Activating Prior Knowledge Through Visual Analysis

Using visual image analysis and digital image annotation activates prior knowledge and encourages critical thinking across content areas. As students closely examine an image, they identify symbols, actions, and themes, helping them connect existing understanding to new, upcoming learning. This approach increases engagement, supports deeper comprehension, and provides an accessible way for students to communicate their thinking using visual evidence.

Teachers can adapt this strategy to any lesson by selecting an image that aligns with their content and having students place it into the Freeform app. Freeform is especially effective for this activity because its nearly infinite canvas allows students to spread out their thinking without feeling constrained by limited space. Students are encouraged to position the image so there is room to write all around it, and as they identify important details, symbols, or actions within the image, they can extend their annotations into the margins to add deeper explanations and connections. This flexible layout supports ongoing thinking, revision, and elaboration as students refine their understanding.

For my particular lesson, we used the image American Progress by John Gast as a way to activate prior knowledge and assess what students already knew about the topic. It also gave students an opportunity to make educated guesses about important themes and ideas within the image, encouraging them to think critically and engage with the content before diving deeper into the historical context.

What I like about this activity is that it provides a clear snapshot of what students know at the start of a lesson, and then allows them to return to the same Freeform board afterward to add observations, revise their thinking, and deepen their understanding. It requires little to no prep for teachers—you can provide the image, or students can search for and place it in Freeform themselves. This approach gives students a visual representation of their learning and growth, making their progress tangible and encouraging reflection.