Core Skills Analysis
Visual Arts
- Jess chose an atypical blue colour for a tree, showing an understanding of colour symbolism to express emotion.
- She planned the tree’s composition, demonstrating idea generation and visual representation skills.
- Jess applied brush control and layering techniques to create a cohesive painted piece.
- She considered the audience impact, reflecting on how visual choices can communicate a mental‑health message.
Health and Physical Education
- Jess identified depression and suicidal awareness as community health issues, linking personal feelings to broader mental‑health concepts.
- She displayed empathy by creating artwork that raises awareness, indicating knowledge of personal and social health.
- Jess recognised factors that affect mental wellbeing, such as stigma and isolation, aligning with mental‑health curriculum goals.
- Through her project she communicated a preventive health message, showing an understanding of how to promote wellbeing.
English
- Jess used visual storytelling to convey a complex social issue, integrating language and image for clear communication.
- She considered purpose and audience when deciding how the painted tree would "teach" the community.
- Jess expanded her vocabulary with terms like "depression," "awareness," and "suicidal thoughts" during planning.
- She reflected on her own emotions about the topic, supporting expressive writing and personal response skills.
Humanities and Social Sciences
- Jess examined community wellbeing, linking individual mental health to collective responsibility.
- She investigated cultural symbols (trees, the colour blue) and their meanings within her local community.
- Jess connected personal artistic action to broader social advocacy, showing civic engagement.
- She demonstrated how art can influence public attitudes and potentially inform policy discussions.
Tips
To deepen Jess’s learning, have her research basic facts about depression and share a short presentation with the class, reinforcing health knowledge and public speaking. Follow up with a guided discussion on how different colours represent emotions, then let students create their own "emotion trees" using a colour of their choice. Invite a local mental‑health professional or counsellor to talk about coping strategies, giving Jess and peers real‑world resources. Finally, ask Jess to write a reflective journal entry describing how painting the blue tree made her feel and what she hopes the community will take away, strengthening her expressive writing and metacognitive skills.
Book Recommendations
- The Colour Monster by Anna Llenas: A gentle story that helps children identify and label emotions using colour‑coded characters.
- The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig: Explores themes of inclusion, empathy, and how small acts can brighten a child's inner world.
- What to Do When You Feel Too Sad by Dawn McNally: Provides practical coping strategies for children dealing with sadness and anxiety, promoting mental‑health awareness.
Learning Standards
- Visual Arts – ACAVAM111 (Investigate, generate and develop ideas) & ACAVAR111 (Use a range of media, techniques and processes).
- Health and Physical Education – ACHES064 (Identify influences on mental health and wellbeing, and strategies to promote mental health).
- English – ACELA1515 (Use language to express personal feelings and attitudes for a purpose and audience).
- Humanities and Social Sciences – ACHASSK075 (Explain how individuals and groups contribute to community wellbeing and respond to social issues).
Try This Next
- Worksheet: Match colours to emotions and explain why Jess chose blue for the tree.
- Quiz: True/False statements about myths and facts of depression for a quick class check.
- Drawing task: Design your own "Feelings Tree" using any colour that represents a personal emotion.
- Writing prompt: "If my tree could speak, what would it say to someone feeling sad?"