Quick Draw Teaching Strategy

Quick Draw is a game taken off of charades and drawing and functions as a mini-lesson. It can be played in small groups or as an entire class. If played as an entire class you can divide the class into two groups. A box or hat with the vocabulary words or class concepts would be placed near the front and center of the chalkboard. The teacher would act as the referee and keep score for the entire class version. A member of one group would pull a word out of the box and the teacher would then check and discard it. The group member would attempt to draw and or act out the word or concept without saying the word. The group would be timed and given a point if guessed correctly.   It would then be the next group’s turn. The students could move around and discuss what they think the correct answer is. You may want to put their desks in a long rectangle or groups of four prior to starting the game. You can place the words on the board and even place the word or phrase back in the box if the group gets it wrong. Ideally, like charades it could be guessed without the group member talking. You may want to write some ground rules on the board such as no hangman, and no writing more than three sentences as a hint (e.g. they could write begins with a ‘H’ and no run on sentences).  It might also work to write a list of the concepts/words in the box/hat on the chalkboard to help the students guess. You don’t want this to be too easy or too difficult. If playing with several small groups you would probably use the same vocabulary words in each box and place them with each small group. For the small groups you would pick a team leader and the teacher would check in on the groups.

Quick Write sometimes refers to a teaching method in which students write about several research topics of interest for five minutes and then decide on what topic to choose. Quick Draw is also used to refer to a method in which students draw in response to a prompt and then discuss their answers. This version incorporates the kinesthetic (physical movement) learning style for students that remember better with this style and or is good for a school with limited to no recess and or for students that could use a break in which they walk and move around a little. Also, it just helps reinforce material in a different learning style thus benefiting all students by making the material more memorable and understandable. This is appropriate for middle school. As with anything this can be modified and changed and improvised to fit the needs of the particular class and or concepts being taught.

• Incorporate movement with a variety of subjects
• Provide opportunity to reinforce and understand vocabulary and or concepts better
• Incorporate visual and kinesthetic (physical movement/exercise) and auditory learning
• Work within a team in a semi-competitive environment
• Focus despite a somewhat distracting environment (e.g. several small groups playing the game at the same time)

1. Make sure directions are on the board if desired, and vocab words or concepts are in boxes. As an anticipatory hook or attention getter tell the class that we are going to play a game called Quick Draw. Ask, “Have you ever played charades? Do you like to draw?”
2. Divide class into groups. Explain the rules of the game to the class.
3. Play for up to twenty minutes or until one group has won.
4. As an assessment students will participate in a whole class discussion on what they learned. This will help the teacher see the effectiveness of the mini-lesson and modify future lessons based on their responses.

Word Document of Post: Quick Draw Teaching Strategy 8-16-13