Home Meets School

BOPDs created their version of the pictograms by Yang Liu. Students chose from one of three concepts to reflect upon and represent through symbols. You may view their posts here.

Pairings, Headings and Symbols

BOPDs worked in pairs and tried to match two symbols with an assigned heading. For this experience, we sought the nonliteral meaning of the symbols and attempted to connect it to the heading that was given. There were discussions and even arguments. To close the experience, we sat as a class and analyzed the symbols and the meanings.

Literal and Nonliteral Interpretations

In our study of symbols, we have thought about literal and nonliteral interpretations. In this learning experience, we focused on one symbol and wrote down our thoughts and placed it under the category to which it belongs.

Interpretations and Symbols

BOPDs paired up to analyze symbols on flags. They gained an idea that symbols carry meaning through the infographic investigation we did a few weeks back. In this experience, they revisited that idea. Pairs wrote down their thoughts and interpretations of symbols found on the flag assigned to them. After this, they compared their thoughts and wrote what they noticed about it. To complete the process, pairs researched about the real meanings of the symbols and how it represents the country.

What Flags Represent

To dig deeper about how symbols represent messages, we looked at our flags and its meanings. Each student created a miniature version of the flag from their chosen country. As they were doing this, they were asked to reflect about why they chose that country, how they know what to draw, what they think the symbols mean. How do they connect to their flags?

Understanding Art

BOPDs visited the ongoing Art Exhibit in the Fine Arts Theater and picked one art work that caught their eye. They then attempted to copy the art work to see how they make meaning of the message that the artist conveys.

Tuning In to the Way We Communicate

Third Graders explored different ways of communicating and experienced different examples of how we send and receive messages. In our classroom, students copied an actual portrait to see how they perceived the message that the author relays through art. Their own drawings reflected the message they sent about what they understand. Other experiences involved sign languages, emoticons, aboriginal art, gestures, traffic signs and logos.