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What does a tiger mean?

Action Challenge

10+ minutes / Inside

Learn about symbolism and creativity through tiger-inspired artworks exploring art and how it can be used to communicate.
 

Learning outcome: Pupils will explore symbolism and emotional expression through tiger-inspired artworks, developing their ability to interpret meaning, communicate ideas, and collaborate to create a shared symbol that reflects class values and community identity.
 

HBN FAQ Slice

Instructions

  • Introduce the activity, sharing with the class that you’re going to look at some paintings which were inspired by tigers
     
  • Show the gallery and ask pupils some or all of the following questions for a class discussion. Encourage students to be creative in their answers – there aren’t really any wrong answers!
     
    • What do you like about these pictures and why?
       
    • What do the artworks make you think about?
       
    • What story do you think the artist was trying to tell when they painted it?
       
    • Why do you think they painted a tiger?
       
  • Explain that the tiger is being used as a symbol in the artwork
     
  • Ask pupils to find other symbols in your classroom/school/nature 
     
  • Discuss what they are might be being used to communicate. Can animals, birds and plants be used as symbols?
     
  • If time allows, create your own class or school ‘symbol’, based on class values you all agree on such as ‘We listen to everyone’s ideas’; ‘We spend time in nature.’
     

Adaptations

  • Simplify the discussion, focus on descriptive language rather than symbolic, e.g. tigers are orange, the tiger is playing
     
  • Use only one artwork as stimuli
     

Extensions

  • Ask pupils to find other symbols in your school/nature/home
     
  • Share class symbol with school community, encourage others to make their own and display them
     

Animal Art

Creative Challenge

15+ minutes / Inside 

Inspired by our gallery of tiger artwork, your class will create their own nature-inspired artwork. 
 

Learning outcome: Pupils will explore emotional and creative responses to nature through animal-inspired art, developing their ability to describe, interpret, and express ideas while deepening their understanding of environmental responsibility and appreciation for local wildlife.
 

Instructions

  • Distribute paper and paints (or crafting materials of your choice)
     
  • Introduce the activity, sharing with the class that you’re going to be creating animal artwork, but first you’ll look at some tiger paintings to get inspiration
     
  • Show the gallery and ask pupils some or all the following questions for a class discussion
     
  • What do these artworks make you feel?
     
  • How have they been created?
     
  • Why do you think the artists painted tigers? What do you think they were painting about?
     
  • What environment do these tigers live in in the wild? What do these forests look like and how are they different to ours?
     
  • Create your own pieces of animal-inspired art, use local / UK forests as inspiration – researching if time allows
     
  • Pupils could even focus in on a specific part of an animal, like the tiger’s stripes
     

Adaptations

  • Suggest or provide a specific animal for pupils to draw, something they are familiar with, or one they like

Extensions

  • Take artwork home and encourage your family or carers to also do their own animal-inspired art piece
     
  • Create a school exhibition and invite families, taking the opportunity raise money for WWF. You can even coincide this with International Tiger Day in July 
    Pupils could even make cards, calendars or tea towels of their pictures they make to sell at the exhibition
     
  • Don’t forget to send copies of your pictures to Happy By Nature happybynature@wwf.org.uk and they could feature on our website
     
  • Hold a ‘Wear it Wild’  day at school to fundraise for WWF

     

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