The One-Page Reader is a creative, visually engaging assessment tool that gives students the opportunity to share their ideas through both image and text modes. They are my favorite tool and I have been experimenting with them for the past ten years. So let me share what I learned.
One-pagers were originally pioneered by AVID as a reliable toolbox for English teachers, but in fact, they are easily adapted to any subject.
Students create one-pagers to convey their main takeaway from something (a book, an article, a unit, a poem, a documentary, a podcast, a topic exploration, a science experiment, etc.). Single page readers help express what they have learned in one page. The project allows them to communicate ideas through a combination of modes. This is a critical skill in many workplaces today.
When students think critically about what is important, they also improve their retention of information. Sketching details into a one-pager helps different parts of their brains work together. (Check out this interview with educational technology consultant and educator Jen Giffen for a deeper dive).
Help the reluctant artist
You might be thinking, what about the art haters from Issue 5? Those who complain at the mere mention of markers?
Mike Rohde, the inventor of sketch notes, which resemble pagers created on the fly, famously said they were “ideas, not art.” This is a good thing to reinforce to students. The goal here is not to have a page of theirs appear in the Met, but to tap into their critical thinking and articulate their understanding in a memorable, insightful way.
For kids who are feeling wary, one way to help with the process of building a one-pager is to create a template that draws the page areas and connects them with the content you want students to include. The template becomes a roadmap that each student can follow, although students who feel ready can break away from the template and start designing from a blank page.
For example, you might ask students to start an ELA one-pager by placing the novel’s key theme at the center of the paper, then illustrating it with quotes and adding visuals and some analysis of their own.
You could guide students to illustrate a list of Spanish verbs related to movement at the top of a page, including the word, definition, and illustration for each verb, and then list the requirements in the middle and bottom of the page.
Perhaps you would have students focus on the characteristics of a historical figure on one part of the page while exploring her relationships in another, the impact on her in another, and the key events that occurred in her world in a visual timeline at the bottom.
Let’s look at a few examples from my subject (English) to provide inspiration for your next pager project. A quick search for #onepagers on Instagram will reveal even more.
If you and your students enjoy hexagon thinking, the Hexagon One-Pageer is an advanced twist that combines discussion strategies with one-pager concepts to provide deeper conversations.
Students begin by creating hexagonal one-pagers to represent complex ideas in the unit. Hexagons showcase themes, characters, connecting text and more from Nick Stone’s novels Dear Martin.
Students begin by connecting their hexagons and discussing how the ideas relate to each other. When they rearrange the pieces, new insights emerge. Finally, each group presents its network of connections to the class or writes the reasoning behind its choices.
Hexagonal one-pagers are also a fun option for building community. For this activity, ask your students to first fill in hexagons about themselves and then connect them to the hexagons of others in the class, ultimately visually displaying all the things the group has in common.
One of my favorite recent changes to one-pagers is an open-minded project. In this version, the template provides outlines of the characters in the text. Students then fill in the key relationships, ideas, quotes, and characteristics of the character in the mind, while also demonstrating the external influences and key relationships surrounding the mind. For example, you can see an open-minded one-page reader of Will Holloman, the protagonist in Jason Reynolds’ verse novel A long way to go.
This approach can be easily adapted to other subjects as well. For example, in a history class, you could provide an outline of a country in the center of a page, inviting students to fill in what happened during a specific period. Then, let them surround themselves with the influence of neighboring countries, major events, or artistic movements that were shaping the world at the time.
In language classes, you can add silhouettes of famous leaders or creators who speak the language you’re learning. Have students fill in what they know about them. Next, students will create illustrations and information about their external actions, influences, and/or creations.
There are so many creative ways to use one-page pagers, it’s impossible to explore them all here! Start giving it a try and see how it works for your class this year. Remember, a template with clear expectations for placement of content is a great framework for students to start with. And save time in class for a walk through the gallery and create space on the wall to brightly display the one-pager!
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