Instructional Strategy

INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY

Draw It, Write It

Grade:

K-2, 3-5

Type:

Acquire Vocabulary

< 20

Minutes

When:

Before, during, and after reading

Materials:

Draw It, Write It graphic organizer, whiteboard or display, writing utensil

Description

The Draw It, Write It strategy focuses on new vocabulary acquisition. Students draw a picture representing a new vocabulary word. Then they write a sentence using the word. This strategy encourages students to represent their understanding of the new vocabulary in multiple ways and practice using it in context. The strategy enhances comprehension skills, expands vocabulary, and improves overall language proficiency by engaging visual and written expression. This multimodal method helps students internalize new words more effectively, fostering deeper understanding and better retention of vocabulary in the long term.

Procedure

Prepare a list of new vocabulary words and their definitions. Depending on your lesson plan, either (a) display the list where students can see it, or (b) guide students to discover the words through a pre-reading activity or within the text itself. (Consider adjusting the number of words depending on the students’ age and grade level—typically two to six words.)

Review each word and its definition with students. If students discover the words themselves, ask them to share their initial understanding before providing the formal definition.

Distribute a Draw It, Write It graphic organizer to each student. Assign each student a word. Multiple students can have the same word.

Invite students to draw a picture representing their word. Then ask them to write the word in a sentence. Encourage students to make personal connections or use context from their reading in their sentences.

Read each word and definition again, inviting volunteers who drew that word to share and explain their work. Facilitate a brief class discussion about how the drawings and sentences reflect each word’s meaning.

Repeat for each vocabulary word.

Hang students’ artwork and sentences on the walls of your classroom, grouping together work that represents the same vocabulary word to serve as a visual reference and ongoing learning resource.

Differentiation

Small Groups: Separate students into small groups and assign each group a word. Invite each student to draw a picture of their group’s word and use it to write a sentence. This allows students to build on one another’s ideas and co-construct their understanding of the word.

Group Sentences: Invite students to draw a picture of their word. Then, as a class, construct a sentence using each word. Ask students to write the sentence the class constructs for their word on their handout. This allows students to understand how other students are thinking about the new words and collaborate with them to create sentences.

Word Connections: After students have finished writing and drawing, hang their work on the whiteboard, grouping together work that represents the same vocabulary word. Then guide students to identify how the words connect. Draw lines between the words and note their relationship, using words and phrases like “the same,” “opposite,” and “example.” This allows students to think about how the vocabulary words are related.

Labeled Illustrations: After students complete their drawings, encourage them to add detailed labels to different parts of their illustrations. For example, in a drawing of a habitat, they might label “mountains,” “grass,” or “water source.” This labeling process helps students break down complex concepts into identifiable components. It also reinforces related vocabulary and encourages more precise observation skills. When students share their work, ask them to explain their labels, promoting verbal articulation of their understanding. This additional step enhances vocabulary retention, improves descriptive language skills, and deepens comprehension of the main concept by connecting it to supporting details.

Variations

Vocabulary Story: Instead of asking students to craft individual sentences, work with the whole class to write a short story or informational text that incorporates multiple new vocabulary words. This allows students to experiment with how the words are related and how they might be used together in context.

Interactive Word Wall: Create an interactive word wall by displaying students’ work. Encourage ongoing engagement by adding new words and illustrations throughout the year. Periodically review and discuss the words as a class. Use the wall as a reference during other lessons or writing activities. Invite students to add sticky notes with new sentences or examples they encounter using these words. This approach transforms the word wall into a dynamic, evolving learning tool that supports continuous vocabulary development and application.

Instructional Strategy

INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY

Draw It, Write It

Description

Procedure

Differentiation

Variations

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