Group 1: Sara, Heather, Olga, Ayo
Instructional Activity
Title: Using Visual Literacy to Teach Writing and Science
Audience: Fourth through fifth grade students
Time Frame: Three class periods
Purpose/Learning Objectives: Students will learn how modern technology has changed
every part of our daily lives. Students will use visual literacy skills to think about how
science has advanced and use writing skills to communicate their thinking.
Common Core Standards and Georgia Performance Standards:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and
convey ideas and information clearly.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development
and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience (Common Core State
Standards Initiative, 2012).

S4CS5. Students will communicate scientific ideas and activities clearly (Georgia
Department of Education, 2011).
Materials/Resources:

Background information for the teacher
o
Visual Literacy as a Classroom Approach by J. Rowsell, M. Hamilton, and C.
McLean. This article offers information about incorporating visual literacy skills
in any classroom setting. One suggestion from this article is to show students
pictures of images relating to concepts being taught in the classroom.
Students then write down their thoughts and reactions to these images.

Nonfiction books contained in this lesson
o
Carlson, L. (2006). Thomas Edison for kids: His life and ideas, 21 activities.
Chicago: Chicago Review Press.
o
Delano, M. F., Sloane, D. E. E. (2002). Inventing the future: A
photobiography of Thomas Alva Edison. Des Moines, IA: National Geographic
Children’s Books.
o
Fritz, J. (1996). What’s the big idea, Ben Franklin? New York: Penguin Putnam
Books for Young Readers.


Websites contained in this lesson
o
Inventors and Inventions (Enchanted Learning, 2010)
o
Ice Cream Cone Makes Appearance at World’s Fair (Library of Congress, n.d.)
o
Wacky Patent of the Month (Colitz, 2012)
Images contained in this lesson
o
Aldrin Apollo 11 (NASA, 1969)
o
American Muscle Car (Brenn, M., 2011)
o
Horse Drawn Carriage on Mt. Buffalo (State Library of Victoria Collections,
1930)
o
Phone (Bradford, B., 2012)
o
Showerhead (Dew, S., 2005)
o
Taormina-Sicilia-Italy (Castielli, M. G., 2009)
o
Dragon Con Compaq Man (Mike, 2010)
o
Letter from World War One describing the journey from Australia to Egypt,
1914: Bottom of page two (Thompson, E., 2007)
o
Fire (Malone, A., 2007)
o
Kaiserin Elisabeth (Seemann, H., Lunzer, C., 1862)
o
In the Woods at Giverny: Blanche Hoschede at Her Easel With Suzanne
Hoschede Reading (Monet, C., 1887)

o
Portrait of Karl Friedrich Reinhard von Gemmingen (Unknown, 1740s)
o
Water Well (Secretariat, S., 2009)
Music files contained in this lesson (both are instrumental)

o
Call Me Blondie (Harry, D. and Moroder, G., 1980)
o
Au Clair de la Lune (Unknown, 1700s)
Artifacts required for this lesson

o
Vinyl Record
o
Compact Disc
o
Cassette Tape
o
iPod
o
Typewriter
o
iPad
Literature for students contained in this lesson
o

Poem: Jimmy Jet and His TV Set by Shel Silverstein (2004)
Venn Diagram Anchor Chart
o
The teacher will make a large Venn Diagram chart that the students will fill in
as a whole class.
Activity Instructions:
Day 1

The teacher will ask students to consider what they think about when they hear the
terms “olden times” and “modern times.” Students will offer answers in whole class
discussion.

The teacher will show students images of “olden times” while playing music file “Au
Clair de la Lune.” These images will include men and women in 1700s and 1800s
dress, paintings of people reading, old tools, etc.

The teacher will then show students images of “modern times” while playing music
file “Call Me Blondie.” These images include an astronaut on the moon, computers,
sky lifts, etc.

The teacher will show students the websites included in this lesson that explore
different ways technology has evolved over time.
Day 2

Students will share their thoughts from yesterday about how technology has
changed over time. The teacher will discuss with students how they think their lives
may be different if they did not have certain types of technology. The teacher will
read “Jimmy Jet and His TV Set” by Shel Silverstein. Students will discuss whether or
not they think people are too attached to their technology devices.

The teacher will introduce the artifacts contained in this lesson. Students will discuss
which time periods they think these artifacts are from. Teacher will inform them that
all of these artifacts are actually very modern, though students may not think of
vinyl records and cassette tapes as modern. This will lead to a discussion of how
quickly technology is changing now.

The teacher will share with students the nonfiction books about inventions and
inventors.

The teacher will show students large Venn Diagram with one side labeled “Pre
Modern Technology” and the other side labeled “Modern Technology.” Students will
fill in the chart using images, music types, and artifacts.
Day 3

The students will write a response of at least one page in length reflecting on their
thoughts about modern times and how technology has changed over time. They will
include their reactions to the images and music they just saw and heard.

