Explore the colours and patterns of the African landscape and native tribes with this 'African Art' scheme of work for KS1. Teach your class how to create African patterns, explore the Maasai culture and their amazing homemade jewellery, teach your children how to make and decorate tribal masks and water jars, admire the beautiful African sunsets and so much more!

This scheme of work teaches your KS1 children new art techniques through the exploration of a different continent. Painting, beadwork, sculpting, cutting and drawing are some of the many skills your class will develop and practise during this engaging art scheme of work.

You may also like our Awesome Africa Topic Bundle with ready-to-teach themed schemes of work for Geography, Art and English. 

Colours, Shapes and African Patterns

Introduce your class to the continent of Africa, where it is and how many countries it has. Explore the different landscapes in Africa and discuss the colours and patterns your children can see in the scenes. Look at different African tribes and their patterned clothes. Show your children the different cloths made and worn by African people and discuss the colours and patterns visible in these cloths. Your children will have the opportunity to paint/draw pattern strips and even make a quilt square out of material samples.

This African patterns KS1 downloadable art lesson contains a plan, slide show presentation, resources and activity ideas.

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Maasai Jewellery and Culture

Who are the Maasai people?

Teach your children about the Maasai tribes and Maasai warriors. Explore the culture, dance and traditions of these African tribes. Explore Maasi traditional dress before showing your children images of Maasai jewellery and discussing the colours, patterns and designs they can see. Your children can then make their own Maasai jewellery using beads and craft materials in the classroom.

This downloadable lesson contains a plan, slide show presentation, jewellery instructions and challenge cards. It has everything you need to teach Maasai jewellery KS1 activities.

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African Masks

Use this ready-to-teach African masks KS1 Art lesson to teach your Year 1 or Year 2 class about the masks worn by African people during cultural and religious ceremonies and challenge them to make their own!

During this lesson, your children will be shown the different shapes and designs of African masks. They will discuss the colours, patterns and shapes used to make the masks, before being invited to design and make their own masks with paint, cardboard and craft materials.

This lesson on African masks for kids contains a plan, slide show presentation, African mask images and loads more high quality resources. It is downloadable and ready-to-teach!

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African Sunsets

Marvel with your class at the beautiful sunset scenes found in Africa before making your own African sunset art. Expose your children to images of sunsets and discuss the colours and shapes they can see. They will learn what a silhouette is and how they can be added to sunset paintings. Use the slides to demonstrate the steps involved in painting a sunset and how to make African silhouettes for themselves. There is even an opportunity to make a sunset with layered tissue paper.

This lesson contains a plan, slide show presentation, resources, step-by-step guids and activity ideas. It is downloadable and ready-to-teach to your KS1 class.

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Make African Water Jars

The final lesson in this series introduces your class to the difficulties many people in rural Africa face in finding water water each day. They will discuss the journey African women take to find and collect water for their families and communities. Your class will explore the water jars made by African tribes before looking at more modern jars made by artists that represent the traditional African versions. Your children will have the chance to make their own version of water jars using either plastic bottles and wool or clay.

This ready-to-teach African art lesson contains a plan, slide show presentation, task cards, African jar pictures and instruction sheets. It will help your class make African water jars in a variety of different ways.

View Lesson 5