Issue #21 - August 12, 2025.

Hi there, .

This week’s strategy, Follow the Line, helps students slow down, focus their attention, and look at complex visuals or movement in a new way.

It’s easy to use in any classroom, from kindergarten to high school, and it builds observation, vocabulary, and meaning-making without needing a worksheet or a test.

This Week's Strategy: Follow the Line

• STEP 1: Pick Something to Observe
  Start with something visual or movement-based that has layers or complexity. This could be:
  
  1. A short video of a dance or group movement
  2. A piece of abstract art
  3. A science diagram
  4. A page from a picture book
  5. A map or infographic

• STEP 2: Let Students Look (or Watch) More Than Once
  Give students a few chances to look at the full piece. No pressure...just time to notice.

• STEP 3: Choose One Thing to Follow
  Ask students to pick one part of what they see to “follow” or track:
  
  1. One dancer in the group
  2. One line or brushstroke in a painting
  3. One shape in a diagram
  4. One color, path, or object
  
  They can use their finger or pencil to trace it as they observe.

• STEP 4: Watch How It Moves or Appears
  Have them think:
  
  1. Is it fast or slow?
  2. Straight or curvy?
  3. Big or small?
  4. Does it change? Repeat? Disappear?

• STEP 5: Talk or Write About What They Saw
  Students can describe the part they followed and what they noticed. Then ask: What does this small part tell us about the bigger picture?

Why This Works:

• Builds focus and careful observation
  

• Helps students manage complexity by zooming in on one part
  

• Encourages interpretation, creativity, and discussion
  

• Works as a visual warm-up, reflection, or jumping-off point

Ways to Make Connections:

You can use this strategy to:

• ELA - Follow one character or image across a picture book or short story.

• Math - Track a single shape, number pattern, or line in a visual problem.

• Social Studies - Follow a trade route or movement across a map.

• Science - Watch one object in a process video (like a water droplet or a plant growing).

Happy creating and connecting,

Susan