Programmes
Ngā wheako mā ngā Akonga Kura Tuatahi / Primary and Intermediate School Lessons
All primary and intermediate school lessons are led by Gallery educators and take place in the gallery spaces, with hands-on activities in the Learning Centre when time allows.
The descriptions below indicate what you can expect from each session. Please note that some lessons can be adapted for your class age group and area of focus – simply chat with our team.
gbeducation@govettbrewster.com
06 759 0858

In the Todd Energy Learning Centre

Class with Gallery educator Chris Barry

In Mikala Dwyer's exhibition Earthcraft

Shadow play with Len Lye's work

Gallery educator Rebecca Fawkner

With Mikala Dwyer's work Earthcraft

With Mikala Dwyer's work Earthcraft

In the Todd Energy Learning Centre

With Mikala Dwyer's work Earthcraft

Educator Rebecca Fawkner with students in the Learning Centre

Kaiako Jess Marshall talks with students about tukutuku patterns

Fitzroy School and Len Lye's Fountain
Ngā wheako o te Wāhanga Toru | Learning experiences in Term 3
Moana Puppet Play
Until 8 October
Visual Art / Sustainability
Y1 – 4, 90 mins
Get inspired by art with an eco aquatic focus. Shona Rapira Davies’ huge sculpture Ko te Kihikihi Taku Ingoa introduces us to the ancient tale of the whale and the kauri tree. Local artist Jacqui Elley recycles beach combed plastics into complex lightboxes. Len Lye’s Edge of the Sea shows how to get great art ideas connected withte moana (the sea).
In the studio we sculpt mixed media shadow puppets to float through a sea of projected light.Give your ocean creature a voice, and create its message for humans about caring for taiao (nature).
Classes visiting the Gallery may also consider visiting the Reef Alive exhibition at Puke Ariki.
At school:
Watch this video to find out more about the story of the Kauri and Tohorā.
Share this short resource about artist Jacqui Elley and the story behind her art Jacqui Elley's Lightbox Google slides.
List ways you and your whānau could improve your school or community’s environment and get started!
Find out how other artists spread a message of kaitiakitanga.
How did Len Lye get inspired by nature?
Research and learn more about the art and life of Len Lye.
Check out animated moana themed tales from a Pasifika point of view on Coconet tv, including The Tale of the Terrible Tuna.
Sea Week has already passed for this year but there are still great resources and links available on the Sea Week website.
Art meets Science
Until 8 October
Visual Art / science/ pūtaiao
Y5 – 8 , 90 mins
Investigate how art, science and matauranga Māori connect: how can a person’s curiosity about natural phenomena inspire their art?
We look at weather systems, aquatic life, taiao and kinetic energy, exploring Len Lye's exhibition Edge of the Sea and Te Hau Whakatonu | A Series of Never-Ending Beginnings before creating our own artwork that brings science and imagination together.
At school
Share these links to artworks that students will see on their visit.
Lisa Reihana’s Hinepukohurangi
Paintings by Darcy Nicholas
WharehokaSmith's Kureitanga II IV
Research Len Lye and explore how he was inspired by nature.
Ngā toi Māori: Korowai of Learning
5 August to 11 Feb
History/ Toi Māori/ Visual Art
Y3 – 8. 90 mins
Bring your students kanohi ki te kanohi with toi Māori. Every Māori artist in the Govett-Brewster Collection is represented in the Te Hau Whakatonu | A Series of Never-Ending Beginnings. This a wonderful opportunity to experience a huge range of styles and media and bring matauranga Māori into your classroom through art.
In this programme, we gather ideas linked to whakairo, poi and raranga and create class korowai to show our learning. Junior students focus on personal history and symbols, senior students delve into Taranaki history including Parihaka, conflict and peace.
At school
Share with students some artworks featuring in the exhibition:
Ngaahina Hohaia's Poi artwork Roimata Toroa
Para Matchitt's Whakapapa-IV
WharehokaSmith's Kureitanga II IV
Lisa Reihana’s Hinepukohurangi
Darcy Nicholas paintings
Click here for a virtual tour of the exhibition Brett Graham Tai Moana Tai Tangata created for schools.
