Key Learning Area: Lesson 2: Visual Arts

Year Level : 8

Class Size: 25 students

Timing: Half a day visit to the Australian National Maritime Museum

Topic: Vikings - Beyond the Legend Exhibition

Curriculum Connections

The way of life in Viking society (social, cultural, economic and political features) and the roles and relationships of
different groups in society (ACDSEH007)

Significant developments and/or cultural achievements that led to Viking expansion, including weapons and
shipbuilding, and the extent of their trade (ACDSEH047)

Viking conquests and relationships with subject peoples, including the perspectives of monks, changes in the way
of life of the English, and the Norman invasion (ACDSEH048)

Analyse how artists use visual conventions in artworks (ACAVAR123)

Develop ways to enhance intentions as artists through exploration of how artists use materials, techniques,
technologies and processes (ACAVAM119)

Develop planning skills for art-making by exploring techniques and processes used by different artists
(ACAVAM120)

RATIONALE

This lesson incorporates a visit to the Beyond the Legend exhibition at the Australian National
Maritime Museum. Throughout this lesson students will need to draw on the knowledge of previous
lessons in the cross curriculum unit. Students will be participating in preparation activities including
online image gallery research. Whilst at the exhibition students will be guided by an education officer
and will be required to complete the booklet provided. In order to complete the booklet task, student
will require the use of mobile technology and download the exhibition QR code app where audio
explanations of the artwork and visual cues are provided to guide their research. M-learning allows for
extended learning outside of the constraints of the classroom walls, by complimenting gallery
research and broadening educational outcomes (Sharples et. al, 2005). By introducing mobile and
wireless devices largely associated with students social lives, and integrating with traditional learning
materials such as worksheets and gallery booklets, m-learning develops greater opportunities for
active and ongoing engagement (Vavoula, 2004).
The tasks guided by the education officer, exhibition QR codes and resource booklet aims to
challenge the students knowledge and encourage inquiry based learning. Through guidance, leading
questions, group activities and visual analysis, students will build on cultural context, value and
purpose of the artefacts. Student to analyse the artefacts and consider how the objects were used,
the purpose, what materials used in its construction and techniques used to develop the objects. By
engaging in the exhibition students will begin to formulate ideas for their summative assessment task.
The formative homework assessment will encourage reflection on the exploration of the materials,
techniques and process used to create the artefacts and allow students to begin planning for their artmaking.
The social media platform Facebook will be developed for information sharing and presentation of a
class online exhibition will also be introduced to the students as an online collaborating teaching
approach. Created and monitored by the teacher, students and teachers can share resources,
document the process of art making, critique and collaborate providing personalised feedback, peer
review, assessment, support and the opportunity to provide an online gallery available for view for the
class, school, family and friends (Picardo, 2012). It is important the teacher will create and moderate

the page, to ensure a safe participation and provide explicit guidelines to create a positive learning
experience (ACMAcybersmart, 2015).
Social media platforms have the potential to advance a new learning culture, based on flexibility,
collaboration and independence (Alexander, 2006).

LEARNING AIMS
AND
ASSESSMENT
OUTCOMES

By the end of this lesson students will:

Actively participate in the Exhibition Beyond the Legend
Complete exhibition booklet
Take photos of artefact that represent form and function
Use smartphones to access the gallerys QR codes to gain insightful research on artefacts
Share their findings with other students
Sketch designs for their final design and sculpture creation
Teacher Outcomes:
Organise excursion, including transport and risk assessment
Provide students with exhibition booklet and ensure all students have access to mobile
technology and the gallery app
Take photos of artefacts that represent form and function
Ensure students behave appropriately whilst on excursion
Guide students to developing design ideas
Assist students to continuously respond and reference historical contexts to the function and
decorative form of the artefacts.
Encourage online collaboration between peers and staff.

