Transform your Teaching: Module 1: Lesson 8: Containers

Containers are really simple ways to make a boring page of notes or a blank whiteboard come to life.

You’ll notice that in each video, I have added a border by drawing around the edge of the flipchart. I’ve also added the illusion of a piece of sellotape or a pin by drawing a rectangle or circle. This instantly makes the presentation of the activity more engaging. I find many of my course participants are amazed by this extremely simple trick..

In ‘Lesson 3: Classroom vocabulary’ I mentioned that I like to draw a notebook to demonstrate to students how to layout their notes. This is just one idea for using containers.

You could also use them to create a graphic organiser for a reading activity. For example, if you are reading a story about being lost on a desert island, you could use the flag as a container for the answer to the question ‘Where are they?’ and the treasure map for a list of things they find on the island.

Practise drawing the containers. Use the video or the image to help you. Add the containers to your visual dictionary. 

Like learning a language, repetition is the key to developing your visual vocabulary. It helps to draw each icon or container multiple times until it becomes part of your muscle memory.  

What would you use each of these containers for?

Have a look over the previous modules and your visual dictionary. Are there any other icons that might work well as containers? Which ones? What would you use them for?

Share your thoughts, ideas and work in the Facebook Group, or use the notes function.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/graphicfacilitationforelt

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