Classroom Graffiti

Classroom Graffiti is such a fun activity for content areas.  Use it to find out what prior knowledge students have on a unit before you teach it, and then compare it to what they know at the end of the unit.  Or use it as a review before a test on content area.

My reading intervention group is studying weather.  So, to begin this unit, I labeled seven pieces of chart paper with a topic on weather.  I divide the chart into two subtitles... BEFORE and AFTER.  The before will be done before the unit is taught, and the after...well, you guessed it...it will be filled out after I have taught the unit.  

Next, I placed the charts around the classroom.  Students worked in pairs to record information that they already knew/or thought they know about each topic.  {Yes, I have a small number in this class because it is interventions.}  I gave them a few minutes at each chart to record their ideas/thoughts/answers.  

When I rang a bell, they moved clockwise around the room to the next chart.  {Each group had a different color marker that they used on every chart.}  

When they arrived at the next chart, they had to read previous groups' answers.  They could not write anything that had already been written.  So, it gets a little more challenging as they go.  

Tomorrow, we will look over each chart to see what student knew or thought they knew.  This will help me to know what they really do understand, as well as, misconceptions or incorrect ideas they have about a topic{s}. 

As you can tell, some of the answers are incorrect.  At the end of the unit, we will be able to go back and  correct that by adding to the "AFTER" side of the chart and crossing out anything that was previously recorded incorrectly.  

Have you used Classroom Graffiti before?  Do you call it by a different name?  I'd love to hear your ideas on using this fun activity!

Chatterbox Blessings,