Learning with iPad - Collage Creation with Canva on

Context

In a world saturated with images, knowing how to tell a compelling story visually is a superpower. This lesson moves students beyond simply viewing photos and empowers them to become visual curators. Using an intuitive app like Canva on iPad, students will learn the art of the collage, a timeless medium for expression, now reimagined for the digital age.

This is more than just arranging pictures. It's an introduction to the fundamentals of graphic design and visual communication. Students will explore concepts like theme, balance, and color theory as they create a mood board for a project, tell the story of a recent event, or express the "vibe" of their favourite song.

By the end of the lesson, students will have a beautiful, shareable piece of digital art and a new set of skills applicable to everything from school presentations to personal creative projects.

Preparation and Flow

For this lesson, students will need a design app like Canva installed. They should also have access to 5-7 photos in their Photos app that they can use for their project.

1. Inspiration & Theme Selection (5 mins)

Begin by showcasing 2-3 different styles of collages (e.g., a narrative storyboard, an abstract mood board, a promotional graphic) to demonstrate the medium's versatility.

Lead a brainstorming session to help students choose a theme for their collage. Suggestions include: "A Day in My Life," "The Vibe of My Favorite Book," or "My Top 3 Goals."

2. A Tour of the Design Studio (10 mins)

Project Canva and guide students through the essential steps for creating a collage:

Choosing a Template: Show them how to search for "Photo Collage" templates.

Uploading Photos: Demonstrate how to upload their own photos and drag them into the template frames.

Adding Text: Show how to add a title or captions and change the font and color.

Customizing Elements: Briefly show how to change the background color or add simple graphic elements like shapes or stickers

3. Creative Workshop: Building the Collage (25 mins)

Students work independently on their iPads to build their collages based on their chosen theme.

Encourage them to think about the story they are telling. Which photo should be the largest? What colors support the mood?

Circulate and offer guidance on design principles like balance and focal points.

4. Showcase & "One Word Vibe" (10 mins)

Have students save their finished collage to their Photos.

In small groups, students AirDrop their collage to each other. As each person's collage is viewed, the other group members state one word that describes the feeling or "vibe" it gives them. This provides quick, positive, and insightful feedback.

Possible Extensions

Collaborative Class Mural: Create a large, shared Canva project. Assign each student a section of the "mural" to design a collage around a central class theme (e.g., "Our Year in Review").

Magazine Cover Design: Have students adapt their collage into a magazine cover, adding a masthead (title) and headlines that relate to their theme.

From the LearnGrowCreate Team

Main author: Sharon