English · Class 12

Active learning ideas

On the Face of It: Symbolism and Imagery

Active learning helps students move beyond passive reading to grasp how symbolism and imagery shape meaning in 'On the Face of It'. By engaging with visuals, movement, and discussion, learners connect abstract ideas to concrete experiences, making themes like isolation and resilience more tangible and memorable.

• CBSE Learning Outcomes
• CBSE: Vistas - On the Face of It - Class 12

• 30–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Gallery Walk
• 45 min · Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Symbol Stations

Divide class into small groups. Each group creates a poster illustrating one symbol (garden, bees, scars) with quotes and personal interpretations. Groups then rotate through stations, adding sticky notes with observations. Conclude with whole-class sharing of insights.

Analyze the symbolism of Mr. Lamb's garden and its role in Derry's transformation.

Facilitation Tip

During the Gallery Walk, place images of the garden and bees at different stations and ask students to write their first reactions before discussing in pairs.

What to look for

Divide students into small groups. Ask them to discuss: 'How does Mr. Lamb's garden act as a safe space for Derry? List three specific elements of the garden that contribute to this feeling and explain why.'

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

Activity 02

• Hexagonal Thinking
• 30 min · Pairs

Role-Play: Garden Encounters

Pairs enact key scenes in the garden, exaggerating imagery like bee buzz or gate creaks to highlight symbolism. Switch roles and discuss how physical actions reveal character psychology. Record short clips for peer review.

Explain the significance of the bees and their connection to Mr. Lamb's philosophy.

Facilitation Tip

For the Role-Play activity, provide minimal props like a walking stick or a flower pot to help students embody the characters’ emotions without overcomplicating the scene.

What to look for

Provide students with a slip of paper. Ask them to write: 'One symbol or image from the play that resonated with you and why. How does this symbol connect to the play's main themes?'

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Hexagonal Thinking
• 35 min · Individual

Imagery Journals: Visual Mapping

Individually, students select three images from the play and draw mind maps linking them to themes. Share in small groups, explaining connections to Derry's change. Teacher circulates to prompt deeper analysis.

Critique how the play uses physical descriptions to reveal deeper psychological states.

Facilitation Tip

In Imagery Journals, model one entry first, showing how to link a visual detail from the text to a theme, so students have a clear structure to follow.

What to look for

Display images of a garden with weeds and flowers, and a swarm of bees. Ask students to write one sentence for each image explaining its symbolic meaning within the context of 'On the Face of It'.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Hexagonal Thinking
• 40 min · Small Groups

Debate Circles: Symbol Debates

Form two circles: inner debates symbolism (e.g., bees as risk vs. harmony), outer observes and rotates in. Use timers for balanced turns. Synthesise arguments as a class.

Analyze the symbolism of Mr. Lamb's garden and its role in Derry's transformation.

Facilitation Tip

During Debate Circles, assign roles like ‘symbol defender’ or ‘textual evidence reviewer’ to keep discussions focused and accountable.

What to look for

Divide students into small groups. Ask them to discuss: 'How does Mr. Lamb's garden act as a safe space for Derry? List three specific elements of the garden that contribute to this feeling and explain why.'

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teaching this topic works best when you balance close reading with creative expression. Avoid lectures that explain symbols in advance; instead, let students discover meanings through activities and then refine their ideas with guided questioning. Research shows that when students physically interact with symbols—such as drawing or acting them out—their understanding deepens more than through passive discussion alone. Keep the focus on how symbols evolve with characters, rather than static definitions.

Successful learning looks like students confidently explaining how symbols such as the garden or bees reflect character journeys, and using evidence from the text to support their interpretations. Look for students who can articulate connections between physical settings and emotional states, both in writing and discussion.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Gallery Walk: Symbol Stations, some students may treat the garden images as mere backgrounds without deeper meaning.

  During the Gallery Walk, ask students to focus on one element per image (e.g., a broken gate, a patch of weeds) and write how it mirrors Derry’s feelings at that point in the play, then compare notes in small groups to uncover hidden layers.

• During Role-Play: Garden Encounters, students might see bees as only literal pests without symbolic weight.

  During the role-play, pause after the scene where Mr. Lamb talks about bees and ask actors to improvise how a bee could represent both pain and joy, using gestures and dialogue to show this duality.

• During Imagery Journals: Visual Mapping, students may dismiss physical descriptions like scars as unrelated to psychological themes.

  During the Imagery Journals activity, provide a Venn diagram template where students compare Derry’s scar with the garden’s overgrown paths, prompting them to find shared themes of hidden beauty and acceptance.

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Methods used in this brief

• Gallery Walk
• Hexagonal Thinking