Ngā toi Māori: Whenua and Whakapapa
5 August to 11 Feb
History / Toi Māori / Visual Art
Y1 – 8, 90 mins
Bring your students kanohi ki te kanohi with toi Māori. Every Māori artist in the Govett-Brewster Collection is represented in the Te Hau Whakatonu | A Series of Never-Ending Beginnings. This a wonderful opportunity to experience a huge range of styles and media and bring matauranga Māori into your classroom through art.
Māori artists use carving, paintings, photography and many other art forms to make connections between tangata and whenua. On our hikoi around the exhibition we collect symbols to represent us and our turangawaewae. Construct mixed media collages, ‘carving’ and colouring our personal family tree.
At school
Share with students some artworks featuring in the exhibition.
Ngaahina Hohaia's Poi artwork Roimata Toroa
Para Matchitt's Whakapapa-IV
WharehokaSmith's Kureitanga II IV
Lisa Reihana’s Hinepukohurangi
Darcy Nicholas paintings
Click here for a virtual tour of the exhibition Brett Graham Tai Moana Tai Tangata created for schools.
Introducing Len Lye
Ongoing
Science / Visual Art / Dance / Music / Technology
Y 0 - 8, 60 mins
What can we learn from Len Lye?
Experience Len Lye's multi-sensory exhibitions The Edge of the Sea and Wand Dance through interactive activities adaptable to your students’ learning needs and level.
Find out how Len Lye came up with his ideas and what made his art special. Create your own art and dance moves inspired by his unique approach.
At school:
Find out about Len Lye here
Mainstream, Kura Kaupapa Māori, Kōhanga Reo and Bilingual Units.
Ongoing / On demand
InfoReo Māori/Bilingual
To find out what the Gallery can offer kōpae and kura kaupapa ākonga, please contact the Gallery’s education team.
Pictures that Move
Ongoing
Visual Art / Science: Physical World / Technology
Y 5 - 8, 90 mins+
How did old school animation work? What makes Len Lye’s films still cool today?
We go to the ‘flicks’ to discover how image, movement and sound are combined to create an illusion. Students analyse animation techniques and use gallery zoetropes (animation viewing devices) to create their own moving image.
See: The Edge of the Sea and Charting the Zig Zags exhibitions
BYO your class video camera, phone or ipad to record students’ animations.
At school:
Google Slide: Len Lye Style Flip Book
Click below to view Len Lye films online:
Tusalava
A Colour Box
The Birth of a Robot
Free Radicals
Films supplied by Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision. Please respect the integrity of Len Lye’s artwork by not copying his films.
Download the Len Lye: Animation Resource
A compilation DVD entitled Colour Box: 19 Films by Len Lye is available from the Govett-Brewster Shop
Online Learning
Ongoing
InfoCreate - Family Art activities online:
These quick, fun activities are based on Family Art sessions in the Gallery (10.30 – 12.30am Sundays), a selection are now available online to share in school or as links for home learning. Found in the ‘What’s on’ section of the Gallery website Create: Online Art Activities, Instagram posts, or as Google slides for classroom use.
Tai Moana Tai Tangata virtual tour:
Visit the Gallery’s website and take your class on a virtual tour of the monumental exhibition by Brett Graham (Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, Tainui) Tai Moana Tai Tangata. This virtual tour was developed for schools and aims to bring local history to life through art. Accompanying lesson plans available by request.
Learning in the community
Ongoing / On demand
Marae-based learning, where Gallery educators join in with classes at their local marae to share kaupapa about ngā toi.
Ngā wheako o te Wāhanga 3
Ngā wheako mā ngā Akonga Kura Tuarua / Secondary School Programme
Secondary school visits to the Govett-Brewster are most successful when teachers and Gallery educators collaborate.
To inspire your programme, we can shape a lesson tailored specifically for your students from Year 9+. Selected exhibition themes are described by curriculum area and can be developed into a tour which includes worksheets, creative group activities or extended in the Learning Centre into workshops.

