Ready, Set, Draw!
Reading to Learn: Visualization
Rationale:
For students to be
skilled readers that actively participate in reading activities, they
must be aware of strategies that facilitate comprehension and the ways
in which to use them.
Without sufficient comprehension, students will find no
meaningful connections to what they read and will be unmotivated to
read in the future.
One strategy that's easy and fun for students to use that aids
comprehension is visualization. By
visualizing story events or descriptions, students are more likely to
understand the plot and other important textual elements.
When children learn to create a picture in their minds, they
will become more active and engaged readers.
Through the use of multiple forms of descriptive text, this lesson will
encourage active involvement and attention to detail during reading by
assisting students with forming mental images as they read.
Materials:
-Projector
-White paper for
each student and teacher
-Crayons for each
student and teacher
-Assessment
Worksheet for Grading (attached)
-Copy of Little
House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
-Previously drawn
model of poem visualization
-Copy of
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein for each
student and teacher (attached)
Procedure:
1. Introduce
Visualization Strategy to Students:
Say:
Today we are going to work on visualizing as we read.
Does anyone think they know what
visualizing means? That's right; when
you visualize something it means that you form a picture in your mind,
even if the material does not come with pictures.
I use visualization all of the time when I read!
I bet you do too, even if you don't realize it.
Forming pictures in your mind is really helpful to do while
reading and it can be done with any kind of material you might read,
including stories and poems.
2. Give Students an
Opportunity to Practice Visualization Skills:
Say:
Okay, let's all practice visualization together.
I'm going to read you a passage, and while I do it I want you to
close your eyes. Are you ready?
Okay, everyone close your eyes and start thinking about summer
vacation.
Give students a minute to settle down and begin thinking.
Say: I walked out of my big red
house on a beautiful, sunny summer day.
The clouds were white and puffy, the bluebirds were singing
happily, and the shouts of my excited friends filled my ears.
I felt the warm sun on my skin and smiled, because I knew this
was the beginning of my perfect summer vacation.
3. Have Students
Explain Their Own Visualizations:
Wait until most of
the students have opened their eyes.
Say: Very good job!
I hope all of you were able to form some mental pictures while
you listened. If I call on you, tell us
all what you saw when I read that passage to you.
Call on individual students (five or six) and have them describe
their visualizations.
4. Create a Picture
to Accompany the Passage as a Class:
Say:
Wonderful job! I'm impressed with
what you all came up with. Now we're going
to see if we can create a picture together using what we imagined.
Take out paper and crayons and put on the projector.
Say: If you don't get to draw this
time, don't worry. You will all get plenty
of chances to illustrate in a little while.
Okay, let's begin. Who has an idea
for the first thing we should draw here?
Call on students individually for picture ideas, and encourage
some class discussion after each one. Have
each volunteer come up to the projector and draw their idea until the
class feels the picture is complete. Say:
Wow! This looks exactly like the
perfect summer day; good job everyone!
Do you see how forming an image in your head while you listened
helped you remember all of these details?
I am very impressed.
5. Discuss Silent
Reading With the Class:
Say:
Alright, who can raise their hand and tell me what silent
reading is?
Very good! Is there anybody else? Okay, now who can tell me some reasons that we
read silently?
You all are exactly right; silent reading is when we read to ourselves
without speaking. We read silently so that
we don't disturb others around us and so that we can read at our own
pace, since some of us read slower than others.
6. Explain the
Relationship Between Silent Reading and Visualization:
Say:
Sometimes when I read silently, I accidentally stop paying
attention to what I'm reading because I get distracted.
Does anyone else ever have this problem?
When we read silently. It's extremely helpful to think of
pictures to go with what we're reading. This
makes it much easier to pay close attention and to remember what we've
read later.
Does anyone have a question about why visualizing a story in
your mind helps you become a better reader?
Great! We are going to get some more
practice with one of my favorite poems, called
Where the Sidewalk Ends.
7. Pass out Copies
of
Where the Sidewalk Ends to Each Student:
Say:
Now, I want all of you to read this poem silently to yourselves.
Remember to create a picture in your head while you're reading.
There is no right or wrong way to visualize; it's all about what
you form in your own mind as you read the poem!
I will be reading silently and visualizing along with you.
Are you ready?
8. Show Students
Your Visualization of the Poem:
While students are
reading silently, put a copy of Where the Sidewalk Ends
on the projector.
