Visual Journal Examples

Visual journals are teaching tools I implement everyday in my art classroom as a bell-ringer and to get students prepped for art class. Each school day has a prompt based on promoting critical thinking, technique practice, and creative designs.

After the allocated time for students to read and respond, I open up class discussion about the topic. These class discussions are critical to my understanding of student’s interest and or art knowledge, and for emerging new curriculum.

Students were asked to watch the video about an abandoned skyscraper in Los Angeles and then record their responses to the prompted questions in their visual journals. I then led the class to share their answers and thoughts in an open class discussion about what solution they proposed for the building.

Students were introduced to Project Backboard founded by Scott Albrecht who renovates public basketball courts by collaborating with local artists. Students were prompted to create a design either a football field or basketball field in their visual journal.

• This prompt fostered student interest and discussion about designing their own school’s football field and basketball court encouraging school spirit.

Students were asked to design their own version of the Chinese New Year, year of the dragon, in their visual journals. I use visual journals to not only relate to everyday events in students lives but also to celebrate the diversity of different cultures.

Students were introduced to Hank Willis Thomas’ monument to Dr. Martin Luther King and asked to answer the prompted questions. Afterwards, I led students to discuss the controversy around the monument from both the Boston community who commissioned the monument and the general public. Students were asked to consider how an artist’s vision and their patron’s who commissioned the artwork can be debated.