Year 5 Art, music & design

Chapters to explore

An artistic intention describes what you want to explore or communicate. Materials and techniques can support it. Research can broaden possibilities, while experiments reveal what works. An intention may develop as the work develops.

Try it: Plan a small artwork around a chosen idea and record experiments.

Art can reflect beliefs, materials, technology and events in a society. Reliable context helps interpretation, but a work does not speak for every person in a culture. Distinguish visible evidence from an assumption about the artist.

Try it: Compare two museum works and note evidence, context and remaining questions.

Mixed media combines different materials or techniques. Plan how layers interact and test whether materials work together. A texture can be physical or visually suggested. Protect the work area and choose safe materials appropriate to the task.

Try it: Make a small mixed-media study with two contrasting textures.

Composition develops musical ideas into a piece. Improvisation creates music in the moment within or beyond agreed rules. A short motif can be repeated, varied or answered. Choose a comfortable sound range and listen to the effect of each change.

Try it: Improvise a short comfortable motif, then develop a repeatable version.

Structure is how sections are organised. Texture concerns how musical parts combine. An ABA structure returns to the opening section after a contrasting middle. A solo line and several simultaneous parts can create different textures.

Try it: Create an ABA sound piece with a clear contrast.

Expression includes deliberate choices of tempo, dynamics, phrasing and movement. Rehearsal identifies what needs practice. Consider the audience and space, and use feedback to refine communication. Performance is not a contest about personal worth.

Try it: Rehearse a short piece, record an observation and make one change.

Media makers select images, sound, order and framing. These choices influence what an audience notices. A documentary claim needs evidence; a fictional scene should not be presented as proof of a real event. Identify purpose and audience before producing.

Try it: Storyboard a fictional scene and explain two media choices.

A brief sets a purpose, user and constraints. Sustainability considers resources, use, repair and disposal, not just appearance. A durable or repairable design may reduce replacement. Compare options and explain trade-offs rather than claiming one material is always best.

Try it: Compare two designs for a reusable object and discuss one trade-off.

Practical design includes planning how materials are prepared and joined. Food tasks need adult guidance, hygiene and attention to allergies. Textile tasks need suitable tools and secure joins. Follow instructions, check the result and explain how it meets the user’s needs.

Try it: With an adult, plan a safe textile or no-cook food project suited to your needs.

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.