Sketch to Stretch
Literacy Strategy by Molly Burger
What is it?
- A visual activity.
- Deepens students' thinking comprehension of characters, theme, and other elements of story structure and the author's work.
- Students work in small groups to draw pictures or diagrams to represent what the story means to them. It is NOT pictures of their favorite character.
- Students can use lines, shapes, colors, symbols, and words in their sketches to express their interpretations and feelings.
- Students share ideas, extend their understanding, and are exposed to new insights.
Why should you use this strategy?
- Sketch-to-stretch is an effective tool for helping students deepen their understanding of stories that they read.
- Example: Students focus on theme and on the use of symbols to represent characters and theme as they make sketch-to-stretch drawings.
- Students learn that stories have more than one interpretation and when they reflect on characters or events in a story, they can discover more themes.
Common Core State Standards for ELA
- Students explain what a text quote says and draw inferences from it.
- Students apply their knowledge of the structure and craft of stories.
- Students read and comprehend grade-appropriate stories.