Shadow play with Len Lye's work

Elizabeth Thomson's work Ants Head 1993, detail




Brittany Glassey with her 2016 Top Art folio




Students and educator Chris Barry with WharehokaSmith's Kureitanga II IV




Educator Chris Barry and students with Amanda Gruenwald's paintings. Photo Sam Hartnett










Ethan, Shawn and Liam Matuku with Tom Kreisler's Old and New


Students with Jeena Shin's painting. Photo Sam Hartnett
Ngā wheako mā ngā Akonga Kura Tuarua Secondary School Programme
Top Art 2023
Midday Wed 7 June – midday Wed 14 June
Inspire your students with New Zealand’s best secondary schools NCEA art folios.
Visual Art
Ongoing / On demand
InfoNgā Toi Māori
Get your students kanohi ki te kanohi with toi Māori. Te Hau Whakatonu | A Series of Never-Ending Beginnings is a wonderful opportunity to experience a huge range of styles and media including drawing, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture. The artworks are arranged according to kaupapa connected to whakapapa, histories, pūrākau (legends) and taiao (nature) Every Māori artist in the Govett-Brewster Collection is represented.
Art and Inspiration
The Len Lye exhibitions Charting the Zig-Zags and The Edge of the Sea are a great introduction to how to get good ideas for art, especially focusing on nature and the marine environment. Lye’s various drawing techniques may also inspire ākonga to work in new directions.
Kura Kaupapa Māori / Māori Studies
Reo Māori / bilingual
Ongoing / On demand
To find out what the Gallery can offer kōpae and kura kaupapa ākonga, please contact the Gallery’s education team.
Learning Support Groups - Sensing Len Lye
Ongoing / On demand
InfoInteractive experiences designed for students in Learning Support classes. The energy and scale of Len Lye’s sculptures offer students an opportunity to express themselves holistically. Talk to the gallery educators to discuss visit options.
Social narrative for students unfamiliar with the Gallery.
Visit the Gallery website accessibility tab for further information.
Talk Art Challenge
Ongoing / On demand
InfoCan your students say more about art other than whether they like it or not?
This general introduction to the exhibitions gives students confidence and skills to analyse art through discussion and instant activities.
Media Studies
Ongoing / On demand
InfoHow did cameraless movies work? What makes Len Lye’s films still so cool?
Inspired by innovative approaches to filmmaking and the stimulating exhibitions, students deepen their knowledge of where film came from through a variety of hands-on options including zoetrope drawings, experiments with OHP colour projections and a ‘direct’ film workshop.
View Len Lye films online:
Tusalava
A Colour Box
The Birth of a Robot
Free Radicals
Films supplied by Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision. Please respect the integrity of Len Lye’s artwork by not copying his films.
Visit the Len Lye Centre Cinema
The Gallery’s state-of-the-art 62-seat cinema shows experimental film, arthouse and cult films and film festival programming. Special screenings can be arranged by appointment. Please contact Gallery educators for further information or find out what’s on here.
Direct Film Workshop
Inspired by Len Lye’s direct films, students use cameraless hand animation techniques to learn how to create their own whole class 16mm ‘direct’ film.
No cost - contact Gallery educators for details.
We can't wait to host you!

Gallery kaiako Jess Marshall and students with Maureen Lander's artworks

Learning about tukutuku patterns



Glow poi

With Para Matchitt's Whakapapa IV

With WharehokaSmith's Kureitanga II IV





Direct filmmaking

With Para Matchitt's Whakapapa IV

Kaiako Jess Marshall demonstrating
