Lesson Plan

• Identify and select relevant visual and textual information that supports a design brief.
• Provide concise contextual annotations linking research to cultural, historical or personal relevance.
• Organise collected material into a logical visual and written layout (e.g., mood board, research summary).
• Analyse patterns and gaps in the research to inform creative decisions.
• Reflect on how the organised research influences the development of artwork.

• Sketchbooks or visual journals
• Computers/tablets with internet access and projector
• Digital folders and annotation software (e.g., Google Drive, Evernote)
• Colour‑coded tabs and sticky notes
• Mood‑board templates and SWOT grid worksheets
• Printed image sets for sorting activity

Begin with a quick gallery walk of striking artworks that clearly reference research, asking students what they notice about the background information. Connect this to the previous lesson on visual elements and explain that today they will learn how to turn raw research into a coherent narrative that drives their own artwork. Success criteria: students will be able to select, contextualise and organise research so it directly informs design decisions.

1. Do‑Now (5'): Students create a mind‑map of a given theme (e.g., “Urban Identity”) to activate prior knowledge.
2. Mini‑lecture (10'): Explain the five‑stage research workflow (Gather, Sort, Contextualise, Analyse, Synthesize) with examples on the projector.
3. Group activity – Gather & Sort (15'): Using tablets and printed images, groups collect visual material and sort it into colour‑coded tabs.
4. Annotation practice (10'): Each student writes brief contextual notes on sticky notes or digitally, linking each image to the brief.
5. Analysis & Synthesis (15'): Teams use SWOT grids to identify patterns and then create a small mood board that tells a coherent story.
6. Peer review (10'): Groups exchange mood boards, give feedback on logical flow and relevance.
7. Plenary (5'): Whole class recap of the workflow; teacher highlights common strengths and areas to improve.

Summarise the five‑stage process and emphasise how each step builds a stronger design rationale. For the exit ticket, ask students to write one tip they will use to keep their research organised. Homework: produce a “Research Summary” page for their upcoming artwork, including key findings, visual references, and a brief personal reflection.