One Pager Activities – Top Tips
By MARISSA DESPINS Updated April 04, 2024
Hello friends! I am back with another post in my series on One Pager activities! In my last post, I talked about what One Pagers are and how they are structured. In this post I hope to share some tips and tricks to help your students find success with them in your own classroom.
For ready to teach One-Pager activities that you can take and use in your own classroom, click on the image or button below!
One Pager Activities: Tips for Success
I have used One Pager activities for many years in my own classroom, with grades 2-10. I have found them to be incredibly powerful with all age groups! Over the years, I have definitely learned what works and what doesn’t. I thought I would share my top tips so you can learn from my successes and failures, and help you get the very most from this fun teaching strategy.
For additional One Pager information, be sure to check out our complete One Pager guide!
Tip 1: Use Templates for One Pagers
While not all students require templates, they are definitely helpful for those who struggle with the creative piece. Having set boxes really helps kids to structure their finished products. That being said, do not underestimate the power of a blank sheet of paper! Some of the best One Pagers I have received from students are from those who stepped up to the challenge and took the creative risk of creating their own. Having both options available to students is fantastic for differentiation.
Tip 2: Provide Image Examples
Allow students to look up images in books and online. Having a wide variety of books on your topic, as well as a set of laptops or iPads available will really help with the finished product. When we are about to start a new One Pager, I like to put together a few pages of “Image Inspiration” to pass out to kids who are struggling with ideas about what to draw.
Tip 3: Maximize Learning Space
Encourage students to fill up the entire page with text and images. I have a “no white space” policy in my class, and really encourage kids to completely fill and colour their work. This leads to really stand out finished products. If they draw really small images, and leave a lot of white space on their completed projects, they really do not turn out as well.
Tip 4: Provide Ample Time
Provide extended time to complete the final product. Students are creating display worthy pages, and need time to put in the best effort possible. Limited time encourages rushed final products, without the reflective deep thinking you are looking for.
Tip 5: Show Completed Examples
Provide examples, when possible. I usually take pics to save of a few of the best ones each year, to show kids the many places that this project can take them. I find this really helps to get the creative juices flowing!
Tip 6: Provide Large Paper
Students need lots of space to complete their One Pagers. I like to give out large sheets of blank paper, and enlarge template pages to 11×17 to provide lots of room. Larger One Pagers also look better when hung up on bulletin boards outside our classroom.
I hope this post gives you some tips and tricks for your students to find success with this fun learning strategy. Do you do One Pagers with your learners? Let me know about your experiences in the space below!
For additional creative projects to engage your learners, be sure to check out our post on boosting engagement!
Looking for more information on One Pager Activities?
Click here to check out some of the One Pager resources I have available in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. I hope you can find something to meet the needs of your learners and make your planning a little bit easier!
Interested in my previous posts about One Pager activities?
Click on the link below to check out my previous One Pager post.
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