Graffiti Student Training

This is a teaching/learning strategy. Place students in small groups and give each group a marker and a large piece of chart paper that has a topic written on it (each paper has a different topic recorded on it). Provide each group with a different coloured marker. Groups should appoint one person to be the recorder. Next, a statement or question will be read aloud to the class and students will think to themselves about how the statement/question applies to the topic on their paper. For example, the question might be “how youth are influenced by _____” and the papers might say topics such as “MEDIA” “FAMILY” “FRIENDS” etc. Groups would record ideas about how they are influenced by each of these topics. Groups will be given 60-90 seconds to offer their ideas, which will be written on the paper by the recorder in the group. When all ideas are recorded, instruct each group to take their marker with them and move to the next paper. At the new paper, they will complete the same process, thinking about the statement/question and writing down all ideas. The process continues until each group has gone to every paper. When the group returns to their original paper, provide some time for them to review what the class has written. Students will group together similar responses and choose the “top three” ideas to share with the class. Each group will choose a spokesperson to share their ideas.