As a public school teacher, I attended a workshop where I learned that everyone can draw...stick figures! The instructor showed us how helpful these little guys can be in so many ways. I then took this knowledge and passed it on to my students and I'd like to show you how to do the same. This method can be used for many levels and many subjects!
Let's say you are a high school student getting ready for the SAT exam, or maybe you're a student studying French and learning new vocabulary, or a student learning history, or you're studying a Shakespeare play and need to keep the characters and plot straight... The concept is the same and it is very easy to adapt to whatever you need to learn. Researchers have proven that drawing helps us remember and this is a great way to do it.
When drawing a stick figure, be sure to include the basics - head, arms, legs. Remind the students to think about what their body looks like as they are doing the thing they are trying to draw. Are their arms bent or straight down? How do their legs look when they are running or sitting in a chair? Try to draw the joints in a similar manner. If this is too difficult for them, the YouTube video below suggests straight arms and legs with no joints.
Draw a few examples for the students, starting with something easy like a figure running. Then have a big person next to a small person. Then draw one doing a cartwheel and two people holding hands. You can even add some props like a basketball, dog or book. Have fun and show them it is okay if it looks goofy or if you make a mistake.
For this example, pretend you are learning new vocabulary in a French class. Take the vocabulary words you want them to learn and write them on a paper. Split the class in half and play the game Win, Lose or Draw where each team takes turns sending a volunteer up to the board to draw the chosen word. The members must try to guess what the word is they are drawing.
Now it is their turn. Start of by having students write various vocabulary words on flashcards. Then on the other side of the card, draw a picture of what it is. I can hear them complaining now that they can't draw that well! Let them know it is okay and you are fluent in stick figure. Besides, these flash cards are for them to use, not for a grade!
At this point, they probably have a pretty good grasp of the terms they are supposed to be learning. You could ask them all to stand up and act out the vocabulary word as you say it. This can also be done with just a partner. The students will be engaging all types of learning in this activity - auditory, visual, kinesthetic. It will be a fun class with a lot of learning happening!
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