Designing Simple Symbols and Icons

Active learning works because designing symbols demands physical interaction with shapes and materials. When students sketch, cut, and refine icons with their hands, they internalize how minimal forms carry meaning, turning abstract concepts into tangible skills. Movement between activities keeps energy high and reinforces iterative problem-solving, which is essential for clear visual communication.

• Year 5
• Art and Design
• 4 activities
• 30 min–50 min

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze existing symbols to identify characteristics that make them easily recognizable and memorable.
2. Design a set of simple symbols to represent abstract concepts like 'speed', 'danger', or 'information'.
3. Explain how the use of basic geometric shapes (circles, squares, triangles) contributes to the clarity and impact of a symbol.
4. Critique their own and peers' symbol designs, justifying choices based on simplicity and communicative effectiveness.
5. Demonstrate the process of simplifying a complex image into a basic icon through drawing and cutting.

Carousel Brainstorm

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Sketching Stations: Shape Simplification

Prepare stations with complex images like a tree or heart. Students simplify each into 3-5 basic shapes, sketch on card, then cut out prototypes. Pairs test by showing icons from 2 meters away, noting recognition success.

Prepare & details

Analyze what makes a symbol easy to recognise and remember, even without words.

Facilitation Tip: At Sketching Stations, provide pre-cut shape templates in varying sizes so students focus on simplification rather than drawing skills.

Setup: Charts posted on walls with space for groups to stand

Materials: Large chart paper (one per prompt), Markers (different color per group), Timer

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Carousel Brainstorm

⏱ 35 min·Small Groups

Peer Critique Carousel: Icon Guessing

Groups design one symbol per table on paper. Rotate every 5 minutes to guess meanings of others' icons and suggest simplifications. Return to refine based on collective feedback.

Prepare & details

Explain how using simple shapes can make a symbol more powerful.

Facilitation Tip: For the Peer Critique Carousel, place all icons on tables labeled with their assigned concepts to prevent guessing based on location.

Setup: Charts posted on walls with space for groups to stand

Materials: Large chart paper (one per prompt), Markers (different color per group), Timer

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Carousel Brainstorm

⏱ 50 min·Whole Class

Design Challenge: School Mascot Icon

Whole class brainstorms school values, then individuals sketch simple icons. Vote on favorites, combine elements into class symbol via group cutting and assembly.

Prepare & details

Justify why keeping a symbol simple is often better than adding too many details.

Facilitation Tip: When running Iteration Pairs, give pairs two minutes at a time to improve each other’s symbols before rotating, forcing rapid refinement.

Setup: Charts posted on walls with space for groups to stand

Materials: Large chart paper (one per prompt), Markers (different color per group), Timer

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Carousel Brainstorm

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

Iteration Pairs: Symbol Refinement

Pairs draw initial icons for emotions, swap, critique for simplicity. Cut revised versions, test with another pair for clarity, repeat once more.

Prepare & details

Analyze what makes a symbol easy to recognise and remember, even without words.

Setup: Charts posted on walls with space for groups to stand

Materials: Large chart paper (one per prompt), Markers (different color per group), Timer

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Teaching This Topic

Teach this topic by modeling the process yourself first: show how you strip a complex idea down to basic shapes, then iterate. Avoid demonstrating finished icons too early, as this can limit creativity. Research shows that students learn graphic design best when they experience the tension between clarity and creativity, so structure activities to make this tension visible. Keep language precise; terms like ‘outline,’ ‘stroke,’ and ‘silhouette’ help students articulate visual decisions.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students creating symbols that peers recognize instantly without explanation. They should confidently explain their design choices, revise based on feedback, and apply the principle that simplicity drives recognition. By the end, students should view symbols as purposeful designs, not just drawings.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Sketching Stations, some students may add extra lines or details, assuming this makes their symbol more artistic and effective.

What to Teach Instead

Pause the group and ask them to hold up their sketches. Have students point to the parts that make the symbol recognizable. Then, ask them to cover up anything that isn’t essential. Remind them that during the Peer Critique Carousel, cluttered designs will confuse viewers, so they should strip back now.

Common Misconception

During the Peer Critique Carousel, students may insist their symbol needs bright colors to communicate clearly.

What to Teach Instead

Provide only black markers and plain paper for this round. Ask students to focus on shape and outline. After the carousel, discuss how color can enhance but isn’t required, as seen in many universal symbols like the male restroom sign.

Common Misconception

During the Design Challenge: School Mascot Icon, some students may include personal quirks or inside jokes in their design.

What to Teach Instead

Set a rule: symbols must work for all students, not just the creator. After prototyping, hold a class vote. Ask students to explain why certain designs are harder to recognize. This highlights how quirky overload fails the clarity test, guiding revisions toward universal forms.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After the Peer Critique Carousel, present students with three symbols (e.g., recycling logo, Wi-Fi symbol, male restroom sign). Ask them to write down: 1. What does this symbol represent? 2. What shapes do you see used in it? 3. Why is it easy to remember?

Peer Assessment

During Iteration Pairs, students create two different symbols for the same concept (e.g., 'quiet'). They swap with a partner, who answers: Which symbol is clearer? Why? Which would you remember better? Give one suggestion to improve the other.

Exit Ticket

After the Design Challenge: School Mascot Icon, give each student a piece of paper. Ask them to draw one simple symbol representing the school mascot. On the back, they write one sentence explaining why they chose those shapes.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge early finishers to create a second version of their school mascot icon, one for print use and one for screen use, considering scale and detail.
• Scaffolding for students who struggle: provide a bank of universal symbols (e.g., heart, tree) to trace and adapt before creating their own.
• Deeper exploration: invite students to research how a single icon (like the Olympic rings) communicates across cultures and languages without words.

Key Vocabulary

Symbol	A simple picture or shape that represents an idea, object, or action. Symbols communicate meaning without using words.
Icon	A small graphic symbol used in digital interfaces or on signs to represent a function or concept. Icons are often simplified symbols.
Abstraction	The process of simplifying something complex into its essential elements, removing unnecessary details to focus on the core idea.
Geometric Shapes	Basic shapes like circles, squares, triangles, and lines that form the building blocks of many symbols and icons.
Scalability	The ability of a symbol or icon to remain clear and recognizable when resized, whether very small on a screen or large on a sign.