Sharks! Infographic

infographic with an image of 5 sharks with different facts of sharks highlighted in blue text on white boxes

I wanted to explore how an infographic could be used with younger students in mid- to upper elementary grade levels. What types of infographics might they create? How could the creation of infographics during their time in library support the learning they are doing in the classroom? Would the Canva tool be easily used by this group? Would this be an effective assessment tool?

With these questions in mind, I selected the topic of “sharks”. The study of animals, life processes, and habitats is studied frequently, starting with kindergarten SOLs (K.6, K.7) and repeating with different focus elements throughout elementary school. I also elected to use a single book as a resource, similar to how younger students may use 1-2 books to research a topic. I opted for a single page with five facts to be developmentally appropriate for a mid-elementary class. It would also be able to completed within a 2-3 week window. Projects that take longer than that in elementary school could lead to disengagement and boredom, two things we never want associated with the library!

I felt that Canva would be easily used by many mid to upper elementary school students. It seems to be a tool that can be as straight forward or as complex as you would like to make it. This particular style of infographic can be made with all drag & drop elements, with minimal need to search for pieces. I do think it would be useful for the librarian to have Canva projected for the class to demonstrate selecting text, uploading pictures, or adding different elements. It would also be beneficial for the class to create one infographic together before splitting into individual or group projects. One benefit to Canva is also that the librarian could  create a template to guide students as they first dip their toes into its use. As students become more familiar, additional elements — even graphs or charts — could be introduced. Overall, I believe that the development of infographics with Canva would be an engaging way to support project-based learning, assess student knowledge, and encourage creativity.

8 Comments Add yours

  1. Caroline Jolly says:

    Audra, I always check your blog first to help me know if I’m going in the right direction. Your shark infographic gave a great example of a product that primary school aged child might be able to accomplish but definitely think there would need to be a lot of scaffolding, e.g. your idea to create a template.

    1. avand006 says:

      Yes, exactly! With this type of design, if a student template had picture frames and white boxes, students could just drag in the pictures they want, add text, and move things around or play with color if they wanted. I’ve seen some really amazing projects coming out of several of my friends’ 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classes this year. Younger students definitely have an ease with the tech world — especially after this year! — that opens all kinds of doors.

  2. Tiana says:

    Your blog is also one of my first stops, Audra. I was thinking of using Canva the same way. My only concern is that my district doesn’t like us using anything that requires a login. I really love Canva, though.

    1. avand006 says:

      Yes, I typically use Google Slides because I know it is an approved tool in my district, but it was fun to play with something new! I think yo could do something similar with Slides — but the templates are not as easy for kids to just drag and drop photos into them, though.

  3. abara003 says:

    I love your shark infographic! I was having a hard time picturing how to use infographics with elementary students, as some of the Canva templates seemed like they’d be very overwhelming for a 9-10 year old to put together.

    Giving students a simpler template like this one would be a great solution, where they fill in the boxes with either text or an image to display their learning. I love how this infographic is so simple yet so informational! Beautiful!

  4. heather says:

    This actually gave me an idea for my infographic! Very nice! I love Canva and plan on using it for my infographic.

    1. avand006 says:

      I’m so glad it sparked something! It’s my first time using Canva, but I can definitely tell I will be a repeat user.

  5. sruma001 says:

    I love this! The drag and drop elements would make this super easy for students to use. I tried to use Canva with my first idea for an infographic and I became very frustrated with it. I may need to get some tips from you!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *