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Are you googling one pagers because you're trying to avoid grading yet another stack of essays? I don't blame you. That's how I started, too. Or, maybe you are wondering whether a one pager is the right assignment for your students? Maybe it's that you're not sure how to create one, when to assign it, or how to provide structure? One pagers can be meaningful as a creative response to literature. Sprinkling them into your ELA curriculum is a powerful way to ask students to reflect upon what they have read. Plus, it lightens your grading load. Keep reading for tips that will help you assign a one pager in your secondary classroom. (P.S. - They aren't just for ELA!)

WHAT IS A ONE PAGER?

As its name indicates, a one pager is a single page response to a text. They typically focus on showcasing the theme of a narrative or the topic of an informational text. Students include a variety of information to show they can think critically about a story, poem, book, article, video clip, or other text. For example, students might include important quotes, analysis, symbolism, figurative language, themes, images, doodles, connections, questions, and more. One pagers move students beyond basic comprehension to a more mature way of thinking about a text.

WHY ASSIGN A ONE PAGER?

I find one pagers valuable ways to check for understanding. Perhaps you want to see how students are thinking about what they have read. Assigning a one pager can give teachers the insight while still allowing students creativity in expression. One pagers also ask students to move beyond summarizing to a deeper level. Besides, one pagers are an excellent way for non-ELA teachers to promote literacy. Any time students are reading a text (even in science, history, or art class, for instance), they can create a one pager in response.

WHEN SHOULD I ASSIGN A ONE PAGER?

One pagers are excellent forms of differentiation. I enjoy using them as an option for students to respond to a text. Perhaps you've just finished grading essays and can't stand the thought of drowning in yet another stack (already!). One pagers are usually quick and easy to grade, but they still require that students are thinking and making meaning. One pagers are excellent complements to choice reading units, poetry units, short story units, whole class novel units, literature circles, and book clubs. Want to see how students are relating the central idea of paired texts? Use a one pager!

WHAT SHOULD I AVOID WITH A ONE PAGER?

CREATING TOO FEW OR TOO MANY GUIDELINES.

It's important to think about the age of your students. Most middle school students need structure and guidance; students who are not used to thinking from an abstract angle can struggle. Because one pagers are not concrete, teachers need to be specific in their expectations with younger students. High school students who are comfortable with creative thinking and who are used to coloring outside the lines thrive with less scaffolding.

GRADING ON ARTISTIC ABILITY.

It can be easy to get caught up in beautiful one pagers. If you've ever made one yourself, you understand how difficult they really are. It's important to encourage students for their creative thought process - not their creative drawings or beautiful coloring.

DESIGNING RUBRICS BASED ON EFFORT.

With creative assignments, it's important to validate students' thinking. When we design rubrics based off of perceived effort, we undermine the content students create. A one pager rubric should reflect skills that are tangible and measurable. For example, I would not include a category for "Effort." Instead, I would include a category for "Content." Within that category, it would be reasonable to ask students to cover the page with their reflection on the text. It's something you can measure. Either the page is covered, or it's not. Effort, on the other hand, is much more difficult to grade objectively.

USING IT TO "PROVE READING".

Like most reading projects, one pagers don't "prove" students have read something. Granted, it's extremely difficult to create an exemplary one pager without a solid understanding of a text. Still, when I assign one pagers, it's because I want to see how students are analyzing and synthesizing a text. I use them as a way to measure learning toward standards...not a way to force reading. If you are concerned students aren't reading a text, the best thing you can do is to confer with them as regularly as possible.

UNDERESTIMATING THE TIME THEY TAKE.

Creating an inspiring one pager takes time. If you've never tried to make one before, I encourage you to take on the task before assigning it to students. The first time I did this I was struck by two facts: mine was terrible...and it took way longer than I expected. I still believe they are worth the time and energy, but creating my own example gave me better perspective for what I should expect from students. Plus, I understood I needed to provide them more class time than I originally anticipated in order to complete the work.

TIPS FOR ONE PAGER SUCCESS

Making a one pager was a humbling experience for me. It really gave me insight into my students' struggles. What was in my head is not what came out on paper. This experience resulted in a more empathetic and appreciative view of the one pagers I graded.

BRAINSTORM WITH STUDENTS.

