Year 3 Art, music & design

Chapters to explore

Tone is how light or dark an area appears. Lines, shading and repeated marks can suggest tone and texture. A sketchbook records experiments and observations. It is a place to explore, not a collection that must look finished.

Try it: Draw one object using three mark-making techniques.

Artists work in different places, times and traditions. Look at the work and reliable information about its context. An inspiration can suggest a technique or question without being copied exactly. Record the artist and source when you study a work.

Try it: With an adult, study a museum artwork and make an original response.

Contrast means a noticeable difference, such as light against dark or a large shape beside a small one. It can direct attention. A limited palette uses a small selection of colours deliberately. Test combinations before choosing the final arrangement.

Try it: Make two versions of one design with different contrast.

A melody is an organised sequence of pitches. It may move up, down or repeat a note. Pitch is separate from rhythm. You can represent a short melody with dots at different heights before learning conventional notation.

Try it: Make a four-note pitch pattern using a comfortable voice or suitable instrument.

Rhythm arranges durations and silences. Metre groups the underlying beats. A simple four-beat pattern can contain several shorter sounds or longer held sounds. A symbol needs an agreed duration to be useful.

Try it: Write and perform a four-beat pattern with at least one held sound.

A character’s actions can reveal what they want or believe. A scene may be understood differently by different characters. Use voice and movement deliberately, and avoid assuming that one action tells us everything about a person.

Try it: Act the umbrella scene twice from different viewpoints.

A user is the person who will use a design. Ask about their needs before choosing a solution. Criteria describe what success looks like. A prototype lets you test shape, size or function cheaply before making a more finished version.

Try it: Design a useful desk object and test a paper prototype.

Materials have properties that affect their uses. A joint connects parts. A lever turns around a pivot and can transfer movement. Choose a joining method that suits the materials and ask an adult to handle tools that are not appropriate for you.

Try it: Make a simple moving card model with adult-approved materials.

A presentation can combine visual art, music or drama. Decide what the audience should notice. Rehearse the order, check materials and invite specific feedback. Evaluation compares the result with the intention, not with someone else’s worth.

Try it: Share a short piece and record one successful choice and one next step.

Learning together

Each chapter brings together teaching, an example, practice and a practical discovery. Use the material with discussion and suitable offline activities. Choose a comfortable starting point and revisit explanations as needed.