Alicia Sutherland
Visual Arts Graffiti & Street Art
Learning Area(s)
The Arts – Media & Visual Arts
Year(s)
6&7
DESCRIPTION
The Arts - Media Arts: Year 6
In Years 5 and 6, learning in Media Arts builds on the experience of the previous band. It involves students making and responding
to media arts independently, and collaboratively with their classmates, teachers and communities.
The Arts - Media Arts: Year 7
In Years 7 and 8, learning in Media Arts builds on the experience of the previous band. It involves students making and responding
to media arts independently, and with their classmates, teachers and communities. They explore media arts as an art form.
The Arts - Visual Arts: Year 6
In Years 5 and 6, learning in Visual Arts builds on the experience of the previous band. It involves students making and responding
to visual arts independently, and collaboratively with their classmates, teachers and communities.
The Arts - Visual Arts: Year 7
In Years 7 and 8, learning in Visual Arts builds on the experience of the previous band. It involves students making and responding
to visual arts independently, and with their classmates, teachers and communities.
UNIT FOCUS
The focus of this unit is to appreciate and understand the ideas that artists are trying to convey throughout street art.
Students will explore freedom of expression vs. crime and punishment. Students will explore the street artist 'Banksy' and
design their own tags conveying their own meaning.
Stage 1: Desired Results
Transfer of knowledge

To understand that artists convey meaning through their art

To understand the ethical and moral dilemmas of street art

To act ethically and morally as informed citizens
UNDERSTANDINGS
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

Artists convey different messages throughout artwork

How do artists convey meaning through their
artwork?

Symbolic meaning or metaphor is interpreted in
different artworks

What are the different reasons that people do street
art?

Is graffiti freedom of speech or vandalism?

