This document outlines an approach to teaching students called "handmade thinking" which uses visual formats to respond to reading assignments. Students are given a choice of 21 visual formats to respond in, such as poems, diagrams or comics. The teacher introduces various drawing strategies to encourage students who say they cannot draw. Students then create initial responses individually and share them in small groups. The teacher provides exemplary examples and nudges students to try different formats. Small groups later collaborate on new responses. In class, students discuss what they liked about each other's drawings and are given related questions or activities. The goal is to use visual responses to demonstrate understanding of readings.

1. Handmade Thinking
Student Drawings
in 21 formats
Laurence Musgrove
Angelo State University

3. They are in response to a variety of reading
assignments, including MAUS, Scott McCloud’s
Understanding Comics, John Gage’s The Shape of
Reason, and selections from American Earth:
Environmental Writing Since Thoreau and from The
Oxford Book of American Short Stories.

7. Guidelines for Handmade Responses
1. Using one of the 21 visual formats, respond to
argument or narrative of reading assignment
2. White paper—landscape format
3. Three colors—black may be one of those colors
4. Combination of words and images
5. On reverse: Name of selected format(s)
6. Corresponding citation from text with page #
***No apologies for drawing skills***

8. Teaching Handmade Thinking as a Process
1. Introduce visual and handmade thinking
2. Show 21 formats and examples
3. Introduce simple drawing strategies in response to “I can’t
draw!”
4. Students create first handmade responses
5. Individual students share format selected
6. Students share in small groups
7. Teacher shows exemplary student examples
8. Teacher nudges students into other formats
9. Small groups assigned to create new response in new format
10. Group leader presents collaborative response

9. What it looks like in Class
1. Students share responses with each other
2. They tell each other what they liked best about
drawings
3. They tell whole class which format they selected
4. They are offered opportunity to share to whole
class—display on overhead
5. They are assigned question or activity related to
reading assignment
6. When evaluating handmade responses—use best
examples from previous class

75. Mood is…..happy, cheery, celebratory, exciting

79. Format Choices for Mood/Tone
May 3, 2013

81. POEM: See it Through
by STACEY
When you’re up against a trouble
Meet it squarely, face to face;
Lift your chin and set your shoulders,
Plant your feet and take a brace.
When it’s vain to try to dodge it,
Do the best that you can do;
You may fail, but you may conquer,
See it through!
Black may be the clouds about you
And your future may seem grim,
But don’t let your nerve desert you;
Keep yourself in fighting trim.
If the worst is bound to happen,
Spite of all that you can do,
Running from it will not save you,
See it through!
Even hope may seem but futile,
When with troubles you’re beset,
But remember you are facing
Just what other men have met.
You may fail, but fall still fighting;
Don’t give up, whate’er you do;
Eyes front, head high to the finish.
See it through!
Assignment:
1. Using this poem and your
knowledge about Hatchet from
your reading class to formulate a
theme that the two have in
common.
2. Generate a Handmade Thinking
Product depicting the theme
3. Use a text quote from the book or
the poem to accompany your
Handmade Thinking Product.
4. You may use any of the formats, so
take a minute to evaluate the 21
Handmade Thinking Products to
determine which one best fits your
needs.
5. If time permits, at the end of class
you will share your product with a
partner, explain your reasoning
and defend your theme.

83. For more on handmade thinking,
visit www.handmadethinking.com.