1 session; 70 minutes per session

1. Improve descriptive skills
2. Grow descriptive language
3. Develop listening skills
4. Interpret language into drawing

1. Surrealism drawings
2. Paper
3. Pencils
4. 'prizes' for winners

Need these materials? Visit Blick!

1. Seperate students into pairs. Student A will describe and Student B will draw. (If you have 70+ mins they will have time to swap - otherwise break this over two sessions.)

2.Explain to students that this is a competition. The explainer must only use their words and the drawer must not sneek a peek on the board or they will be disqualified. You are looking for the most detail possible rather then perfect drawing.

3.give the students 20 minutes and reveal the image to student B. Make sure to give them constant time updates.

4.If you have a spare white board you may want to write down some of the descriptions you are hearing as you walk around the room to use later in reflection.

5.After 20 minutes allow the students a few minutes to compare, laugh etc. Then lead them on a class reflection of what just happened for roughly 10 minutes.
Was this easy/hard?
Who had it easier? drawer or describer?
What else could your describer have said to you?

6.Repeat the exercise and swap the students. Repeat the reflection. Especially the "who has it harder" questions - how does it change now that both of them have had a turn?

7.Next time there is a written assessment that requires description remind them of this excercise.

This is a formative piece. This checks for understanding and grasp for how descriptive language works.

I have also used an alternative form of this exercise with 'mug shots'. The describer becomes a witness and the drawer the 'detective' to practice face skills.

Symbolism, Surrealism

Rhythm/Pattern, Shape, Space, Texture, Form, Line, Proportion/Size

Drawing

English/Language Arts