We try to feature (as much as possible) ideas that can be used across content areas so they may be repeated and learned across the school year. The graffiti board review is one such activity.
Mrs. Harris from Adventures of Room 129 uses this activity as an engaging review and as a way to get learners talking, sharing, and teaching each other. To begin, she calls three students up to the board and has them think of one word or term from the unit they studied (i.e., Appomattox for a Civil War unit). Students can write their words on the board like graffiti- with any color and in any style they choose (bubble letters, diagonally, etc.). After all students have contributed a word, Mrs. Harris groups the kids into pairs and tells them to choose five words that they would like to explain to and review with their partner. The other partner chooses five words and does the same. The graffiti wall stays up until the next day, when Mrs. Harris reviews each word with the class before erasing it from the board.
To change the activity up a bit, you might have students find relationships between words, add graphics, make a story out of the words, or put facts or questions on the board instead of words. To make the task less complex for some, change the number of words the child is responsible for or provide guided notes.
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