Thinking sheet · Art and artists

Memory, Then Look

Draw a bicycle from memory, then look at a real one (or a photo) and draw it again.

Grades
1–5
Time
about 20 minutes
Kids practice
observation, memory, noticing details

What kids do

“First draw it from your memory. Then look closely and try again. What changed?”

  1. The thing I drew:
  2. From memory
  3. Looking at the real thing
  4. Things I missed the first time

How to run it

  • Bikes, scissors and umbrellas are surprisingly hard from memory.
  • Don’t let kids peek until the first drawing is done.
  • Celebrate the list of things they missed.

Talk about it

  • Why is drawing from memory so hard?
  • What did looking teach you?
  • Which do artists use more?

Take it further

Draw your front door from memory tonight, then check it.

Pairs well with

Free for home and classroom use. Print as many copies as you need.

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