Quick Tips for Teachers: Coordinate Graph Art Activity

Give your students practice using coordinate graphs while they complete this fun art activity.

Materials:
graph paper
pencils, crayons, markers

Steps:

1. Give each student a piece of graph paper.  Have him draw and number the X- and Y-axes along the side and bottom of the paper. Then have each student make a simple outline drawing on the graph paper.

2. When drawings are completed, have students mark dots for each coordinate point on the graph where a part of the drawing passes.

3. Next, have students write the coordinates of these points in a list in the order they need to be connected in order to redraw the figure.  If there are several objects in the drawing, have students make a separate list for each object.

4. Collect the lists and redistribute them to the class.  Give each student a clean piece of graph paper, and have him again number the X- and Y-axes.

5. Using these coordinate point lists, instruct students to mark the points on their graphs.  When done, let them connect the dots and see what they've drawn.  Completed drawings may be colored and displayed.

Copyright 2012 Irene Taylor.