Picture Smart peeps are not just budding Picassos, they might simply be people with huge imaginations (every child ever), think in pictures as much as (or more than) words and enjoy imagining stories in their minds.
We have some Picture Smart examples below:
Self-Portraits
This term, our student teacher Miss McDonald led the students through drawing self-portraits. Here they are on the Picture Smart wall in the hall outside our classroom:
Stop-Motion
Stop motion is a brilliant skill. Students use their imaginations to develop ideas and stories. After they have an idea, they have to build sets and characters, become mini filmmakers and directors and use their People Smarts in collaborating with others.
Below are a few stop motions from our class, some made for class projects with specific objectives in mind, others made for fun…
Jigsaws
Everyone loves a jigsaw, right? Not by the look on Kai and Gordon’s faces here, even if they have just put together this jigsaw of the world during some board gaming time in class. At least Noah and Harry seem pleased with their efforts!
Minecraft
Whether you love it or hate it, understand it or think your kids are crazy, Minecraft is an excellent tool for learning and collaboration. It fits into Picture Smarts by being a 3D design game – essentially endless online Legos!
Academic literature celebrates the benefits of Minecraft for those ADHD-identified children as well as those on the Autistic spectrum.
However, it’s a brilliant platform for children in general, particularly for projects requiring design (Picture Smarts), collaboration (People Smarts) and problem-solving (Number/Logic Smarts).
Below is an example of a Minecraft project we’ve worked on recently – Building Santa’s Grotto. An Aberdeenshire-wide competition, winners will be announced during the last week of term.
How to develop Picture Smarts
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collages
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watching movies/videos
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clay sculpting
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sketching to help figure out problems
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draw/paint/art
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blocks/building
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make movies
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make animations/stop-motions
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decorating your room/treehouse/camp
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visual/optical puzzles
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keep a scrapbook
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take pictures
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build mobiles (hanging sculptures)
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origami
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computer/3D design
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use AR apps
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go to museums
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read picture-heavy magazines, etc (to make collages from)
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keep a visual journal
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try some optical illusions
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have a conversation with someone only using pictures/emojis
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draw music (close your eyes and listen to music, what do you hear? – Draw it)
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Using maps and globes, look for distances, locations, shapes, patterns
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jigsaws/rubix cubes are a Body Smart way to develop picture smarts
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make art about how you are feeling
Learn about the other smarts using these links
Word Smart | Music Smart | Body Smart | Nature Smart | Self Smart | Picture Smart | People Smart | Number/Logic Smart
