This Kapow Art and design video supports teachers in delivering a cross-curricular lesson inspired by the botanical illustrations of Carl Linnaeus and Charles Darwin. Pupils will apply their observational drawing skills to closely examine and record flowers or parts of plants, linking their artistic work with scientific learning. The lesson encourages children to use simple shapes to guide their sketches, drawing enlarged sections of flowers such as a petal or seed head. Using tea-stained paper helps achieve an authentic, aged effect to reflect historical botanical studies.

This video is part of Kapow Primary’s Art and design scheme of work – nature. It prepares teachers to guide pupils in working from direct observation, using pencils, pens and optional watercolour washes to create tonal detail. Teachers are supported in using real flowers or photo references, and in encouraging annotation of scientific vocabulary. The outcome can be collated into a class botanist’s book, supporting both creativity and curriculum links to science topics on plants.

Art and design, key stage 2, Year 3, Drawing: Growing artists, Lesson 4: Botanical drawing