Painting Pictures in My Mind
Reading to Learn
Rational:
To become expert readers, we must be able to comprehend, or understand, what we
are reading. Visualization is a very important part of this. Visualization means
that we picture in our minds what is happening in the literature we are reading.
This is important because it helps us to remember what we have read. This lesson
will help students visualize in their minds what is going on in the story which,
in turn, will help with their comprehension.
Materials:
·
Power point with poem "The Land of Happy" by Shel Silverstein's Where the
Sidewalk Ends
·
Copies for each student of: A Box Can be Many Things by Dana Rau
·
Drawing paper
·
Pencils and crayons
·
Assessment Checklist
Procedure:
1.
Say: "Today we are going to be doing some visualizing! Who thinks they know what
it means to visualize?" Give students time to answer with their thoughts.
"Visualizing is when you picture what you are reading in your brain. You are
painting a picture of what is going on in the story in your mind. I will show
you how it's done and you can try it with me! I'm going to read a sentence and
everyone is going to close their eyes and picture what I read"
·
"I woke up to the sound of sizzling bacon and the clanking of pots and pans.
Then, the smell of bacon and cinnamon rolls filled my nose. It was time for
breakfast!"
"When I read that sentence, I saw a table full of yummy breakfast in my head! I
pictured myself in bed hearing those sounds and smelling those yummy smells.
What are some things you all saw?" Allow students to answer and record their
answers in list form on the board. "Good! I think we are all starting to
understand what it means when we visualize while reading!"
2.
Say: "Now we are going to do some silent
reading to practice visualizing together! Who remembers what silent reading is?
That's right! It is when we read to ourselves without making any sounds out
loud. We do this so we can read as much as we want, without bothering our
neighbors. We are going to silent read a poem by Shel Silverstein called 'The
Land of Happy' and then we will talk about it afterwards. While you read, I want
you to make some pictures in your head and be thinking about what you want to
share with the class!"
Have you been to The Land of Happy,
Where everyone's happy all day,
Where they joke and they sing
Of the happiest things,
And everything's jolly and gay?
There's no one unhappy in Happy,
There's laughter and smiles galore.
I have been to The Land of Happy-----
What a bore!
3.
Have students share ideas of what they saw and record them on the board in list
form once again.
4.
Now that visualization has been modeled to students and they have had a chance
to practice with visualization, it is time for them to put their practice to
use!
5.
Give students a copy of A Box Can be Many Things. Say: "This book is
about a little boy who finds a box his mom has thrown out. The boy makes the box
into many things! We are going to read to find out all of the exciting things he
discovers along the way. While you read I want you to practice visualizing. When
you are done reading you can come take one sheet of paper and use your pencils
and crayons to draw a picture of what you read. You should draw at least two
pictures showing what the boy made the box into. At the bottom of your drawing
write two or three sentences about what you visualized. Remember: I am not
grading you on your artistic ability, just that you showed me that you were able
to visualize what happened in this book."
6.
Have students read the book silently to themselves. Once the students read
through the book, have them draw a picture of what they just read. Let students
share their drawings in front of the class and grade them according to the
proceeding assessment checklist. After the students present their picture, ask
them a visualization question that does not make sense. Have them tell you why
it does not make sense. For example, "It was a cold snowy day. When Henry got
dressed the morning he put on flip flops and shorts." What is wrong with the
picture in your head?
Assessment:
___Did the student draw a picture?
___Does the picture correctly relate to the story?
___Did the student include two to three sentences about their drawing?
___Do the students correctly relate to the story?
___Can student find inconsistency in the following through visualization?
References:
·
Visualization Movie Magic!
By: Meagen Dennis
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/awakenings/dennisrl.htm
·
Can You See What I See?
By: Laurin Lee
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/invitations/leerl.htm
·
Seeing the Story Crystal Clear.
By: Rebecca Weathers
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/awakenings/weathersrl.htm
·
Where the Sidewalk Ends
By: Shel Silverstein
·
A Box Can be Many Things
By: Dana Rau