How illustrations contribute to what is conveyed in a story

General

It's said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Why is that? Pictures can communicate details about setting, character, and plot that would take a long time to explain, or that may not be as important as other elements of a story. The nice thing about illustrations is they are open to interpretation, and the person reading the story can take as much or as little detail from them as they choose.

Analyzing a picture for details also helps students learn details and draw conclusions from the world around them so that they can better communicate their thoughts and opinions.

Standards

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.7

Learning Objective

Students will be able to explain how the illustrations of a text add to a story.

Introduction

Review what illustrations, characters, and setting, and events are. Students will look at an illustration and tell about the characters, setting, and event depicted. They will also match descriptions to their corresponding illustrations.

Instruction

Students will look at an illustration of students working together in class with the text, "The students are working in groups to complete a story for a Christmas play." They will determine how the characters feel and tell why. They will also look at an illustration of a winter scene with the text, "Sarah, Geanie, and Alex are having fun in the snow." They will tell the setting and describe the details in the illustration that helped them determine it. Next, they will look at illustrations depicting a series of events. They will answer questions about the character's routine and tell where they found the answer (from the text or the illustration). They will then look at an illustration of a girl playing the recorder and a boy playing the guitar. Students will answer questions about the characters. After that, they will sort illustrations into the categories: character, setting, and event.

Quiz

These ten practice problems ask students to consider the different ways that illustrations can add to our understanding of a story.

Closing

Have students recall what they learned in the lesson. They will look at an illustration of a birthday party and answer questions about the illustration. Lastly, they will spin the wheel to decide what to draw. They will trade their illustrations with a partner and discuss the characters, setting, and events.