Lesson Title: What does that picture say?

Grade Level: Grade 3 Class Time: 90 minutes Subject Integration: English

Brief Overview: This lesson expands students' inferring skills, enabling students to make meaning out of visuals as well as text in an assortment of picture books.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to name and describe different illustration features and how they contribute to the story's meaning.

Common Core Standard: CC.3.R.I.7 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur)

AASL Standard: 1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.

AASL / IFC Skill: Uses a variety of strategies to determine important ideas

Learning/Teaching Activities CT=Classroom Teacher L=Librarian

Resources

Accommodations/Modifications for All Learners

The practice text will be read out loud Students will work with partners in independent practice

and read a loud to each other Students may fill the chart out with illustrations instead of

words, or, after discussing the answer together, one student can fill out the chart to support their partner

Direct Work with students to review the definition of inferring to Large chart paper

P. DiSalvo-Harms – 2015

Instruction build on prior knowledge (like being a detective- use clues to make a well informed guess about the story)

Introduce the skill: inferring from pictures to create meaning

Work with students to establish questions to consider about illustrations (Ask: “what clues do illustrations give us?”): ◦ What colors are being used? What does that tell me

about the story?◦ Do the lines tell me anything about the character's

emotions?◦ Does the character's placement on the page tell me

anything?◦ What do I notice about the character's facial

expression?◦ What do the actions and body posture of the character

tell me? (Adapted from Prior, Willson, and Martinez 2012) 1

Explain: “At the end of each page, pretend there is a stop sign. Take time to investigate the illustrations and see if you can answer any of these questions to help you understand the story.”

Warm- up activity to help students recognize features- class gallery walk◦ Post different illustration features in different areas of

the classroom, give students a few example

with two column table labeled “I think” and “because”

Large chart paper headed “What clues do illustrations give us?” with questions to consider and examples

Print outs of example pictures for each student

Five large signs for each illustration feature (colors, lines, placement, facial expression, and actions/body posture)

Copies of graphic organizer for students & clipboards

Lily's Purple Plastic Purse

1 Prior, L. A., Willson, A., and Martinez, M. (2012). Picture this: Visual literacy as a path to character understanding. The Reading Teacher, 66 (3), 195-206. P. DiSalvo-Harms – 2015

illustrations, and have them hang them under the correct label

Introduce the graphic organizer: I think/ Because chart Explain: “We are going to practice this skill together first

until you are comfortable with it. Then, a little later, you will choose partners and practice with a new book and continue filling out this chart. We are all going to be teachers today as we will end the class by sharing what we have noticed with each other to finish our chart. Then we will always have this chart to refer back to if we need to.”

Read a loud the book Lily's Purple Plastic Purse and demonstrate the skill by thinking aloud what the pictures communicate and how (or through what feature)◦ add observations to I think/ Because chart and have

students do likewise

Guided Practice Continue reading the book as a class and stop periodically

to have a group discussion around the visuals◦ prompt students to make meaning from the visuals

with questions▪ Generally- What do you see here? What does this

visual tell us?▪ Specifically- What does this [specific feature] tell

us?◦ Have students think independently or turn and discuss

with a neighbor

Lily's Purple Plastic Purse

P. DiSalvo-Harms – 2015

◦ Add additional observations to I think/ Because chart

Independent Practice Provide students with an assortment of picture books with

strong visuals Partners select a book, take turns reading out loud, and

work through inferring from visuals in this new text, adding to their I think/ Because graphic organizer

Circulate to guide students with pointed questions and offer encouragement where appropriate

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus

Wemberly Worried Olivia Officer Buckle and

Gloria Where the Wild

Things Are No, David!

Closing/Sharing/Reflection

Before the end of class, pairs share what they have discovered and it is added to the class I think/ Because chart

Students are given time to share visuals they may have struggled with and the class works through them together

Any lingering questions are welcomed

Assessment(s) I think/ Because chart

Resources/Activities for Extending the Learning:

P. DiSalvo-Harms – 2015

Students create their own picture books using the visual features they have learned to convey meaning, by hand or through a Web 2.0 tool such as My Story Maker

I think/Because Graphic Organizer

I think... Because...

P. DiSalvo-Harms – 2015

P. DiSalvo-Harms – 2015

P. DiSalvo-Harms – 2015

Chart adapted from Prior, L. A., Willson, A., and Martinez, M. (2012). Picture this: Visual literacy as a path to character understanding. The Reading Teacher, 66 (3), 195-206.

Image References

Falconer, I. (2000). Olivia. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Henkes, K. (2000). Wemberly worried. New York: Greenwillow Books.

Willems, M. (2003). Don't let the pigeon drive the bus. New York: Hyperion Books for Children.

P. DiSalvo-Harms – 2015