To conclude the lesson, students will complete a “Ticket Out the Door” explaining in
at least one sentence what they learned about how much modern technology has
changed our everyday lives.
Assessment Strategies/Rubrics: Students will turn in their writing from the first day’s
activity. This will be assessed using the following rubric.
Criteria
Does not meet
requirements
(1)
Does not state
differences
between
technology now
and in past ages
Partially meets
requirements
(2)
Gives one
example of how
technology has
changed over
time to affect
our lives
Meets
requirements
(3)
Gives 2-3
examples of how
technology has
changed over
time to affect
our lives
Awareness that
technology is
still changing
Does not state
that technology
will continue to
change in the
future
Uses correct
grammar and
spelling
Many errors in
grammar and
spelling that
interfere with
meaning
States that
technology will
continue to
change but does
not gives
examples of
possible
changes
Some errors in
grammar and/or
spelling that
may interfere
with meaning
States that
technology will
continue to
change and
gives one
example of
possible
changes
Minor errors in
grammar and/or
spelling that do
not interfere
with meaning
Awareness of
how technology
has changed
over time
Exceeds
requirements
(4)
Gives four or
more examples
of how
technology has
changed over
time to affect
our lives
States that
technology will
continue to
change and
gives at least
two examples of
possible
changes
No errors in
grammar or
spelling
Total Points
Example of Activity Outcome: Students’ papers will vary based on their responses. This
is an example of a possible Venn Diagram students and the teacher may create in the
lesson.
Pre Modern Technology
Fire for light and heat
Travel by foot, horse, or
boat
Different clothes
No running water
Talking or letters for
communication
Modern Technology
Use of
simple
machines
(hammers,
wheels,
levers, etc.
Electricity
Travel by vehicle,
airplane, train, boat
Modern clothing
Running water
Phones, texting, e-mail,
social media for
communication
Follow Up Strategies: If students struggle to see how technology has evolved over time
and how it affects our everyday lives, the teacher will bring in more artifacts of modern
technology (phones, pictures of cars, etc.) Students will have discussion about how their
parents and grandparents have shared differences in technology from when they were
young.
References
Bradford, B. (2012). Phone 5. Retrieved from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrbill/8055577849/.
Brenn, M. (2011). American muscle car. Retrieved from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aigle_dore/5952275132/.
Carlson, L. (2006). Thomas Edison for kids: His life and ideas, 21 activities. Chicago:
Chicago Review Press.
Castielli, M. G. (2009). Taormina-Sicilia-Italy-castielli. Retrieved from
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:094_gnuckx_Taormina-Sicilia-Italycastielli_CC0_HQ_(4276793887).jpg.
Colitz, J. (2012). Wacky patent of the month. Retrieved from
http://www.colitz.com/site/wacky_new.html.
Common Core State Standards Initiative. (2012). English language arts standards.
Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy.
Delano, M. F., Sloane, D. E. E. (2002). Inventing the future: A photobiography of Thomas
Alva Edison. Des Moines, IA: National Geographic Children’s Books.
Dew, S. (2005). Showerhead. Retrieved from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/spring_dew/44588780/.
Enchanted Learning. (2010). Zoom inventors and inventions. Retrieved from
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/inventors/indexa.shtml.
Fritz, J. (1996). What’s the big idea, Ben Franklin? New York: Penguin Putnam Books for
Young Readers.
Georgia Department of Education. (2011). Science K-5. Retrieved from
https://www.georgiastandards.org/Standards/Pages/BrowseStandards/ScienceStand
ardsK-5.aspx.
Harry, D., Moroder, G. (1980). Call me blondie. Retrieved from
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Call_me-Blondie.mid.
Malone, A. (2007). Fire. Retrieved from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewmalone/2032844649/.
Mike. (2010). Dragon con compaq man. Retrieved from
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dragon_Con_Compac_Man.jpg.
Monet, C. (1887). In the Woods at Giverny: Blanche Hoschedé at her easel with Suzanne
Hoschedé reading. Retrieved from
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Claude_Monet__In_the_Woods_at_Giverny_Blanche_Hosched%C3%A9_at_Her_Easel_with_Suzanne_Hosched%C3%A9_Readin
g_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg.
Library of Congress. (n.d.) Ice cream cone makes appearance at world’s fair. Retrieved from
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/progress/jb_progress_icecream_1.html.
NASA. (1969). Aldrin Apollo 11. Retrieved from
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aldrin_Apollo_11.jpg.
Secretariat, S. (2009). Shallow water well in traditional house. Retrieved from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gtzecosan/4359799047/.
Seemann, H., Lunzer, C. (1862). Kaiserin Elisabeth. Retrieved from
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kaiserin_Elisabeth_1862.jpg.
Silverstein, S. (2004). Jimmy jet and his TV set. Where the sidewalk ends 30th anniversary
edition. New York: HarperCollins.
State Library of Victoria Collections. (1930). Horse drawn carriage on Mt. Buffalo. Retrieved
from http://www.flickr.com/photos/statelibraryofvictoria_collections/5739136272/.
Thompson, E. (2007). Letter from World War One describing the journey from Australia to
Egypt, 1914: Bottom of page two. Retrieved from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eethompson/2142933187/.
Unknown. (1700s). Au clair de la lune. Retrieved from
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Au_Clair_de_la_Lune_children%27s_book_2
.mid.
Unknown. (1740s). Portrait of Karl Friedrich Reinhard von Gemmingen. Retrieved from
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gemmingen-karl-friedrich-reinhard.jpg.