Art and Design · Year 1

Active learning ideas

Cultural Patterns: Kente Cloth

Active learning works well here because it lets students explore abstract ideas—symbolism, repetition, and cultural meaning—through hands-on creation and discussion. Young learners grasp patterns and colors best when they can see, touch, and talk about them rather than just observe.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS1: Art and Design - Knowledge of Artists and Designers
• KS1: Art and Design - Printing

• 20–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Stations Rotation
• 35 min · Small Groups

Printing Stations: Kente Motifs

Set up stations with foam shapes cut as zigzags and diamonds, fabric paints in traditional colors, and plain cloth squares. Students dip shapes in paint and stamp repeating patterns. Groups rotate stations and note one meaning for their design, such as green for growth.

Analyze the stories or meanings conveyed by the patterns in Kente cloth.

Facilitation Tip

During Printing Stations, rotate quietly among stations to listen for students inventing meanings for their prints, which signals growing understanding of symbolism.

What to look for

Show students images of different Kente cloth patterns. Ask them to point to and name one repeating shape (motif) they see in each pattern. Record observations on a checklist.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Stations Rotation
• 20 min · Pairs

Pairs Sort: Color Symbols

Prepare cards showing Kente colors paired with meanings like yellow for treasure. Pairs match colors to symbols using pattern samples. They then select colors for their own mini-pattern and explain choices to each other.

Differentiate the shapes and colours commonly repeated in Kente cloth.

Facilitation Tip

In Pairs Sort, listen for students debating color meanings and challenge them to give reasons using the cards as evidence.

What to look for

Display a Kente cloth sample. Ask: 'What colors do you see? What do you think these colors might mean? How are the shapes arranged?' Encourage students to use vocabulary like 'pattern,' 'shape,' and 'color.'

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Stations Rotation
• 40 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Story Patterns

Display large Kente images and read simple proverbs they represent. Class votes on favorite patterns and discusses color impacts. Everyone draws one pattern strip with a personal story label.

Explain how the colours used in a pattern contribute to its overall impact.

Facilitation Tip

For Whole Class Story Patterns, ask open-ended questions like 'What might this zigzag tell us?' to encourage interpretation without leading answers.

What to look for

Provide students with a small piece of paper. Ask them to draw one shape they saw in Kente cloth and write one word about what a color in Kente cloth might mean (e.g., 'gold' for 'rich').

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Stations Rotation
• 25 min · Individual

Individual: Weave Simulation

Give students paper strips in Kente colors and a loom made from cardboard slits. They weave strips to form patterns and write one shape they repeated. Display results for class gallery walk.

Analyze the stories or meanings conveyed by the patterns in Kente cloth.

Facilitation Tip

During Weave Simulation, provide narrow strips in only three colors so students focus on motif repetition rather than color variety.

What to look for

Show students images of different Kente cloth patterns. Ask them to point to and name one repeating shape (motif) they see in each pattern. Record observations on a checklist.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this by starting with concrete materials—fabric scraps, stamps, or paper strips—before moving to abstract discussion. Avoid over-explaining symbolism; let patterns and colors speak first through student creation. Research shows children learn cultural concepts best when they connect them to personal, tangible experiences rather than lecture.

Successful learning looks like students identifying repeating shapes in prints, linking colors to meanings during sorting, telling simple stories behind motifs, and weaving strips with purpose. They show curiosity about cultural stories and use vocabulary like pattern, symbol, and motif accurately.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Printing Stations, watch for students creating random designs without repeating shapes.

  Prompt them to choose a simple motif like a zigzag or diamond and print it at least three times across their paper, naming it aloud before printing.

• During Pairs Sort, watch for students treating color choices as purely aesthetic.

  Hand them the color-meaning cards and ask them to place the card next to the color strip that matches its meaning before sorting the rest.

• During Whole Class Story Patterns, watch for students assuming all motifs mean the same thing.

  Hold up two different samples and ask, 'How are these the same? How are they different?' to highlight uniqueness before identifying possible stories.

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Methods used in this brief

• Stations Rotation