Art and Design · Year 2

Active learning ideas

Nature's Stamps

Active learning works for this topic because printmaking is a tactile, hands-on process where students must physically interact with materials to grasp concepts like texture, pressure, and the reversal of images. Moving beyond pencil-and-paper tasks lets children experience the science and art of printmaking firsthand, embedding their understanding through repeated motion and observation.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS1: Art and Design - Printing and Pattern

• 15–35 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Simulation Game
• 15 min · Pairs

Simulation Game: The Mirror Dance

In pairs, one student performs a simple 'shape' with their body (e.g., an 'L' shape). The other student must mirror them exactly. This helps them understand that the print will always be the 'opposite' of the stamp they create.

What happens to the details of a leaf when you press it in paint and stamp it on paper?

Facilitation Tip

During The Mirror Dance, model slow, deliberate movements so students mirror your focus on the object’s edges and surfaces rather than rushing through motions.

What to look for

Give each student a leaf print they made. Ask them to write two sentences: one describing the texture of the leaf they see in the print, and one explaining why the print looks like a mirror image of the real leaf.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Stations Rotation
• 35 min · Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Texture Testers

Set up stations with different natural 'stamps' (celery stalks, halved peppers, leaves, bark). Students spend five minutes at each station, testing which part of the object makes the most interesting mark and recording it in a 'print diary'.

Why does a print look like a mirror image of the leaf?

Facilitation Tip

In Texture Testers, arrange stations so students rotate in small groups, ensuring each child has a clear view of the object and space to roll ink evenly.

What to look for

Hold up a leaf and a print of that leaf. Ask the class: 'What is different between the leaf and its print? How did we make the print? What part of the leaf made the ink mark?'

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

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 15 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: The Mystery Print

The teacher shows a print made from a natural object. Students must work with a partner to identify which object made the mark and which 'part' of the object was used (e.g., the end of a carrot vs the side).

Can you make prints with leaves and flowers to create a pattern?

Facilitation Tip

For The Mystery Print, give students quiet think time before pairing them up so they form more thoughtful initial observations about their prints.

What to look for

Observe students as they select natural objects to print. Ask: 'Why did you choose that object? What do you think its print will look like?' Note which students are considering the object's surface details.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should approach this topic by emphasizing process over product. Demonstrate each step slowly and repeat key actions like rolling ink or pressing objects to show how pressure affects the print. Avoid showing polished examples too early, as this can discourage experimentation. Research suggests that letting students make ‘mistake’ prints helps them learn to troubleshoot and adjust their technique independently.

Successful learning looks like students confidently selecting natural objects based on their raised surfaces, applying ink carefully to preserve texture, and recognizing that prints are flattened, reversed reflections of their source materials. They should also begin to articulate why less ink often yields clearer prints.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During texture testers, watch for students overloading objects with paint.

  Provide a limited amount of ink and demonstrate a ‘light touch’ technique, showing how a thin layer captures texture more clearly than a thick one.

• During The Mirror Dance, students may expect their reflected movements to match the object’s print exactly.

  Pause the activity to discuss how the print flattens the object and reverses its image, using the mirrored movements as a bridge to this concept.

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Methods used in this brief

• Simulation Game
• Stations Rotation
• Think-Pair-Share