Do You See What I See?
Reading to Learn Lesson Design
By: Michel Fields
Rationale: Visualizations is very
important when reading. In order to fully comprehend the text
you are reading, you must be able to picture it in your mind.
This monitors your comprehension, because if you stop seeing
what you are reading, you might not be paying attention. I will
have them read a little bit and then draw a picture of what they
see. They will then be able to compare visualizations and see
that everybody sees things differently.
Materials: Pencil, paper, crayons, Because of Winn Dixie
by Kate Dicamillo, The
Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
Procedures:
1. Explain Comprehension. I will ask the students to
remind me what comprehension is. I will say, “Why is
comprehension important when we are reading?” We will have a
discussion. Then I will tell them, “We are going to work on
building our comprehension today with visualization!”
2. Explain Visualization. I will ask the students, “Do
you make pictures in your mind as you read? That is called
visualization.” “Visualization makes books much more fun to
read! It helps you picture what is going on. Not everyone
visualizes the same thing, and that is okay!”
3. Model Visualization. I will tell them, “I’m going
to show you how I would visualize with
The Cat and the Hat.
I would read the first page silently to myself.” [Read: The sun
did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house
all that cold, cold, wet day.] [This will be written on the
board.] “Now I’m going to draw on the board what I see in my
head. I see a house with some kids in the window looking at the
rain outside.”
4. Practice Visualization. “Now I want you to try. Close
your eyes and listen as I read to you.”[Read another page of The Cat and the Hat].
Now I want you to draw on your paper what you visualize in your
mind.” [Once they are finished drawing, I will have them share
with the class.] “See how we all picture different things? That
is okay! We all think differently, and there is no right or
wrong visualization.”
5. “Now you are going to try it by yourselves reading silently.
We are going to read Because
of Winn Dixie.” [I will give a book to everyone.]
“In this book, a ten-year-old girl named Opal moves to Florida
to live with her dad. One day she runs an errand to the
grocery store and she finds a very large, ugly, and homeless
dog. Opal is immediately attached to this dog and she
names him Winn Dixie because of the grocery store she is
in. Together, Opal and Winn Dixie make friends with some
of the characters in the book. Let's read to find out what
all happens to Opal and Winn Dixie.”
6. “I want you to read the first chapter to yourselves.
Visualize as you are reading it. Come up with an image for Opal
and Winn Dixie. When you finish reading chapter one, draw what
you see while reading the book. Be very detailed and write a few
sentences about what you visualized. “
Assessment: I will have each student come
to my desk with their drawing when they are finished. I will ask
them the questions, where did opal first see Winn Dixie, how did
Winn Dixie look when Opal found him, and where did Opal move to?
This way I will be able to tell if the students comprehended the
first chapter.
References:
1. Kayla Vernon, Picture This
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/journeys/vernonrl.htm
2. Dicamillo, Kate. Because of Winn Dixie.
Candlewick Press. 2009.