@The Arts Unit Creative Classes

Inspire me ...

Teacher notes

Using stimulus material to inspire art and music

Student music and visual arts resource developed by The Arts Unit

Year 3 to Year 6 music and visual arts

What will your students learn?

In Lesson 1 – Seascape art

Your students will:

  • learn about plastics in the ocean and what oceanographers have learnt

  • discover what a seascape artwork is

  • create an artwork based on a seascape and plastic waste

  • extend their artmaking skills through animation.

In Lesson 2 – City soundscape

Your students will:

  • listen to an example of a soundscape

  • create music sounds and sources which reflect the visual stimulus

  • compose their own soundscape

  • record their composition.

Syllabus outcomes

Creative Arts K-6 Syllabus

Stage 2

  • MUS2.2: Improvises musical phrases, organises sounds and explains reasons for choices.

  • MUS2.3: Uses commonly understood symbols to represent own work.

  • MUS2.4: identifies the use of musical concepts and symbols in a range of repertoire.

  • VAS2.4: Identifies connections between subject matter in artworks and what they refer to, and appreciates the use of particular techniques.

Stage 3

  • MUS3.2: improvises, experiments, selects, combines and orders sound using musical concepts.

  • MUS3.3: notates and discusses own work and the work of others.

  • MUS3.4: identifies the use of musical concepts and symbols in a range of musical styles.

  • VAS3.4: communicates about the ways in which subject matter is represented in artworks.

Geography K-10 Syllabus

  • GE3.3: compares and contrasts influences on the management of places and environments.

Suggestions for how to use this resource with your students

Lesson 1 is a Stage 3 lesson based on 'Introduced Species' by Katy Abbott. This music was created in the project Introduced Species 360. This collaboration between The Arts Unit and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra saw six 360 cameras embedded into the Sydney Symphony Orchestra's performance of Introduced Species to give the viewer a unique and immersive experience of the performance.

Katy Abbott’s composition (Introduced species) was based on Matthew Quick’s artwork 'Intrepid Travellers'.

Extension: Students could extend their learning about environmental issues and recycling by viewing ABC Education's Recycling videos, games and resources.

Lesson 2 extends Stage 3 students to also use an artwork as a stimulus for music.

Students will create a soundscape and use graphic notation. For a good example of whole class soundscapes, view Year 7 Graphic Notation with ostinatos.


Collection of student work

  • Google Form: create a Google form with activities and/or questions. Students can also upload any files they create. Email this form to your students with the Creative Class link and all your student responses will be combined in a Google sheet.

  • Google Classroom Assignment: create an assignment or a quiz in your Google Classroom with activities and/or questions. Students can also upload any files they create.

  • MS Teams: create a quiz or assignment in your class team drive where students can submit responses and upload any files they create.

  • Email: ask your students to email you any responses and files they create.

  • Flipgrid: a website that allows teachers to create 'grids' to facilitate video discussions. Each grid is a message board where teachers can pose questions called 'topics'. Students can post video responses that appear in a tiled grid display.

  • Jamboard: an interactive whiteboard which can be used for class feedback.

For further support on how to create these resources

Offline access

Download and print this document to send to students with limited access to online resources.

Inspire me ... - @The Arts Unit Creative Classes.docx

Would you like to promote your school and showcase your students' work as a result of engaging in this creative class?

Help us celebrate the fantastic work of NSW public school students by emailing photos or videos (that you have permission to share) and comments on how your students enjoyed the class to digital.artsunit@det.nsw.edu.au.

Please include the creative class title and your school name in the email so we can share on The Arts Unit social media and our website.

Teacher feedback

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