Art and Design · Year 1

Active learning ideas

Modern Art: What is Art Today?

Active learning works for this topic because it transforms abstract concepts like 'art' and 'beauty' into tangible experiences. When pupils touch recycled materials, debate ideas, and create their own installations, they move beyond textbook definitions to personal understanding. This hands-on approach matches how young learners build knowledge through doing and discussing, not just listening.

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

• 25–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Gallery Walk
• 30 min · Pairs

Gallery Walk: Modern Materials Tour

Display printed images of contemporary art using plastic and digital elements around the classroom. Pupils walk in pairs, noting materials and deciding if each piece is art, then record one observation per station. Regroup for whole-class sharing of favourites.

Evaluate whether any object can be considered art if an artist chooses it.

Facilitation Tip

During the Gallery Walk, position yourself at different stations to overhear conversations and gently prompt pupils to describe materials and choices instead of just saying 'cool' or 'weird'.

What to look for

Provide students with a picture of a contemporary artwork and a picture of a historical artwork. Ask them to write one sentence comparing the materials used in each and one sentence explaining which they prefer and why.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

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

Hands-On: Recycled Sculpture Challenge

Provide plastic bottles, wrappers, and tape for small groups to build sculptures inspired by modern artists. Each group names their work and explains why it qualifies as art. Display and vote on class favourites.

Compare modern art to art created a long time ago, highlighting key differences.

Facilitation Tip

For the Recycled Sculpture Challenge, model how to arrange materials slowly and explain your thinking aloud to show the creative process in action.

What to look for

Show students a collection of everyday objects (e.g., a plastic bottle, a shoe, a leaf). Ask: 'If an artist decided this was art, would you agree? Why or why not?' Facilitate a class discussion where students share their reasoning.

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

Activity 03

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

Debate Circle: Object or Art?

Pass around everyday objects like bottle caps or foil. Pupils in a circle take turns stating if it could be art and why, building on peers' ideas. Teacher facilitates with prompts from key questions.

Justify your personal preference for a piece of modern art we have studied.

Facilitation Tip

In the Debate Circle, establish a 'talking stick' rule to ensure all voices are heard and redirect off-topic comments by linking back to the artwork’s purpose.

What to look for

Hold up images of different artworks. Ask students to give a thumbs up if they think it is 'contemporary art' and a thumbs down if they think it is 'historical art'. Follow up by asking a few students to explain their choice.

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

Activity 04

• Think-Pair-Share
• 35 min · Individual

Preference Sketch: My Modern Art Pick

Pupils select a studied modern artwork image, sketch a detail, and label two reasons they like it. Pairs share sketches before whole-class gallery pinning.

Evaluate whether any object can be considered art if an artist chooses it.

Facilitation Tip

During the Preference Sketch, provide sentence starters like 'I chose this because...' to scaffold explanations for those who struggle to articulate their thinking.

What to look for

Provide students with a picture of a contemporary artwork and a picture of a historical artwork. Ask them to write one sentence comparing the materials used in each and one sentence explaining which they prefer and why.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Experienced teachers approach this topic by normalizing confusion as part of the creative process. Avoid rushing to 'correct' pupils when they call an artwork messy or meaningless. Instead, guide them to look for the artist’s message or material choice. Research shows that when children articulate their reasoning, even incorrect ideas become stepping stones. Use open-ended questions like 'What do you notice?' to build observation skills before judgment. Keep the focus on the artist’s intent to help pupils see art as communication, not decoration.

Successful learning looks like pupils confidently explaining why everyday objects can be art and defending their choices with clear reasons. You will see them engaging in debates, carefully constructing sculptures, and critiquing artworks with curiosity rather than judgment. Their sketches should reflect thoughtful selections tied to artist intentions, not just copying images.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Gallery Walk Modern Materials Tour, watch for pupils who dismiss artworks as 'not real art' because they don’t look realistic or pretty.

  Pause at those pieces and ask, 'What materials did the artist use? Why might they have chosen these?' Guide pupils to notice textures, colors, and arrangements before opinions, reinforcing that modern art values ideas over appearances.

• During Hands-On Recycled Sculpture Challenge, watch for pupils who refuse to use materials they consider 'ugly' or 'trash.'

  Ask them to describe the material’s properties (e.g., 'This bottle is shiny and strong') and frame it as a design choice. Compare it to how artists transform junk into something new, making it intentional rather than messy.

• During Debate Circle Object or Art?, watch for pupils who insist art must be 'pretty' or 'neat' to be valid.

  Introduce a new object, like a crumpled piece of paper, and ask the class to debate its artistic potential. Afterward, highlight how contemporary artists often value meaning over aesthetics, using examples from the Gallery Walk to ground the discussion.

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Methods used in this brief

• Gallery Walk
• Think-Pair-Share