Lesson Plans & Learning Experiences

ALL OF THE LESSONS HERE HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BY curriculum experts who understand the potential of the arts to draw students back to learning after crisis. They have been written specifically to support children’s return to the classroom through the arts. Children are not asked to talk directly or openly about their own experiences related to the crisis or distressing experience. Instead, we use fiction and/or abstraction to guide children toward reimagining their changed world. We know and support teachers adapting and changing plans to meet the strengths of the children they teach.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND:

• ADAPTABLE: We have provided a high level of detail in the following learning experiences and lesson plans to assist you. However, these lessons and experiences are meant to be adapted to your children, context, community and culture. Please consider them as ideas rather than scripts to follow word-for-word.
• ACCESSIBLE: We have endeavoured to create arts-based experiences that require little to no materials. However, some - such as the visual arts lessons - encourage the use of more materials than others.
• PARENTS & TEACHERS: Although these lessons and experiences were designed with primary and intermediate schools and early childhood centres in mind, they can also be facilitated by parents, community members, or other adults working with children at home or in the community.
• FOR ONGOING & RESPONSIVE USE: These lessons and experiences were designed to be facilitated preventatively to support children well-being, as well as in response to distressing experiences, crises, or disasters. Some learning experiences, such as Settling Stones, are specifically designed for regular use to help strengthen children’s healthy coping skills.
• SHARE YOUR STORY: We would love to see pictures of you using this resource and showcase them in the Te Rito Toi online gallery. You can view the gallery and find out how to share your work with us here.

TIPS: Use the filters on the right-hand side of your screen (or at the bottom if you're on a smartphone) to explore lesson plans and learning experiences by Age, Theme, and/or Art Form.