PRIOR LESSON
PREPARATION

Ensure excursion permission forms have been signed and returned

Ensure students sign a social responsibility agreement to online behave and collect forms
along with excursion forms
Organise excursion, including transport and risk assessment
Provide students with exhibition booklet and ensure all students have access to mobile
technology and the gallery app
Ensure students bring the appropriate resources for the excursion including sketchpad,
mobile devices, tablets if preferred
Develop Facebook class page as moderator for online collaboration.

PROCEDURE

Learning Experience:
Divided into small groups students will be provided with the exhibition guide and led through the
Viking exhibition by educational gallery guides and adult volunteers.
Each adult volunteer will also be provided with a guide, the gallery QR code app and activity sheet
including briefings of gallery items. (Example of worksheets attached in appendix A).
Students will be instructed with guidance to work through the gallery app, booklet activities and take
photos of Viking artefacts representing functional and decorative form that can be included in their
visual diaries and used as inspiration for their final assessment piece.
Encourage students to take time to view the objects which interest them, to discuss what they
observe and share their findings as they explore.
Advise students to keep in mind the following questions throughout the exhibition and take notes:
What was the most interesting object in the exhibition?
What did I learn about the Vikings that I did not know before?
What sources of evidence does the exhibition include?

How useful did I find these for learning about Viking life?
What have I learned about the Viking world from the objects in the exhibition?
What else would I put in the exhibition to make it interesting/informative?

Remind students to behave calmly and politely throughout the visit.

Conclude with homework task (formative assessment)
Following the exhibition students will reflect on their research, artefacts viewed that represent form
and function and explore the purpose of pattern, animals, language, text and plant motifs.
Students will be instructed for homework to reflect on the images they photographed and artefacts
they analysed at the gallery through their app and worksheets. When writing their reflection students
will be asked to consider the history and story of each item, the importance, the materials used to
create the objects and the decorative patterns and design.
Additionally, students will be instructed to sketch three designs for their sculpture considering the
purpose of their object and the story it tells. Online research is also encouraged and should be
documented in their visual diary the demonstrate design development. Further opportunities for
guidance and time to work on developing their designs will be delivered in lesson three.
Students will be introduced to the class social media page in which they will be encouraged to access
for further resources, collaborate with peers, and document their processes.

REFLECTION

This lesson plan can be accommodated for students with specific learning needs.
Reading the booklet activities to students and reinforcing the purpose and intended
outcome/focus throughout the exhibition. Audio and visual cues made available through the
gallery app.
Differentiation can be applied by encouraging ESL students, students diagnosed with
Expressive Language Disorder and Aspergers Syndrome who find language and text difficult
at times to draw, sketch and take photographs as a focus rather than writing lengthy answers
within their exhibition worksheets (diagnostic formative assessment approach).
Challenge advanced students with additional bonus questions throughout the exhibition
allowing them to further apply their critical thinking and analytical skills (multi-level teaching
approach).
Use of assistive technology smartphones with QR codes aligned with artefacts to engage
and collate information.
The social media platform provides an opportunity for students and staff to interact beyond
the constraints of the school walls, whereby critique, collaboration, feedback, peer review,
assessment, exhibition and support can occur (Picardo, 2012). This also provides another
communication platform for those students who find it difficult or intimidating to voice their
opinions in class. In particular the students with learning management plans addressed in the
unit plan, who suffer from Asperger Syndrome and Severe Expressive Language Disorder. It
provides students with another communication medium in which most students are familiar
and comfortable with. The teacher will create and moderate the page and in order to ensure a
safe participation through moderating comments, implementing tight security and provided
explicit guidelines for students to follow in order to create a positive learning experience for all
(ACMAcybersmart, 2015).

RESOURCES

Visual art diaries

Stationary (pencils, pen)
Museum workbook guide
Smartphones/tablets/mobile technologies for Gallery app and QR codes
Camera to document artefacts of interest to include in visual diary for reflection and visual diary
(portfolio) development of jewellery design task.