Language Three: Pictures in the Mind

Learning Outcomes

Students will:

1. Use during reading strategies such as visualizing characters, setting and situations.
2. Use after reading strategies such as responding to the text through talking


Activity

Bring in an unfamiliar fiction text which features whales and/or other sea 
creatures as its main character. Choose a particularly descriptive section to 
read aloud to the children. 

Before reading, provide the children with a pencil and a sheet of paper. 
Encourage them to draw what they "picture in their mind" as you are reading.

Have children share their illustrations. Share the illustration from the text. 
Discuss how the group visualized the characters, setting and situations of 
the text. Discuss how the illustrator visualized the text.


Assessment
Old Tom the Turtle gives some hints for assessment:

* Note students' responses as they share their interpretations of the text
* Examine student pictures to gather/note information about their 
understanding of the shared text