Squiggle Art Composition Assignment
Student Creative Writing Lesson Using a Line Drawing and Imagination
Nov 13, 2009
Young children enjoy being creative but sometimes, especially as they get older, students need some help to release their imagination. Their inspiration can come from many places, for both art and writing. Sometimes, it can be as plain as a squiggle on a piece of paper. Combining both art and creative composition becomes easy when the art becomes the inspiration for the writing.
Introducing the Squiggle Art Activity
First, demonstrate how to draw an image from a squiggle. Draw a curvy line, or other random linear shape, on the board or overhead. Ask students what they think it could become. Then, invite at least two children to the board to sketch what they see. Then, encourage every student to sketch something that includes that squiggle on a paper at their desk.
Next, provide each child with a piece of paper that has a pre-drawn squiggle on it. The paper should help students contain the drawing so it does not become too large. The paper for early elementary age children could contain a box on the upper half and lines for writing on the bottom, and older student might be provided a half-sheet of paper that will accompany a lined page latter.
Provide children with a time limit for creating the drawing. This could be ten minutes for younger children or as much as twenty for classes where students might be more inclined to add extra details.
As children look for ideas, remind them to turn the page and look at the squiggle differently. Encourage them to draw what they see, no matter how silly, so they are more inclined to take the risk of being creative.
Using the Squiggle Art to Inspire the Writing
Once the art work portion is finished it is time for students to write a story. The writing assignment should be tailored to the age group; a few sentences for young children to a short story for older students. Tell students in advance about any writing conventions they should follow, such as punctuation, capital letters, and sentence structure.
The writing should focus on the image inspired by the squiggle. Some children may have even thought of a story in order to decide what to draw, and this is their chance to tell that story. Others may need to brainstorm some ideas before being able to write about the picture. Even an abstract picture can bring out an interesting and entertaining story.
Combining a squiggle art activity with creative writing helps students to use their imaginations as their inspiration. It can be tailored to the abilities of the children of the class while maintaining a strong emphasis on creativity, imagination and writing skills.
For more art inspired lessons, read Best Holiday Tree Poem Project, and Math Coloring Project.
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