Using Images to
Enhance Reading,
Writing and Thinking
Skills
“See things as you would have them be
instead of what they are.”
are.”
– Robert Collier
Jamie Forshey
Instructional Technology Coach
Bellwood-Antis School District
Discovery Education Network Preconference
PETE&C Conference – February 2011
Inspire and engage your students through the integration of…
Images – Instructional Strategies – Technology
If you’re a teacher looking for a(n):
“Hook” actitvy… Bell Ringer… Exit Ticket… Formative Assessment Tool…
Check out some of the “Image Mash-up” ideas listed below!
Bubble Trouble
Find a photo or painting depicting an event, idea or group of people related to your content. Use
photo editing software (i.e. Inspiration), an online editing tool (i.e. Webspiration or Picnik), or
create a slide in PowerPoint in order to add thought/speech bubbles to the image.
Have students complete the bubbles
with actual words or thoughts the
characters in the image would say or
think.
Pair share with a partner ensuring that
students explain their writing.
Facilitate a large group discussion
regarding what students wrote and why.
Discuss the differences between what
the characters in the picture might say
as compared to what they might think.
Write a short story or an account of the event portrayed in the image. Be sure to include past,
present and future tense.
Picture word splash
Use this strategy to activate prior knowledge, as a vocabulary review, Please Do Now/Bell Ringer
and/or Exit Ticket. Pair share with a partner or small group. Follow up with a whole group
share out.
This activity is a student favorite in my classroom! ☺
Big huge labs = big huge results
This really cool Web 2.0 tool – located at http://bighugelabs.com – offers an array of utilities for
showcasing digital images. How can these activities be integrated into the classroom? Your
creativity and imagination is the limit! ☺ Here are a few ideas to get you started…
Motivational Posters
Use this concept to create a
Do Now, conversation
starter, to introduce a topic
and/or spark a discussion
related to a current event.
Motivational posters can
also be used for student
generated activities such as
vocabulary reinforcement
and classroom posters
displaying rules, heroes,
famous people, etc. to name
a few. These posters then
can be utilized to create
word walls and/or “Walls of
Fame”.
Other motivational poster tools include:
• Brainyflix (focuses on SAT vocabulary) - http://www.gotbrainy.com
• Automotivator - http://wigflip.com/automotivator
For more info regarding the use of Automotivator/motivational posters in the classroom,
check out my wiki page located at http://jf20.wikispaces.com/Tech+Tip+of+the+Week++January+2011.
Trading Cards
Use the “Trading Card” application as chapter/unit review and/or a culminating activity to give
students the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge about a particular concept. Once the
trading cards are generated, they can be shared with classmates in a variety of ways, utilized for
a review game and/or added to a word wall.
For the really adventurous: Create a digital story using the trading cards and share via a class
wiki or blog. Think about the 21st Century skills involved in an activity like this! ☺
Magazine Covers
Like the “Trading Card” utility, the “Magazine Cover” tool can also be incorporated to provide
students with a chance to creatively display their knowledge about a particular topic. Check out
the info on the next page to see an example of how the “Magazine Cover” generator can be used
as chapter review/culminating activity.
“Magazine Covers” can also add a digital twist to a variety of writing activities. The sample
shown below is a cover page that was created for an autobiography project.
Magazine Mania
Hey, Sixth Grade Egyptologists! Use your newly acquired knowledge about the Ancient Egyptians to create an
award-winning magazine cover about the many fascinating topics related to one of the world’s first civilizations.
Using the template shown below on a web site called “Big Huge Labs”, you will…
∙ Open the “Big Huge Labs” magazine cover generator via the link located in my folder on the shared student
drive. ☺
∙ Log into your account on “Big Huge Labs” using the student information card you received. ☺
∙ Find an image from “Discovery Education” to serve as your background image. Download this image to your
student folder on the shared student drive. Upload the image to your account on “Big Huge Labs”. ☺
∙ Create snazzy titles for your magazine cover – those that will encourage readers to purchase your magazine. ☺
∙ Choose a cool font and color scheme to accent your background image. ☺
∙ Experiment with your project using the “preview” and “edit” buttons until you have created a masterpiece. ☺
∙ Save your finished project to your student folder (File name = Title of magazine). ☺
∙ Print your most excellent Egyptian magazine cover to share with all of the world! ☺
Template
Must haves:
Finished Product
Main Title… Subtitle/Tagline… Publication Date… Price… At least four article
titles… Be creative… Have fun! ☺
Digital Word Walls
After teaching a concept, have students locate digital images on the web. Use these images to
create a word wall. To further enhance knowledge of a topic, incorporate some type of writing
activity that is shared with classmates. This would also be an excellent time to teach students
about copyright issues and how to properly cite sources.
Better yet: Take students on a digital field trip around the school photographing objects that
depict a concept discussed in class (i.e. geometric shapes). A great way to display authentic
student work! ☺
Both of these ideas can also be extended into a digital story using PhotoStory, VoiceThread,
Animoto, etc…
Additional Tools that can be utilized with Images:
The list of Web 2.0 tools that can be utilized to create digital image projects and activities is
quite extensive, but some of my “faves” include:
• Glogster – http://www.glogster.com
• Animoto – http://animoto.com
• Image Chef - http://www.imagechef.com
• Be Funky – http://befunky.com
• Loona Pix – http://www.loonapix.com
• Fodey – http://www.fodey.com
• MagMyPic – http://www.magmypic.com
• Google Image Swirl – http://image-swirl.googlelabs.com
• Blabberize – http://blabberize.com
• MakeSweet – http://www.makesweet.com
• PicLits – http://piclits.com
• Shape Collage – http://www.shapecollage.com
• 13 Fantastic and Fun Image Generators – http://mashable.com/2009/08/22/imagegenerators
What’s the rationale?
The use of images combined with
instructional strategies and/or technology…
• Sparks interest and enthusiasm
• Engages the learner
• Provokes thought
• Provides clarity
• Encourages interaction & collaborat
collaboration
• Stimulates discussion
• Makes connections to learning
• Addresses the four lenses of learning (meaning-centered, language-based,
based, human, social)
• Enhances critical thinking skills
• Inspires creativity
• Strengthens literacy, including information and visual literacies
• Promotes a variety of 21st Century skills
And the best part: Lessons, activities and projects using images can be designed and utilized in
all content areas across the K-12
12 curriculum! ☺
Tech Tip of the Week
Join my mailing list to receive weekly tips regarding how to integrate various Web 2.0 tools into
your classroom and/or visit http://jf20.wikispaces.com/Tech+Tip+of+the+Week.
http://jf20.wikispaces.com/Tech+Tip+of+the+Week
Contact Info:
Jamie Forshey
Instructional Technology Coach
Bellwood-Antis School District
Email: jlf@blwd.k12.pa.us
Skype: jforshey20
Wikispace: http://jf20.wikispaces.com