Give students time to finish reading silently, and then read the poem
out loud to the class. Say:
This poem has a lot of interesting images in it, doesn't it?
That's why I like it so much.
We are all going to draw a picture for this poem, and I bet they
will all be very different because the author uses so much great
imagery!
Put a previously drawn picture of your own visualization of the
poem up on the projector. Say:
Here is what I thought of in my mind when I read
Where the Sidewalk Ends.
What are some things you see?
Very good!
9. Explain Your
Drawing and Thought Process to Students:
Say:
The main parts of this poem that stick out in my mind are the
sun that "burns crimson bright," the moon-bird resting from his flight,
and the grass that "grows soft and white." That's
why my picture has a red sun, some puffy white grass, some children on
a sidewalk, and a sleeping bird in it.
Who can raise their hand and tell me something else they
visualized?
Very good! Is there anyone else?
10. Give Students
Individual Practice With Their Own Visualizations:
Pass out paper and
crayons to each student. Be sure to remove
the poem and example drawing from the projector.
Say: Let's take about five minutes
to draw what you remember from reading
Where the Sidewalk Ends.
Remember, there is no right or wrong drawing!
Also, remember that you should also visualize when you're
reading stories, not just poems. You will
do this on your own in a little while.
Is everybody ready? I can't wait to
see what you will come up with!
While students are drawing, walk around to monitor individual
progress and give each student a copy of Little House on the Prairie.
11. Go Over Student
Drawings with Class:
Wait until most
students seem to be done with their illustrations.
Say: Wow, these are looking really
nice! If you aren't finished with yours,
try to finish it up in another two or three minutes.
Don't forget to put your name on your drawings!
If you are done, please bring it to me now.
While everyone is finishing up, discuss the drawings with the
class.
Say: Everyone has done such a great
job! I'm seeing some flowers, suns, moons,
birds, sidewalks, children, arrows, roads, and even some peppermints! There is a lot of good artwork here; I can't
wait to look at them up close!
I will hang up your work in the hall so everyone can see what
good artists you are!
12. Introduce New
Book and Follow-Up Assignment:
Say:
Okay, today' we're going to start a new book called Little
House on the Prairie. This is about a
pioneer family who lives out west, and together they have lots of
exciting adventures and challenges. I
really enjoyed and learned a lot from this book, and I think you all
will do!
I want you to read Chapter One, and don't forget to visualize!
When you are done, draw a picture of what you saw in your mind.
You can spend more time on this picture; you can even take it
home to work on. Tomorrow we will present
our pictures to each other. I can't wait
to see more of what you will draw!
Try to read all by yourself, but if you have a question, raise
your hand and I'll come help you! Let's go
ahead and get started.
Assessment:
-When students
present their illustrations to the class, assess their work based on
how accurately they depictured story events and if they can
successfully justify the elements included in their drawings.
-Use Assessment
Checklist (attached) during each presentation.
-At the end of each
presentation, ask each student to explain why one particular part of
the chapter was important or memorable (further assessing comprehension)
References:
Brock, Sarah Jane.
Reading to Learn Lesson Design:
Can You See It?
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/projects/brockrl.html
Keasal, Lauren.
Reading to Learn Lesson Design:
Can't You See?
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/projects/keasalrl.html
Silverstein, Shel.
Where the Sidewalk Ends.
Where the Sidewalk Ends.
Harper Collins Publishers, New York, N.Y. 1974
Steiner, Shelley.
Reading to Learn Lesson Design:
Read It, Think It, Draw It!
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/projects/steinerrl.html
Wilder, Laura
Ingalls.
Little House on the Prairie.
Harper and Brothers, Scholastic.
New York, N.Y. 1935
Assessment Checklist:
Student Name:
_______________________________
Answer YES or NO:
Did the drawing accurately depict at
least one important story element or event?
Was student able to explain what they
included in their drawing and not forget the meanings of what they drew?
Does student's assignment appear to be
complete and not rushed through?
Was student able to name and explain one
particularly significant or memorable aspect or the story?
Where The Sidewalk Ends
by
Shel Silverstein
There
is a place where the sidewalk ends
And
before the street begins,
And
there the grass grows soft and white,
And
there the sun burns crimson bright,
And
there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To
cool in the peppermint wind.
Let
us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And
the dark street winds and bends.
Past
the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We
shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow
And
watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To
the place where the sidewalk ends.
Yes
we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And
we'll go were the chalk-white arrows go,
For
the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The
place where the sidewalk ends.