Speed Sketch Icebreaker

Time: 5 minutes

Materials: Paper, pencils or markers, a timer

Instructions

1. Pair up students and have them sit back-to-back so they can’t peek at each other’s work.
2. Explain that you’ll call out quick drawing prompts. Each student has 30 seconds to sketch the idea.
3. After 30 seconds, partners turn to compare drawings and share one thing they like about each other’s sketch (15–20 seconds).
4. Repeat for all prompts.

Prompts (30 seconds each)

• Draw your favorite animal
  
  
• Draw a magical vehicle (flying car, skate-ship, etc.)
  
  
• Draw your dream house
  
  
• Draw a superhero version of yourself, complete with costume and powers
  
  

Goal: Energize the class, spark imagination, and build confidence in quick creative expression!

Strengths Collage Creation

Purpose: Create a collage that visually represents your top two creative strengths, using images, colors, and textures to express your unique superpower.

Materials (per student):

Steps:

1. Reflect quietly on your top two strengths and jot them in light pencil at the top corners of your paper.
   
   
2. Flip through magazines; cut out images, shapes, or textures that connect to each strength (e.g., bold patterns for design skills, expressive faces for character illustration).
   
   
3. Lay out your cut-outs on the paper: dedicate one side to Strength A, the other to Strength B, and leave space in the middle to show how they overlap or interact.
   
   
4. Add colored paper scraps as backgrounds, borders, or abstract accents that reinforce the mood of each strength.
   
   
5. Use markers or colored pencils to draw connecting lines, symbols, or small illustrations that deepen the meaning of your collage.
   
   
6. Once you’re happy with the layout, glue everything down neatly. Let your collage dry before the gallery walk.

Tips & Probing Prompts:

• Think about color: Do warm tones show energy? Do cool tones show calm precision?
• Ask yourself: Why did I choose this image? How does it tell the story of my strength?
• Experiment with layering: Can different textures create depth or focus?
• Use symbols or patterns to add hidden meanings—what shapes represent your style?

Questions for Reflection or Peer Feedback:

• “How does your collage show off your storytelling or pattern-making ability?”
  
  
• “Which element was hardest to find, and why is it meaningful?”
  
  
• “If someone saw this collage without knowing you, what would they learn about your creative superpower?”

When everyone is finished, we’ll move to the Reflection Gallery Walk to share and celebrate each other’s creative strengths!

Reflection Gallery Walk

Purpose: Wrap up by viewing peers’ collages, offering positive feedback, and reflecting as a group.

Setup and Rotation

1. Arrange collages around the room or on tables in four stations.
   
2. Divide students into small groups of 3–4.
   
3. Assign each group to a starting station and set a 2-minute timer per station.
   
4. On the signal, groups rotate clockwise until they’ve visited all stations.
   
   

Feedback Guidelines

• Each student writes one positive comment and one question on a sticky note to leave on each collage.
  
• Encourage specific praise (e.g., “I love how you used warm colors to show energy!”).
  
• Questions should prompt deeper thinking (e.g., “What inspired this pattern?”).
  
  

Group Share

• After rotations, reconvene in a circle.
  
• Invite volunteers to share a comment or question they received about their collage.
  
• Ask: “What did you learn about your creative superpower or a classmate’s?”
  
• Highlight connections and celebrate diverse strengths.
  
  

Conclude by reminding students that thoughtful feedback helps them grow as creative artists and strengthens the class community.