Summary: In this interactive, students practice visualizing as they read. With computer drawing tools, they create a picture show with the images they see in their mind as they read. They also choose music to represent each part of the text. Students may choose a poem, a non-fiction article, or musical selection to visualize.
Tips for using the student site in your classroom or lab: Download Tips
Download the screen-by-screen preview: Download Preview
Before you start:
- Remind students to read and listen carefully to the instructions starting on the first screen of the activity. (This really helps!)
- Review the concept of visualizing, and model your own thought processes while visualizing. Be explicit: "When I read this, I see... I hear... It reminds me of..."
- The Need a Hint button in the activity provides prompts for students who are struggling. You may also use the Need a Hint questions for class discussion.
- Note on texts:
- Black Rat Snake is an informational text — visualizing helps students focus on concepts and cement details in their minds.
- Cat Act is a poem — visualizing helps students think more deeply and imaginatively and make a personal connection with text.
- Peer Gynt Suite lets students practice visualizing from music.
- Remind students to click Save if they don't finish their picture show.
- Tell students what you would like them to do when they finish the activity.
- Stop after finishing one picture show, or do all three.
- Print or e-mail their picture shows (to you, to parents).
- Listen to the Visualizing song.
- Raise your hand and check in with me.
After you finish:
- View student picture shows; if all students e-mail you their picture shows, you can collect the links and then watch them together as a class using a projector.
- Discuss the picture shows as a class, in small groups, or in one-on-one conferences.
- Compare picture shows — why are they different?
- Describe the movie you created in your mind when you read the story.
- What were you trying to express with the music you chose?
- Are there parts of the story that are not in your picture show?
- Are there things in your picture show that are not in the story?
- Use printed picture shows for student portfolios or during one-on-one conferences.
- Visualizing can be used to assess comprehension.
- Continue to work with students to help them to visualize while they read.
