Quick Draws For Engaging Reading Comprehension

 Quick Draws

Quick Draws are ways for students to demonstrate their understanding of texts or topics – especially abstract or complex terms and concepts (themes come to mind) – by drawing them out. Quick draws can be used in any content area –

from vocabulary – to themes – to science – to social studies and everything in between. 

Quick Draws are perfect to use after visualization.

Group work is the perfect place use Quick Draws to transition a topic into a mode of higher order thinking as well.

How Quick Draws work:

• Select a vocabulary word, idea or concept from your lesson.
• Ask students to think about the meaning of the concept or idea or word – and paint a picture of in their minds.
• Allow three to five minutes for students to draw it out.
• Have students explain their image to a partner, in small groups or as a whole class.

For students with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities – Quick Draws can be Quick Colors. For example, when discussing characters in Macbeth there is a character word coloring page included. As you move through the character descriptions, have students color each character name with a color that comes to mind they think about that particular character. 

Hint: When working with the passages, I often read them first and then have students read them afterwards on their own, and then do fluency work. When I read, I have students circle the character’s name on the page with the color that character represents to them. I don’t do it all the time, but often enough. I tell the students which characters are on the page, let them get out the colors, and then read. They underline or circle as we go along. This is a quick active participation technique for engagement.

I use this for vocabulary words for the same set of students. The vocabulary words in this unit were chosen because they may be difficult for some students to read. It is often helpful to have students put the definition page next to the color page then -

Say: We are going to go over vocabulary. Point to the first word on the list. Say the word after I say it.

Read the word, have them repeat it back to you. Read the definition as they follow along.

Say: Find the word on the color page. As I read the definition again – think of the color that word brings to mind and color the word.

I glance around and make sure they are on the correct word. I roam while we do this whole activity.

Quick Draws and Quick Colors are ways for students to stop and reflect on what they just read, heard, and/or are learning.