Big Huge Labs: Motivational Poster - Famous Quotes or Proverbs

Details

Activity Description

For this activity, students will create a motivational poster from a famous quote or proverb using the Web site Big Huge Labs. As a follow-up, students can make an oral presentation or write a paragraph explaining the importance of this quote or proverb in their lives.

Preparation

1. Make sure the Web site is not blocked at your school.
2. Prepare your own sample poster using the site. This will help you in case your students need help. You can view many examples at the Illustrated World of Proverbs . You can also use the Example Document (above) for an example to show.
3. Create a handout or post the links of Internet sites containing proverbs and quotes for students to use and make sure that they are not blocked at your school.
4. Decide if you will have students take photos with a digital camera or cell phone, and if cell phones are used, ensure that photos can be shared from them (via e-mail).
5. Decide if you will have students write paragraphs or make oral presentations as a follow-up and create a prompt to guide them in their writing or presentation.
6. Decide what method you want to use to get your students to the various Web sites. See the Teacher Tips section (below) for ideas if you need them.

How-To

1. Have students use the Internet to find and write down a quote that has some meaning in their lives or reflects their outlook. Students should select a quote, write it down word for word, and record who said it and when (if available). If they do not know of any famous quotes, you may choose to have them browse through quotes at the following Web sites:
   • Brainy Quote
   • The Quotations Page (has pop-ups unless you block them)
   • Quoteland
   Optionally, you can have students use a famous proverb in English or students can translate a proverb from their native languages into English, which they will later explain to the class. Sites for proverbs are the following:
   • PhraseMix
   • Illustrated World of Proverbs
   • English Club’s Sayings and Proverbs
2. Have students take a photo with a digital camera, tablet, or cell phone (if it can be e-mailed or shared), or find and save one on the computer's Desktop from the Internet to accompany the proverb or quote. Possible images sites include:
   • Flickr.com (this site may be blocked at your school)
   • Google Images (See Teacher Tips, below, regarding copyright issues)
   • Creative Commons licensed images (select the buttons that are labeled as "image" locations)
3. Have students visit the Example Web Site (above), BigHugeLabs.
4. In the Choose a photo section, select Choose File and navigate to the Desktop or location where the image / photo was saved.
5. Select the image.
6. Enter a Title and the Motivational text (proverb or quote).
7. Choose a font style for each. (See the drop-down arrow below each box.)
8. Select Crop, Orientation, Border, and border Colors for your image
9. Select the Create button. The poster will be displayed. Select the Edit button above the picture to make changes if desired.
10. Choose Download to save the poster to your computer and print (preferably in color), or choose Share to e-mail or share via a Flickr or Facebook account. (Note: If you e-mail the poster, these "postcards" are temporary and are deleted in a few days.) Save the image to your computer if you want to keep a permanent copy.
11. In small groups or as a whole-class activity, have students make brief oral presentations about their posters, explaining the quotes or proverbs the have chosen, why they chose them, and the personal relevance. Alternatively, have students write sentences or paragraphs to accompany their posters.

Teacher Tips

• Images used from the Web need to be licensed for reuse. If using Google images, search by keyword, then use the Search Tools menu to select Usage Rights and Labeled for reuse. That way you and your students will not be violating copyright rules using the images you find.
• Many sites, like these, have advertising. Teach your students what it looks like and how to avoid selecting it since sometimes it contains malware that they will not want on their computers, at school or at home. It is a very important and necessary skill for them to know.
• In order get students to the Web site, you can make it a Favorite or Bookmark the site on each computer browser, e-mail them the link, e-mail a word processing document with the link in it, or post the link on your class Web page.

More Ways

• At the main Web site for Big Huge Labs , there are tools for creating other types of image- and text-based projects, including a magazine cover, movie poster, calendar, CD cover, and billboard. Lots of opportunities for creativity.

Program Areas

• ABE: Adult Basic Education

Levels

• Low
• Intermediate
• High
• All Levels

Documents

• BigHugeLabsMotivator Sample Poster and Paragraph accessible.docx - Sample Poster and Paragraph

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