Next time you are looking for texts to use to teach standards, introduce a topic, add to students' understanding of a theme, or provide inspiration for a quickwrite, don't forget about picture books. In Secondary ELA, we often forget about these little gems because we have conditioned ourselves to rely on more "adult" forms of literature. However, picture books can be incredibly complex and multilayered. In addition, they can be a great stepping stone into complicated themes, ideas, and discussions, particularly for our striving readers. Don't just use these as inspiration, either! Do a read-aloud for your students and show them all the picture. Even if you teach middle or high school, it's a fun exercise for both you and students, and can open students' eyes to a genre they haven't seen in years. Let's take a look at one example. 13 Words by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Maira Kalman Yes, that Lemony Snicket, of A Series of Unfortunate Events fame. This strange little picture book strings together 13 seemingly-unrelated words into a cohesive storyline. Words range from bird and cake to despondent and haberdashery, which makes it really fun to read with kids of ALL ages, and is a lovely example of the interrelatedness of words and how context adds to our understanding as readers.
I might use this book as a way to cement vocabulary throughout the year or as a creative writing exercise. I'm not a fan of vocabulary out of context or isolated vocabulary exercises, but I also know that one of the ways to make vocabulary permanent is to give students multiple exposures and multiple opportunities to use the words in a real way. If you have been highlighting specific words throughout the year, having students create their own picture book or story using some of those words would be a great way to help them not only practice using them but also consider how those new words might work together. To turn this into a purely creative writing exercise, just have students draw a certain number of words and random and craft their own story.
1 Comment
|
AuthorTeacher of English, curriculum writer, conductor of literacy experiments. Archives
December 2021
Categories |