The Arts · Grade 1

Active learning ideas

Creating a Collaborative Mural

Active learning works for this topic because young children need to move, discuss, and manipulate materials to grasp visual connections. Hands-on planning and assembly help them see how individual parts form a whole, which is harder to understand through passive observation alone.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• VA:Cr2.3.1a

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

Activity 01

• Think-Pair-Share
• 30 min · Pairs

Planning Session: Sketch Connections

Students sketch their mural section individually, then pair up to share and draw connecting lines or shapes on each other's paper. Pairs present to the class for feedback before finalizing. Display sketches on the board to visualize the whole.

How will your drawing connect with your friend's drawing?

Facilitation Tip

During Planning Session: Sketch Connections, place students in pairs to trace each other’s sketches so they see how lines and shapes can extend from one drawing to another.

What to look for

During the mural assembly, ask students: 'Point to one way your drawing connects to the drawing next to it. What color did you use to help it connect?' Observe student responses and their ability to articulate visual links.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Think-Pair-Share
• 45 min · Small Groups

Assembly Line: Piece by Piece

Roll out mural paper on the floor. Students add their sections one group at a time, using tape or glue, while the class suggests adjustments for flow. Step back as a group to assess unity after each addition.

What color or shape could you use so your piece looks like it belongs with everyone else's?

Facilitation Tip

During Assembly Line: Piece by Piece, assign small groups to connect two pieces at a time, ensuring every child contributes to the physical linking process.

What to look for

As the mural nears completion, facilitate a group discussion: 'Look at our mural. What do you notice about how all the different pieces work together? What was the most important thing we did to make it look like one big picture?'

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 20 min · Pairs

Reflection Walk: Mural Gallery

Hang the completed mural. Students walk around in pairs, noting successful connections and one change they would make. Record observations on sticky notes placed near examples.

What do you think our mural will look like when we put all the pieces together?

Facilitation Tip

During Reflection Walk: Mural Gallery, ask students to stand back and point to at least three visual connections they notice between different parts of the mural.

What to look for

Have students look at their own drawing and one neighbor's. Ask them to tell their neighbor: 'One thing I like about your drawing that connects to mine is...' and 'One idea I have to make our drawings connect even more is...'

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Think-Pair-Share
• 25 min · Whole Class

Digital Extension: Photo Merge

Photograph individual sections. Use a simple app or print to arrange photos into a digital mural. Students vote on best connections in a class share.

How will your drawing connect with your friend's drawing?

What to look for

During the mural assembly, ask students: 'Point to one way your drawing connects to the drawing next to it. What color did you use to help it connect?' Observe student responses and their ability to articulate visual links.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should model how to plan with connections in mind by drawing a simple example on the board that links two shapes. Avoid telling students exactly what to draw; instead, guide them to notice and adapt to their neighbors. Research suggests that early elementary students benefit from tactile experiences, so provide large paper and bold markers to help them see relationships more clearly.

Successful learning looks like students who can explain how their piece connects to others using specific details like color or shape. They should also show flexibility by adjusting their plans to fit the group, demonstrated during assembly and reflection.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Planning Session: Sketch Connections, watch for students who focus only on making their own drawing look complete.

  Gather students in a circle and have them hold up their sketches while explaining which lines or colors they planned to connect to neighbors. Ask peers to give one suggestion for a shared element.

• During Assembly Line: Piece by Piece, watch for students who choose colors randomly.

  Provide a color palette chart with three color families and ask students to select colors from the same family to create harmony. Have them explain their choices to a partner before adding their piece.

• During Reflection Walk: Mural Gallery, watch for students who resist changes to their original plan.

  Ask students to point to one adjustment they made during assembly and explain why it improved the mural as a whole. Validate their flexibility by highlighting how the group benefited from compromise.

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Methods used in this brief

• Think-Pair-Share