Holly Bess Kincaid

My mother’s favorite unabridged dictionary is part of my personal history. I had grown up with this gargantuan volume, leafing through it to find definitions for unfamiliar terms. When it cracked at the spine, I took the loose pages to school instead of wasting them. What started as a sentimental moment turned into a literacy-rich art project for my middle-school students, many of whom speak multiple languages.

When students started to scroll through the dictionary pages, they were spellbound. They enjoyed discovering new words, contrasting the different meanings, and choosing a single word to visually illustrate. This simple act of selecting a word and attaching its imagery facilitated reading, writing, speaking, and creative expression simultaneously. It became a highlighted display during our Art Read Think Day, a literacy-and-arts event, as we welcomed community members to read aloud to students. These illustrated dictionary pages were a lovely visual accompaniment for the celebration and provided compelling opportunities for advocacy.

This project can be replicated without a dictionary by using any worn-out book, discarded reference text, or print vocabulary list as the foundation for language-based art-making.

Students will:

• develop vocabulary through visual interpretation of dictionary definitions.
• discuss and analyze multiple meanings to promote comprehension.
• make an illustrated dictionary page with basic art supplies.
• experiment with how art can express ideas clearly across languages.
• exhibit their work to the community.

• loose dictionary pages (or photocopied entries)
• drawing paper
• markers, colored pencils, ink, and charcoal
• glue sticks
• fine-tipped pens, limited washes in watercolor (optional)
• mats or cardstock for display

1. Introduce the project. Tell students that they will read and choose one word and create an illustration that explains its meaning. Provide your own origin story if you like, or explain that the dictionary pages will provide language for the visual eye to interpret.
2. Select a word. Students flip through dictionary pages and find a word that interests them and reflects something personal. Motivate students to read all definitions, particularly for words with multiple meanings.
3. Analyze the meaning. In pairs or small groups, students discuss what their words mean; which images, symbols, or scenes might have communicated this meaning; and how visual details could support clarity.
4. Create the illustrated page. Students glue their dictionary page on drawing paper and start making lines or images around or above the text. The best results come from markers, colored pencils, or ink lines. Encourage attention to composition, line quality, clarity of meaning, and the relationship between text and image.
5. Prepare for display. Mount or mat the illustrated pages and exhibit them in the hallway, library, or classroom. The gallery invites readers to take a moment to hear and ponder while they engage with student ideas.

Art Read Think Day combines literacy with creativity. Community members like our mayor, principals, librarian, teachers, school board members, and radio hosts are invited to read aloud from art-oriented books. The event can also be a wonderful way to highlight Youth Art Month. Middle-school students thrive on dramatic readings, personal narratives, and shared enthusiasm in the arts.

What started as a sentimental moment turned into a literacy-rich art project for my middle-school students.

Visitors marvel at the ways students made meaning visible. Such displays spark discussions about literacy, multilingual learning, and the role art plays in supporting student voice.

Students can write a short reflection on why they picked their word.

Classes could make a vocabulary wall based on a theme, such as emotion or nature.

At the Art Read Think Day event, ask your visitors to choose their favorite illustrated word and explain why they like it.

Design bookmarks or postcards incorporating student illustrations.

Illustrated dictionary pages provide a creative approach to developing literacy while providing an opportunity for literacy-based lessons and activities. In conjunction with Art Read Think Day, the project provides a powerful opportunity for advocacy, presenting to community members how art helps middle-school students communicate in ways that transcend language.

Holly Bess Kincaid is an art teacher at Park Middle School in Beckley, West Virginia. She has actively served as a leader in the Virginia Art Education Association and is the 2025 WVAEA Art Educator of the Year. hollybess@gmail.com