Expressive mark-making
I can explore a range of different marks to tell a story and express emotions
Expressive mark-making
I can explore a range of different marks to tell a story and express emotions
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Know that marks can tell a story or trace a journey
- Know that we can use our marks to explain a feeling or emotion
- Know how to recognise, identify and explore the possibilities of a range of drawing tools and drawing media
Keywords
Drawing - using tools and media to create marks on a surface
Artist - a person who makes artwork
Emotions - the feelings we have inside such as happy, excited, angry, sad or hungry
Common misconception
Emotions can be shown through images but not through mark-making.
Remind children that different styles of marks can show the emotions of the artist, such as rounded lines showing that an artist might be feeling happy and calm. The artist does not need to create an image to express an emotion.
To help you plan your year 1 art and design lesson on: Expressive mark-making, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 1 art and design lesson on: Expressive mark-making, 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 1 art and design lessons from the Mark making: using drawing tools and techniques unit, dive into the full secondary art and design curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Licence
Starter quiz
4 Questions
using tools and media to create marks on a surface
a person who makes artwork
the feelings we have inside such as happy, excited, angry or hungry



Exit quiz
4 Questions



