Visualizing Stories
I recently found a video of 1st graders using the iPad to visualize a poem that their teacher read to them. After students drew what they imagined, they got into pairs and explained their drawings to a partner. The teacher also circulated to listen and to ask deeper questions of understanding.
The concept inspired our Kindergarten teacher and me to try something similar with our five and 6 year old students. Learning how to listen or read a story and being able to visualize the setting, characters and storyline is an important skill. Being able to “translate” one media (oral text) to another (an illustration) is a critical literacy skill.
Our librarian helped pick a book “How do Dinosaurs say Happy Chanukah”, appropriate for this time of year. The Kindergarten teacher explained to the children, that she would be reading the book to them without showing them the pictures. A gasp was heard around the room: “What? No pictures?”. Instead they were asked to use their imagination and draw the pictures in their heads first.
We then handed out the iPads and ask them to draw the picture they had formed in their heads on the iPad with the help of Doodle Buddy. Once finished, we saved the images and emailed them to the teacher.
Dinosaurs And Chanukah from langwitches on Vimeo.
How could we expand the above visualization technique to other grade levels and subject areas?
- have students visualize math word problems
- create visual notes when watching a movie
- introduce and perfect sketchnoting skills
- documenting a science project or lab
- summarizing a book read
How do you see visualization techniques embedded into your area of influence?
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