Introduction
Welcome, young art critics!
Have you ever seen a piece of art on a city wall and wondered what it means?
London is famous for its colorful street art. Many artists use walls and buildings as giant canvases to express their ideas and messages.
Your mission is to explore famous street artworks in London and choose one artwork that you think is the most impressive. Then, you will write an art review and recommend the artwork to other students.
Are you ready to become an art critic?
Task
You will:
✔ Explore famous street artworks in London.
✔ Learn about the artists and their messages.
✔ Choose one artwork you like most.
✔ Analyze the artwork.
✔ Write an art review in English.
✔ Present your recommendation to your classmates.
Final Product
A 150–200 word art review including:
- Title of the artwork
- Artist
- Description of the artwork
- Message or meaning
- Personal opinion
- Recommendation
Process
📌 Step 1: Learn About Street Art
Visit the websites provided in the Resources section.
Answer the following questions:
- What is street art?
- Why do artists create street art?
- What messages can street art communicate?
Record your answers.
📌 Step 2: Explore Famous Street Artworks
Look at different artworks from London.
For each artwork, complete this chart.
| Artwork | Artist | Main Colors | Theme | Your Rating (1-5) |
Choose your favorite artwork.
📌 Step 3: Analyze Your Artwork
Think about the following questions.
- What do you see?
- What catches your attention first?
- What message do you think the artist is sharing?
- How does the artwork make you feel?
- Why did you choose this artwork?
Take notes.
📌 Step 4: Write an Art Review
Write an art review using the information you collected.
Use these expressions:
- I chose this artwork because...
- The artwork shows...
- I think the artist wanted to...
- In my opinion...
- I would recommend this artwork because...
📌 Step 5: Become an Art Critic
Share your review with classmates.
Read other students’ reviews and choose the artwork you would most like to see in person.
Evaluation
| Criteria | Excellent (4) | Good (3) | Fair (2) | Needs Improvement (1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research | Thoroughly explored resources | Explored most resources | Limited exploration | Very little research |
| Understanding | Clearly explains artwork and message | Mostly explains artwork | Partial understanding | Limited understanding |
| Writing | Well-organized with few errors | Mostly organized | Some organization problems | Difficult to understand |
| Personal Opinion | Insightful and well-supported | Clear opinion | Basic opinion | Little personal response |
| Participation | Actively shared and discussed | Participated well | Limited participation | Minimal participation |
Conclusion
Congratulations!
You have completed your mission as a young art critic.
By exploring street art in London, you learned how artists communicate ideas through visual images. You also practiced researching information, expressing opinions, and writing in English.
Next time you see a mural or street artwork, think about the story behind it!
Credits
This WebQuest was created using information and resources from the following websites:
- Google Arts & Culture
- Artwork images and artist information
- Tate Kids
- Art education resources for young learners
- Visit London
- Information about street art locations in London
- Banksy Official Website
- Information about Banksy and his artworks
Special thanks to the creators of these educational resources for supporting student learning through authentic materials.
Teacher Page
1. Introduction & Purpose
The primary goal of this WebQuest is to help second-year middle school students explore street art in London and develop their ability to express opinions through English writing. Through authentic online resources, students will investigate the meaning and message of various artworks, analyze visual information, and write an art review from the perspective of a young art critic. This WebQuest encourages inquiry-based learning by allowing students to discover, evaluate, and communicate their ideas independently.
2. Learning Objectives
1) Cultural Awareness
Students will explore London's street art culture and understand how public art reflects social and cultural messages.
2) Critical Thinking
Students will analyze artworks, interpret artistic messages, and evaluate which artwork they find most meaningful.
3) English Writing
Students will organize their thoughts and write an art review using descriptive and opinion-based expressions.
4) Digital Literacy
Students will gather information from authentic English websites and evaluate online resources effectively.
5) Communication
Students will share their reviews and recommendations with classmates using appropriate English expressions.
3. Standards
1) Reading
Students will read and understand authentic English texts related to artworks and artists.
2) Writing
Students will write a structured art review expressing personal opinions and supporting reasons.
3) Cultural Understanding
Students will develop an understanding of street art as a form of cultural and social expression.
4) Digital Competency
Students will locate, analyze, and synthesize information from multiple online sources.
4. Teaching Guide
Step 1: Learn About Street Art (Background Building)
Introduce the concept of street art and discuss how art can communicate ideas, emotions, and social messages. Guide students to explore the provided websites and answer the three guiding questions about street art. Encourage them to identify common themes and purposes of street art before moving on to artwork analysis.
Step 2: Explore Famous Street Artworks (Research & Selection)
Students browse several examples of street art in London and complete the artwork chart. Encourage students to compare different artworks by considering the artist, colors, themes, and their personal reactions. At the end of this stage, students select one artwork that they find most meaningful or interesting.
Step 3: Analyze Your Artwork (Critical Thinking)
Guide students to examine their chosen artwork more deeply. Encourage them to think beyond simple description and consider the artist's intention, message, and emotional impact. Students record their ideas using the guiding questions before beginning their writing.
Step 4: Write an Art Review (Writing & Expression)
Support students in organizing their ideas into a structured art review. Provide sentence starters and useful expressions to help students express opinions and support their interpretations with evidence from the artwork. Emphasize both descriptive and reflective writing.
Step 5: Become an Art Critic (Sharing & Reflection)
Students share their reviews with classmates and read each other's work. Encourage students to compare different interpretations and discuss which artwork they would most like to see in person. This stage promotes communication, reflection, and appreciation of diverse perspectives.
5. Required Resources
Street Art Information
- Google Arts & Culture
- Tate Kids
- Visit London
Artist Information
- Banksy Official Website
Writing Support
- Art Review Worksheet
- Sentence Starter Guide
Technology
- Computer or Tablet
- Internet Access
6. Teacher Notes
This WebQuest integrates reading, cultural exploration, critical thinking, and writing into a meaningful learning experience. Rather than simply learning about artworks, students actively investigate visual messages and construct their own interpretations. Through this inquiry-based process, students develop both English language skills and cultural understanding while engaging with authentic materials from the real world.