Art and Design Year 4: Formal elements of art

Exploring two of the formal elements of art: texture and pattern; pupils develop a range of mark-making techniques, make and use their own textured stamps for printing; draw a ‘flip’ pattern and recreate a famous and ancient geometric pattern.

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Art and design > Lower key stage 2 > Formal elements of art

Please note

This unit has now been replaced by the Year 4 unit Craft and design: Fabric of nature. Kapow no longer updates these lessons, and they may not reflect the national curriculum or current guidance. They remain a permanent part of your subscription and will continue to be available for reference and use. We recommend that you explore the new versions of the lessons.

Choose your lesson

Lesson 1: Texture: Charcoal mark making (Original scheme)

After experimenting with the different marks that charcoal can make, children are challenged to represent the meaning of a given list of words and phrases, in an abstract way.

Lesson 2: Texture and pattern: Printing

Children imprint texture and pattern into a piece of playdough using a selection of clay tools and everyday objects, then create prints from their blocks by applying ink to the surface and placing a piece of paper on top.

Lesson 3: Pattern 1: Stamp printing

Drawing around geometric shapes onto polystyrene foam and securing to a cork or lego brick, children make a stamp to create repeating patterns, varying configurations and their use of colour.

Lesson 4: Pattern 2: Reflection and symmetry

Children draw an image and then select a small section to trace into one square of a quadrant, they continue flipping and tracing into the next square of the quadrant until the 'flip pattern' is complete

Lesson 5: Pattern 3: Flower of life

Using a compass and following precise instructions, children make an image of overlapping and interconnected circles to recreate the sacred geometric symbol, 'the flower of life'.

Assess your pupils

Assessment resources for use at the start of the unit to assess where pupils are in their learning and at the end of the unit to assess progress. Go to assessment resources