A-B-“See” is
easy as 123
Reading
to Learn Design
Shannon
Ritter
Rationale: An important part
of reading is the aspect of visualization. It is crucial that children
can
visualize what is going on within a story as they read it. This lesson
will
help children create mental images of what they or someone else is
reading by
creating images in their heads of their reading passages.
Materials: copy paper for drawings,
crayons and markers, the book Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine
Paterson, and copies of the passage, copy of "Sick" by Shel Silverstein
from Where
the Sidewalk Ends , copy for each student of James and the
Giant Peach
by Roald Dahl
Procedure:
*
Before beginning review with students silent reading. "Before
we get started I want everyone to practice silent reading as
you read James and the Giant Peach. Quietly whisper then stop
moving
your lips and read to your self. Great! Good review of silent reading!"
- "Okay everyone I would like everyone to
please close your eyes, get comfortable, and relax. Please no talking
because I need everyone to be completely quiet. I would like you to
picture your favorite place in the entire world. Imagine that place.
What is it like there? Are you there by yourself or with people? How
does it feel there? Now
that you have imagined this place in your minds, I would like you to
open your eyes. Wasn’t that neat? (Have class respond). Will
someone please raise their hand and share their favorite place with us?
(Have children respond). When you see things in your mind
it is called visualization. It is important that as we read you 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 visualization as I read the story. Think about how the
character must look or be acting like as I read the poem. I will be
reading the poem "Sick" by Shel Silverstein."
- Ask students to respond to the poem by
asking them to explain what they were thinking the girl in the poem
looked like as she described being sick. Allow students to respond with
their different ideas of what the girl looked like.
- Explain, "It is okay that as
we visualize different parts of stories or poems that we think about
things differently. Everyone visualizes things differently and that is
okay! That is what makes reading fun for everyone!"
- Pass out passages from Bridge to
Terabithia and have students read the passage. "I want
everyone to read this passage from the book Bridge to Terrabithia .When
you are done reading the passage I would like you to draw what you
visualized Jess and Leslie’s special place to look like. I will pass
out crayons, markers, and paper for you to use. Make sure you include
the surroundings and how everything looked."
Assessment:
The children’s drawings will
be used as the assessment for the activity. Once children have created
their
individual drawings have them break into small groups and share their
drawings
with the group, noting the differences and similiarities.
References:
1."Sick" by Shel Silverstein
from Where the Sidewalk Ends (Harper Collins Children’s Books
– 1973)
2. Bridge to Terrabithia
by Katherine Paterson (Harper Trophy – June 1987)
3."What Do You See?" http://www.auburn.edu/rdggenie/openings/mcdonaldrl.html
by Melinda McDonald
4. James and the Giant
Peach by Roald Dahl. New York : Puffing Books (1961)