Growing Our Sketching + Observation Skills

Langston Hudges Academy, 3rd Grade | Social Studies and Science & Visual Art
Ms. Eliza + Mrs. Abourached

In Mrs. Abourached’s third-grade class, we start each session with a daily warm-up. This warm-up consists of stretching and a short meditation to get in our bodies and ground in the space. We have been doing this all year long. As the spring semester started we added in sketching. At the start of each class, after our physical warm-up, we take 5 minutes to sketch. I will put up a picture of something related to what we are learning about in class and I encourage students to look closely and draw what they see.

This practice has been so lovely and fruitful. Students that were hesitant when we started the exercise, have become excited about the time to draw. It has been exciting to see students’ observation skills grow alongside their drawing skills. Every class I see them looking more and trying to draw what they see rather than what they think they should see. 

“This practice has been so lovely and fruitful.”

I find too this sets the scene for a calm class. Drawing really allows the students to focus and engage in their own independent practice. The classroom is quiet and calm, and students often beg me for more time to sketch. I have loved starting our class time together with this calm, curious energy. I can’t wait to see how their drawing skills grow throughout the semester.