Unleashing Student Creativity: How Canva Ignites the Spark

We felt like we were getting in a ReadyGen rut and needed to spark some creativity and engagement. We thought that the repetitiveness of the Reading Analysis was getting a tad boring. We both use Canva on a weekly basis for different things and the idea came to us to have students create their own graphic organizers to help check for understanding. Our students have worked with Canva during STEM, so when it came to having them create a presentation for the classroom it came easy. Giving students the opportunity for them to choose how they want to show their understanding gives them the freedom and choice they all want and deserve.

There are many ways for the students to complete this assignment. You could make a class and assign them an assignment that you make through Canva. We are going to show you how your students can create their own assignment and send it via Canva to you.

• First have your students log into their Classlink
• Have them click on the Canva app
• Once they are there, they can click on “create a design”
• They have the choice to make a “WHITEBOARD, DOC, PRESENTATION, ETC.)

• I will show them what the graphic organizer should somewhat look like and they can create and show me their understanding any way they want.
• Keep in mind that students have many options for showing their understanding so be as specific as you want as far as what expectations you want them to follow.
• Once they have made their assignment, have them click the “share” button and type in your name.

Here are examples of work students have turned into us. These student samples are 3rd graders and were given the task of comparing three different characters from three different stories that we read in our ReadyGen books. We told them they can create any graphic organizer or single slide document but they had to compare and contrast the three different characters. We kept the assignment very open ended as to what we expected on the slide, students had the freedom to

• When we assign reading analysis assignments on Canva instead of having them do it in their notebook, they are able to show us more of how their brain works. When they do it in their notebook their creativity is limited and less engaged and invested about showing us what they've learned.
• Differentiation is easy to do on Canva since students are able to show us their thinking/learning through words, sentences, pictures, etc.
• Once they have shared it with you, you will get an email notification that someone has shared something with you. You can also look on Canva and it will be in your “recent designs”.

Canva is a quick, easy, but effective way to get your students engaged and their voice heard. Please feel free to touch base with us if you have questions, need help getting started, or have tried this in your own classroom. Happy Canva Creating!