Talking Drawings

Purpose: To activate and evaluate student knowledge of a topic. Description:  In this activity, students will activate prior knowledge by creating a graphic representation of a topic before the lesson.  After engaging in learning about that topic, students will re-evaluate their prior knowledge by drawing a second depiction of their topic.  They will then summarize what the different drawing say to them about what they learned.

Procedure:

1.     Ask students to close their eyes and think about topic X.  Using the Talking Drawings worksheet, have students draw a picture what they saw while they were thinking about topic X.

2.     Teach cognitive portion of your lesson.

3.     At the end of the lesson, ask students to elaborate upon their initial drawing by creating a new drawing that incorporates what they learned about topic X during the lesson.

4.     Have students share their before and after drawings with a partner.  Students should discuss the differences between the two depictions of topic X.

5.     Finally, have students respond in writing at the bottom of their Talking Drawings worksheet.  What do the two drawings tell them about what they learned during the lesson?

Wood, K. (2001).  Literacy strategies across the subject areas. Needham Heights, MA:   Allyn & Bacon.

Sample Talking Drawings