How to express an opinion in their own artwork
Curriculum Goals
Curriculum
The Arts - Media Arts: Year 6 : ACAMAM063 Develop skills with media technologies to shape space, time, movement and lighting
within images, sounds and text
The Arts - Media Arts : Year 6 : ACAMAR065 Explain how the elements of media arts and story principles communicate meaning by
comparing media artworks from different social, cultural and historical contexts, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
media artworks
The Arts - Media Arts : Year 7 : ACAMAM067 Develop media representations to show familiar or shared social and cultural values
and beliefs, including those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
The Arts - Media Arts : Year 7 : ACAMAM069 Plan, structure and design media artworks that engage audiences
Alicia Sutherland
The Arts - Visual Arts : Year 6 : ACAVAM114 Explore ideas and practices used by artists, including practices of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander artists, to represent different views, beliefs and opinions
The Arts - Visual Arts : Year 6 : ACAVAM115 Develop and apply techniques and processes when making their artworks
The Arts - Visual Arts : Year 6 : ACAVAR117 Explain how visual arts conventions communicate meaning by comparing artworks
from different social, cultural and historical contexts, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artworks
Other Goals
ACARA AC Achievement Standards
ACSA-MA7-6 Students collaborate with others in design and production processes, and control equipment and technologies to
achieve their intentions.
ACSA-MA7-3 Students identify and analyse the social and ethical responsibility of the makers and users of media artworks.
ACSA-MA7-4 Students produce representations of social values and points of view in media artworks for particular audiences and
contexts.
ACARA Cross Curriculum Priorities
OI.5 World View: Communities throughout the world have a common interest in maintaining environments for the future and
deserve to be treated equitably.
ACARA AC Achievement Standards
ACSA-VIS6-1 Students explain how ideas are represented in artworks they make and view.
ACSA-MA6-1 Students explain how points of view, ideas and stories are shaped and portrayed in media artworks they make, share
and view.
ACSA-VIS6-3 Students use visual conventions and visual arts practices to express a personal view in their artworks.
ACSA-MA6-3 Students work collaboratively using technologies to make media artworks for specific audiences and purposes using
story principles to shape points of view and genre conventions, movement and lighting.
ACARA General Capabilities
GC41 analyse information logically and make reasoned judgments
GC36 apply logic and strategies to uncover meaning and make reasoned judgments
GC40 generate and develop ideas and possibilities
GC39 reflect on thinking, actions and processes
GC46 identify and investigate moral dimensions in issues
GC57 recognise that their own and others behaviours, attitudes and values are influenced by their languages and cultures
Stage 2: Assessment Evidence
Criteria
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.
Description
Identifies the meaning conveyed by
the artists
Discusses how people interpret
artworks differently
Expresses own viewpoint on artworks
Graffiti Artist Critique: Students evaluate a range of artworks by a
graffiti artist explaining the meaning conveyed by the artist (i.e. Banksy).
Students create a folio or diary of different graffiti artworks by an artist
and describe the meaning behind the artworks. Students discuss
symbolism, colour and meaning.
Creates an urban street artwork on a
canvas.
Explains the meaning expressed
Ability to share ideas and
understanding
Street Art Exhibition: Students design their own graffiti street art and
explain the meaning they have communicated in their art. Students plan
their own art piece to be created on a canvas. They can use any of the
elements used; stencils, words, tags and images. Once complete the
students share their art pieces in an art exhibition where they explain
the meaning of their art piece.
Alicia Sutherland
Stage 3: Lesson Sequence
Lesson
Prior
Knowledge
Description
What do we know:
1. Class Discussions: What do we know about Street Art?
2. Is Street Art Is it good/bad?
3. Where do we see it?
Homework: Bring in some researched images of street art to discuss in class.
Lesson 1
Street Art
 Class to share and discuss images brought from homework task.
Explain Tasks
 Explain that students are going to be street artists (safely in the classroom only)
 Discuss: What is graffiti? Does anyone know any artists?
Graffiti Exploration
 Students use the graffiti wall tool using laptops in pairs (http://graffiti.playdo.com/)
Lesson 2
Name Tags
 Discuss what is a tag?
 Students work in groups to create their own tag
 Students use remainder of the lesson using laptops to create their own digital tags
Graffiti creators:
a. http://www.graffiticreator.net/
b. http://graffitinames.org/
c. http://graffitidiplomacy.com/CreateYourOwnTag.html
d. http://www.satisfaction.com/graffiti-creator/
Lesson 3
Artist Focus: Banksy
 Question: How did Banksy become the world’s most famous vandal? Explore BBC
iwonder website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/timelines/zytpn39#zththyc)
 Explore Artworks: Use interactive whiteboard to explore and discuss a range of Banksy
artworks with the students (http://arrestedmotion.com/2011/09/banksy-top-25-mostexpensive-works-ever)
 Banksy images: Students work in groups and are given a printed picture of a particular
Banksy artwork. Students discuss the image:
1) What is in the image?
2) What might have Banksy been trying to say?
3) How does the image make you feel?
 Discuss & Share group findings as a class.
Banksy websites
 http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-story-behind-banksy-4310304/?noist
 http://banksy.co.uk/index3-2.asp
Performance
Task 1
Graffiti Artist Critique: Students evaluate a range of artworks by a graffiti artist explaining the
meaning conveyed by the artist (i.e. Banksy). Students create a folio or diary of different graffiti
artworks by an artist and describe the meaning behind the artworks. Students discuss symbolism,
colour and meaning.
 Students to have multiple lessons and planning time to complete the first assessment.
Lesson 4
Freedom of Expression vs. Crime and Punishment
 Discuss graffiti- what are the different ways that it is used?
 Why is it illegal?
Alicia Sutherland

How is it a form of art?
Debate: Graffiti is illegal for a reason
 The class is to be split into two different groups ‘for’ and ‘against’. They will have most of
the lesson to create their arguments for the topic. The class will then carry out a debate
on this topic.
Lesson 5
Graffiti Art Forms Exploration
 Students are demonstrated a range of different graffiti art techniques; stencilling, graffiti
alphabets and images.
 Students fold up an A3 sheet of paper into a multiple sheet booklet. This booklet is then
used to practice a range of techniques.
 Students have the lesson to practice these different skills using paint in their booklet.
This booklet can then be used to assist them in their major project.
Performance
Task 2
Street Art Creation: Students design their own graffiti street art and explain the meaning they
have communicated in their art. Students plan their own art piece to be created on a canvas.
They can use any of the elements used; stencils, words, tags and images.
 Students have many lessons to plan and complete their major art assignment
Art Exhibition
Street Art Exhibition: Students hold an art exhibition in the classroom where they display and
discuss their artworks with students, teachers and parents.