Learning objective
- To vary tone to give a three-dimensional effect.
Success criteria
- I can describe how tone is used in
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National curriculum
Art and design
Pupils should be
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Cross-curricular links
Before the lesson
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Lesson plan
Recap and recall
This activity revisits learning from Lesson 1: Tints and shades to help the children recall key knowledge. Rewatch the Pupil video: Tone from the last lesson.
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Adaptive teaching
Pupils needing extra support:
- Could use the gradient painted in the previous lesson to support their understanding of mixing tints and shades.
- Could use the Resource: Outline shape.
- Could be given a simple object or shape with a clearly marked light source to help identify where highlights and shadows appear.
Pupils working at greater depth:
- Should deliberately mix and apply several tints and shades to refine highlights and shadows.
- Should use accurate vocabulary when discussing how tone has been used to show form (e.g. “I’ve used a tint at the top to show the highlight where the light hits it, and then a dark shade here for the shadow”).
- Could adjust tonal placement after reflection, explaining how changes improve the three-dimensional effect.
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Assessing progress and understanding
Pupils with secure understanding can:
- Mix tints and shades by adding white or
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Vocabulary definitions
-
form (Y4)
How an object is shown to look three-dimensional using light and dark.
-
highlight (Y4)
The lightest part of an object, where the light hits it most strongly.
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In this unit
Maintained by: Kapow Primary team
Last update: 26th June, 2026
Assessment – Art Y4: Painting – Coming soon
Lesson 3: Tone techniques
Exploring different ways artists use paint to create tone and experimenting with a range of...
Lesson 5: Still life
Drawing on all the skills they have studied this unit, painting a still life painting...
Lesson 4: Composition
Exploring still life and the elements of effective composition to plan a finished still life...
