Nature’s gift incursion | Stage 3 Creative Arts

Program activities

Activities may change to suit student needs, timing and school arrangements.

Art from nature

Students view and discuss examples of artists who use natural materials or nature as inspiration. They identify how artists use materials, techniques, lines, shapes, colours, textures and patterns to represent subject matter and ideas.

Nature's treasures

Students explore suitable areas of their school grounds and collect natural treasures such as leaves, flowers and stones. Each student photographs selected materials to create a collection of digital images for their artwork.

Imagination workshop

Students review, select and edit their photographs using iPad apps. They layer images, arrange natural forms into compositions and add digital drawings to create an imaginative nature-inspired artwork.

Students select their preferred artwork for printing on A4 photo paper at Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre. The print and frame are delivered to the school at a later date for the school to assemble. All completed artworks are also provided through Google Drive.

Suggested timetable

Time	Classes
9.00–11.00	Classes 1 and 2
11.30–1.30	Classes 3 and 4

Please include your school's bell times in the notes section of your booking form.

The program works best in 2-hour blocks. This may require some classes to begin recess or lunch earlier or later than usual.

More than 4 classes will need to book an additional day.

Syllabus outcomes and content

Students will learn to

• intentionally select and photograph natural materials to represent ideas or perspectives about their world
• investigate how artists use materials, techniques, digital technologies and the elements of art and design to communicate meaning
• use digital tools to edit, manipulate, combine and layer still images
• use drawing techniques, colour, tone, texture and pattern to create intentional artistic effects
• apply artistic conventions when arranging natural forms within a composition
• refine and resolve a digital artwork that communicates an intended idea
• select an artwork for printing and display
• explain how their choices and decisions influence the meaning of an artwork and how audiences may interpret it

The incursion directly supports the Creative Arts K–6 Syllabus (2024) through Visual Arts experiences where students intentionally use natural materials, photographs, digital technologies, drawing techniques and compositional conventions to represent ideas and perspectives about their world.

Visual Arts

Outcome

• Makes artworks in intentional ways to represent ideas about their world, and explains ways artists are influenced by contexts and how artworks are interpreted by audiences – CA3-VIS-01

Content addressed

Making: Artists represent their world in intentional ways through their artmaking practice

• Represent ideas or perspectives of their world and intentions in own artmaking practice
• Use drawing materials and techniques to create artistic effects to represent subject matter or ideas in intentional ways
• Create intentional effects with awareness of the relationships between colours and tones, to represent subject matter or ideas in realistic, imaginative or symbolic ways
• Apply understandings of materials, digital technologies and processes to represent intended ideas in artworks
• Explore artistic conventions and ways to represent subject matter and ideas in compositions
• Explain how artists, artworks, the world and audiences influence own artmaking practice
• Demonstrate safe artmaking practices with respect for physical, social, digital and cultural safety

Appreciating: Artists are influenced by contexts and make artworks that audiences can critique and interpret in various ways

• Explain structural features of an artwork and how artists use the elements of art and design to communicate meaning to audiences through art forms, using Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary
• Infer ideas about an artist’s intentions and recognise that artworks may be critiqued and interpreted in various ways by audiences

Exhibiting: Artworks are displayed and curated to communicate intentional ideas to audiences

• Enhance an artwork by refining, editing, resolving or mounting an artwork
• Make choices about ways to display or curate own artworks to engage audiences and convey ideas and meaning
• Reflect on personal experiences and contributions as an artist, explaining how choices and decisions influenced the artwork and the ways it is understood by audiences

Creative Arts K–6 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2024

Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary

represent, interpret, select, arrange, combine, manipulate, refine, natural material, digital artwork, art form, subject matter, audience, line, shape, colour, texture, tone, pattern, negative space, repetition, balance, scale, proportion, composition, perspective

Cost, class numbers and booking

Cost

DoE school $20 per student – GST free

Non-government school $26 per student – GST free, minimum charge $750 per class

A minimum charge of $750 per class applies to non-metropolitan schools.

Classes

A maximum of four classes can participate each day, with up to 64 students in each session.

Schools with more than four classes will need to book an additional program day.

Schools requiring more than one program day should book consecutive days where possible.

Program costs

Program costs may change. If program costs change after you book, you will be charged at the original cost.

Booking policy

Confirm final student numbers and classes 7 working school days before the program.

Book this Stage 3 Creative Arts incursion

Risk assessment and accessibility

View incursion risk assessments

Notify Field of Mars EEC before the incursion about medical, mobility, sensory, communication or other support needs so reasonable adjustments can be considered.

The school should ensure the selected indoor and outdoor learning spaces, furniture arrangements and movement routes are accessible and appropriate for participating students.

Classroom teachers are expected to attend and actively supervise students throughout the incursion.

Students who are unwell should not attend.

View school incursion location information

Weather, cancellations and rescheduling

The incursion may be modified, postponed or cancelled if travel or program delivery is unsafe because of extreme weather or fire danger.

Cancellation or rescheduling with less than 30 school days’ notice before the booking date – $650

Cancellation with less than 14 school days’ notice before the booking date – full program cost

Cancellation due to unsafe weather or fire danger – $0

Learning space and access

Provide one extra-large indoor learning space for all participating classes for the duration of the day. The space must be large enough to accommodate multiple classes and must include a screen or projector that can be viewed by all students.

Provide Field of Mars EEC staff with clear school-entry, visitor sign-in and parking instructions. Where possible, arrange parking or an unloading area close to the main learning space.

Ensure the school office and participating teachers know when Field of Mars EEC staff will arrive and where the program will be delivered.

School grounds and session organisation

Provide access to suitable areas of the school grounds where students can safely find and photograph natural materials such as leaves, flowers and stones.

Ensure required rooms, gates and outdoor areas are unlocked and available. Inspect outdoor learning areas for temporary hazards before the program.

Include the school’s bell times in the notes section of the booking form. The program works best in 2-hour blocks and may require adjusted recess or lunch times.