This fun Christmas themed activity lesson covers repeat printing (cross-curricular link to Maths) and gives step by step instructions on how to create a sheet of wrapping paper by potato printing. The lesson is designed to keep things as simple as possible - mess is kept to a minimum by using one printing colour only. You can use newsprint or brown craft paper as a cheap wrapping paper base, or even tissue paper if you want but this can tear more easily. You could simplify things further for younger students by preparing the potato stamps in advance (if students work in pairs, you could cut 15 potato stamps before the lesson). Tip: a pack of cheap wet-wipes is always handy in these lessons to clear away quickly.

A one-off lesson with full powerpoint and instructions for creating fantastic bottle flowers from waste plastic bottles. The lesson is designed with limited materials (scissors, POSCA marker pens and waste plastic bottles which the students bring in) so that it is not necessary to be in a specialist classroom. Full context to Earth Day and the environmental background to reducing plastic waste is included in the lesson, with a quick quiz and link to a video. A template for designing is included as well as 2 slides of source material to inspire students. In addition there is an extension task for any early-finishers and a differentiated version of the written plenary. A great lesson which students really enjoy, with an important message. A bonus is that the resulting 'bottle blooms' make a brilliant display!

Christmas season one-off lesson where students create their own repeat pattern wallpaper using potato printing. This version has instructions using water-based paints (acrylic gives a good opaque colour, but you can use poster paint too) and paint brushes, rather than printing ink and rollers (there is another version of this resource in my shop with instructions for this kind of printing). A fun lesson with good cross-curricular links to design and technology and maths (repeat patterns, rotation). The lesson requires some largish paper to print the wrapping paper - you can use what you have for this... brown craft paper works well; newsprint is cheap and good; sugar paper tends to be a bit thick but has the added benefit of colour and can look good in a display; tissue paper also works but can tear more easily. Although this is a practical lesson, mess is kept to a minimum by using paper plates as palettes which can be thrown away after use. A good tip is to have some cheap wet wipes to help speed up the clean up at the end. If you want to simplify things (perhaps for younger students) you can prepare potato stamps in advance to avoid having students cutting them in the lesson.

A 12 lesson unit of work with a powerpoint for each lesson with additional worksheets and differentiated print outs. The project is aimed at KS3 students and includes some great cross-curricular elements (shapes and geometry, geography and music). Students learn about the fantastic art of the Ndebele people (from Southern Africa) and create their own individual modroc version including their own personal designs. Using acrylic paint, they decorate the houses in the characteristic Ndebele style (an excellent book with images of this art form: ). Students really enjoy the 3d making in this project, which covers a number of skills, as well as the bright colours that are characteristic of this style.

A fun art ‘colour’ word search PDF with more unusual names of colours to find - azure, chartreuse, coral, crimson etc.). These print well at A5 (two to an A4 sheet) so are an economical, fun way to embed student learning on literacy, extending vocabulary on any colour-related scheme of work. Quotes from Joseph Albers, Sonia Delaunay and Georges Braque also encourage critical thinking on colour.

This lesson starts with a little scientific introduction on snowflakes and then gives step by step instructions on how to cut beautiful hexagonal paper snowflakes (much better than the doily type you may have seen before!). There are example templates you can print out to help with differentiation. Students are blown away by what they’ve made and the resulting flakes can be displayed on black sugar paper or hung in the classroom (try darkening the room and using a torch to explore the shadows…). Perfect for a one-off lesson in science, design or art, or a tutor group session - without too many fiddly resources!

These learning disposition stickers have been useful in my Art lessons to make the skills we are developing in a lesson explicit to students. They have been incorporated in the lesson objectives and the plenary and as a result, students have become more resilient in their approach to challenges in their work. Developed from Building Learning Power reading, I have found this language has been effective in improving attitudes to learning. Sticker sheets can be printed onto Avery L7651 stickers . This presentation could also be adapted for use in staff training / CPD.