This exciting and immersive Space Art KS2 art unit is perfect for developing children's creativity and confidence while building on prior knowledge and supporting cross-curricular connections! Children will discover how space exploration has inspired historic and contemporary artists such as Alexei Leonov, Lucien Rudaux and Peter Thorpe before applying their understanding to plan and create their own dynamic space-themed artworks. Over the course of seven fully prepared lessons full of practical activities, your class will develop their skills creating compositions, drawing, painting and colour theory. Children will experiment with a variety of art tools and techniques, learning to create space-themed artworks that evoke different moods, from peaceful, atmospheric spacescapes to bold, high-energy rocket paintings. An alternative pathway enables children to create digital space collages, developing key digital design skills.

Each comprehensive lesson pack comes complete with a detailed plan and step-by-step guidance, an engaging and informative teaching input, and a range of printable resources to support your class with their independent learning. You might want to complement this scheme with our Standalone DT Lesson Pack, Build a Mars Rover, for Year 5/6 children!

A Knowledge Organiser is available to support the learning in this scheme. It is included in the Complete Series download or can be purchased individually. Save up to 30% on this scheme of work with our Mix and Match Space Topic Bundle – History, Science, Art and English lessons all themed around Space!

Lesson 1: Space-themed Art

In this first lesson, children learn about composition in space-themed artworks. They use the work of artists Alexei Leonov and Lucien Rudaux to explore how elements like foreground, middle ground and background create depth and balance.

Children apply their understanding by experimenting with different arrangements for their own artwork.

This ready-to-teach Space Art KS2 lesson comes with a detailed plan, a set of PDF slides for the teaching input and a range of printable resources to support your class in their independent learning.

What's included:

Lesson plan
Slides
Activity ideas
Artwork Images
Question Cards

Lesson 2: Colour Theory

Here, children recap colour theory and learn about warm and cool, harmonious and complementary colours and their characteristics and position on the colour wheel.

Then, children learn how artists make deliberate colour choices to create specific moods for the viewer. Children experiment with different colour schemes and evaluate their impact before choosing the colour scheme to use in their own work.

This downloadable Blending and Shading KS2 pack includes everything you need for a successful lesson: a detailed plan, a set of informative PDF slides for the teaching input, and resources to support your class with their independent learning.

What's included:

Lesson plan
Slides
Activity ideas
Planning Sheets
Colour Theory Information Sheet

Lesson 3: Blending and Shading

In this next lesson, children identify tints and shades in the artworks by Leonov and Rudaux, before learning how to blend and shade with soft pastels using techniques such as hatching, cross-hatching, scumbling and layering.

Children are given an opportunity to practise recreating tints and shades and develop their blending and shading skills before applying what they have learned to their own artwork.

What's included:

Lesson plan
Slides
Activity ideas
Skills Sheet
Images

Lesson 4: Peter Thorpe

In this lesson, children explore how to create bold and dynamic compositions inspired by the work of space artist, Peter Thorpe. They begin by discussing how Thorpe uses colour, texture, shape, space, contrast and balance in his work.

Inspired by Peter Thorpe, children use a composition grid to experiment with different arrangements for their own rocket-inspired artwork. For an alternative challenge, children can apply their learning to a create a mood board for a digital space-themed collage.

This ready-to-teach Peter Thorpe Space Art KS2 lesson comes with an easy-to-follow plan, a set of engaging PDF slides for the teaching input and a range of printable resources to support your class in their independent learning.

What's included:

Lesson plan
Slides
Activity ideas
Composition Grids
Rocket Images
Digital Help Sheet
Challenge Cards

Lesson 5: Painting Tools and Techniques

In this next lesson, children explore a variety of painting tools and techniques that they can use to create texture and movement in their artwork. During their independent activity, children experiment with a range of tools and techniques, developing greater control and precision as they practise.

Children use this experience to evaluate the tools, techniques and their effects before deciding which they will use to create their own artwork. Alternatively, children continue to learn digital art skills to apply to their digital collage.

This ready-to-teach Painting Tools and Techniques KS2 lesson comes with a detailed plan and a set of informative, engaging PDF slides for the teaching input and everthing you need to set up painting stations for your children to experiment with different tools and techniques.

What's included:

Lesson plan
Slides
Activity ideas
Challenge Cards
Digital Help Sheet

Lesson 6: Creating Contrast

Children explore how Thorpe achieves visual interest and movement in his work by making deliberate choices to create contrast.

Applying this understanding children make their own choices about colour, texture, and line and create a vibrant, dynamic background that emphasises movement and contrast. Alternatively, children explore contrast by layering and arranging elements in a digital space-themed collage.

This fully prepared Creating Contrast KS2 pack includes everything you need for your lesson: an easy-to-follow plan, a set of informative PDF slides for the teaching input, and resources to support your class with their independent learning.

What's included:

Lesson plan
Slides
Activity ideas
Challenge Cards
Digital Help Sheet

Lesson 7: Impactful Art

In this last lesson, children review and make adjustments to ensure their final composition is bold, dynamic and impactful. Children are guided through step-by-step instructions for sketching a rocket using a grid or guidelines for support and encouraged to use clear, bold lines and make high-contrast colour choices to make their rocket stand out.

Children apply their understanding to create a rocket and complete their artwork. Alternatively, children create a gallery wall for their digital collages and reflect on their work.

This ready-to-teach Impctful Art KS2 lesson comes with an easy-to-follow plan, a set of engaging PDF slides for the teaching input and a range of printable resources to support your class in their independent learning.

What's included:

Lesson plan
Slides
Activity ideas
Challenge Cards
Rocket Images
Sketching Instructions
Digital Help Sheet

Space Art: Knowledge Organiser

This Year 5/6 Art Knowledge Organiser has been created to complement our Art Famous Artists strand. It is designed to support your children’s understanding of key vocabulary linked to this scheme of work. Relevant vocabulary and artistic skills have been identified to encourage children to apply their knowledge around this topic.

Art bulk2023

Space Art