Art and Design · Year 5

Active learning ideas

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.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS2: Art and Design - Graphic Design and Visual Communication
• KS2: Art and Design - Design and Technology

• 30–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• 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.

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.

What to look for

Present students with 3-4 common symbols (e.g., recycling logo, Wi-Fi symbol, male/female restroom signs). Ask them to write down: 1. What does this symbol represent? 2. What shapes do you see used in it? 3. Why do you think it is easy to remember?

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

Activity 02

• 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.

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.

What to look for

Students create two different symbols for the same concept (e.g., 'quiet'). They then swap their creations with a partner. Each partner answers: Which symbol is clearer? Why? Which symbol would you remember better? Give one suggestion to improve the other symbol.

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

Activity 03

• 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.

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.

What to look for

Give each student a piece of paper. Ask them to draw one simple symbol representing their favorite hobby. On the back, they must write one sentence explaining why they chose the shapes they did.

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

Activity 04

• 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.

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

What to look for

Present students with 3-4 common symbols (e.g., recycling logo, Wi-Fi symbol, male/female restroom signs). Ask them to write down: 1. What does this symbol represent? 2. What shapes do you see used in it? 3. Why do you think it is easy to remember?

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

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.

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.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

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

  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.

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

  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.

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

  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.

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Methods used in this brief

• Carousel Brainstorm