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Year 7

Animals depicted in art

I can design and create an animal relief which represents human characteristics.

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New
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Year 7

Animals depicted in art

I can design and create an animal relief which represents human characteristics.

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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Animals can convey cultural and religious beliefs, and reflect the values of the time.
  2. Animals can evoke empathy and resonate with viewers' emotions.
  3. Animals are often used as symbols and can be a reference to aspects human charateristics.
  4. Artists can use heightened versions of animal colours and patterns to create meaning in their work.

Keywords

  • Charateristic - the qualities or features that make a person who they are. They can describe a person’s personality or behaviour.

  • Symbolise - when an object, or image represents a bigger idea or feeling, it can help us understand deeper meanings in art

  • Relief - a sculptural technique where the designs are raised above a flat background

Common misconception

Animals are universially known for specific charatristics across all cultures.

Often how animals are linked to charateristics in the West is very different that other cultures across the world.

The additional materials contains further information.
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Teacher tip
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Equipment

Paper, drawing equipment, paint, oil pastels, scissors, glue, cardboard.

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which is the correct term for this definition: "the qualities or features that make a person who they are, they can describe a person’s personality or behaviour"?
behaviours
Correct answer: characteristics
expression
identity
Q2.
When an object or image represents a bigger idea or feeling it is said to something else, which can help us understand deeper meanings in art.
Correct Answer: symbolise, represent , stand for , express , signify
Q3.
What is a sculpture?
a drawing of a landscape with lots of shading
a photograph of an object with high contrast tones
Correct answer: a work of art that can be seen in the round and is three-dimensional
Q4.
Which is the most accurate definition of pattern in art?
a drawing with no repetition
a single shape or colour used once
a random arrangement of shapes and colours
Correct answer: a repeated arrangement of shapes, colours, or lines
Q5.
Which of the following materials are most likely used to create sculptures?
chalk
Correct answer: clay
oil pastels
paint
Correct answer: wood
Q6.
Does a sculpture always have to be fully three-dimensional?
No, sculptures can only be flat.
Correct answer: No, relief sculptures are partly 3D. Some parts are raised from a flat surface.
Yes, but they can be flat on the front.
Yes, it must be fully 3D from all sides.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match these keywords with the correct definitions.
Correct Answer:characteristic,qualities or features that make a person's personality or behaviour
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qualities or features that make a person's personality or behaviour

Correct Answer:symbolise,when something represents an idea or feeling, or deeper meanings
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when something represents an idea or feeling, or deeper meanings

Correct Answer:relief,a sculptural technique where designs are raised above a flat surface
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a sculptural technique where designs are raised above a flat surface

Q2.
Why might artists use animal symbolism in their artwork?
to make their artwork look more realistic
to show that animals are more important than people
to randomly add animals to their art
Correct answer: to represent human characteristics and create deeper meaning
Q3.
Match these animals with the most likely characteristics.
Correct Answer:horse,hard working
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hard working

Correct Answer:tiger,strength
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strength

Correct Answer:rabbit,gentle
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gentle

Correct Answer:monkey,playful
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playful

Correct Answer:snake,enigmatic
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enigmatic

Q4.
Which is the most accurate statement for how animal symbols vary across cultures?
Animals always have the same meaning everywhere.
Animal symbolism is based only on scientific facts.
Correct answer: Different cultures may link animals to different characteristics.
Only Western cultures use animals to symbolise traits.
Q5.
Which is the most accurate statement about how colour and pattern can create meaning in art?
Artists use colour and pattern to follow strict, universal rules.
Colours and patterns make sure all art looks the same everywhere.
Correct answer: Colour and pattern can be used to symbolise moods.
Colour and patterns are only used to randomly decorate artwork.
Q6.
What is a relief in art?
a drawing technique using shading that looks 3D
a painting with bright colours and thick paint
Correct answer: a sculptural technique where designs are raised above a flat background

Additional material

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