Art and Design · Year 3

Active learning ideas

Introduction to Public Art and Statues

Active learning helps students connect abstract concepts like meaning and location to tangible examples in their everyday surroundings. Observing, sketching, and debating public art makes the curriculum concrete and relevant, turning a walk through the park into a lesson on history, culture, and design.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS2: Art and Design - Art History and Culture
• KS2: Art and Design - Sculpture and 3D Form

• 30–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Gallery Walk
• 35 min · Small Groups

Gallery Walk: UK Public Art

Display 6-8 images of UK statues and public art around the room. Small groups rotate every 5 minutes, noting purpose, location, and community impact on charts. Conclude with whole-class sharing of standout observations.

Explain why certain sculptures are placed in public spaces.

Facilitation Tip

During the Gallery Walk, arrange images at child-height with clear labels so students can focus on details without crowding each station.

What to look for

Show students images of two different public sculptures. Ask them to write down one word describing the feeling each sculpture evokes and one reason why it might be placed in its current location.

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

Activity 02

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 40 min · Pairs

Story Mapping: Statue Tales

Provide cards with statue facts. Pairs sequence events into a visual map or comic strip showing the story told. Groups present maps, explaining links to community history.

Analyze how a public statue can tell a story about a community or historical event.

Facilitation Tip

In Story Mapping, provide sentence starters like 'This statue reminds me of... because it shows...' to scaffold narrative writing around visuals.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'If you could design a statue for our school playground, what would it represent and why?' Facilitate a class discussion where students share their ideas and explain their choices, encouraging them to consider the school's values.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 45 min · Small Groups

Design Lab: Local Sculpture Concept

Brainstorm class values like friendship or environment. Small groups sketch a public sculpture with chosen site and materials. Build mini-models from recyclables and pitch ideas.

Design a concept for a public sculpture that represents a local value or idea.

Facilitation Tip

For the Design Lab, offer a tray of lightweight materials like cardboard, foil, and pipe cleaners so students can prototype shapes quickly and revise designs.

What to look for

Students draw a simple sketch of a public sculpture they have seen or imagined. Underneath, they write two sentences: one explaining what the sculpture is made of and one stating its purpose.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 04

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 30 min · Whole Class

Critique Circle: Impact Debate

Show video clips of public art interactions. Whole class forms a circle to debate changes over time or controversies. Vote on strongest impacts with reasons.

Explain why certain sculptures are placed in public spaces.

Facilitation Tip

In Critique Circle, assign roles like timekeeper, note-taker, and speaker to keep discussions structured and inclusive.

What to look for

Show students images of two different public sculptures. Ask them to write down one word describing the feeling each sculpture evokes and one reason why it might be placed in its current location.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should balance observation with discussion by asking open-ended questions like 'What does this statue make you wonder?' rather than 'What does it mean?' Framing public art as a conversation starter, not a fixed answer, builds critical thinking. Avoid overloading with historical facts; focus on student perceptions first, then layer context. Research shows that hands-on design tasks increase engagement and retention, especially when students connect art to their own community.

Students will demonstrate understanding by identifying how location and materials shape a statue's message and by proposing purposeful designs for a community space. They will also articulate how public art reflects shared values or sparks discussion.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Gallery Walk, watch for students assuming statues only depict famous historical figures. Redirect by asking them to note the subject’s role or era on their observation sheets.

  During Gallery Walk, provide a 'Subject Spotlight' card with examples of modern figures, sports heroes, or abstract ideas represented in UK public art, and have students match these to the images.

• During Story Mapping, watch for students ignoring the statue’s location when describing its meaning.

  During Story Mapping, prompt students to add a 'Where it stands' section to their maps, describing how the setting—busy square, quiet park, or building entrance—changes how people interact with the artwork.

• During Critique Circle, watch for students assuming public art is always permanent or uncontroversial.

  During Critique Circle, introduce a 'What if?' scenario card set with questions like 'What if this statue was moved to a different neighborhood?' to guide students toward considering change and debate.

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Methods used in this brief

• Gallery Walk
• Outdoor Investigation Session