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Want a hands-on activity to do with your students? Looking for an arts-infused take on foundational vocab? How about a creative way to engage in self-reflective work? Consider doing an “I AM” watercolor and Sharpie drawing with your students! This pretty little project takes about an hour of time and is always a win. The pics below are from an art workshop I randomly taught today, but as the students were working, I was thinking: Man, this assignment is perfect for the world language classroom! More thoughts below.
First of all, this assignment works with all ages. I've tried it with lower schoolers and high schoolers and, no matter how young or how old, they love it! It's gone through several iterations. The first time I introduced it was as an art activity for 5th graders in an after-school program. My co-teacher stumbled across it on Pinterest and the two of us decided to give it a go; then I adapted it for use at my high school's Tiger Unity Summit, which is a week of workshops and speakers dedicated to diversity and inclusion work. We just wrapped up this year's Summit today, and as I was watching over 30 students draw and paint, I thought: Why haven't I ever done this activity with my Spanish classes? I AM Drawings in the World Language ClassroomHere's how I think it can work in a world language classroom:
TOTAL: $60 Here's the text from the sample packet I handed out -- again, you can adapt the description and prompt for your use in the world language classroom. Sample PacketI AM Drawings Tiger Unit Summit Tuesday/Thursday, February 25th/27th 2025 Ms. Lodge & Mrs. Zukauskas Our identities are made up of countless elements —our histories, relationships, personal values, and cultures, to name just a few. Some aspects of our identities may be visible to others, whereas others go unseen. Similarly, some parts of our identities stay fixed, while others shift over time. Reflecting on the elements that make us who we are is one of the best things we can do to help us consider the complexity of other people’s lives and viewpoints. When we take time to better understand ourselves, we can begin to understand others’ experiences and to create spaces where different types of individuals can be seen, valued, and respected. Join us in reflecting on who you are today and please create an I AM drawing inspired by the prompts below! Categorías Sociales / Social Identifiers
Accountable Adaptable Adventurous Alert Ambitious Appropriate Assertive Astute Attentive Authentic Aware Bravery Calm Candid Capable Certain Charismatic Clear Collaborative Committed Communicator Compassionate Complicated Connected Conscious Considerate Consistent Contributor Cooperative Courageous Creative Curious Dedicated Determined Diplomatic Directive Disciplined Dynamic Easygoing Effective Efficient Empathetic Empowers Energetic Enthusiastic Ethical Excited Expressive Facilitator Fair Faithful Fearless Flexible Friendly Genuine Generosity Gratitude Happy Hardworking Honest Honorable Humorous Imaginative Immaculate Independent Inventive Innovative Inquiring Inspired Integrity Intelligent Intentional Interested Intimate Joyful Knowledgeable Leader Listener Lively Logical Loving Loyal Manages Time Well Networker Nurturing Open-minded Optimistic Organized Patient Peaceful Planner Playful Poised Polite Powerful Practical Perseverance Proactive Problem-Solver Productive Punctual Reliable Resourceful Responsible Self confident Self reliant Sense of Humor Sensational Serves Others Sincere Skillful Spiritual Spontaneous Stable Strong Successful Supportive Tactful Trusting Trustworthy Truthful Versatile Vibrant Warm Willing Wise Zealous Lesson Plan / TimingFinally, here is the full lesson plan that I shared with my co-teacher: TUES & THURS ADJUSTED SCHEDULE Late start 8:00 - 9:00 C 9:00 - 10:00 WORKSHOP 10:00 - 10:50 F 10:55 - 11:50 B 11:55 - 12:20 / 12:25 - 12:50 / 12:55 - 1:20 H 1:25 - 2:20 G 2:25 - 3:20 First 5 min. - Hand out sheets as they come in + take attendance; talk about identity and art. Next 5 min - Give out watercolor paper and Sharpies; make 8-10 curved wavy lines (following samples). Tell students to fill in with paint - can approach this according to their personality; some might go fast and finish; others might only complete only the painting part. 35 min - Choose words / write words. Begin with “I AM (NAME).” Have tops of letters touch the wavy lines for interesting effect. Play with different fonts. Last 5 min - Clean up Final ThoughtsThe individuality of each student comes forth loud and clear with this quick project. You'll see differences in line shapes, color choice, paint application, handwriting, and of course, word choice. You'll find out (and students will find out about one another) things they might not otherwise have known! This activity is really the perfect hands-on, arts-infused exercise to add oomph to your world language classroom whenever you need it. If you're doing anything related to the verb "to be," adjectives, or identity work, give it a try and let me know what you think.
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