WORD PICTURES/SCULPTURES
A cooperative communication activity
Grade Level:
This assignment can be adapted to accommodate any grade level. It is especially useful for early learners or special education students because of its adaptability. Words may also be acted out, as in charades (not used for this demonstration). Help with words can be given for non-readers. The words I have chosen for this assignment are suitable for kindergarten-first grade, or children who are either developmentally delayed or learning-disabled.
Rationale:
Students will read and/or learn a word, then depict that word in a visual way (through drawing or sculpting) to give the word concrete meaning and strengthen vocabulary skills. Students will further their social/communication skills by working with a partner, who will identify the word using only the picture or sculpture.
Performance Objective:
Students will create a crayon drawing or play-dough sculpture that depicts the meaning of a word given to them. Each student will exchange the drawing or sculpture with a partner, who will evaluate the work by identifying the original word.
Materials:
Index cards with simple words written on one side
Bag from which cards will be drawn
Crayons
Paper
Play-dough
Visual aids (paper with drawings on one side, word on the other), to be shown
to students before they complete the assignment
Introduction:
Show the students several pictures, and ask them what word they think of when looking at each picture. When the students call out a word, turn over the paper to show the word or phrase identifying the picture on the back. Depending on the age and abilities of the students, the words or phrases may vary � nouns, adjectives, and verbs. For kindergarten or first grade, the word choice should be as concrete as possible.
Instruction:
What is a word?
A bunch of letters, put together to mean something.
How do we use words, what do they do?
To tell people things, to read; they tell people what things are.
Instruction (continued):
Why is it important to tell people things?
So people can understand us; so we can understand people.
Can we tell people things with pictures or clay?
Yes; no; I don�t know; we can show things with pictures or clay.
What word do you think I�m covering up in this picture? (Hold up a picture of a stop sign with the word �stop� covered up).
Stop!
What might happen if people didn�t know what this picture and word meant?
They might crash their cars; they might get hurt.
Today we are going to read a word and try to show someone else what it means by drawing a picture or making something with play-dough.
1. Pass out a piece of paper; ask students to get out their crayons or play-dough.
2. Tell students that you are going to bring a bag around for them to pick a folded card from. They are not to show anyone the word on their card, but they should read it and then fold it again and place it in front of them, keeping the word hidden from the person next to them. If they need help reading or understanding the word, they should raise one hand, and you will come around to help them. Tell them not to do anything with their word until everyone has or understands their word. If some get restless, ask them to write their names on their papers.
3. Tell students to draw a picture or make a play-dough sculpture showing what their word means, but not to write the word on the paper or use the letters in the sculpture. Give them 5-10 minutes to create their picture or sculpture.
4. When everyone is done, ask the students to trade their pictures or sculptures with the student next to them, and guess the other person�s word. If a student cannot guess the correct word, the artist may give a hint.
5. Tell students to unfold their card and place it on or under the drawing or sculpture.
Evaluation:
Students will evaluate each other�s work through the guessing stage of the lesson; this will validate simple vocabulary skills.
Follow-up:
Staple the vocabulary cards to the pictures, or place them in front of the sculptures. Establish a vocabulary corner using a table and wall space to hang the pictures, place the sculptures and words; this activity can be a regular weekly or quarterly �game,� wherein vocabulary words are reinforced.