Emoji Cards

The teacher projects the deck on the classroom screen and a student draws a card at random. The card shows an emoji — it could be a face, an object, an animal, or a symbol — and the student must find a connection between that emoji and the topic they are working on. There is no wrong answer as long as the connection can be explained: if the fire emoji comes up and the topic is the Industrial Revolution, a valid answer might be 'it represents the steam engines', another 'the heat of the first furnaces', another 'the destruction of previous ways of life'. The multiplicity of possible connections is part of the activity's value.

The exercise of connecting a visual symbol with a concept activates a different type of thinking than answering direct questions: instead of retrieving information, the student needs to make an analogy, identify a relevant characteristic of the concept, and express it in a compressed form. That synthesis and association process works conceptual understanding more deeply than repetition. Also, the visual and unexpected nature of the emoji removes the pressure of giving the correct answer, which lowers the participation barrier for students who normally don't contribute.

It works very well at three different moments. As an opener: draw three cards at the start of class and ask each student to choose the one that best represents what they remember from the previous topic, then share their reason. It activates prior knowledge before moving forward. As a closer: each student draws a card and uses the emoji to synthesize what they learned in the session. As a mid-class comprehension check: after explaining a concept, the teacher draws a card and asks students to connect the emoji with what they just heard. The responses reveal what they understood and what they didn't.

It works well in both formats, but with different dynamics. Individually, each person draws their card and the connection is more personal and intimate: it reflects how each person understands the topic. The share-out reveals the diversity of perspectives. In groups, the group receives a card and must agree on one connection: that generates a small discussion about which aspect of the topic is most central or representative, which works argumentation implicitly. For large groups, the group format is more manageable.

Yes, and it tends to be especially productive in subjects where concepts are abstract or hard to visualize. In Mathematics: connecting an emoji with a concept like fractions or symmetry forces visual or metaphorical thinking. In Science: connecting emojis with processes like digestion or the water cycle. In History: which emoji best represents the French Revolution or World War II. In Literature: which emoji best describes the protagonist of the work being read. The apparent frivolity of the emoji lowers the student's guard and opens a space for freer thinking.

That is part of the activity and is fine. The teacher can invite the group to help: does anyone see a connection between this emoji and the topic? A student not finding an immediate connection is also valuable information about their level of topic understanding — or it simply shows that some connections are harder than others. A useful rule: if after 30 seconds the student finds nothing, they can draw a second card. But encourage trying, because the most unexpected connections are often the most interesting.

There is no technical limit. In small groups (up to 15 people), everyone can draw a card and share their connection in about 15 minutes. In larger groups, the teacher can randomly select 5 or 6 students to share, or do the activity in small parallel groups and then share one connection per group. It also works well as an exit activity: each student draws a card at the end of class and writes their connection on a small piece of paper they hand in as they leave, giving the teacher a quick overview of the group's overall understanding.

Emoji Cards primarily develop Creative thinking (finding non-obvious connections between a symbol and a concept), Assertive communication (explaining a connection clearly and with justification), and Metacognition (students need to reflect on which aspects of the topic they master to make the connection). In group variants it also develops Active listening and Collaboration.

The activity falls within Visible Thinking: emojis act as triggers that make the student's thinking about the content visible. It also applies principles of Question-Based Learning (the card generates an implicit question: what does this symbol have in common with the topic?) and Experiential Learning (understanding is built through the experience of making connections, not through listening to explanations).