Footprint Introduction

 Footprint Introduction 

Description: This activity is a creative way of getting to know students in the class using different media to represent meaningful things in a students life such as hobbies, interests, unique characteristics/facts, and other things that students want to introduce about themselves. 

Activity Procedure: Students are tasked to trace their foot onto a piece of construction paper (using a color of their choice) and cut the footprint out once they have finished tracing. Students will then collect different types of media to represent the things they want to introduce themselves with and will start putting their footprint together. Once they have finished decorating their footprint, the students will introduce themselves to the class giving a brief description of why they chose that media to represent a significant meaning. 

Media/Representation Examples: For my footprint introduction I decided to cut out a paper chain of people to represent my family; tissue paper to make a sunflower to represent both my favorite flower and color (yellow); and a sticker to represent positive affirmations and my love for fun stickers; crayon to draw a pumpkin because I love fall; color pencil to draw books because I am a student at NSU and I am going to be a teacher; and marker to write my name, etc. 

Rubric Requirements: 

1. Considerable attention to construction and neatness of footprint. 

2. Displays at least 3 different types of media throughout the footprint. 

3. Name is written clearly and easily seen and includes a variation of size, font, color, style, or other elements. 

4. The design is balanced, incorporates overlapping of elements, and also uses variation in size, colors, symbols, and more. 

Extension Activity: This activity could be a great way to incorporate social studies content into the classroom when looking at different cultures around the world. I would give students (depending on the grade-level) the opportunity to find information about a different culture and follow the same guidelines as the introduction activity, to introduce themselves and the class to specific cultural features of a certain place. For example, a 1st grade social studies standard [1.SS.4.] focuses on students being able to identify the major cultural features of Ancient India, Babylon, Ancient China, Ancient Egypt, and Athens.