The Cross-Curriculum Power of the Shapegram

An engaging tool that I have brought into my classroom is the Shapegram, developed by educator, innovator and presenter Tony Vincent. These are a series of Google Drawing activities, complete with step-by-step instructions, that are easily connected to multiple expectations in the Ontario curriculum. From simple ice cream cones to complex time machines, these drawings can be utilized to integrate a wide range of subject matter. But that's not all.

I think it was during the 2018/19 school year that I came across Tony’s on-line Shapegrams. At the time, I was working as an Instructional Partner (Coach) for my board (Thames Valley) in Southwestern Ontario. I was assigned to four schools and it was incumbent on me to make connections with colleagues in those buildings in order to “help build pedagogical capacity”. Consequently, I was always looking for a short, quick activity that I could present to a class within (60-100 minutes).

I've always been comfortable with tech-based options (Scratch coding, Google CS First, WeVideo, Hour of Code and Google Suite options), and teachers generally respond well to my offer to present them. When I saw Shapegrams posted in a tweet by Tony, I was intrigued by the link to make your own Google Draw Ice Cream Cone. I presented it to a Grade 5 class and the reaction was palpable. The teacher who had invited me to work with them was quick to ask: “Where do you get these? I want to do more?”

The finished Ice Cream Shapegram

Tony’s Shapegrams are simple to learn and powerfully engaging. They include step-by-step video instructions and there are additional, enrichment activities on the side to complement curriculum connections. Rather than explaining a Shapegram, I always encourage teachers to go to the site and build the first four (they are free). At the very least, you will enjoy Tony's Dad-Joke worthy puns.

Tony with the Ice Cream Shapegram

When I returned to my own classroom in September, 2019, I integrated the four Shapegrams into my curriculum. The first connection with the Ice Cream Cone was descriptive writing. I asked my students to recreate it, following Tony’s instructions, but also invited them to remix it in some way. In education, we often call this the “low floor, high ceiling approach”. This is when success is always achievable, with the opportunity to “go beyond expectations” or “flex your creativity”.

To connect this to my literacy program, students were asked to describe the ice cream they had created and tell me about their favourite dessert. Using the “cut & copy” feature, their individual, frosty creations were easily transferred to a collaborative Google Slide that provided space for their writing. As a result, students were able to see the work of their peers – both their artistic endeavor and their writing.

Four examples from previous classes

The first activity was a success, a slideshow of examples can be found here. I continued with two of the other free options. The House Shapegram connected to our Geography studies of Relative and Absolute location and the Lion Shapegram fit in perfectly with our study of endangered animals in the Ecosystems unit of science.

An annual subscription is required to access the growing collection of Shapegrams. I have been a subscriber for three years now. It is $35 US (about $45 Canadian). The Google skills that my students master by the end of the year are incredible and the learning experience energizes other subject areas including literacy, science and geography. 

Additionally, their other Google work, including slideshow presentations, take a momentous leap forward. Not only can students work on these platforms more efficiently and quickly, they also begin to recognize (through teacher feedback) how to make their presentations more aesthetically pleasing for their audience.

A major feature of Tony’s program is being able to work at a pace that fits your classroom. Furthermore, there are tips, tricks and shortcuts that raise the bar for teaching and learning. Check it out at the Scope and Sequence chart provided on the site.

I will include a few examples of some collaborative activities we have done below. Feel free to modify them for your needs.

Additional Shapegram Slideshows

Robot Shapegram Slideshow

#OneWord Snow Globe Shapegram Slideshow

Dolphin Shapegram Slideshow - connected to aquatic ecosystems

Giant Sequoia and Building Shapegram - This one includes music clips in Presentation Mode

Remix your own Emoji Shapegram - Literacy task included

Groundhog Shapegram -  What day would you like to live over?

Pot of Gold Shapegram - What would you do with a pot of gold of money?

Time Machine Shapegram - Where would you go in time?

Statue of Liberty Shapegram - What city/place would you love to visit?