If you’re like me, you’ve probably used the Read and Draw activity in your class before. It’s a great way to encourage students to read, understand, and visually represent what they’ve learned.
But here’s the thing — while it’s fun, I’ve noticed some challenges especially after doing read and draw a lot in class. Lately, some students are simply doing some quick drawings and moving on, missing key details in the process. Others, who might not feel confident in their artistic abilities, do the bare minimum, which leaves them disengaged.
However, I love drawing. Why?
The Science Behind Drawing and Memory
Why is drawing such an effective learning tool? Research shows that drawing isn’t just fun – it’s actually a powerful method to boost memory.
An article published in Edutopia explains that across a series of experiments, research found drawing to significantly improve memory, boosting recall by nearly double! This happens because drawing taps into multiple modalities, including visual, kinesthetic, and semantic processing.
Essentially, when students draw, they engage more of their brain compared to simply reading or writing. This multi-modal approach makes the information stick better.
The research also indicates that drawing allows students to process information in a deeper way, as they’re not only interpreting the content but also translating it into illustrations. In our case, students are thinking critically about how to express meaning beyond words, which enhances their comprehension of the text.
So, how can we keep the Read and Draw activity fresh and meaningful, especially when we’re focusing on deeper comprehension and collaboration?
That’s where I decided to add a twist! Let me walk you through the twist I tried with my students — one that really pushed them to read carefully, think critically, and collaborate in a way that was both fun and educational.
Read and Draw: The Setup
I recently taught a story from my Creciendo curriculum about Wilson, the heroic dog in Colombia’s Amazon rainforest.
After telling the story to my students, I wanted them to engage with the text on a deeper level. So, instead of just drawing their understanding, I turned it into a hieroglyphic activity — students would replace words in the story with symbols and illustrations.
The rules? They had to rewrite the story, but replace as many words as they could with symbols or pictures. The twist here is that they weren’t just drawing the key events. They were focusing on replacing specific words with meaningful images.
I divided the students into groups of three, where each student was responsible for a section of the story.
Working together, they had to read the text again, figure out the best way to represent the words, and then get creative. They asked each other questions like, “How can I represent buscar (to look for)?” or “What’s the best way to draw difícil (difficult)?”
Also, since each student is responsible for one part of the story, they keep each other accountable.
Why This Read and Draw Activity Was a Hit
There were so many things that went right with this activity. Here are a few of the reasons why I loved it, and why I think it worked so well:
- Differentiation: Every student worked at their own pace. They were given the freedom to replace as many or as few words as they wanted and to choose how to represent each word. Some students went all-in and replaced a lot of words, while others were more selective. Either way, they were thinking deeply about how to convey meaning beyond the text’s surface level.
- Choice and Creativity: The students had full control over how they illustrated the text. From the symbols they chose to the colors they used, this freedom made the activity feel personal and meaningful. It wasn’t just about making the drawing “look good” – it was about communicating ideas. Some students went literal with their symbols, while others got more abstract, which I loved!
- Collaboration and Peer Learning: This activity really encouraged students to collaborate. They worked together to figure out how to represent words and then checked each other’s work to make sure the story could still be understood.
It was amazing to see how much they were learning from one another and how they helped each other refine their ideas.
What I Learned from Their Work
Once the students had completed their hieroglyphics, they exchanged their papers with each other on their own. They wanted to make sure their illustrations were clear, and that was unusual.
This was such a fun moment of peer recognition. Some of the illustrations were so clever!
One example that stands out to me is when a student illustrated the word problema (problem). Instead of just drawing a simple problem symbol, they drew a math equation to represent the word. It was such a creative and memorable way to make the word come alive.
This moment wasn’t just about the art; it was about getting them to focus on the meaning behind the words and symbols. The collaboration and peer-to-peer engagement was something I hadn’t seen in quite some time, and it made me realize how effective this approach can be for boosting comprehension and critical thinking.
Next Steps and Future Plans
After this activity, I’m planning to take it one step further with a fun “speed-dating” style retelling exercise.
Here’s how it works: students will line up and pair up. Each pair will exchange their hieroglyphic stories, and try to retell the story using their partner’s symbols.
The goal is for them to coach each other through any unclear symbols and make sure the story makes sense.
After 2 or 3 minutes, I will say “Let’s move”, and one line will move so each student has a new partner, and they will repeat. I will probably do it 3 times.
Also, I plan to turn these hieroglyphic stories into a little book that students can exchange with each other to read.
I’m also going to do this activity with my intermediate-level Spanish 3 students, where we’ll be reading a poem by Octavio Paz. I can’t wait to see how much more abstract and creative they get with their hieroglyphics. I’ll keep you posted on how it goes!
How You Can Try This Read and Draw Activity in Your Class
If you want to try this in your classroom, here’s what you need:
- A compelling, comprehensible text that students will understand. The text should engage them and spark their creativity (like my story about Wilson). And if you need a story, click here to get one about el Cinco de Mayo.
- Group work – Divide your students into small groups and assign each group member a section of the story to work on. This makes the task feel more manageable and keeps them accountable.
- Hieroglyphics guidelines – Ask students to replace as many words as possible with symbols or illustrations. Give them the freedom to interpret the words as they see fit.
- Peer feedback – Once students have completed their hieroglyphics, have them swap stories and see if their peers can retell the story using their drawings.
If you want to see more examples, check them out here!
This activity was a huge hit in my class, and I really believe it’s something that can work at any level. It’s fun, creative, and deeply engaging, and it forces students to really think about what they’ve read. Plus, it’s a great way to differentiate instruction and provide support for all types of learners. I encourage you to give it a try – and let me know how it goes!
And as always, if you enjoyed this post, make sure to share it with a fellow educator who could benefit from this idea. Happy teaching!
