Are you tired of getting the same types of projects from students – PowerPoints, posters, and essays? It can be boring to grade and even boring for our students to make. Here is a great idea to liven up your classroom and promote your students’ creativity: the infographic project! Here are 3 reasons why I love this project and some ideas for how to implement it.
1. For those of you that teach Spanish 1 to those that teach AP, this can be used in your lessons. Infographics do not have a requirement for how much writing is included. So, with lower level classes at the novice level, students can present information in lists, but as you advance through intermediate and advanced proficiency levels, you can require that your students include more in depth, analytical writing. Take for example the “Mi identidad” project I did with my Spanish 3 class. They provided short, quick informational points, then I also required them to write a few paragraphs at the bottom of the project to elaborate more.
Here are some sections of their final products:
2. If you do a Google Image search for “infographic,” you will find so many varieties of infographics – layout, colors, themes, topics, and more. You will get the same variety when your students submit it! It is such a pleasure to grade creative, unique works that are not all cookie cutter copies of one another. And… your students will love the opportunity to think outside the box, use the computer, and present something different.
3. Sometimes when I give projects, I find that my students don’t get to share their final products with their classmates due to time constraints. With the infographic and the ability to gather the information quickly, it lends itself to peer review activities. With the “Mi identidad” project, my students compared/contrasted their identity to other students.
So, how do you make an infographic? My students used Piktochart, which gives free templates and layouts, and there are additional free websites such as Canva that do the same. So, those that are uncomfortable with using a computer to create graphics can use a template and those that are more advanced can start one from scratch.
No matter what topic/AP theme you are on, using an infographic project will be the perfect summary for students to express what they’ve learned in a quick, creative way!
