Art and Design · Year 8

Active learning ideas

Mandalas and Repetitive Design

Active learning transforms passive observation of West African textiles into hands-on decoding. Students move beyond looking at symbols by researching, discussing, and creating their own motifs, which strengthens their understanding of how art communicates cultural values.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS3: Art and Design - Cultural Art Forms
• KS3: Art and Design - Repetition and Rhythm

• 30–60 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Gallery Walk
• 30 min · Pairs

Gallery Walk: Reading the Cloth

The teacher displays various Adinkra symbols around the room with their associated proverbs hidden under flaps. Students move in pairs to guess the meaning based on the visual shape before revealing the answer.

Analyze how repetitive patterns can induce a meditative or calming effect.

Facilitation Tip

During the Gallery Walk, position students as detectives by giving each pair a focus question about a specific symbol’s cultural meaning before they move to the next image.

What to look for

Present students with images of mandalas from different cultures (e.g., Tibetan Buddhist, Navajo sand painting, Islamic geometric patterns). Ask: 'How does the repetition of shapes and colors in these examples create a sense of order or peace? What specific symbols do you notice, and what might they represent?'

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

Activity 02

• Inquiry Circle
• 40 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Modern Proverb

In small groups, students identify a 'modern proverb' or a value important to their school community (e.g., 'kindness is strength'). They then work together to design a simplified, geometric symbol that captures that idea.

Compare the cultural contexts and meanings of mandalas from different traditions.

Facilitation Tip

For the Collaborative Investigation, assign each group a different modern proverb to translate visually, ensuring varied examples are shared with the class.

What to look for

Provide students with a blank circular template. Ask them to fill it with at least three different repeating motifs. Then, have them write a short sentence explaining the meaning or symbolism behind one of the motifs they chose to include.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Stations Rotation
• 60 min · Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Motif Development

Students rotate through stations: one for sketching symbols, one for carving them into lino or foam blocks, and one for testing the 'repeat' of the symbol on long strips of paper.

Design a personal mandala that incorporates symbolic elements relevant to your own life.

Facilitation Tip

Set a 5-minute timer for each station in Motif Development to keep students focused on testing small variations in shape and spacing before finalizing their designs.

What to look for

Students share their completed personal mandalas. In pairs, they discuss: 'Does your partner's mandala use repetition effectively? Can you identify at least one symbolic element and guess its meaning? What is one aspect of their design that you find particularly calming or interesting?'

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should frame this topic as both a visual and philosophical exercise, emphasizing the layers of meaning in each symbol. Avoid presenting the designs as purely decorative; instead, guide students to see them as complex shorthand for cultural ideas. Research on visual literacy shows that students grasp symbolism faster when they actively create and explain their own interpretations rather than just memorizing meanings.

Successful learning looks like students confidently explaining the meanings behind Adinkra symbols and using repetition deliberately in their own designs. They should be able to connect their personal motifs to broader cultural ideas and justify their choices with clear reasoning.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Gallery Walk, watch for students who dismiss symbols as 'just decorations' without investigating their cultural significance.

  Direct students to the provided proverb sheets next to each image, and ask them to read at least one example aloud before moving on.

• During Collaborative Investigation, students may assume symbols are arbitrary or unrelated to real-life values.

  Have groups present their symbol’s proverb alongside a personal example of how the value applies to modern life, such as family, school, or community.

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Methods used in this brief

• Gallery Walk
• Inquiry Circle
• Stations Rotation