Visualizing: Like a TV set in your head!
A Reading to Learn Lesson
by Amber Allman
Rationale: Once students have become fluent
readers, they can begin to read to learn. It is very
important for children to comprehend text as they read so that
they may become expert readers.
Visualization is one very important tool that readers can
use to aid in comprehension.
If students are able to visualize the story as they read,
they are able to understand what is happening in the story.
Visualization can help students become more interested and
engaged in the book. This lesson is designed to help students
visualize what they are reading by creating their own mental
images.
Materials:
January’s Sparrow
by Patricia Polacco
Square sheets of White paper or cardstock
Crayons, markers, colored pencils, etc.
Numbered cards with sections of the text printed on it.
Chart paper with vocabulary words written on it along with the
definitions.
Procedures:
1. Say: When we read stories, sometimes it is hard to follow the
story line and comprehend what we're reading. However, when we
visualize what we're reading by using our imaginations, we get
wrapped up in the book as if we were watching a movie! We see
images in our minds that help us to understand what we're reading.
We can also think back on those images later and better remember
what we read.
2. Say: Today we're going to read January’s Sparrow by
Patricia Polacco and instead of looking at the pictures we are
going to visualize images in our minds! But first we're going to
learn some vocabulary to help us understand the text.
Paddy rollers- Paddy rollers were slave patrollers. They were
groups of three to six white men who enforced discipline on black
slaves before the civil war.
They policed slaves on plantations and hunted down slaves
that tried to escape.
Carriage- A carriage is a type of transportation for people a long
time ago that was motored by a horse. Most of the people who ride
in carriages are wealthy. Carriages are designed for comfort and
elegance.
Skidded- Skidded means to slide sideways.
A lot of times when you skid that means your car, or in
this case, the carriage comes to a screeching stop.
The wheels were moving too fast when the horses stopped so
the carriage skidded, or slid, to a stop.
Tussled- Tussled means a struggle, or wrestle. In the story, the
slave patrollers picked up a slave that was not willing to go.
Because the slave was resistant it turned into a tussle, or
struggle.
Smote- Smote means to hit or strike someone really hard.
A smote is not like a spanking or a slap, a smote is really
hard and is meant to hurt someone horribly.
Slaves were often smote when they disobeyed their masters.
Indiana- Indiana is a state in the north central part of the
United States.
It was known as a free state before the civil war.
Many slaves tried to make it to Indiana so that they could
be free.
Lash- Lash is a sharp blow or stroke with a whip or a rope.
Most of the time it is given as a punishment.
Sparrow- A sparrow is a type of bird. Sparrows are very small and brown. Sparrows are the little birds that like to sit outside McDonalds.
Sultry- Sultry means to be extremely hot. A sultry summer day would be an unusually hot day that is also moist and humid. Your skin often feels hot and sticky on sultry days. A dry hot day would not be described as sultry. A humid and hot day when it feels like it's going to rain in the heat of the summer would be described as sultry.
Michigan- Michigan is a state in the north central part of the
United States. It is known for the Great Lakes but in our story
for today, the setting is on a farm in Michigan. (Show the
children where Michigan is on a map of the United States.)
(After you go over the vocabulary ask if there are any questions
and make sure the children know they can refer back to the
vocabulary chart throughout the lesson.)
3. Say: Now that we know some of the words we'll encounter as we
read
January’s Sparrow, let's get excited about learning how to
visualize text!
January’s Sparrow is a story about a young girl, Sadie, and her family.
Sadie’s family lives in the South prior to the Civil War that
means slaves are still common on plantations, or large
farmlands. Sadie and her family decide that they want to escape
to freedom using the Underground Railroad. Sadie’s family leaves
during the middle of the night one night to make their journey
towards Indiana.
Do you think Sadie and her family will escape to freedom
safely? Or do you think the paddy rollers will catch them? We
will have to read to find out!
I'm going to use the first page to teach you how to
visualize a story. As I read, I am going to create images in my
head that relate to the story and help me better understand what
is happening. Once I read a section, I am going to close my eyes
so that I can better visualize what I just read. That way, there
are no distractions and I will be able to focus on the story and
the movie I am creating in my head!
4. Say: Ok! I am going to model how to visualize. Listen
carefully! (Read from the first page but don't show the children
the pictures) "Sadie, the youngest Crosswhite, shuddered when she
saw the paddy rollers thunder into the slave yard on their horses,
draggin’ a runaway on the end of a rope behind them." (Close your
eyes momentarily and show the children you're thinking by pointing
to your brain) I know that paddy rollers means slave patrollers
and if they are dragging a slave that must mean he has done
something bad.
I picture a man cut up and beaten being drug in the dirt.
I am also picturing how scared Sadie’s face looks.
I bet she is frowning, and grimacing like this (show
students a grimace.) (Open your eyes and continue reading) "All of
the slaves had been ordered to stand at the porch rail that
mornin’." (Close eyes) Now I am picturing all the people in town
gathered out on their porches to watch these paddy rollers bring
in a slave that tried to escape.
I can see all the people so sad and upset.
Their faces all look like they are in deep pain watching
what is going on.
5. Say: Let's try a passage together. I want you to close your
eyes and visualize as I read, then you will share what you
visualized! Make sure to not put your head down but to concentrate
on the words and on visualizing the story. Let's make a movie in
our heads! Visualize
what I say: They all feared the same thing on that plantation:
Master Francis Giltner. Sadie’s momma and daddy, Sarah and Adam
Crosswhite, and all her brothers gripped at the rail when they saw
him rollin’ up in his fine carriage, settin’ right next to his
youngest son, David, and his nephew, Francis Troutman. The paddy
rollers hollered and whooped as they skidded to a dead stop, then
hauled off’n they horses and tussled the runaway to his feet. Were
you able to visualize this scene? Could you draw a picture of what
you visualized? I'm going to start the passage over but read
further so you can visualize the story better! (Read the first
page of the book slowly and with expression so that the children
can visualize.) Who would like to share what they saw in their
heads as I read?
6. Say: Now that you have an idea of what January’s Sparrow
is about and we know needed vocabulary, I'm sure you can't wait to
continue to read and visualize this story! I'm going to continue
to read the story but I'm not going to show you the pictures. I
want you to visualize what's happening in the story. You do not
have to close your eyes but you can if it helps just don't fall
asleep! After we read, you're going to get a section of the story
to illustrate based on what you visualized so pay special
attention and really concentrate on visualizing! (Read the story
without showing pictures, stopping periodically to remind the
children to be visualizing and to encourage them in doing so.)
7. Say: Now that we've read the story, I want for you to put you
mind movie on paper! I'm going to give you a card with a passage
from the story on it. Read the passage, visualize what is
happening in the passage and then draw what you visualize on the
piece of square paper I will give you. Remember to look back on
our vocabulary chart if you need it! On the back, describe what
you drew.
After students are
done, let them present their picture to the class and explain
what they drew.
This will not only assess how well students can
visualize, but also whether or not they comprehended the
passage. (Assessment should include whether the picture
connects to the text and if the explanation makes sense with the
picture the child drew and with the text.)
Other References:
Polacco, Patricia. January’s Sparrow. Babushka Inc., 2009.
Print.
Elizabeth Bryant: Lights! Camera! Imagination!
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/doorways/bryanterl.htm