Come up with a list of expectations for the assignment. Then, with students, brainstorm possible content to include. Secondary students have fabulous ideas and can inspire one another. Plus, discussing possibilities as a group gives teachers the opportunity to identify appropriate content and redirect students if necessary.

It's hard to visualize a one pager without looking at examples. I google "one pager examples" and display some of the search results on the projector. I've also saved some examples to Google Classroom so that students can view them from their iPads. As we study the images, students begin to see how different they are. We note what works and what doesn't. We talk about examples that exceed expectations and those that don't.

USE TEMPLATES.

Scaffold students' experience with one pagers by providing templates. Use the templates to help students brainstorm and make a strategic plan for how they will maximize their space. The first time I assigned a one pager, I made all the mistakes...and found out that students don't always know what to do with a blank page. That's when I created these materials, which supported their thinking and led them toward the standards.

It's important that you don't go into the one pager assignment thinking there are "rules." There really aren't! You can be as creative as you want, and students can, too. If they want their one pager to incorporate a mind map or a collage, that works. If you want them to add texture, don't hesitate. Do you want students to create a one pager that incorporates multiple texts? Awesome! You do you.

USE THE ONE PAGER TO PROMOTE LITERACY.

It's all about creating a literacy culture. We need secondary students to appreciate reading - to want to read. Providing students with a variety of ways to respond to a text is a way to achieve that goal. Saving the one pager for special occasions will help to ensure students don't become burnt out with it. If you feel brave, allow students to work in partners to create a collaborative one pager. Many will love the social aspect of responding to reading. Building positive relationships between reading and how we ask students to respond to literature is a huge step in the process of building a community of readers.

RELATED RESOURCE:

One pagers are a valuable tool for any teacher. They should not replace all traditional essays, and they shouldn't be assigned after every course text, but they are a wonderful alternative when used modestly. This resource contains scaffolded tools for getting started with literary and informational text one pagers.

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How to Use One Pagers with Literature and Informational Texts | Reading and Writing Haven

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Are you googling one pagers because you're trying to avoid grading yet another stack of essays? I don't blame you. That's how I started, too. Or, maybe you are wondering whether a one pager is the right assignment for your students?

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Explanations of a One Pager

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This is good info...

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This is an article all about One Pagers. You might be asking:

"What is a One Pager?"

A One Pager is simple one page document that gives a high-level overview of a product, service, or business. They are great for promoting your business location, or giving a synopsis or a product to the person in charge of purchasing. It's like the modern day version of a brochure.
There's lots of different uses for One Pagers:

Using them to advertise your local business in other surrounding businesses.

Using as flyers.

Show an overview of a product/service to your boss or purchasing manager.

Let people print out a one-page synopsis of your product to show other people.

Government officials use them as handouts to get support for bills & causes.

4 things a good One Pager should do:

Physical Rules of a One Pager:

I would say these aren't hard-and-fast "rules" so much as "simple guidelines."

Everything should fit on one page. Duh!

Should be able to print it out on an ordinary desktop printer. Always test your One Pager on a printer.

Standard sheet of paper measurements: 8.5″ wide, 11″ tall. -or- 21.5cm wide, 28 cm tall.

Can be in either portrait or landscape mode. It's just a visual preference.

"Hey Boss, look at this service we could use!" :::drop the One Pager on her desk:::

Making a One Pager is reasonably simple, check it out:

Here's a generic one-pager that can advertise anything. It's really only a few blocks of text slapped on a page and maybe some small pictures or logos. When you watch it being built from scratch, you can see how simple it really is:

So how do you make a One Pager? Here's some tools:

There's literally a trazillion graphics tools you CAN build a One Pager with, but I very much prefer simplicity. These 5 tools are my recommendations, starting from easiest to hardest.

Keep it simple and just use Google Docs. You can easily drag & drop elements around the page, and print it out.

A little know tool is Google Drawings which is an uber-simple graphics editor. Fantastic for dragging and dropping boxes/text/images for your One Pager.

Photoshop is the most powerful visual editor out there, but it has a bit of a learning curve. It's almost TOO powerful for small jobs like a One Pager. Stick with the recommendations above if you don't know how to use it well.

A classic tool found in almost every office. Since One Pager's are mainly just text and maybe some images, Word is good enough for making them.

I think PowerPoint is just pretty easy for dragging and dropping text and images around the screen, so it can make a decent editor for a One Pager (or in this case....a "slide" that you can use as a One Pager).

