Vanity Plates

Purpose:  To activate student learning through creative thinking

Description:  In this activity, students will take on the role of the topic to be studied for the purpose of creating a vanity plate. While in this role, students will need to think creatively about their topic in order to share their vanity plate.

Procedure: 

1. Assign a topic of study (for example, "The Internet")
2. Have students take on the role of the topic by telling them, "Pretend you are X."
3. Students will then create a vanity plate related to the topic of study. In many states, license plates may have up to 8 characters. However, you may use as many characters as you feel necessary.
4. Have students share their vanity plates by lining up in parallel lines, student facing student.
5. Rotate one line of students so that each student has the opportunity to view all vanity places in the facing line.
6. This motivating strategy will increasing students' desire to learn more about a topic while also increasing their knowledge of a topic.

from Instructional Strategies for Engaging Learners
Guilford County Schools TF, 2002

Return to Summarizing Strategies