This hands-on art scheme of work ‘Earth Art’ for KS1 provides opportunities to create unique artwork using natural materials. The lesson plans, slideshow presentations and printable teaching resources will show your class that rocks, leaves, twigs and acorns found in the playground offer a world of imagination and artistic potential.

The lessons in this scheme of work use materials from nature to create pieces of art. Your children will make pet rocks using different sized rocks, stick sculptures using sticks and twigs, leaf animals using fallen leaves and much more.

Why not upgrade to our Our Amazing World Topic Bundle – perfect if you're looking for a cross-curricular approach to your teaching.

Rock Painting

The first lesson in this 'Earth Art' scheme of work explores how images painted on rocks can tell us stories. Rock paintings give us information about important events that occurred in the past. Painting on rocks is also a great way to express feelings and emotions instead of using the usual paper or canvas. Gather rocks for your children and explore ways of painting on them and watch your class excitedly paint their very own animals onto rocks to make 'pet' rocks!

This downloadable lesson includes a lesson plan, slideshow presentation and printable teaching resources.

View Lesson 1

Stick Sculptures

This lesson explores ways of using sticks and twigs to make individual sculptures and whole scenes. Follow the step-by-step slides in this lesson to teach your children techniques for how to attach sticks together with play-dough, to make objects. Alternatively you could follow the steps to make a stick frame for your children in which to hang a photo or a hand-drawn portrait.

This downloadable lesson includes a lesson plan, slideshow presentation and printable teaching resources.

View Lesson 2

Leaf Art Animals

Introduce your class to collage techniques in this lesson, using different coloured leaves from the playground and field. Your children will love learning about Rangoli designs and how flowers and leaves are used to create beautiful pieces of art. Use the slides to explain in steps how to make a 'leaf cow' and watch your children use their imaginations to make their own leaf animals. Alternatively, your class can work with clay to make nature tiles by pressing flowers and leaves into the clay to make patterns.

This downloadable lesson includes a lesson plan, slideshow presentation and printable teaching resources.

View Lesson 3

Weaving

Your class will learn about the traditional loom weaving method used by Turkish people in this lesson. They will learn that most cloth is made by weaving thread, which then makes fabrics to make clothes. Your class will see examples of beautiful Turkish rugs and blankets that were made using the loom weave technique. They will then have the opportunity to make their own loom frame and use it to weave natural materials to make a great piece of art. Alternatively, your children will learn about the origins of dream catchers and have a chance to make a simple dream catcher for themselves.

This downloadable lesson includes a lesson plan, slideshow presentation and printable teaching resources.

View Lesson 4

Mandalas

This lesson explores the beautiful art of mandalas, created by Indian people. Show your children images of mandalas and allow them to discuss the colours and shapes used to create them, and discuss how natural materials were used. Challenge your children to colour and draw some mandalas and work on their fine motor skills while doing this. Can they stay within the lines? This lesson also provides opportunities for you and your class to spend time outside, working in small groups, making large mandalas on the grass using natural materials.

This downloadable lesson includes a lesson plan, slideshow presentation and printable teaching resources.

View Lesson 5

Collage

Get your children to put on their creative hats on this lesson and invite them to explore ways of making objects and scenes using natural and man-made materials. Collage is an art technique that involves mixing and using different materials to make a picture. Your class will learn ways of putting natural materials together to make a picture, whilst at the same time bringing all the techniques they have learnt in the ‘Earth Art’ scheme of work together to make their very own collages.

This downloadable lesson includes a lesson plan, slideshow presentation and printable teaching resources.

View Lesson 6