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Bite into Visualization

READING TO LEARN

By:Amy Maynard

Rationale:

         Young readers are often defined as “learning to read”, but eventually, it is important to transition to “reading to learn”. This means, no longer simply learning how to pronounce and process words, and instead learning how to comprehend what is being read. Visualization is an effective strategy for reading comprehension. This means imagining images and scenes of what we are reading in a text. Students who have learned how to do so will often create “mental movies” to imagine what they are reading. This helps them to better visualize, and therefore remember, what they are reading. This lesson will help students learn to visualize as they read through explicit modeling, independent guided practice, and partner practice. This will be done through multiple readings using pictures to explain key parts. There will also be opportunities for practice while students read a passage and visualize the text and scenes in their imagination.

Materials:

  1. Text: Sand Tiger Shark (one copy for each student)

  2. Lined Paper

  3. Pencils

  4. Crayons, markers, colored pencils, etc.

  5. Critical thinking questions printed or shown in some way

  6. Class set of individual white boards

  7. White board markers

Questions for this text:

  1. Name a way that Sand Tiger Sharks are different from most sharks.

  2. The article states that Sand Tiger Sharks survive well in captivity. Based on what you read, why might this be the case?

  3. Most of the characteristics in the article help the Sand Tiger Sharks to find food. Why are these characteristics important?

Assessment:

The teacher will look at the students’ work and grade based on the following 6-point scale:

  • The student created a picture or series of pictures for their visualization: (2) ______

  • The student’s pictures are accurate and show comprehension (2) ______

  • The student’s answers to the questions are accurate and show understanding (2) ______

Procedure:

  1. Say, “Good morning class! Today we are going to practice a great way to comprehend what we are reading. Can anyone tell me what comprehension means?’ Allow students to respond. “Very good! Being able to comprehend means that you understand and remember what you are reading. The strategy we are using today is called visualization. This means creating a “movie” in your mind that goes along with what you are reading.”

  2.  Say, “Today we are going to read an article about Sand Tiger Sharks. While we do so we are going to practice using visualization to create a mental movie. But first, we are going to review some important vocabulary that you might need for this reading. The first word we are going to review is gills. Can anyone tell me what gills are?” [allow students to try to answer] “Very good! Gills are little slits on the sides of most fish that they use to breathe. Now our second word is buoyant. Can anyone give me a definition for buoyant?” [allow answer time] “Very good! Buoyant means being able to stay afloat and rise to the top of a liquid or gas. Our third word is ferocious. Can anyone tell me what ferocious means?” [allow response time] “That’s okay, this is why we are going over these. Ferocious means scary or violent. Our last word is predator. Can anyone tell me what predator means?” [allow response time] “Very good! A predator is an animal that hunts others.”

  3. Pass out individual white boards and markers. Say: Now we are going to play a review game with these words. I am going to say a sentence with a blank and you are going to write down what word you think goes in the blank on your white board. Then when I say "now!" you are going to hold up your boards so I can see your answers. I want to see what everyone knows on their own so do not look at someone else's answers. Okay your first sentence is "the (blank) shark has sharp teeth." (allow students to write down answers) "Okay now!" (look at the answers to get an idea of the students' understanding of the word) "Very good! Can someone share what they wrote? (let student answer or call on student) That's right! The ferocious shark has sharp teeth! The next sentence is "the rubber duck in the bath tub is (blank)" okay ready now!" (look at the answers for understanding) "Very good! Can someone share what they wrote?" (let student answer or call on student) That's right! The rubber duck in the bath tub is buoyant! The next sentence is "Humans breathe using lungs but fish breathe using (blank)." Okay ready, now!" (look at answers for feedback) "Very good! Someone tell me what you wrote!" (allow student to answer or call on student) "That's right! Humans breathe using lungs but fish breathe through gills! Your last sentence is "A lion is a (blank) of a zebra." (Allow time) "Now! Very good! Can someone read the word they wrote?" (Allow student to read or call on a student) "That's right! A lion is a predator of a zebra." 

  4. Say, “Okay, now I’m going to demonstrate how I might visualize a section of the passage. Make sure you are listening carefully! [Teacher reads the first paragraph, not showing any pictures.]” Teacher closes eyes for a moment, showing children process of thinking about pictures] I see a group of sharks. All breath through their gills and all of them come up to the surface to bring air in. Most of the sharks swim back down but one stays at the top and begins to float!”

  5. Say, “Now I would like for you to try to imagine while I read. So, close your eyes while I read the second paragraph.” [Teacher reads the second paragraph of the article]. “Now I want you to turn and talk to someone and tell them what your visualization or mental movie looked like.” [Allow students about 1 minute to talk]. Say: “Would anyone like to share what they or their partner said?” [Allow for about 3-5 students to share and provide positive feedback].

  6. Say: “Now, with your partner, finish reading the article. When you get to the end, tell each other what you visualized. Then, draw a picture or series of pictures for your visualization on a piece of paper. If you have time, use colored pencils or crayons to color in your picture.” [Allow students about 10-15 minutes to complete this].

  7. Say: “Now, to show that your visualization worked, answer these questions on the back of your paper.” [pass out critical thinking questions that go along with the text]  

Resources:

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