Teaching Symbolism with "I Spy" Pages

My class wraps up our reading curriculum by discussing theme and symbolism in novels. To add some STEAM to our reading curriculum, students were given some options for how to show their understanding of symbols in their novels. One option is the "I Spy" page. Students must find at least 7 important symbols from their novel to hide in an image full of objects. Each included symbol must also include a 2-3 sentence explanation for the item's importance and connection to the plot and theme of the novel. Students are choosing a variety of ways to construct their "I Spy" page using the Chromebook technology, their art skills, and Google apps. Check out the example below!

An "I Spy" for Abduction by Peg Kehret. 

Google Level 1 Certification

I did it! I passed the Google Level 1 Educator Certification Exams! Woo hoo!

I totally recommend this online course to teachers who use the Google apps. While I have been using Google apps for a number of years, the online certification program taught me many tips I hadn't known before. The actual certification exam only costs $10 for Level 1, so there aren't many excuses not to try it! Even if you don't want the certification, the helpful info and videos are definitely worth checking out.