Sketching to Learn: Hand and Voice

Hand and Voice

This activity fosters meta-cognition by challenging students to gather and communicate crucial information.  It also encourages close observation, problem-solving, synthesizing, critical thinking, and collaboration.

Using any work of art, 1-2 students (the voice) describe a work of art they are facing to another student who has his or her back turned to the work of art (the hand).

Challenge the Voice to describe the work of art without making drawing motions.  They may refer to the drawing, but they cannot assist in the drawing.

Challenge the Hand to communicate what he or she needs in order to do the job without looking at the artwork.  The Hand should not look at the work at all before taking on the role.

Ask students to discuss their experience. Use the following questions as prompts:

How did you navigate the process of gathering and communicating information?

What worked well, and what challenges did you each face?

How did you manage these challenges?

What would you do differently if you were to do this again?