This is a fun "Get To Know Me" lesson.
Using student names to create an artwork is a popular assignment. Each letter is drawn in a way that represents a student's interest. If Mike likes video games, his "M" can be drawn as a game controller. If Cindy likes to cook, her "C" can look like a cookie with a bite taken out of it.
I decided to give this project an international twist by having students see what their names look like in non-western languages. I printed off all the languages Google supports that were non-Latin-based and cut them up so that students picked from a bucket. They used translate.google.com to find what their names looked like in that language. Once in a while a name did not translate or was so long it would make the assignment difficult, so when that happened, those students chose a new language to search.
We used Google Classroom and Google Docs to create a single document where each student entered their name, the chosen language, and how their name appeared in translation. Google Translate does allow you to copy and paste. This was printed twice in a large font. I used a paper cutter so each student had their own slip of paper as a reference. I always print two in the event a student loses their paper, or it becomes damaged. This slip of paper was glued onto their final work. A clean second copy might be desirable.
If your school has less access to online tools, the teacher could do this with a class list, or even choose a focus language, like Chinese, to make a specific language and cultural tie-in. I've done that in the past and collaborated with our Mandarin language class.
Students began with a worksheet to brainstorm their personal interests like hobbies, music, travel, sports, and more. They used this information to create a sketch on regular copy paper. I told them that they were using the shapes of their name to create an artwork, and I had a few samples when I did this lesson in Chinese. Some students will catch on very quickly, others will need a little help to see how their name characters can become images. We used the analogy of looking at clouds and seeing shapes in them, and we should do the same thing with this project. Those who came up with ideas quickly were paired with students who struggled. This was a very successful strategy!
I cut up 12 x 18-inch paper so that each student had a sheet that was 6 x 18 inches. We used rulers to line our papers so that names would line up; top and bottom. Teachers can have their students create 1-inch horizontal guidelines, or use the thickness of the ruler to create lines if measuring becomes too difficult.
I have students work lightly in pencil, outline in a permanent pen, erase, color, and then layer their colors for a more rich appearance. Those who finished early were encouraged to create a background to their names for added depth and to exceed expectations on the grading rubric.
When projects were complete, we wrote on index cards three facts about the language used or the culture of that language. The display was really appreciated by our World Languages Department and Social Studies classes.
I have done a similar lesson with an entire alphabet, found here. But this version is a great way to get to know your students and their interests.
I have downloadable worksheets here you can use with your own students. If you like this lesson, and would like to see more, explore my blog further for free lessons, or visit my publisher for more at Firehouse Publications.
I decided to give this project an international twist by having students see what their names look like in non-western languages. I printed off all the languages Google supports that were non-Latin-based and cut them up so that students picked from a bucket. They used translate.google.com to find what their names looked like in that language. Once in a while a name did not translate or was so long it would make the assignment difficult, so when that happened, those students chose a new language to search.
We used Google Classroom and Google Docs to create a single document where each student entered their name, the chosen language, and how their name appeared in translation. Google Translate does allow you to copy and paste. This was printed twice in a large font. I used a paper cutter so each student had their own slip of paper as a reference. I always print two in the event a student loses their paper, or it becomes damaged. This slip of paper was glued onto their final work. A clean second copy might be desirable.
If your school has less access to online tools, the teacher could do this with a class list, or even choose a focus language, like Chinese, to make a specific language and cultural tie-in. I've done that in the past and collaborated with our Mandarin language class.
Students began with a worksheet to brainstorm their personal interests like hobbies, music, travel, sports, and more. They used this information to create a sketch on regular copy paper. I told them that they were using the shapes of their name to create an artwork, and I had a few samples when I did this lesson in Chinese. Some students will catch on very quickly, others will need a little help to see how their name characters can become images. We used the analogy of looking at clouds and seeing shapes in them, and we should do the same thing with this project. Those who came up with ideas quickly were paired with students who struggled. This was a very successful strategy!
I cut up 12 x 18-inch paper so that each student had a sheet that was 6 x 18 inches. We used rulers to line our papers so that names would line up; top and bottom. Teachers can have their students create 1-inch horizontal guidelines, or use the thickness of the ruler to create lines if measuring becomes too difficult.
I have students work lightly in pencil, outline in a permanent pen, erase, color, and then layer their colors for a more rich appearance. Those who finished early were encouraged to create a background to their names for added depth and to exceed expectations on the grading rubric.
When projects were complete, we wrote on index cards three facts about the language used or the culture of that language. The display was really appreciated by our World Languages Department and Social Studies classes.
I have done a similar lesson with an entire alphabet, found here. But this version is a great way to get to know your students and their interests.
I have downloadable worksheets here you can use with your own students. If you like this lesson, and would like to see more, explore my blog further for free lessons, or visit my publisher for more at Firehouse Publications.
| Non-Western Languages |
| Name Project Worksheet |
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