What to put on a One Pager:

There's physically not that much space on a One Pager, so there's only a few things you can put at a time. If it's your goal to get people to visit a specific location, perhaps location information and a map is important. If it's your goal to get them to visit a website link, then obviously including that information will be important. Here's a list of things you can put on your own One Pager.

Map or description of your location. "Behind the Target on I-35."

Irresistible offer. "$1.15 dry cleaning for life!"

Coupon for a discount. "Bring in this flyer for a 25% discount on your first ice cream sundae!"

Picture of the service. A carwash might have a picture of a clean car. A veterinarian might have pictures of dogs & cats.

Awards or accolades. "Voted best car dealership in 2014, 2015, AND 2016!"

Testimonials. "I've tried every bagel in this town, and Julie's Cafe is the best!"

Logos of famous customers. "Trusted by: KPMG, Deloitte, McKinsey, and General Electric."

Explain why the product is needed. "Pets are happier when there's a doggy door that lets them outside."

Example One Pagers:

Example One Pager for a Carwash advertising unlimited carwashes for a flat price. This would be a great flyer to leave at the surrounding businesses:

Carwash service One Pager example (only 6 elements on the page, very simple & effective).
Made in: Adobe Photoshop.
Download the Template: [Link]
Purpose: To make people aware of the unlimited car washes deal at Bob's Carwash. It shows the offer, the price, some benefits of the deal, and the location you can get it:

Veterinarian One Pager Example.
Made in: Google Drawings
Download the Template: [Link]
Purpose: Make people aware of this vet clinic. The picture of the dog & cat immediately implies this is some animal-related service, there's some pricing, then there's contact information including the address:

HustleCon All-Text One Pager or Email (aka "Boss Permission Slip")
Link to Original:[Link]
Purpose: A simple one-page document you can print (or email) your boss so they'll let you attend HustleCon, and possibly pay for you and some team members. It quickly describes what HustleCon is, some skills the attendees will learn, and the price/location:

Seth Godin's AltMBA One Pager.
Link to Original PDF: [Link]
Purpose: A one page print out you can give to an employer, colleague, or friend who'd be interested in the AltMBA they are offering. It gives a "10,000 foot view" of the program in general, and encourages people to ask their employer about tuition reimbursement:

Custom One Pager Template based on the Seth Godin AltMBA One Pager:
Made in: Adobe Photoshop.
Download the Template: [Link]
Purpose: This is a template we at KopywritingKourse designed based off the Seth Godin AltMBA One Pager above.

Self-Storage One Pager Flyer Example
Made in: Google Drawings
Download The Template: [Link]
Purpose: This is a One Pager that advertises self-storage to students. It's super simple and to the point. Special shoutout to Saumil (@sms113king) for designing this template (and the one below) for himself and for letting others use.

2nd Self-Storage One-Pager Flyer
Made in: Google Drawings
Download The Template: [Link]
Purpose: This flyer directly targets college students leaving for home who might need to store a bunch of stuff while in apartment or dorm transition. Thanks again to Saumil (@sms113king) for designing this template. The thing I like about One Pagers is that they're so easy to design, and cheap to distribute, that you can target specific events in time (such as a mass exodus from a college campus during moving season).

Government One Pager Example: NASDA
Purpose: One Pagers are quite a common handout in politics. If you're schmoozing at a political party, want some support for a bill/movement/cause....you slip the person a One Pager for them to review later. This One Pager is advocating a group called NASDA. Like most things in politics, it's vague AF:

Download this One Pager Guide as a PDF (and all the editable templates):

-Downloads this whole post as a shareable PDF-
-Downloads all the editable templates-
-Easily share with colleagues-
Send it to me >>

P.S. You can watch this One Pager Video also:

Before you leave, did you know we make a great training course and even help you write copy whenever you need?
Our trainings are quick, actionable, and even just picking up one new concept can make back your entire investment quickly. It trains you and colleagues on:

Writing website copy that makes sales or signups.

Creating high converting blog posts.

Writing autoresponders that automatically sends marketing and makes sales.

Writing emails that bring in sales and attention.

In the Member's Area you also get unlimited copy critiques, unlimited help, unlimited live office hours, and unlimited reviews of your content. If this sounds like something you'd like to start learning, take a few minutes to checkout The Kopywriting Kourse.

