Sketch
Your Imagination!
Rationale:
Consistent evidence shows that children who visualize while they read
can
better comprehend the text. Creating mental pictures facilitates
reading
comprehension and moves children to a more independent and skilled
level of
understanding.
Materials:
Book:
Three passages from My Side of the Mountain.
Sample pages: 3-10. (description
of his tree
house)
Drawing paper
Pencils/crayons
Procedure:
Note:
Pick a story that you have been reading to the
class so that the students have some background knowledge of what is
going
on. Any book can be used for this activity.
1.
Today we are going to do an activity that really
tests out imagination while we are reading. As a class, we have
started
to read My Side of the Mountain, and we have come to the point
where Sam
has started to make his home in the hollowed out tree. First, I
am going
to read a short passage at the beginning of the book to show you how I
visualize the book as I am reading. (Teacher reads short passage and
sketches
what he/she thinks the event(s) might have looked like).
It is
important for the students to know that skilled
readers pay attention to important detail, and don’t dwell on
insignificant points in a story. By reading a certain passage in
this
book, students will have a chance to pull out the important parts and
build a
visualization of what is going on.
When I was
reading my passage, I had a lot of things going
on in my mind. I paid close attention to the details so I easily
remember
them. This is a great strategy when you are reading other books,
as
well. By imagining the events in your mind, it is easier to
remember
them. I am going to draw what was going on in my mind to show you
Let’s
start off by reading the first paragraph on
page 3. Write or sketch anything that comes into your
thoughts.
What were some of the things you wrote down or drew?
2.
Now, I am going to pass out some paper and crayons
and a short passage from out book. Let’s remember how to read
silently; start off with only a whisper while reading. Once you
have
established a whisper try and say the words without any sound.
Finally,
try and read using only your mind and not your mouth. As you are
reading
silently, pay attention to the details you really want to remember in
the
story. You have a number at the top of the passage that I want
you to put
in the corner of your paper as well, so I know which part of the story
you
read. When you have finished reading the story, I want you to
sketch
something important that really stuck out in the passage. You
have 20
minutes to finish up reading and drawing. Let’s get started!
Students
should receive one of three different passages
from the book (all in the same chapter) so the teacher can get a better
idea of
independent points of view, rather than everyone drawing the same
thing.
3. When
the students are finished reading, choose one
or two of the passages and let a few of the corresponding students
share what
they drew. Afterwards, collect the drawings to make sure each of
the
children comprehended the main points in the passage.
Furthermore,
remind students that this is a great way to
help them remember important points in other books as well.
Introduce
this strategy during History lessons as well with non-fiction text.
Resources:
My Side of
the Mountain by Jean Craighead George. 1959, 1988.
Dutton Children’s books/ Penguin Young Readers
Group.
Reading Genie Website:
Ashley Dulaney “Sketch
It to
Stretch It!”
http://www.auburn.edu/rdggenie/breakthroughs/dulaneyrl.html