- Definition
Rubbing is when you put paper over something bumpy and then rub a crayon or pencil over the paper to make the bumps show up as a picture.
Placing paper over a coin and rubbing a crayon on it to see the coin's design is a rubbing.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A rubbing is like a magic trick where you use a crayon to copy the bumps from a coin or leaf that's hidden under your paper.
Ask your child: What bumpy things around us could we make a rubbing of?
Common mix-up: Kids might think rubbing is just colouring on top of an object. The goal is to capture the texture from the object hiding underneath the paper.
Examples
- Making a rubbing of a leaf to show its veins.
- Using the side of a crayon to capture the pattern of a Lego brick.
rubbing is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
