Art and Design · Year 3

Active learning ideas

Creating Textural Collages

Active learning works well for this topic because Year 3 students grasp texture more deeply when they touch and manipulate real materials rather than just seeing them in images. Hands-on stations and collaborative tasks help them connect tactile experiences to emotional responses in art.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS2: Art and Design - Texture and Surface
• KS2: Art and Design - Mixed Media

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Stations Rotation
• 45 min · Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Texture Exploration Stations

Prepare four stations with materials like sandpaper, velvet, twine, and foil. Students spend 7 minutes at each, layering pieces on card and noting tactile differences in journals. Rotate groups and conclude with a share-out of favourites.

Analyze how combining different materials creates a new visual and tactile experience.

Facilitation Tip

In Texture Exploration Stations, place a tray of materials at each station so students handle them before deciding which to use in their collages.

What to look for

Students select one collage they created and write two sentences: 'This collage uses textures to show [mood/idea]. The materials I used that create this feeling are [material 1] and [material 2] because they feel [texture description].'

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

Activity 02

• Experiential Learning
• 30 min · Pairs

Pairs: Mood Matching Collages

Pairs choose an emotion card, such as 'joyful' or 'mysterious', then gather matching textures from a central tray. They glue layers to form a collage and explain choices to the class. Extend by swapping collages for peer feedback.

Design a collage that uses texture to convey a specific mood or idea.

Facilitation Tip

For Mood Matching Collages, provide emotion word cards so pairs can agree on a mood before selecting materials.

What to look for

Students display their collages. In pairs, they point to one area of their partner's collage and state: 'I like how the [smooth/rough] texture of the [material] contrasts with the [other material]. It makes me feel [emotion].' Partners respond with one specific positive observation about texture.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Experiential Learning
• 35 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Texture Story Circle

Display student collages in a circle. Each pupil adds one textured element to a communal large collage while describing its mood contribution. Discuss as a group how additions change the overall feel.

Compare the impact of smooth versus rough textures in a single artwork.

Facilitation Tip

During the Texture Story Circle, hold up each collage and ask the creator to point out one strong texture and its effect on the mood.

What to look for

Hold up examples of different textured materials (e.g., sandpaper, silk, bubble wrap). Ask students to call out or write down the word that describes how each material feels (e.g., rough, smooth, bumpy). Then ask: 'Which of these would you use to make a collage feel calm? Why?'

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Experiential Learning
• 25 min · Individual

Individual: Personal Texture Diary

Students collect five personal textures from home or schoolyard, then create a small collage page per texture, labelling mood evoked. Compile into class books for gallery walk.

Analyze how combining different materials creates a new visual and tactile experience.

Facilitation Tip

In the Personal Texture Diary, model how to sketch small areas and label textures before adding materials.

What to look for

Students select one collage they created and write two sentences: 'This collage uses textures to show [mood/idea]. The materials I used that create this feeling are [material 1] and [material 2] because they feel [texture description].'

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should model handling materials with care and guide students to plan small sections before gluing. Avoid rushing the tactile exploration phase, as this builds the foundation for meaningful art-making. Research shows that when students articulate why they selected textures, their compositions become more intentional and expressive.

In successful learning, students confidently describe how rough and smooth materials create different moods in their collages. They explain their choices using texture words and support peer feedback with specific observations about contrasts and feelings.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Texture Exploration Stations, watch for students who only look at materials without touching them.

  Circulate and prompt them to feel each material, then ask which textures they notice and how those textures might affect a viewer's mood.

• During Mood Matching Collages, some students may choose all rough materials, assuming they create the strongest mood.

  Guide pairs to test smooth materials first, then discuss how silk or foil can convey calm just as effectively as burlap expresses chaos.

• During Texture Story Circle, students may believe more materials automatically make a collage better.

  Hold up two examples, one with many textures and one with just two strong textures, and ask the class which feels more focused and why.

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Methods used in this brief

• Stations Rotation
• Experiential Learning