Representing Ideas

The energy temperature in the room
Complete this idea at the beginning and end of important lessons. On a continuum place your own energy level at the moment. Then invite your students to do the same - from 0 to 100. This helps you verify how yoru students will do with your activities in the lesson. Ask to explain if needed.
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Mysterious signs
Make a sign, or an incomplete symbol on the board or a poster board. Ask students to copy the sign and complete it on their own. Students give the sign the meaning they best see fit. Invite students to go up to the board and make (draw) their own interpretation of the sign.
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Wishes
You can do this with image support or just by thinking up different things. Use sentences like: I wish I was....Today I feel like a...and ask students to finish the sentence with their own ideas. Ask for explanations.
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The five objects story
Ask students in two or three minutes to gather up 5 objects they have close by. Best if they are their own objects. They must be five and they must be able to show the objects to the class or the group. Then give students about 5 minutes to think up of a story using those five objects. Then students share their story.
You can also use this with dollar store small articles that may help with telling the story.
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The Silent Birthday Line
In this idea, ake a competition between two teams in the room.
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The group picture
Use big pieces of board or paper, and felts. Ask students in group to begin to draw pictures on their group paper. They cannot talk. Students have limited time to complete the task. As they draw and colour together they interpret each other's work. Once the pictures are complete students show each other the pictures and tell a story out of them.
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Curators at the museum
Using the pictures they made, which are real works of art, students have to decide which ones would make it as centerpieces at their special art museum and why.
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Doodles
Use doodle drawings to begin a conversation about anything. Ask students to complete the drawing based on the conversation suggested (like a sentence starter). Students draw and then explain / share their doodles. Check this short video from a podcast on Doodles
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