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How to Write A One Pager (with Templates and Examples)

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This is an article all about One Pagers. You might be asking: A One Pager is simple one page document that gives a high-level overview of a product, service, or business. They are great for promoting your business location, or giving a synopsis or a product to the person in charge of purchasing.

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Or you can make your own templates. I like to use the shapes tool in Powerpoint to lay out the page, then put in the directives for each section on another page to photocopy onto the back.
For example, the template directions might include:

In the upper lefthand corner, draw a key symbol from the reading and choose a related quotation to write down. Then write a sentence in your own words explaining the importance of the symbol.

In the upper righthand corner, show one character's development throughout the novel using some sketches, quotations, and words of your own.

Create a border around your paper using three important quotations that show themes from the reading.

Include five words or pictures across the middle of the paper that express the author's style.

In the lower lefthand corner, consider connections between what you have read and the modern world. Express them in words and/or pictures. Feel free to include quotations.

Somewhere on your paper, write a one-sentence review. What did or didn't you like about this book?

If you want to get specific, you can create one-pager assignments that focus carefully on a topic you are going to use later for a paper or essay prompt.

If you are about to have students write a paper on themes in The Outsiders, for example, having them create a theme-based one-pager makes for a great pre-writing assignment. As they sketchnote the important themes across their papers, searching for related quotations and relevant character development and symbolism, they will be gathering everything they need to write a great paper without even knowing it.

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Or you can make your own templates. I like to use the shapes tool in Powerpoint to lay out the page, then put in the directives for each section on another page to photocopy onto the back.

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One Pager Maven

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One-pagers not only help students to think critically about what matters most from a text, they also give students a lot of creative options for how to illustrate those highlights.

Some students will LOVE flexing their creative muscles and showing their artistry. Others, not so much.

As I have talked to teachers about one-pagers this year, the main issue folks run into is that students who aren't into art find the assignment frustrating. They are unsure of how to be successful if they aren't into doodling and colored pencils.

Which leads us to my secret solution, templates. When you hand a student a blank page and ask them to go for it, many students who don't self-identify as artistic will be overwhelmed and annoyed. When you hand a student a page already broken into sections, with crystal clear instructions for what should go in each, they have a roadmap to success. They can ace the assignment whether or not they've got an inner graphic designer.

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The Art of the One-Pager - Bespoke ELA: Essay Writing Tips + Lesson Plans

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One-pagers are all the rage these days. When students process their learning in this fun visual style, the results are powerful. What is a one-pager? A one-pager is a visual representation of a student's interpretation of a text. Students can use one-pagers to showcase their comprehension and ana

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One-pagers and Sketchnotes have become incredibly popular in recent years, and it's easy to see why. Rather than just jotting down words on a page, students use one-pagers to visually represent key points and takeaways. They're fun to create and have a real impact on memory and comprehension. Here's how to use them, plus lots of terrific one-pager examples to inspire you and your students.

What Are One-Pagers?

Source: Chomping at the Lit

One-pagers invite students to think deeply about a text and produce a single page to represent its most important aspects. They usually include some images, doodles, or other graphic elements, giving them the alternate name Sketchnotes. One-pagers are often full of color and may include more images than words, depending on the student. They're most commonly used in ELA classrooms but can be helpful in other subjects too.

This note-taking concept was pioneered by AVID, a group that seeks to prepare all students for college. As one-pagers caught on, teachers found that students who used one-pagers made a deeper connection to the text and had better retention of key concepts. AVID's guidelines encourage students to share their one-pagers with one another, helping to inspire learning in a variety of visual ways.

How To Get Started With One-Pagers

Source: Spark Creativity

One problem teachers face when encouraging kids to use one-pagers is that some students don't feel "artistic" enough. They may also not know where to start. When teaching kids to use Sketchnote one-pagers, provide more direction at first. Start by showing kids one-pager examples (see below). Ask what they notice about these Sketchnotes. Some characteristics they might note:

The information and images fill the whole page.

They're colorful and full of illustrations.

The illustrations don't need to be expert, they just help emphasize a connection.

Words are carefully chosen to highlight key concepts.

Some kids will take the idea and run with it right off the bat. Others will need a little more help. In this case, offering one-pager templates like these from Spark Creativity can really help.

