Teaching Strategy

Color, Symbol, Image

Invite students to nonverbally communicate something they have read or watched, using a color, a symbol, and an image.

Published: August 24, 2017

Teaching Strategy

Language

English — US

Subject

Advisory
English & Language Arts
History
Social Studies

Grade

6–12

Overview

What Is the Color, Symbol, Image Strategy?

This strategy invites students to reflect on ideas in nonverbal ways and encourages them to think metaphorically. Students first focus on something they’ve just read and think about the most important theme, idea, or emotion that surfaced for them. Then they reflect on how they can communicate the essence of what they’ve read using a color, a symbol, and an image. Use this strategy to vary the ways you invite students to respond to ideas in order to appeal to the strengths of a variety of thinking and learning styles.

Lesson Plans

Step 1

You can base this activity on any document, image, video clip, or other resource that you think might prompt significant engagement, wonder, or emotion from your students. Once you have chosen the stimulus, give students time to read, watch, or observe.¹

1Color, Symbol, Image is adapted from a thinking routine developed by educators at Harvard University’s Project Zero.

Step 2

Prompt students this way:
Think about the major themes, ideas, or emotions in what you’ve just read, and select one big idea that you’d like to focus on. Then do the following:

Choose a color that you think best represents that idea.
Choose a symbol that you think best represents that idea.
Choose an image that you think best represents that idea.

Step 3

You might opt to keep students’ responses private. You can also use the Gallery Walk teaching strategy to help students reflect on the patterns, similarities, and differences in how they are responding to the stimulus.

Activity

Students explore the relationship between our names, identities, and the societies in which we live.

A pile of "Hello my name is" nametags and sharpie markers sit on top of a desk.

Activity

Students identify an object that holds special meaning and learn about each other by sharing the stories of these special items.

A person holding a rectangular white photo frame near a body of water.

Activity

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Activity

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Activity

Students consider what parts of our identities we choose for ourselves and what parts are chosen for us, as well as the impact our names can have on our identities.

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Activity

Students explore the idea of “community” in order to identify its key aspects and deeper meaning.

Activity

Students explore the factors that make up a community.

A silhouette of the Chicago City Skyline at sunrise.

Activity

Students use emojis to practice sharing what they are feeling while building empathy for their classmates.

A student looks down at their paper with a pen in hand. A smiling emoji is in the foreground.

Activity

Students engage with an intriguing image that lacks context or a title, drawing on their close viewing and analysis skills.

Assorted images of the outdoors organized in a grid on a beige wooden table.

Activity

Students practice gratitude by naming and recording three good things that have happened that day.

Two students look to the front of the classroom with smiles on their faces.

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Color, Symbol, Image

At a Glance

Language

Subject

Grade

Overview

What Is the Color, Symbol, Image Strategy?

Lesson Plans

How to Use the Color, Symbol, Image Strategy

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Emoji Emotions

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Color, Symbol, Image

At a Glance

Language

Subject

Grade

Overview

What Is the Color, Symbol, Image Strategy?

Save this resource for easy access later.

Lesson Plans

How to Use the Color, Symbol, Image Strategy

How are you planning to use this resource?

You might also be interested in…

What’s In a Name?

Frame a Special Item

Envisioning Our Classroom Space

Toolbox for Care

Connecting the Past to the Present Using Oral History

Mood Meter

Our Names and Our Place in the World

Making Meaning of Community

Community Is… Community Isn’t

Emoji Emotions

Picture This

Three Good Things

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