CCE · Primary 3

Active learning ideas

Designing Inclusive Spaces

Active learning helps students connect abstract ideas about inclusion to concrete solutions they can see and touch. When Primary 3 students plan changes for real spaces like playgrounds or classrooms, they move from listening to doing, which builds empathy and problem-solving skills.

• MOE Syllabus Outcomes
• MOE: Inclusion and Empathy - P3
• MOE: Collaborative Problem-Solving - P3

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 30 min · Small Groups

Group Brainstorm: Playground Makeover

Divide class into small groups and assign a playground feature like swings or slides. Students discuss challenges for diverse users, list 3-5 changes like ramps or soft mats, and vote on top ideas. Groups sketch one redesign with labels explaining benefits for all.

Design a change to the school playground that would help a student who uses a wheelchair join in the fun.

Facilitation Tip

During the Group Brainstorm: Playground Makeover, provide picture cards of different mobility and sensory needs to anchor student ideas in real scenarios.

What to look for

Provide students with a picture of a common school area (e.g., a classroom doorway, a library reading nook). Ask them to draw and label one change that would make the space more inclusive for a student with a specific need (e.g., a visual impairment, difficulty sitting still).

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 45 min · Pairs

Model Building: Inclusive Classroom

Provide recyclables like cardboard and tape. Pairs design and build a model classroom with wider desks, quiet corners, or braille labels. Test models by role-playing as peers with needs, then adjust based on feedback.

How does making a space easier for one person to use often make it better for everyone?

Facilitation Tip

For Model Building: Inclusive Classroom, set a timer for 10 minutes of focused planning before building to keep groups on task.

What to look for

Present a scenario: 'Imagine our school wants to build a new outdoor learning area. What are two different needs students might have in this space, and how could we design it to meet both needs?' Facilitate a class discussion, encouraging students to build on each other's ideas.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Gallery Walk
• 35 min · Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Design Feedback

Display student sketches or models around the room. Students rotate in small groups, leaving sticky note feedback on inclusivity and improvements. Conclude with whole-class share-out of common ideas and revisions.

Explain why a ramp or wider door helps not just people in wheelchairs but also other students.

Facilitation Tip

During the Gallery Walk: Design Feedback, assign each student a specific role, like ‘feedback collector’ or ‘designer,’ to ensure everyone contributes.

What to look for

After brainstorming ideas for a playground modification, ask students to write down one reason why their proposed change would help not only a wheelchair user but also other students. Collect these for a quick review of understanding.

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

Activity 04

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 25 min · Pairs

Role-Play: Space Testing

Individuals or pairs simulate using spaces with props like blindfolds or chairs on wheels. They test peers' designs, note what works, and suggest tweaks. Record findings in a class chart for discussion.

Design a change to the school playground that would help a student who uses a wheelchair join in the fun.

Facilitation Tip

For Role-Play: Space Testing, model how to act out a scenario first so students understand the expectations for empathy and problem-solving.

What to look for

Provide students with a picture of a common school area (e.g., a classroom doorway, a library reading nook). Ask them to draw and label one change that would make the space more inclusive for a student with a specific need (e.g., a visual impairment, difficulty sitting still).

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Experienced teachers approach this topic by starting with students’ lived experiences to build empathy, then scaffolding technical skills like prototyping and feedback. Avoid rushing to solutions; instead, guide students to test ideas and iterate. Research shows that when students see their ideas improve lives, their motivation and understanding deepen.

Successful learning looks like students explaining how their designs meet specific needs, justifying choices with evidence, and revising ideas based on feedback. They should show growing awareness that inclusive design benefits everyone, not just one group.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Group Brainstorm: Playground Makeover, watch for students assuming inclusive changes only help wheelchair users.

  Prompt groups to list at least two other user groups (e.g., parents with strollers, elderly visitors) that would benefit from their designs, using the brainstorm poster to record these connections.

• During the Model Building: Inclusive Classroom, watch for students adding features without considering accessibility trade-offs.

  Have groups present their models and ask peers to point out potential barriers, such as a ramp that’s too steep, before they finalize their designs.

• During the Role-Play: Space Testing, watch for students treating social inclusion as separate from physical changes.

  Guide students to act out scenarios where a lack of physical adjustments, like flexible seating, creates social barriers, helping them see the direct link between design and participation.

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Methods used in this brief

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• Gallery Walk