Strategy Lesson Plan-Mental Images

Materials and Focus:

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen (illustrated by John Schoenherr)

computer paper or sketchbook to demonstrate for group

Using My Senses- See (eyes)

Hear (ear)

Feel (face)

Words that stick

Activity 1

Explicit Teaching (“ I Do”)

Today we are going to read Owl Moon by Jane Yolen. It is about a child going owling for the

first time with their dad.

I really like this book as a reader because the author describes the setting and what things look

like, sound like, and feel like as the story is happening. Good readers create many images in

their mind as they are reading to help them understand. It is like playing a movie in your mind

as you read as using the authors words and your schema to do this.

Let me show you what this might look like. I am going to read aloud the story Owl Moon. As I

read, I am going to be imagining what is happening by using the authors words and my schema

to help create images in my mind.

Read the text. Stop and “think aloud”.

See (eyes) large trees with no leaves because it is winter/a big bright moond/snow

Hear (ear) train whistling low and stead

Feel (face) calm

Words that stick The trees stood still like giant statues

The moon was so bright the sky seemed to shine.

Read the text. Stop and “think aloud”.

See (eyes) gray footprints, shadows-long and short, round

Hear (ear) crunching, nothing else

Feel (face) anticipating and anxious-waiting and waiting for something

Words that stick quiet as a dream

crisp snow

Activity 2

Materials and Focus:

Yolen, Jane Owl Moon (illustrated by John Schoenherr)

computer paper or sketchbook to demonstrate for group

Using My Senses- See (eyes)

Hear (ear)

Feel (face)

Words that stick

Students Reader Response Journals

pencil

Review day before briefly.

Finish Explicit Teaching

Read the text. Stop and “think aloud”.

See (eyes) pointy trees, a sky with stars, bundled up

Hear (ear) an owl call (my dad’s voice) over and over, feet crunching

Feel (face) cold

Words that stick black and pointy against the sky

silver mask

someone’s icy hand was palm-down on my back

Discussion of process and content:

As I was reading, I was able to create mental images with the author’s words and my own

schema. This made the story almost come alive and made me feel a part of it like I was there.

Good readers use mental images to understand the text because it helps them understand the text

better. It helps readers remember details of the story and makes it memorable, or enjoyable and

worth remembering.

Why would readers have different images in their mind? (different schemas)

What types of words does the author use to help us visualize the text and create images?

What ways are we able to imagine? (see, hear, feel)

Guided Practice (We do)

As I continue to read, I want you to try to find words and use your own schema to create images

in your mind. As I read, be thinking of how the words make you feel, what you hear, what you

see, and what words stand out to you as a reader. Remember, every reader is going to have

different images because each reader has a different schema.

In your Reader Response Journals and create a table similar to mine- in fourths. While I read,

I will pause to give you time draw and write about the images that you see and hear, how you

are feeling, and to write words that stick out to you. As I keep reading, these images might

change and you will want to add to what you see, hear, and feel.

See

Hear

Feel

Words

Read story and pause after every 1-2 pages to give students time to draw images and write down

their thinking.

1. Have students share aloud

2. Have students talk with partners and compare similarities and differences

3. Have students discuss process

Read the story from beginning to end and show the illustrations. Again, have students compare

similarities and differences. Discuss the following ideas:

How did the author’s words help you visualize?

How did your schema help you visualize?

How does this help you understand?

Activity 3

Materials:

What To Do About Grandma

Graphic Organizer- Using Your Senses to Create Mental Images

Pencil

Collaborative Practice (You do together):

Today, you will be reading the poem What To Do About Grandma. You will be working with a

partner. As you read the poem, think about the author’s words and your schema to create

mental images. Write down what you are thinking about as you or your partner reads.

After the poem is read, talk with your partner about the things that you both saw, heard, and felt

as the poem was being read. Also talk about what words stuck out to you to help create those

images. After you talk with your partner, add to the ideas that you have already written down.

Observe students as they are working in pairs. Talk with students about their ideas. Choose

students to share specific ideas in large group. Have students turn in their organizers to monitor

progress.

Activity 4

Materials

The Ghost-Eye Tree by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault (illustrated by Ted Rand)

Bookmarked pages 2, 8, 18, 30

Changing Mental Images organizer

Pencil

Independent Practice (You do alone):

At floor spot

We have been practicing visualizing. Today I am going to read to you The Ghost-Eye Tree. As I

read, I want you to use the author’s words and your schema to help you create your own image

of what is happening in the story.

Directions

1. I will read the story. As I read, I will pause. When I pause, I want you to use pictures

and words to show what you are visualizing in your mind for that page- show organizer

on board. This will be different then before because I want you to put everything you are

visualizing just in one box. We are going to visualize 4 times. That is why will have

four places on our page. Circle 1, 2, 3, 4.

2. Please get your paper ready by adding the Title and Author- write on the board- and your

name.

3. Read story stopping at 2, 8, 18, 30 (bookmarked).