Look at the image quietly for at least 30 seconds. Let your eyes wander.
List 10 words or phrases about any as-pect of the picture.
Repeat Steps 1 & 2: Look at the image again and try to list 10 more words or phrases to your list.
What kind of thinking does this routine encourage?
The routine helps students slow down and make careful observations about an object, im-age or work of art. It asks students to think about words or phrases to describe the work and encourages students to push beyond first glance, or obvious description.
When and where can I use it?
The routine can be used with any kind of art-work, especially visual art. You can also use non-art images or objects.
Use Ten times Two when you introduce a new artwork to engage students in careful looking before having a discussion about it or before using another routine. You can also use the Ten times Two routine after an in depth discus-sion about at an artwork to both push forward and summarize some of the ideas and observa-tions that were made during the conversation.
The routine is useful before a writing activity. It gets students thinking about descriptive lan-guage and helps students make observations about the work of art.
What are some tips for starting and using this routine?
Give your students time to look and tell students know that you will be the time-keeper. Quiet, uninterrupted thinking and looking time is essential to this routine.
Students can work as a class, in small groups or individually. You can also vary the way students work, for example, students might generate the first list of words solo, writing their ideas down on post-it notes so that they can be posted to a aclass list of observations. The second list in a group situation. Students should try to write their ideas down, or in a whole class discussion the teacher might write students? comments on the board. Make sure that the descriptive words and phrases generated are made visible for the whole group at some point in the discussion. Add to the list as necessary during any follow up conversations.
A natural follow up to the Ten times two would be another routine that encourages students to talk about their observations and interpretations, for example the What makes you say that? routine or Claim Support Question.
