Brooke Baker's Reading Designs

Twisting into Visualization

                                         

 

​

​

 

 

 

 

A Reading to Learn Lesson

 

Rationale:

Learning to read is an important part of a child’s life.    As they grow and develop this skill, they will be reading to learn.  As we read, we are able to comprehend texts.  In other words, we understand what the message is about.  A big part of this is visualization.  This is when the reader can picture what is being described on the page.  It helps bring the reading to life.  Visualization helps to monitor the understanding of the content.  Through visualization, you can see how much you know through what your imagination is telling you.  This lesson will help students begin to visualize through modeling and practice as we learn about natural disasters. 

 

Materials:

• Expository Text about Tornadoes

• Crayons or colored pencils

• Plain paper

• Lined paper

• Rubric

• List of vocabulary words: loom, menacing, ominous

• Comprehension questions

 

Procedures:

1. Say, “Today we are going to be talking about a strategy that will help us comprehend what we read.  Does anyone know what comprehend means?”  Wait for response.  “Comprehending something means to understand it.  After we read something, we want to make sure we understand it. One way to do this is through visualization.  This is when the reader can picture what is being described on the page.  It is kind of like watching a movie as you read the words on a page.  This helps you to easily remember and understand what you just read.”

2. Say, “The article we are going to read today is about a natural disaster.  But not just any natural disaster.  We are going to read about tornadoes toady!  But, before we read about tornadoes, let’s take a look at some vocabulary words.”

3. Say, “Does anyone know loom means?”  Wait for response.  “To loom over something means to hover or appear in a shadowy form.  I’ll use it in a sentence.  The cloud loomed over me as I walked home.  Now help me finish this sentence.  If a bully was looming over me, I would…”

4. Say, “Great job!  What does menacing mean?” Wait for response.  “Menacing means scary or dangerous.  The dog had a menacing growl.  Help me finish this sentence. When the dog with the menacing growl came towards my friend, I…”

5. Say, “Wonderful!  Our last vocabulary word is ominous. What does ominous mean?”  Wait for response.  “Ominous is a warning that something bad could happen.  The door closed with an ominous sound that echoed through the quiet room.  Help me finish this sentence.  There was an ominous silence when…”

6. Say, “Now that we know some vocabulary, let’s try to visualize a passage.  Remember that visualizing means that your brain is making a movie while you read or listen to the words.  I want you to close your eyes and tell me what you see while I read this paragraph. ‘Dark clouds loom overhead.  Sheets of pounding rain pour down from them.  Lightening sparks across the sky, and the roar of thunder is heard for miles.  Hail pellets bounce off of cars and sidewalks.  A severe thunderstorm like this is common in many parts of the country.  Heavy rain, hail, and lightening from a thunderstorm can cause serious damage, but a thunderstorm can also lead to something much more menacing: a tornado.’  You can open your eyes now.  Let’s have a few students share what they saw while I read that.”  Wait for responses. “I visualized a big thunderstorm.  I saw that it was raining so hard that you could hardly see in front of you.  It is thundering and lightening all around us.” As you share what you visualized, draw it out on a whiteboard. 

7. Say, “We each had different visualizations.  Why do you think that was?”  Wait for response.  “We each had different visualizations because we are all different people!  We all have generally the same visualization, but they are all slightly different.”

8. Give them the article, crayons (or colored pencils), copy paper, and lined paper.  Say, “Now you guys are going to give it a try.  You will read this article and at the end of each paragraph, take a second and draw a picture describing what you saw.  Write down one sentence describing what you visualized and how it relates to the article.  You can include information from the text.  When you get done with that, I want you to answer a few questions about the article.”  Write questions on the board.

 

Assessment:

The teacher will grade the drawing based on the rubric below for a total of 10 points

___/2 Did the student draw pictures

___/2 Do the pictures directly relate to the passage?

___/2 Do the pictures show what the passage was about?

___/2 Did the student include a description of what was visualized?

___/2 Do the descriptions relate to the article?

 

Comprehension Questions:

1. How are tornadoes formed?

2. How powerful can tornadoes be?

3. What should you do if a tornado touches the ground?

4. How can you know a tornado is coming?

 

References:

“Venture into a New Land with Visualization” By Caroline Whitehead

“Visualizing Like No Otter” By Alexandria Miller

Michael A. Signal, Tornadoes: Watch Out!, https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/tornadoes-watch-out

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​