Finally I See It!
Reading to Learn
Rationale:
Comprehension is an essential component of reading. In order to be
efficient and fluent readers, students must be able to understand what they are
reading. One strategy is representational imagery, or visualization.
This strategy requires students to visualize each event in the story. This
lesson will introduce students to the idea of visualizing images as they read
text in hopes of improving their comprehension skills. Students will
practice this strategy by visualizing what is going on in a poem and other texts
and draw their visualizations.
Materials:
One piece of drawing paper per student
One pencil per student
Markers
Crayons
Poem "Bad-Hair Day" one per student
Chapter book, Charlotte's Web one per student
Procedures:
1. "Today we are going to learn about comprehension. Comprehension means
that we understand what we are reading. Sometimes when we read we have a
hard time remembering what is going on in the story. Something that we can
do to help ourselves remember is to create a picture in our minds of the events
taking place in the story. Today we're going to be creating a picture in
our minds while we begin reading a new book called Bad Hair Day by Susan
Hood. Before we start with the book we are going to practice making a
picture in our own heads. I want everyone to close their eyes and imagine this
scene in their heads." The big dog ran
through the field of golden sunflowers in hopes of catching the black cat that
was up ahead. Ok now open your eyes.
"Did you picture in your heads what this must have looked like? In my head I
pictured a big yellow retriever running through the thick field of sunflowers on
a beautiful spring day running as he tries to catch up with that faster black
cat. Did anyone else picture something different?"
2. "When you see things in your mind it
is called visualization. It is important that as we read we use
visualization to think about what is going on in the story. Now I am going to
read a poem to you. I want you to use your visualization skills, as I read
the story, to picture what is going on. Think about how the character must
look or be acting like as I read the poem. I will be reading the poem by Lydia
Knaus called, "Bad Hair Day".
This story is about a young girl who got an awful hair cut at home and now she
thinks she'll have to wear a hat forever. On the way to get her hair
fixed, however, the little girl came across people who also were not pleased
with their haircuts. I wonder if the little girl will get her hair fixed
and how it's going to be fixed. We'll have to read the book to find out.
Okay everyone close your eyes and listen as I read."
3. Now that we have had plenty of practice visualizing, we are going to be
reading our chapter book Charlotte's Web.
This book is about a little girl named Fern who loved a pig named Wilbur.
Wilbur was going to be sent off to the butcher, so Fern and Wilbur's friends,
Charlotte and Templeton, tried to save him. To find out what happens to
Wilber we will have to read the book. You are all doing so well at visualizing!
Now I am going to let you do it on your own.
I want you all to read chapter one silently. As you read, don't
forget to use your visualization strategies. Also, it is ok to close your
eyes every now and then to create a better mental picture. When you get to
the end of chapter one, draw a picture of what you just read. You can add
as much detail as you would like, but remember to draw what you saw in your mind
as you were reading. Once everyone has finished reading and drawing their
picture, we will share our images with each other." (Allow student to share
visualizations)
Assessment:
In order to assess the students' understanding of visualization, collect the
students' visualization pictures as well as have them write an explanation of
what they visualized. Check to make sure the students know the characters,
setting, and situation of the story. Also have children verbally answer
the set of comprehension questions to make sure they fully understand what they
are reading
1. How did Fern feel about her father killing the runt pig?
2. What was Charlotte's "miserable inheritance"?
3. Name 2 things Wilbur did to prove he was radiant
4. Describe how Wilber came to name Charlotte's three daughters
References
Broach, S. Movies in Your Mind
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/persp/broachrl.html
Carlie Larson, Picture Perfect http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/odysseys/larsonrl.html