I recently showed children ages 10-14 how to take visual notes. I had three 30-minute sessions and started each with a visual activity. For the second session we played a version of Pictionary.

Our topic for the session was how to draw people and emotions. I selected texts from the Bible that feature human characteristics described by non-human things. The term for this is anthropomorphic. My texts, with the clues I provided on small cards, are below and the drawings by the students. (I added the texts to the drawings before sharing on Instagram.)

The students separated into boys vs. girls for the teams. Teams alternated drawing, with both teams drawing for the fifth prompt.

Luke 19:40 stones crying out

But Jesus answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”

1 Chronicles 16:33 trees rejoicing

Then the trees of the woods shall rejoice before the LORD, For He is coming to judge the earth.

Isaiah 55:12 (part 2) trees clapping their hands

And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Psalm 148:7 A whale praising God

Praise the LORD from the earth, You great sea creatures and all the depths;

Isaiah 55:12 (part 1) mountains and hills singing

For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you,

After the drawing had concluded, I asked the students, “What did these texts have in common?” The first answer was, “Praise to God,” but then students recognized that each verse featured anthropomorphic expressions of emotion.

From there I shared about the four core emotions and how to draw basic people.

In my visual notes, I typically draw a head-and-shoulders view of people, and alternate male and female characters, and put key points from the presentation or sermon in speech bubbles.

Look At My Notes