A picture set can be used in a variety of different ways with students. If you are introducing a new concept or want to check in to see where your students are at in a unit, then a picture set is the perfect activity to engage your students, practice active listening, help make connections and allows students to go deeper into big ideas.
I always use 4 pictures and one of them I try and make it harder for the students to make the connection, something a bit more challenging, or obscure.
For this particular picture set I chose 3 different symbols from different regions in BC. Can students tell that the pictures are from different areas of BC? Is the art different? Are the symbols unique to the different nations? Haida, Musqueam and Gitxsan are all represented...which are which? Enjoy, and feel free to change alter and make the activity your own!!
Although picture sets are very open ended, there are a few guidelines that are helpful when using them with students (and adults!!). Here are a few tips:
Picture sets work best in pairs, one student facing the screen and the other facing that student. I always choose the pairs beforehand or ask students to choose someone from the opposite gender or grade from them...
I always model what the process looks like. I take two chairs and have them face each other, I choose a student to sit facing away from the screen and I describe what I see to this student, I have one minute to do this. Then it is the other student's turn to tell me what they heard me say. It does not need to be exact, but it should show that this student was doing a good job of active listening. Once each student has had their turns saying what is on the screen and saying what they heard the speaker say. They can both look at the picture together and then switch places for the next picture.
You can ask any questions with a picture set, like for example: what do you see? How do these pictures connect?What is the big idea?
With kindergarten students I always let both students look at the screen at the same time. If not a lot of time is wasted policing instead of looking at the pictures!
after each picture, students should always switch places so they each have a chance to be the "describer" and the "active listener"
At the end of the pictures it is time for the discussions around what they saw, what connections they made or what was challenging. I often write key words down on a white board to have as a reference, and to connect ideas quickly and visually.
It is always important to leave what ever you had in mind about the picture set to yourself. This is because the process is more important then the students figuring out the right answer. Often my students have come up with much deeper connections then I thought of!!
I have experimented with the picture set a lot and have even mixed it up and had students draw pictures to each other, write notes or choose a their own method of communication to share their ideas.
This activity is a great way to informally assess speaking and listening in the classroom