Skates, Sketches, and Stories: Turning NHL Posters into a Cross-Curricular Lesson (Grades 4–6)
Why Hockey Posters Work in the Classroom
Let’s be honest—children love hockey. The fast pace, the teamwork, the big plays, the awe-inspiring saves—they’re exciting on TV, and they’re just as exciting in the classroom. For students in Grades 4–6, NHL hockey posters are a perfect way to tap into that excitement. Colourful action shots, dramatic poses, game-winning saves, and team logos grab attention and spark ideas. By putting NHL player posters up around the room, teachers can turn a simple wall into a creative playground, where students explore art, writing, and storytelling—all while thinking about the game they love. It’s a fun, meaningful, and natural way to connect learning to something real and familiar.
Lesson Idea: Create Your Own Hockey Poster & Description
Grades: 4-6 | Subjects: Art & Language Arts | Time: 65-85 minutes
Big Idea: Students will design their own hockey posters inspired by NHL examples and write a short description to share/present with their classmates and—as a culminating activity—through a “School Community Hockey Art Show”. The lesson blends Art and Language Arts (e.g., writing, presentation skills)—and it’s a chance for students to show off their creativity in a format they find meaningful and enjoyable.
Materials
NHL hockey posters displayed around the classroom (check out this NHL posters site)
Large drawing paper or poster board
Markers, crayons, coloured pencils; pencils and erasers
Optional: stencils of hockey sticks, pucks, or players/goalies
Learning Activities
1. Introduction (5 minutes): Start with a “Gallery Walk.” Ask the students to quietly walk around the classroom, look at the displayed NHL player posters, and notice what catches their eye.
Potential prompts to help guide their “Gallery Walk”:
What’s happening in this hockey scene?
How do the colours or shapes make the NHL player poster feel exciting?
2. Brainstorm (10 minutes): Ask the students to jot down words or phrases that come to mind when they think of hockey—speed, great save, teamwork, power play, forecheck, energy. Encourage the students to think about how they could show these ideas visually—in their hockey posters.
3. Create the Hockey Poster (30–40 minutes): Now comes the creative part of the lesson. Ask the students to design their own hockey posters using large poster-sized paper and art supplies. They can invent a player, a team, or an action-packed moment. Remind them—there’s no wrong way to be creative during this lesson.
4. Add a Description (10–15 minutes): Ask the students to write a brief 3-5 minute description used to describe their hockey posters (this is where Art meets Language Arts). Prompts can include:
Who or what is featured in the hockey poster?
What’s happening in the hockey poster?
Why did you choose these colours or details for your hockey poster?
5. Share & Reflect (10-15 minutes): Ask the students to pair up to share their hockey posters and present their 3-5 minute descriptions. In doing so, the students are able to practice for the upcoming “School Community Hockey Art Show”.
Final Whistle
Finish with a “School Community Hockey Art Show” (Gallery Walk style). Invite younger students, families, and staff so that the students can present their hockey posters and present their descriptions to a real audience. It’s more than just showing off art—it’s a confidence booster. Students see their work appreciated, practice speaking to others, and feel proud of what they created. Plus, it’s a chance to connect the classroom to something everyone loves: the game of hockey.
In this cross-curricular lesson, students get to experience firsthand how creativity, storytelling, and teamwork can come together—and how learning can be just as exciting as an OT goal or a game-winning save.