The Arts · Grade 1

Active learning ideas

Art as Storytelling

Active learning works for this topic because young students naturally interpret and create meaning through visuals before they can express complex ideas in words. By moving, drawing, and discussing together, they build confidence in using art as a language and develop critical thinking about how design choices shape stories.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• VA:Cr3.1.1a

• 20–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• RAFT Writing
• 30 min · Pairs

Partner Story Boards: Animal Day Tale

Pairs select a favorite animal and draw three sequential panels showing its day: morning, afternoon, evening. They add lines for action and colors for emotion. Partners share and guess the story events.

What do you think is happening in this picture? How can you tell?

Facilitation Tip

During Partner Story Boards, ask students to point to specific lines or shapes when sharing their stories to reinforce the connection between design choices and meaning.

What to look for

Provide students with a simple drawing (e.g., a dog chasing a ball). Ask them to write or draw one sentence explaining what is happening and identify one line or shape that helped them understand the story.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• RAFT Writing
• 45 min · Whole Class

Whole Class Story Chain

Start with one student's drawn scene on chart paper; each student adds one element to continue the story. Discuss changes after five additions. Vote on the most surprising twist.

Can you draw a picture that shows what your favorite animal does all day?

Facilitation Tip

For the Whole Class Story Chain, pause after each drawing to have students describe what they see and predict what might happen next.

What to look for

Present two artworks that tell different stories using similar shapes. Ask students: 'How do the shapes in each picture help tell its story? What is different about the stories?'

• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• RAFT Writing
• 25 min · Small Groups

Color Change Challenge

Provide a simple picture; students copy it in color, then redraw in grayscale and predict story mood shifts. Compare in small groups.

What would happen to the story in this picture if we changed all the colors to grey?

Facilitation Tip

In the Color Change Challenge, have students hold up their palettes when sharing to highlight how color choices guide the viewer’s emotions.

What to look for

Observe students as they draw. Ask individual students: 'What story are you trying to tell with your lines and shapes? Can you point to the part of your drawing that shows action?'

• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 04

• RAFT Writing
• 20 min · Individual

Solo Emotion Scenes

Students draw a single picture expressing happy or sad using shapes and lines only. Label with one word and display for class guesses.

What do you think is happening in this picture? How can you tell?

What to look for

Provide students with a simple drawing (e.g., a dog chasing a ball). Ask them to write or draw one sentence explaining what is happening and identify one line or shape that helped them understand the story.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by modeling how to break stories into visual parts, using think-alouds to show how lines can show movement or shapes can show feelings. Avoid rushing to words; instead, focus on students describing their own work first. Research shows that when young artists see their peers’ varied interpretations, they learn to trust their own visual language and refine their choices.

Successful learning looks like students using lines, shapes, and colors to tell clear stories, explaining their choices with simple terms. They listen to peers’ interpretations and adjust their work to make stories more visible, showing that art communicates ideas beyond realism.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Partner Story Boards, watch for students who believe their drawings must look exactly like real animals to tell a story.

  Remind them that exaggerated shapes and textures help communicate ideas faster. Ask partners to point out which lines or colors show movement or personality, reinforcing that abstraction is a tool for storytelling.

• During Whole Class Story Chain, watch for students who assume pictures without words have no story.

  Have the class describe the sequence of images aloud, then ask students to identify how the order of shapes and colors tells the story. Highlight that position and repetition create clear narratives.

• During Solo Emotion Scenes, watch for students who think only they know the story behind their drawing.

  Ask peers to share what they see in the shapes and colors, then compare interpretations. Encourage students to adjust their work to make their intended emotion clearer by adding or changing one element.

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Methods used in this brief

• RAFT Writing