Sketchbook/Artists Journal Motivation: Students may practice

painting with Q-Tips and sketch preliminary designs for their
paintings in their passport-sketchbook. At the end of the lesson,
they will also receive an Australia sticker in their passport.
Dialogue: See Visual Culture and Assessment for episodes
of dialogue.
Adaptations/Special populations: This week, I have two teacher
assistants who can help students individually when they have issues drawing their designs
or working with the Q-Tips, which require a higher level of motor skills than using a
paintbrush.
Students who are having trouble creating their own designs may use one of my pre-cut
stencils as inspiration.
Closure: Students will share their finished projects with the class and hold a brief
discussion about what they have learned. (See Assessment.)
Before leaving, students will receive an Australia sticker in their passport.
Resources:
Australia PowerPoint (Attached)
Australia Lesson Demonstration PowerPoint (Attached) (Resource for Teachers)
Australian Animal Stencils: (to be pre-cut by teacher)
Turtle:
http://www.clker.com/clipart-turtle-outline-2.html
Kangaroo:
http://www.thecoloringpics.net/images/2014/07/Australian-Kangaroo-Dot-Painting.jpg
Fish #1:
http://www.2020site.org/templates/Fish-Template.html
Fish #2:
https://s-media-cache
ak0.pinimg.com/originals/58/7b/9d/587b9de93db959515b2f0f4aef155abd.jpg