DEFEAT ANXIETY THROUGH ART

THERAPY
FOR

THE PRIMARY CLASSROOM

ELKEE WHITAKER

Activity 1: Individual Activities

Supporting Social and Emotional LearningSelf Portraits

Self-portraits
allow
students
to
create
visual
representations of one self. This allows students to focus

on selfawareness by recognising ones emotions, values,

characteristics and traits. It allows students to express
their feelings and emotions through self-representations,
moods, colours, shape, medians and techniques. It gives
students the chance to express who they are, what they
think, feel and can do.
Using different medians:

Water paint:
Instructions: Students use water paint to make different
shapes and figures on their page, wait for it to dry, outline
the shapes with black fine tip pen or pencil and create
pictures from these shapes. This allows students to
express emotions through the use of colour, and use
imagination as they form different visual representations.

2B pencil Line, Tone, Texture:

Instructions: Students explore line, tone and texture

through the use of 2B pencil. Students explore line and
texture by scribbling, sketching and hatching. Students
explore tone through shading.
Working with colours:

Instructions: students explore colour by focusing on the

colour wheel (primary and secondary colours), blending,
matching and using composite colours. Students develop
and learn the understanding of colour and how different
uses of colours represent different moods eg) warm and
cool colours. Students develop the awareness of selfmanagement as they create artworks that reflect their
moods and emotions.
Connecting with place and nature

Students use natural materials from the environment to

connect with place and one self. Students can use natural
materials from the area they live and design different
natural representations through creations of natural
materials. Students are provided with the opportunity to
display and showcase their work within the classroom or
around the school.

Activity 2: Small group activity

This activity allows for students to form positive

relationships by working in teams and effectively engaging
in small group experiences. It allows students to work
together cooperatively in small groups, therefore taking
slow increasingly steps to success. By allowing students to
engage in art activities it allows them to set an achieve
goals with a visual outcome and representation. In this
activity here students have stencilled leaves from the
environment and then collaboratively worked together to
place the artworks on butchers paper. Once the students
have complete this task they then create a background.

Activity 3: Whole group activity

This activity allows students to create a whole class work

piece.
Instruction: Students are provided with a piece of an
image they are then to go away and draw that image.
Once all students are finished they put the work pieces
together. This allows students to work together
collaboratively and effectively. Students form positive
relationships by working in team groups. It provides
positive environments for all students to engage and
participate within the classroom activity.
The following activities help support students in building
resiliency.
Supporting Resiliency
Provide caring and support: By providing personal
discussions, sharing whole group experiences, developing
relationships and noticing and paying attention to all
students work, engagement, enthusiasm and
engagement. It allows for all students to participate

effectively.
Set and communicate high expectations for success: All
artworks have been designed with guidelines and
instructions in which have expectations for success.
However, Educators must use other strategies such as
behavior management strategies eg) ten essential skills to
create positive and support, safe environments within the
classroom. Students are to set goals and aims throughout
each art activity.
Provide opportunities for meaningful participation: Each
activity provides students with responsibilities, allows for
group work, and provides students with the opportunity to
plan around personal interests. Each student has a
responsibility and provided with the opportunity to be
included.
Increasing pro-social bonding: Students are given the
opportunity to explore different situations in small and
large groups, it allows for team building activities.
Set clear, consistent boundaries: May be present through
authentic , clear and consistent expectations, guidelines
and routines.
Teach life skills: Students are provided with the
opportunity to explore problem solving, emotional
awareness, recognising emotions and talking through
concerns and issues.