Art and Design · Year 6

Active learning ideas

Designing Sustainable Shelters

Active learning works for this topic because students build and test their own ideas, transforming passive knowledge into tangible problem-solving. Hands-on work with recycled materials lets them see environmental concepts in action, which strengthens both creativity and critical thinking about sustainability.

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

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

Activity 01

• Project-Based Learning
• 25 min · Whole Class

Scavenger Hunt: Material Gathering

Students search the school grounds for safe recycled items like boxes and bottles. Sort materials by properties such as rigidity or waterproofing in class lists. Discuss group findings on potential architectural uses.

Explain how waste materials can be transformed into aesthetic architectural features.

Facilitation Tip

During Scavenger Hunt, circulate and prompt students to consider material strength by asking, 'How might this flat piece support a roof?'.

What to look for

Students display their finished shelter models. Provide each student with a checklist including: 'Does the shelter use at least two recycled materials?', 'Are the recycled materials transformed into an aesthetic feature?', 'Does the design appear functional for a specific climate?'. Students use the checklist to assess a peer's model and provide one written comment on a strength or area for improvement.

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

Activity 02

• Project-Based Learning
• 30 min · Pairs

Pairs Sketching: Environment Challenges

In pairs, assign a climate like rainy UK or desert heat. Sketch shelter designs labeling sustainable features such as ventilation or recycled insulation. Present sketches to the class for initial feedback.

Predict what makes a design functional for a specific climate and environment.

Facilitation Tip

During Pairs Sketching, insist students label their sketches with climate challenges, such as 'How will this shelter keep cool in summer?'

What to look for

On a small card, ask students to write: 'One way I transformed waste material into an architectural feature in my shelter.' and 'One challenge I faced in making my shelter sustainable and how I addressed it.'

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

Activity 03

• Project-Based Learning
• 45 min · Small Groups

Small Groups Build: Prototype Testing

Groups construct models from sketches using glue and tape. Test stability by shaking or simulating rain with spray bottles. Adjust designs based on failures and record improvements.

Evaluate how the form of your sculpture follows its intended sustainable function.

Facilitation Tip

During Small Groups Build, provide only basic tools like tape and scissors so students solve structural problems creatively with their materials.

What to look for

During the building process, circulate with a clipboard. Ask students: 'What recycled material are you using here and why?', 'How does this part of your design help the shelter be sustainable?', 'What climate are you designing for and how does your design respond to it?' Record brief notes on their responses.

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

Activity 04

• Gallery Walk
• 20 min · Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Peer Evaluation

Display finished models around the room. Groups rotate to evaluate others using criteria like functionality and aesthetics. Provide written feedback and suggest sustainable tweaks.

Explain how waste materials can be transformed into aesthetic architectural features.

Facilitation Tip

During Gallery Walk, give each student a different focus for feedback, such as 'Look for one recycled material used in a surprising way.'

What to look for

Students display their finished shelter models. Provide each student with a checklist including: 'Does the shelter use at least two recycled materials?', 'Are the recycled materials transformed into an aesthetic feature?', 'Does the design appear functional for a specific climate?'. Students use the checklist to assess a peer's model and provide one written comment on a strength or area for improvement.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should frame this as a design process, not just a craft activity. Use modeling to show how to test ideas quickly, like folding cardboard to see where it bends. Avoid giving step-by-step instructions; instead, ask guiding questions that push students to explain their choices. Research shows inquiry-based design tasks build deeper understanding of sustainability when students encounter real constraints.

Successful learning looks like students confidently combining materials, explaining their design choices, and adapting prototypes based on feedback. They should clearly link form to function, using evidence from stress tests and peer reviews to justify their sustainable features.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Scavenger Hunt, watch for students who dismiss materials because they seem flimsy. Redirect them by asking, 'How might you combine this lightweight material with another to create strength?'

  During Scavenger Hunt, give students a quick material strength test: have them hold a piece of cardboard horizontally and place a small book on it. Ask, 'What happens when weight is added? How can you change the shape to make it stronger?' This helps students see potential in unexpected materials.

• During Pairs Sketching, watch for students who draw generic shelters without climate context. Redirect by asking, 'What problems does heavy rain cause? How would you solve them in your design?'

  During Pairs Sketching, provide climate cards with conditions like 'wet winters' or 'hot summers' and require students to annotate their sketches with specific challenges and solutions tied to their assigned climate.

• During Small Groups Build, watch for students who ignore environmental features because they focus only on aesthetics. Redirect by asking, 'How does the color or shape of your shelter help it stay cool or dry?'

  During Small Groups Build, require students to add a 'sustainability label' to their model that explains one climate-adapted feature and one recycled material transformation. This keeps environmental function visible during construction.

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Methods used in this brief

• Project-Based Learning
• Gallery Walk