Art History and Cultural Context
KS1AD-KS1-D003
Learning about the work of artists, craft makers and designers from different practices, disciplines and cultural backgrounds.
National Curriculum context
This domain establishes pupils' awareness that art and design is a human activity with a rich history and diverse cultural expressions. Pupils study a range of artists, craft makers and designers, comparing and contrasting different practices and traditions. They begin to make connections between what they observe in the work of others and their own creative choices. The educational rationale is that encountering exemplary work inspires pupils and gives them a richer sense of the possibilities available to them as creators. This domain also introduces the idea that art and design reflects and shapes the society and culture in which it is made.
1
Concepts
1
Clusters
1
Prerequisites
1
With difficulty levels
Lesson Clusters
Investigate artists, craft makers and designers from different traditions
practice CuratedSingle concept domain. Knowledge of diverse practitioners is taught through comparison and discussion linked to pupils' own making activities.
Teaching Suggestions (3)
Study units and activities that deliver concepts in this domain.
Andy Goldsworthy Nature Art
Art Creative ResponsePedagogical rationale
Goldsworthy's land art is perfect for KS1 because it uses natural materials children already find fascinating -- leaves, sticks, stones, petals. It teaches that art can be made anywhere with anything, expanding the definition of art beyond paint and paper. The ephemeral nature of the work (it melts, blows away, decays) teaches that the creative process matters as much as the finished product. Working outdoors connects art to science and geography.
Kandinsky Circles
Art Creative ResponsePedagogical rationale
Kandinsky's Squares with Concentric Circles is a classroom favourite because it combines colour exploration with the satisfying repetition of circle-drawing. Each square becomes a mini colour experiment. The work teaches colour relationships (warm vs cool, complementary pairs) through free exploration. The grid format means the whole class can contribute squares to a collaborative artwork.
Mondrian Primary Colours
Art Creative ResponsePedagogical rationale
Mondrian's Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow uses only primary colours and straight black lines, making it ideal for teaching colour mixing (primary to secondary) and geometric vocabulary to 5-6 year olds. The strong visual structure means pupils can create successful compositions quickly, building confidence. The geometric simplicity connects naturally to mathematics.
Prerequisites
Concepts from other domains that pupils should know before this domain.
Concepts (1)
Artists, Craft Makers and Designers
knowledge Guided MaterialsAD-KS1-C006
Knowledge of practitioners in art, craft and design gives pupils models of creative practice, historical context and cultural diversity. At KS1, pupils learn that different people make different things in different ways and for different purposes, and that these practices have histories and traditions. Comparing the work of different practitioners develops critical and analytical vocabulary.
Teaching guidance
Introduce a diverse range of artists, craft makers and designers including those from different cultures, genders, historical periods and disciplines. Use high-quality reproductions and, where possible, real objects. Ask pupils to describe what they see, what they think the artist was trying to do, and what connections they can make to their own work. Use artists as starting points for pupils' own making activities. Include craft makers such as potters and textile artists alongside fine artists.
Common misconceptions
Pupils often begin with a narrow view of who artists are and what art looks like. Deliberately including diverse examples challenges this. Some pupils may find it difficult to connect what they see in an artist's work to their own making; structured links through projects and activities help build this bridge.
Difficulty levels
Identifying that different people create art, craft and design in different ways and for different purposes.
Example task
Look at these pictures: a painting by an artist, a pot made by a potter, and a chair designed by a designer. How are they different?
Model response: The painting is for looking at on a wall. The pot is for holding things and it looks nice. The chair is for sitting on. Different people make different things for different reasons.
Describing the work of specific artists, craft makers or designers studied in class, identifying distinctive features of their work.
Example task
What is special about how Andy Goldsworthy makes his art?
Model response: Andy Goldsworthy uses natural materials like leaves, stones, ice and sticks to make sculptures outdoors. His work is special because it uses nature itself as the material and it changes over time — the wind blows it away or it melts. He doesn't use paint or a studio.
Making connections between the work of artists studied and their own creative work, explaining how an artist's ideas or techniques have influenced their choices.
Example task
Create a piece of artwork inspired by an artist you have studied. Explain the connection.
Model response: I was inspired by Andy Goldsworthy. I collected autumn leaves and arranged them in a colour gradient from green to yellow to red in a spiral pattern on the grass. Like Goldsworthy, I used only natural materials and worked outdoors. I took a photograph because the wind would blow it away, which is part of the point — art doesn't have to last forever.
Delivery rationale
Art creative process concept — structured materials can guide sketchbook work and creative exploration.