Finish the Pictures

When this activity came to my attention, I was curious to try it out. Although the explanation stated that the process and the product would surprise me due to its complexity and demand for higher level thinking, I was skeptical. The task seemed very simple. Regardless, I put my skepticism aside and gave in to curiosity. And boy, am I glad I did! 

Upon first glance, the incomplete picture board looks random and primitive. There are 9 boxes, each with a basic line drawing which could be interpreted in many different ways. The students are tasked with completing the simple pictures and turning them into more complex drawings. Easy, right? Time to elevate the process. 

I used this activity as an extension of our recent novel study of Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan. The students enjoyed the story and we worked on summarizing and plot analysis throughout the story. However, I wanted them to really contemplate the theme, or message, of the incredible evolution the main character, Esperanza, underwent as a result of her circumstances. 

The assignment was to complete the pictures in a way that would demonstrate her change from the beginning of the story to the end. In order to ensure a comprehensive and accurate depiction, planning time was mandatory before they put anything down on paper. In order to provide choice, the students were allowed flexibility to determine the order of the boxes. They could use color, or just pencil. They could work alone or collaborate with classmates. They were also reminded to include specific details for each picture. In order to provide a challenge, the students were then required to provide a writing component that described the pictures while explaining the character's change. 

Overall, the students were quite engaged and I was super impressed with everyone's final product! I am already planning some other writing assignments to complete with this innovative, fun, creative activity. 

Click  HERE for a PDF version of the blank "Finish the Picture". 

Thanks to On The Same Page ELT for the idea!

Collaborating to come up with lots of ideas!

Thinking about how to add specific details.

Choosing color or pencil only.

Describing the scene for each picture.

Making Connections

Recently I was introduced to a learning tool called Hexagonal Thinking.  According to English teacher Betsy Potash in Cult of Pedagogy, hexagonal thinking allows students to, ".....see things in new ways as they seek to connect wide-ranging ideas."  I was eager to apply this to our study of the National Park Service in hopes that it would elicit group discussions, thoughtful inquiries, and allow for students to see things through another's perspective, all while exercising their critical thinking skills.  Seemed like an effective way to encourage my students to think in deep and complex ways.

Each group was given a set of hexagons with a phrase or word printed on each one, and together, they were challenged to connect the hexagons in any way that made sense to them.  Essentially, each hexagon could have up to 6 connections, and the students were encouraged to keep moving the hexagons around, debating their placements, until a strong connection was achieved.  Of course, this looks different to everyone, but the students were reminded to keep an open mind while contemplating other ideas.

Prior to this activity, each student chose a national park to research, becoming "experts" on their park.  The Hexagonal Thinking activity allowed the "experts" to apply their specific knowledge and answer classmates' questions about physical features, animals, and activities that may be present in the various parks.  In addition, students used an atlas to determine if the Grand Canyon, located in Arizona, could geographically connect to Yosemite and Death Valley in California or Yellowstone in Wyoming.  Volcanoes were the reason some students chose to connect Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to Mt. Rainier National Park.  It was quickly becoming apparent that some connections were obvious, while some were not.

In order to extend their thinking even further, the students were required to explain their thinking by using specific evidence to support a connection of their choice.  Each group then viewed the others, cementing the idea of how different some of the connections could be. 

We followed up by discussing the importance of collaboration, what it looks like, and how each team member contributes in different ways.  By allowing the students to demonstrate their unique strengths such as brainstorming, organizing, researching, or leading discussions, for example, the activity evolved and came together.  Each student was able to use their individual gifts to contribute to a final product created by the team.  Connections were made to themselves, to each other, AND to the content.  

To learn more about hexagonal thinking, click HERE.