KS1-2 Carnival Arts Learning Resource

We have prepared six Art and DT units that will bring Carnival to your school.

A group of young people sat around a large workshop table. They are variously cutting, shaping, ironing and glueing the pieces of coloured fabric that will become their costumes.

Here you'll find everything you need to run a school arts week or individual sessions with your class.

The units have been written and trialled with primary age children in mind, but can also be used in secondary schools. Each unit provides for six hours of instruction and includes a detailed Teaching Pan, an illustrated Student Workbook and a PowerPoint Presentation to explain tools, materials and methods, all with the help of lots of pictures. An introductory document outlines the wealth of possibilities that carnival arts studies offer, as well as cross-curricular teaching ideas.

Download the Resource introduction (3.2MB PDF)

To see examples of these lessons in action please follow this link.

"The carnival theme was inspired and inspiring for all the kids. And so lovely to have something to aim for at the end of the week: a performance rather than an exhibition. The kids all had a ball as did the adults." - parent at Princess Frederica Primary, Brent

Carnival Masks

Close-up phot of the face of a girl at Notting Hill Carnival, she is wearing a red sequinned mask edged with silver trim This plan provides six hours of instruction during which students are encouraged to meet the following learning objectives:

Design a carnival mask based on a theme
Turn the design into a carnival mask
Understand templates and structure
Colour and cover
Decorate and embellish
Evaluate and suggest improvements

Download the Carnival Mask Teaching Plan (80KB PDF)

Download the Carnival Mask Student Workbook (1.9MB PDF)

Download the Carnival Mask Making Presentation (2.3MB PPT)

Carnival Lanterns

Parade at Notting Hill Carnival showing coloured paper lanterns supported on sticks above the crowd. This plan provides six hours of instruction during which students are encouraged to meet the following learning objectives:

Investigate, draw and learn
Develop a carnival lantern prototype
Design and make the structure
Cover the structure
Colour and decorate the carnival lantern
Evaluate and suggest improvements

Download the Carnival Lanterns Teaching Plan (72KB PDF)

Download the Carnival Lanterns Student Workbook (6.7MB PDF)

Download the Carnival Lanterns Presentation (1.7MB PPT)

Carnival Headdresses

Close-up photo of the face of a girl at Notting Hill Carnival, she is made up with a yellow face, blue and red colour around her eyes, gold glitter applied on top and is wearing a gold headdress topped with a crown. This plan provides six hours of instruction during which students are encouraged to meet the following learning objectives:

Design a carnival headdress based on a theme
Turn the design into a headdress
Understand templates and structure
Make a front piece
Embellish the carnival headdress
Evaluate and suggest improvements

Download the Carnival Headdresses Teaching Plan (80KB PDF)

Download the Carnival Headdress Student Workbook (2MB PDF)

Download the Carnival Headdress Presentation (1.4MB PPT)

Carnival Instruments

Photo of girls at Notting Hill Carnival. They are wearing pink and white costumes and headdresses and are blowing on coloured plastic vuvuzela horns This plan provides six hours of instruction during which students are encouraged to meet the following learning objectives:

Investigate, draw and learn
Develop a prototype carnival instrument
Design and consider materials
Make the structure
Decorate the carnival instrument
Evaluate and suggest improvements

Download the Carnival Instrument Teaching Plan (84KB PDF)

Download the Carnival Instrument Student Workbook (1.8MB PDF)

Download the Carnival Instrument Presentation (2.1MB PPT)

Carnival Backpacks

Photo of Notting Hill Carnival featuring two boys, each with a cotume and backpack supporting large wings, one coloured orange and red, the other black and white. This plan provides six hours of instruction during which students are encouraged to meet the following learning objectives:

Design a carnival backpack based on a theme
Turn the design into a plan
Make the backpack frame
Make and attach shapes
Decorate and embellish the carnival backpack
Evaluate and suggest improvements

Download the Carnival Backpack Teaching Plan (80KB PDF)

Download the Carnival Backpack Student Workbook (2.3MB PDF)

Download the Carnival Backback Presentation (1.7MB PPT)

Carnival T-shirt Printing

Photo of girls in the Elimu Carnival Band at Notting Hill Carnival. They are wearing red T-shirts emblazoned with 'Afrika Roots' and a black and white square design. This plan provides six hours of instruction during which students are encouraged to meet the following learning objectives:

Design a carnival T-shirt based on a theme
Explore print techniques
Learn the print process
Print onto fabric
Print and performance
Evaluate and suggest improvements

Download the Carnival T-shirt Printing Teaching Plan (80KB PDF)

Download the Carnival T-shirt Printing Workbook (512KB PDF)

Download the Carnival T-shirt Printing Presentation (1.6MB PPT)