Creative Journeys: Exploring Art and Design · 1st Class

Active learning ideas

Exhibition Design and Installation

Active learning works well for exhibition design because students must physically engage with space, light, and material. Hands-on trials help them see how abstract principles like flow and balance shape a viewer's experience in real time.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Visual Arts - Exhibition Practices 9.4
• NCCA: Visual Arts - Visual Awareness 9.2

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

Activity 01

• Project-Based Learning
• 45 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Mock Gallery Planning

Divide class into groups of four. Each group selects six student artworks, sketches a floor plan on large paper considering flow and spacing, then builds the display on classroom tables. Add simple labels and test with phone flashlights for lighting. Groups rotate to critique others.

How would you arrange your artworks if you were putting on a show?

Facilitation Tip

For Mock Gallery Planning, provide a roll of painter’s tape to mark walls so students can test layouts at actual size.

What to look for

Present students with a photograph of a simple exhibition space. Ask them to point to or draw on the image where they would hang three different student artworks and explain why they chose those spots.

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

Activity 02

• Project-Based Learning
• 25 min · Pairs

Pairs: Lighting Experiments

Partners choose one artwork and test three light sources: natural window light, desk lamps, and flashlights from different angles. Observe how shadows change visibility and record best setup on sticky notes. Share findings in a quick class huddle.

Where would you hang your artwork so people could see it best?

Facilitation Tip

During Lighting Experiments, give students clip-on lamps with dimmers so they can compare directional versus diffused light.

What to look for

In small groups, students arrange a few sample artworks (or printed images) on a table. Each group presents their arrangement. Other students can offer one suggestion for improvement, such as 'move this one closer' or 'turn that one slightly'.

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

Activity 03

• Project-Based Learning
• 30 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Label Creation Workshop

Model label components: title, artist name, date, short description. Students draft labels for their own art using templates, then pair up to read and refine. Mount labels next to artworks for a class gallery walk.

What could you write next to your artwork so visitors know what it is about?

Facilitation Tip

In the Label Creation Workshop, provide sentence starters on strips of paper to help students write concise, engaging descriptions.

What to look for

Give each student a small piece of paper. Ask them to write down one thing they learned about making an artwork look good in an exhibition and one question they still have.

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

Activity 04

• Project-Based Learning
• 20 min · Individual

Individual: Layout Sketches

Each student draws a bird's-eye view of an ideal exhibition space for five artworks, marking paths, heights, and labels. Use grid paper for accuracy. Pin sketches to board for class voting on favorites.

How would you arrange your artworks if you were putting on a show?

Facilitation Tip

Ask students to sketch rough floor plans during Layout Sketches, including doorways and windows to scale.

What to look for

Present students with a photograph of a simple exhibition space. Ask them to point to or draw on the image where they would hang three different student artworks and explain why they chose those spots.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by modeling your own decision-making process aloud. Show how you balance aesthetics with viewer experience, and invite students to critique your choices before they begin. Avoid focusing solely on decoration; emphasize how each element serves the artwork and audience.

Successful learning looks like students making thoughtful adjustments based on peer feedback and clear reasoning. They should confidently discuss spacing, lighting, and labels using specific examples from their work.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Mock Gallery Planning, watch for students clustering artworks tightly to save space.

  Direct students to step back and observe the space from a viewer’s perspective, then adjust spacing so pieces feel distinct yet connected.

• During Lighting Experiments, watch for students angling lights only toward their own eyes.

  Have students crouch or stand to simulate child viewers, then reposition lights to ensure visibility for all heights.

• During Label Creation Workshop, watch for students writing overly detailed or vague labels.

  Provide examples of clear labels and ask students to swap drafts with peers to check for clarity and brevity before finalizing.

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Methods used in this brief

• Project-Based Learning