You can also share these specific directions from AVID, which provide guidance on what to include on each page. Giving students a clear list of what to cover will increase confidence and free them up to be creative. For example, in English Language Arts, you might ask students to:

Sketch one visual symbol that represents the text's main theme.

Write out two quotations that show the author's style.

Include a sketch and a sentence representing the setting.

Make connections between the text and current events using sketches and text.

Examine one or two main characters and their development.

Identify three symbols through sketches or text.

Include a statement about one thing they connected with in the reading.

One-Pager Examples and Ideas

Here are some outstanding one-pager examples on a variety of texts and topics. Note the incredible array of styles, which you can use to remind kids that there's no one right way to use Sketchnotes. Encourage them to be creative!

Simple DNA One-Pager

Source: @sciencelessonsthatrock

We like this one-pager example because it shows students that you don't need to be an expert artist to create something meaningful.

Poetry One-Pager

Source: @prestoplans

Here's an example of how a template can provide students with strong guidance to get them started. This one-pager has more words than illustrations, but it's still colorful and engaging.

Digital One-Pager

Source: @readitwriteitlearnit

One-pagers can go digital too! Try a whiteboard tool like Jamboard to make the process easy.

The Outsiders One-Pagers

Source: @wonderingwithmrswatto, The Outsiders

Source: @wonderingwithmrswatto, Digital The Outsiders

Take a look at these two different one-pager examples, one handwritten and one digital-and both effective!

Symbols One-Pager

Source: @studyallknight

Here's another terrific way to use a template. Students can sketch the symbol, then add in handwritten notes for more info.

Beowulf One-Pager

Source: @gretazefo

This note-taking option really gives artistic students a chance to shine! Just make sure they add enough information (graphic or text) to help them make connections with what they've read.

The Great Gatsby One-Pager

Source: @mrsreganreads

Sketching characters from books can bring them to life for readers. Highlight a few quotes that truly express their personalities.

Power Profiles One-Pager

Source: @laumom

Students can use one-pagers to demonstrate what they know. They make interesting alternatives to essays or book reports.

Because of Winn-Dixie One-Pagers

Source: @enrichingelementary

Note that although each student used the same basic template (hand-drawn too, so don't worry about making copies!), they each created something different and meaningful to themselves.

Fahrenheit 451 One-Pager

Source: @mudandinkteaching

Encourage students to add at least some images to their Sketchnotes, even if they're as simple as stick figures or outlines. This engages different parts of the brain than just writing words does, and it deepens recall.

Letter From Birmingham Jail One-Pager

Source: @thehodgenator

Even when writing text, try to use a variety of colors and styles for emphasis. Just shading a background can draw the eye to something important.

Geography One-Pager

Source: @wmscl4

One-pagers are terrific for comparing and contrasting information, like this one comparing how geography affects the lives of people in China and India.

The Running Dream One-Pager

Source: @mayor_james

We love the idea of adding a word cloud to a one-pager! If you're making a digital version, try these word cloud generators.

Intro One-Pager

Source: @nowsparkcreativity

One-pagers are such a fun way to do a getting-to-know-you activity on the first day of class.

Frayer Model Vocab One-Pager

Source: @missjackiesroom

The Frayer model graphic organizer is a terrific lead-in to more creative one-pagers, and a nice way to get students more comfortable with the format.

Inaugural Address One-Pager

Source: @mrsprzbooks

The main image choice can set the tone for an entire one-pager analysis.

USA One-Pager

Source: Teach With Tina

Don't be afraid to try one-pagers in any class, for any topic!

Want to share more one-pager examples or ask for advice? Join the conversation in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

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20 One-Pager Examples + Advice for Using Them in Class

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One-pagers let students note all the important info on one quick reference sheet. Learn how to use them and get one-pager examples here.

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They're cousins...

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What if taking notes could put a smile on your students' faces? Just imagine if you could get your kids excited about an exercise in higher-order thinking. Picture your students begging to take notes because it involves gel pens and doodles. Enter, sketchnotes in the classroom.

The sketchnotes phenomenon is the brainchild of designer Mike Rohde, and it is rapidly spreading beyond the design world. Now we're seeing sketchnotes in the classroom on a regular basis. For instance, a student might use it to process information visually, use bold lettering for key points, making containers or boxes for special points-the list can go on and on. Basically, you can use it for anything that makes the information pop off the page and stick to the brain. Here are 8 examples from Instagram with ideas of how you can use sketchnotes in the classroom. Give it a try.

