Visualization and Comprehension
Kaia Kroke
Date: July 3, 2015
Grade of children: 2nd Grade
Activity Name: Visualization and Comprehension
ND Standards: http://www.dpi.state.nd.us/standard/content.shtm
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
RL.7 Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate
understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.
Objectives:
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Given the visualization template, students will be able to draw pictures (based off of their 5
senses) using information from the story being read. Students will use their 5 senses (hear,
taste, smell, see, feel) to visualize different parts of the story, and will portray this through
their drawings. The pictures (in chronological order) will be used to retell the story, which will
show the students comprehension of the story.
Assessment: Students will be assessed informally throughout this lesson. I will monitor and view
student’s visualization boards to measure each student’s progress and comprehension of the story. I
will be looking at student’s visualization boards to ensure that they have drawn a picture in each box,
the pictures are in chronological order to the story being read, and their pictures are based on one/or
more of the 5 senses.
Grouping: The students will be partaking in this activity individually at their desks while working on
the prompting sheet, and whole group while reading the story.
Academic Language and Pertinent Vocabulary: These words will need to be reviewed before the
story for appropriate comprehension of the plot: jolly, trembling, dainty, sashay, Kris Kringle,
dawning. I will ask students previous to giving the definition of each word, if they know what that
particular words means. I will listen to students’ answers to see if they understand and comprehend
each word.
Materials: Pencil, crayons/markers, visualization template (provided), Snowmen at Christmas by
Caralyn Buehner
Procedures: I will begin the lesson with a game on visualizing. This game can be found at
http://prairiepublic.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/psu11la.reading.brrvis/blue-ribbon-readers-thevisualizing-game/
This game is a great tool to start with because we can do it as a whole group and it will get students
ready and strengthen their visualization skills. This game will get them started on what to look and
listen for while reading a story and drawing what they are visualizing. This will also help me right
away as to who is understanding the process and who may need further assistance.
“Who knows what the process of visualization is? (Call on student) Great! I know you all have done
one before and you all were very good at it! I really enjoyed learning and watching you do that
activity. We are going to do some visualizing today and draw a wonderful ‘visualization board’, like
your story boards, that go along with the story (hold up story) Snowmen at Christmas. First, we will
read this story all together then we will each be making our own visualization drawing. I will read this
story (holding up the book) Snowmen At Christmas. You will need to listen very carefully because I
will be stopping every couple pages so you can draw your picture in a box about what you think the
story is describing. Try to imagine you were in the story with the characters…. what would it sound
like? What would it smell like? If you were there, what would you see around you? All of these things
are important when we are trying to visualize something in our minds, and they will help you to
comprehend or understand the story better.” (Read story and stopping after each 3 passages so they
can draw their picture in each box).
“Before we read the story to you though, we should go over some words in the story that we may
come across. These are words we thought you might not know very well or have even heard of them
yet, and they will help you have a better understanding of the story. So let’s review these words:
Jolly: to be really happy and cheerful
Trembling: to shake slightly because you are excited
Dainty: (used to describe) yummy small treats
Sashay: to dance or glide
Kris Kringle: another name for “Santa Claus”
Dawning: to become light as the sun rises
Do you all feel like you have a good understanding of these words? Great! During the story that I will
be reading, and you do not understand something because of a certain word, make sure you ask
because I want to make sure that you understand the story so that you can draw your pictures and be
able to share your story with others by looking at each picture!”
(Read story and stop after each 3 passages so students can draw their pictures in each box.)
(After first passage of story, pages 1, 2, and 4.) “Now let’s think back to what happened in these
pages that I just read. Let’s visualize what you might see or feel if you were in the story. Draw what
you might see or feel in the first box on your visualization sheet.” (Provide students with prompting
and ideas as needed.)
(After second passage of story, pages 5, 6, and7.) “While I was reading, I thought of 3 different senses
that I could use to visualize what was happening in the story. I want you to think of what the
snowmen might see as they are going down the streets or what they might hear. Remember it is
night when the snowmen are out. What might you feel right now if you were in the story? Draw a
picture in the second box.” (Continue providing students with different senses they may need or use
if they were in the story to help them visualize it and draw a picture.)
(Third passage of story, pages 8, 9, and 11.)
(Fourth passage of story, pages 12, 13, and 15.)
(Fifth passage of story, pages 18, 19 and 21.)
(Sixth passage of story, 22, 23, 25, and 26.)
*As students are drawing, I will walk around, and monitor students. I will be looking for pictures
drawn in each box (in chronological order), and I will be looking for pictures examples that relate to 1
or more of the 5 senses. If students are struggling, I will provide them with some prompting/ideas.
As students finish, they will have the option of playing visualization games on the class IPADS or
classroom computers, or receiving another template and reading their choice of a story and drawing
their version of the story in the template.
*The visualization board below can also be displayed on the ActiveBoard to do some stories as a
whole group*
Differentiated Instruction Modifications:
For those students who may be struggling with visually drawing pictures that correlate to the story
Snowmen at Christmas, they would be getting prompts and assistance from a teacher that is present
in the room at the time of the activity. Students need to show in their pictures that they comprehend
the story plot and order of events. This also shows that they understand how to visualize with their
senses. If students are not doing this in their drawings, they will need to sit with a teacher who can
assist the students by providing them with multiple examples and prompts.
For advanced students, this activity could be modified by adding writing to the activity. As the student
draws a picture in each box than they could write a sentence describing that picture and its
connection to the story read.
For students with special needs, this drawing activity would have to be modified according to each
individual’s needs. The students with special needs would be provided assistance in completing the
activity. We believe that having the student participating in the class story time is beneficial to their
understanding of the activity and content described, and also fun being alongside their peers.
Example of student’s visualization template:
Visualization
Name: ______________________________ Date: _________________________
Story: ____________________________________________________________