Helpful hint: Depending on the time and skill lever of your students, the actual lettering of this activity may be hand drawn or printed off the computer. In this particular example, the printing was made with the help of the computer.

I have my students help me create a list of possible items that can be used for each letter of the alphabet. We vote on them. Of course, it never is a total democracy. Sometimes I help lean the voting in the direction I want. Other times I make a flat out decision that this is the word we are going to illustrate. But, I try to have the kids help as much as possible and make most of the decisions.

Prior to the actual drawing of the alphabet illustrations, my students have had a lot of experience with colored pencils. Whenever they color anything, they color slowly, carefully, in one direction and twice. Yep, they select two shades of blue to color everything blue. Then, two shades of green to color everything green. It makes a huge difference in the final outcome.

For this activity, a lot of stress is placed on positive and negative space. Students are urged (required) to draw items large enough to fill the space. You don't think tiny and small when planning the illustration. Fill the space.

The final step for the students is to outline everything with a fine tip marker. Then, I mount with a glue stick and laminate. I love to laminate.

Copyright 2000, revised 2012 by Phillip Martin All rights reserved.