1. Sketch an event.

You'll see a whole new level of engagement if you assign students to take sketchnotes when you have a guest speaker or your class attends an event.

Source: @overflowstorylab

2. Sketch without boundaries.

Sketchnotes can be any size, so invite your students to cover your whiteboards with everything they've learned in a unit as a form of pre-assessment review. Then let them walk around and study the gallery of learning.

3. Sketch to organize.

This professor has used sketchnotes to organize her own thoughts before a lecture, and you could do the same by sharing the idea with your students before they give oral presentations.

Source: @profdiberjones

4. Sketch for research.

This could relate to many lessons and classroom ideas. Invite students to do research sketchnotes before writing a paper or creating a video.

5. Sketch with a different focus.

You can help students explore a variety of tools by asking them to focus on sketches, symbols, containers or unique text. This example shows just how much someone can convey visually through drawn elements.

6. Sketch a book.

Students can do sketchnotes on text, taking note of the main ideas and essential quotations before writing a paper or doing a project on it.

7. Sketch for fun.

This teacher simply explored meaning with color. Do something similar by having your students create performance posters, book displays, bulletin boards, or event programs.

8. Sketch complex thinking.

As students get more comfortable in the medium, you can show them more and more complex examples to inspire them to improve. This creative person skillfully mixes and matches all the layers of visual meaning with her words, incorporating symbols, connecters, containers, sketches, and varied forms of text.

Introduce students to sketchnotes with one of these activities and see what happens. You just might be surprised by what they come up with.
Have you tried using sketchnotes in the classroom? How did it go? We'd love to hear in the comments.

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Sketchnotes in the Classroom: 8 Ideas to Get Started

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What if taking notes could put a smile on your students' faces? Just imagine if you could get your kids excited about an exercise in higher-order thinking. Picture your students begging to take notes because it involves gel pens and doodles. Enter, sketchnotes in the classroom.

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Sponsored by Chill Expeditions and Kiddom

Have you heard the whispers about one-pagers in the online teacher hallways? The concept of a one-pager, in which students share their most important takeaways on a single piece of blank paper, has really taken off recently.

The one-pagers I see on Instagram draw me in like a slice of double chocolate mousse cake. The artistry students bring to representing their texts on a single piece of paper, blending images and ideas in creative color, is almost hypnotizing for me. Perhaps you've had the same experience.

But it's the very beauty of the models that get posted that can drive students and teachers away from the one-pager activity. Sure, it's great for super artistic students, we tend to think, but what about everyone else?

Turns out it CAN be great for everyone. As long as you know how to structure it.

What Is a One-Pager?

Let's backtrack a bit and talk more about what a one-pager is. It's pretty simple, really. Students take what they've learned-from a history textbook, a novel, a poem, a podcast, a Ted Talk, a guest speaker, a film-and put the highlights onto a single piece of paper. AVID first developed this strategy, but now it's widely used in and out of AVID classrooms.

But why is this seemingly simple assignment so powerful?

As students create one-pagers, the information they put down becomes more memorable to them as they mix images and information. According to Allan Paivio's dual coding theory, the brain has two ways of processing: the visual and the verbal. The combination of the two leads to the most powerful results. Students will remember more when they've mixed language and imagery.

Plus, one-pagers provide variety, a way for them to share what they've learned that goes beyond the usual written options. Students tend to surprise themselves with what they come up with, and their work makes for powerful displays of learning. Plus, they're fun to make. Let's not pretend that doesn't matter.

So, assuming you're sold on trying this out, you're probably wondering what exactly goes into a one-pager?

Students might include quotations, ideas, images, analysis, key names and dates, and more. They might use their one-pagers to make connections to their own lives, to art or films, to pop culture, to what they're learning in their other classes. They might even do it all. You'd be amazed at how much can fit on a single piece of paper.

Many teachers create lists of what students should put inside their one-pagers. Knowing they need two quotations, several symbolic images, one key theme, etc., helps guide students in their work.

The Art Problem

When creating one-pagers, artistic students tend to feature more sketches, doodles, icons and lettering. Students wary of art tend to feature more text, and can be reluctant to engage with the visual part of the assignment at all.

