Art and Design · Year 5

Active learning ideas

Collaborative Cityscapes: Mixed Media Mural

Active learning works because students must negotiate meaning together, turning abstract planning into concrete decision-making. Physical handling of materials during each stage keeps energy high and reveals how small choices build into a larger vision, which is essential for Year 5 students who are developing both social and spatial reasoning.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS2: Art and Design - Collaborative Composition
• KS2: Art and Design - Drawing and Mixed Media

• 20–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Project-Based Learning
• 25 min · Small Groups

Brainstorm Huddle: City Vision Mapping

Groups of four sketch initial city ideas on large paper, noting key features like transport hubs and green spaces. Each member adds one element, then they vote to refine a unified plan. Display sketches for class feedback before starting the mural.

Justify how individual artistic styles merge when creating a shared vision for a cityscape.

Facilitation Tip

During Brainstorm Huddle, circulate with a clipboard to record which students are contributing texture ideas and which are quietly listening, then prompt the quieter ones directly.

What to look for

Before finalizing sections of the mural, have groups present their planned additions. Ask peers to provide feedback using these prompts: 'What texture or relief element is most successful here and why?', 'How does this section connect to the overall cityscape vision?'

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Project-Based Learning
• 30 min · Pairs

Material Scavenge: Texture Trials

Pairs collect classroom recycled items such as foil, fabric scraps, and cardboard. They test adhesion and layering on sample boards, photographing results to share. Groups select top materials for their mural section based on trials.

Construct a plan for using recycled materials to add relief and texture to a 2D surface.

Facilitation Tip

For Material Scavenge, assign each group a bag with three mystery items so they must problem-solve adhesion before deciding how to use them.

What to look for

During the mural creation, pause the class and ask: 'How did your group decide which recycled materials to use for specific parts of the city, like windows or roads?', 'What challenges did you face when combining different drawing styles, and how did you resolve them?'

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Project-Based Learning
• 45 min · Small Groups

Layer Build: Perspective Assembly

Small groups divide the mural surface into zones for foreground, midground, and background. They draw outlines, add textured elements, then paint to unify. Rotate roles to ensure all contribute to each layer.

Evaluate how the scale of a collaborative art piece changes the viewer's experience.

Facilitation Tip

In Layer Build, ask students to stand back after each new element is added and describe what the mural now suggests, even if it’s incomplete.

What to look for

As students add recycled elements, ask them to briefly explain their material choice. For example: 'Why did you choose bottle caps for the lights instead of drawing them?' or 'How does the corrugated cardboard add to the building's texture?'

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

Activity 04

• Project-Based Learning
• 20 min · Whole Class

Scale Showcase: Viewer Critique

Whole class steps back at varying distances to view the mural, noting changes in impact. Pairs discuss and record observations on clipboards, then share evaluations to refine final touches.

Justify how individual artistic styles merge when creating a shared vision for a cityscape.

Facilitation Tip

During Scale Showcase, place a mirror at ground level to show students how low-angle viewing changes perception of height and depth.

What to look for

Before finalizing sections of the mural, have groups present their planned additions. Ask peers to provide feedback using these prompts: 'What texture or relief element is most successful here and why?', 'How does this section connect to the overall cityscape vision?'

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should model how to disagree respectfully when styles clash, using phrases like, ‘Your sharp lines contrast well with the cloudy sky, but let’s soften the edges here.’ Avoid rushing the critique phase, as students need multiple viewings to articulate how scale affects mood. Research shows that physical movement around the mural deepens spatial understanding, so plan for students to walk, crouch, and step back frequently.

Successful learning looks like groups justifying their material choices with clear reasons, students adapting their styles to fit the shared plan, and critics observing how scale changes emotional impact. By the end, every student can explain how their contribution enhances the mural’s futuristic cityscape.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Brainstorm Huddle, watch for students assuming their style must disappear to create unity.

  Use the huddle’s shared mind-map to highlight overlaps in ideas first, then ask each student to defend why a specific color or shape belongs, proving individual flair strengthens the group vision.

• During Material Scavenge, watch for students assuming recycled materials will look messy or unprofessional.

  Have groups photograph their trial textures before gluing, then present the ‘before and after’ shots to the class, showing how paint and layering transform chaos into deliberate effect.

• During Scale Showcase, watch for students believing scale only changes size, not emotional response.

  Ask groups to stand at three distances and record adjectives for how the city feels at each point, then compare lists to show how scale shifts mood from ‘intimidating’ to ‘dreamy.’

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Methods used in this brief

• Project-Based Learning