This always goes well - it gives students a systematic approach to making a seamless repeat pattern. The step by step guide on the power point comes with a starter pattern looking at repeating pattern across different cultures and then focuses on William Morris style repeating process, so a good coverage of AO1 2 and 4. Great for years 7 - 9 but can be done in a simpler version for KS2 also. Good to follow on from some observation drawing sessions on natural forms, but I've used the idea with allsorts of shapes from Cosmic to micro organisms

A nicely constructed essay on "Structures and Abstraction" to show students beginning the written element of their personal Investigation with a good mix of research and gallery visits to inform the personal response. The student uses quotation well to set up opportunities to comment and develop ideas further, supported by examples of their own work. Also includes the student's own photos of work seen in galleries such as the Mondrian on this cover image.

A lesson with a starter activity which focuses students on how artists communicate ideas in different ways as well as understanding that when they look at an image it is usually communicating a story, a concept, a response to something. Students are then guided to explore a discussion question relating to how artists use text in their work with a list of suggested sources. The slides have notes accompanying to prompt discussion and there are opportunities to dwell on issues of equality and diversity. This lesson is aimed at GCSE and A Level to boost response to AO1 to show extended informed comments and discussion rather than the usual biographical information on one artist.

A starter activity to generate discussion, analysis and reasoning. Leave the decision on criteria for best to the students

A lesson starter and activity to explore Matisse's cut outs in a new approach. The starter will enable students to challenge their thinking on how an artist can work when faced with physical challenges. This is a great lesson for the promotion of equality and diversity and gives good coverage to AO1 AO2 and AO4 with them commenting on the ways of working and then taking new approaches with the cut outs of Matisse. Great for all age ranges in raising their awareness of equality and diversity. The power point slides give additional information on the artists condition and ways of working.

A set of images of extreme facial expression to use for drawing - images of sculptures featuring the work of Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, Bernini and Rodin. I've used these with year 9 and above - and find that getting students to draw from sculptures offers them a start in seeing where the essential forms are through tonal changes without being distracted by detail - the withdrawal away from the reality of a basic photograph of a face seems to help in achieving more expressive and stronger drawing. The powerpoint contains 22 images of facial expressions in sculptures and links to information. This can form the basis of a set of lessons that lead into their own explorations of facial expression through their own direct observations. The expressions can cause some smiles too.

A fun starter to any lesson or tutor time to get students thinking and looking for clues to make connections.

This has always proved a really useful lesson, either done part way through a project or towards the end. It focuses the students into thinking what is their work about, what are they trying to do in their work, and how they can explain their ideas. I use this source by separating the images from the text, and the students have to match the statement to the work. This then leads into them highlighting areas that they find most informative and commenting on how they can understand the work more after reading what the artist has said about it. They then begin to formulate their own thoughts into writing their own artists statements to go at the start of the project, rather than an evaluation at the end. This is great for GCSE and A Level AO1 and 4, and also for creating a great impression with the moderator.

I developed this after a conversation with a student about a celebrity they said was now too old to be beautiful. It prompted the question at what age does someone cease to be attractive? Is it 29, 35, 40? etc. This is a fun starter with a homework task to explore this idea and will engage the students on entry having to identify 9 "beautiful" people from photographs when young with them as now, with some of them quite old! This leads into questioning on age and looking at ideals of beauty across time, which all neatly explores equality and diversity and multi cultural aspects. This is great for any age group and provides good opportunity for wider thinking and development of discussion skills.

A starter activity to engage students and help them think outside the box. I've always found that odd collections of images are of much interest to all students and helps them to try to spot connections, which develops thinking skills and the nature of the activity in making guesses throws up really interesting and unexpected ideas which helps to generate interesting discussion. Working in small groups of mixed ability helps in bringing out ideas and seeing how ideas can be explored in different ways. Suitable for any secondary stage, good for GCSE and A level as a way of processing possible ideas. This is on a power point slide with notes accompanying, and if you search for the Fatboy Slim video it acts as a clue and thinking time.

A useful guide to writing a meaningful evaluation - prompts and examples for students to move them away from a descriptive list of what they did. Good for GCSE and A Level

A feedback sheet for internal assessment and feedback, including comment box and tick boxes for AFL.

Good for hitting multi cultural approaches in painting - a lesson with a starter to focus students on different approaches to landscape painting in different countries around the world. I find this one useful to get students thinking in how they might identify places at first which feeds into looking at painting approaches and differences in thinking. Good for any age group and a useful intervention lesson in project work or a session on equality and diversity.

A starter activity which develops thinking skills by asking students to consider categorization different to normally expected connections. It will also tick an Equality and Diversity box and allow students to consider issues relevant to them. This can be used with any age group but is particularly good for GCSE and A level and is a great activity to stimulate discussion

A useful little form to help year 1 A Level students focus their ideas as they begin to think about their Personal Investigation

A nice starter for students to think outside the box. Great for getting a positive working atmosphere going and developing thinking skills. great for any subject as something different to start with including tutor time.

A useful starter for Music or Tutor time - keep your students engaged on entry looking for connections between the images. The nature of the Odd One Out starters is to prompt guessing and questioning from the students, so there are no questions on this starter apart from "which is the odd one out?". I find dropping clues in where they get stuck helpful to prompt further looking and guessing. The important thing is not for them to know, or guess the answer but to open up possibilities of thinking for them.

A fun little starter to engage students on entry - gets them looking at how artists work in different ways - some neat and tidy, some chaotic. It gives them a reference point of the work the artists produce with the answers. Good for a bit of background knowledge of working practices in painting.

A fun starter looking at how the celebrities could be linked to the animal/object. Good for students to think around and look at how new discoveries are named, and how personal choice comes into this.

Instagram is great as a way of using something students are happy with as a method of working. I find it great as students are already familiar with it, but not necessarily as a way of working creatively. Obviously ideal for photography students but also for any of the art specifications as they can record what they do and build evidence of development of ideas. Its handy if you can get your senior management to unblock it, and this is easier obviously post 16, but it can still be used as homework if not, and you know instantly who is doing their homework and who isn't. The best thing about it is that students buy into this - they are really happy doing it, they can get likes from each other and you can comment instantly on what they have doe. Get them to set up a second account from their personal one and they're off - and it gives you a load of stuff to promote your department and school or college.