It was this issue-the issue of the art-haters-that first drew me into one-pagers two years ago. I had seen some stunning one-pagers posted in my Facebook group, Creative High School English. But the comments that followed were always the same. "That's amazing work! But so many of my students don't like art...."

Those comments struck a chord with me. For years I had dealt with comments from some of my own students about their distaste for artistic materials when I would introduce creative projects. No matter how much I explained that it was the intention behind their choices that mattered, I always got some pushback if there were any artistic elements involved in a project.

Was there a way to tweak the one-pager assignment so every student would feel confident in their success?

Another problem was one of overall design: Though they knew they needed to hit all the requirements their teachers listed, students still seemed to be overwhelmed by that huge blank page. What should go where? Did colored pencils really have to be involved?

A Simple Solution: Templates

As I thought about the problem, I wondered if students would feel less overwhelmed if they knew what needed to go where. If the quotations had to be in the middle, the themes in the upper left, the images across the bottom, etc. I began to play around with the shapes tool in PowerPoint, creating different one-pager templates.

Then I began shaping my requirements, correlating each element with a space on the paper. Maybe the border could be the key quotations. The center would feature an important symbol. The themes could go in circles around the center. I developed a bunch of different templates for varied ways to respond to novels. Then I tried podcasts. Films. Poetry.

As I shared these templates with other teachers, I kept getting the same feedback: "It's working!"

That little bit of creative constraint actually frees students to use their imagination to represent what they have learned on the page without fear. They know what they need to put down, and where, but they are also free to expand and add to the template. To choose their own colors. To bring out what is most important to them through their creativity and artistry. And those super artistic students? They can just flip the template over and use the blank page on the back.

Beyond Novels

There are so many ways to integrate this creative strategy into your classroom. While one-pagers lend themselves beautifully to final assessments after reading independent novels, literature circle selections, or whole class novels, that's really just the beginning.

You can use them to get to know students better, as with a name tent or "about me" one-pager at the beginning of the year. One school used templates to have every student create a one-pager about their own lives, collecting them all into hallway displays as part of a project they called "Tell your Story."

You can also use them to help students focus in on the most important information in nonfiction articles and books. One EFL teacher in Croatia used the templates to have students share key takeaways from articles they read about social media. Not only did students have to analyze the text deeply to figure out what was most important, but the dual-coding theory suggests the process of creating the one-pagers will help them remember the information better.

Another great use for one-pagers is to keep students focused while absorbing media. When students are watching a film, listening to a podcast, or even attending an assembly with a guest speaker, they can be creating one-pagers as they listen, a kind of formalized version of sketchnotes.

Simple Steps for One-Pager Success

Whenever you're considering your options for assessment, throw one-pagers into the mix. The steps below should help you in creating an assignment for which every student has a roadmap to success.

1. Choose the elements you want your students to put onto their one-pagers. For example, quotations, key themes, literary elements, discussion of style, important characters or dates, connections to other disciplines, connections to their lives, connections to modern culture.

2. Create a layout using the shapes tool in PowerPoint or something similar (or grab a free set of templates here or here).

3. Connect your instructions to your layout. Make it clear which elements should go in which area of your template.

4. Create a simple rubric with the key categories you want your students to succeed with. With literary one-pagers, I use "Textual Analysis," "Required Elements," and "Thoroughness."

5. As you introduce the assignment, show students some examples of one-pagers to give them a sense for how they might proceed.

6. Give students time to work on their one-pagers in class so they can ask you questions. Consider providing some artistic materials if you can, or inviting students to bring them in. You can always let them complete the work at home if necessary.

7. Do a gallery walk of the one-pagers before you collect them, or have them present to each other in small groups. The students will learn a lot from seeing each other's representations.

8. Create a display after you grade the one-pagers with your rubric.

You can find more of Betsy's great ideas on her website, Spark Creativity.

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A Simple Trick for Success with One-Pagers

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These visual tools allow students to synthesize learning, but some kids don't think they're talented enough to make them. A bit of creative constraint helps.

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What Other Teachers are Saying and Doing

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What Other Teachers are Saying and Doing

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30: One Pagers: The Simplest Way to Success - Spark Creativity

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Want to get started with one-pagers? Find out how to easily get started in a way that gives every student a roadmap to success.