Even though I’m an upper grade teacher, not a single day goes by that I don’t read a picture book to my class. I love using picture books to teach a wide range of reading and writing skills. Even though they are older, my kiddos still love to come down to our rug to hear a great story.
4. I display the book using my document camera and projector, and flip from one page to the next. As we go through the pages, my students write the story in their own words with their own ideas. Each student connects to this story in their own way. I give them about 2 to 3 minutes per page to jot down a few sentences. We continue through the end of the book until they have complete story, from beginning to end!! (It’s a bit lengthy, so it may need to be done in two parts).
5. When we have gotten through the whole book, my students go back to their tables to share their stories. It’s amazing how different their stories are!!
6. Finally, I give them a chance to revise, edit, and write a final draft.
My students love this activity!! They love how they get to use the details from the illustrations with their own imaginations to craft beautiful stories!!
If your students are like mine, then they will be begging for more! Luckily, this wonderful story continues in the book Quest, and Aaron Becker has another masterpiece, Return, coming out at the beginning of August.
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Another one of my favorite (almost) wordless picture books is the Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg. This is a book I have been using in my classroom since my very first year of teaching.
The Mystery
The idea behind this book is that a man named Harris Burdick brought to a publisher a collection of illustrations that he drew for 14 different stories. Burdick promised to return the next day with those stories. However, he never returned and was never heard from again! The book contains his 14 illustrations, and a title and caption to go with each. The mystery… What were the stories behind the stunning illustrations?!?!
The Lesson
1. I turn the lights down real low, bring my kiddos down to the rug, and quietly share with them the mystery behind Harris Burdick.
2. Then I share each illustration one-by-one. As we go through each illustration I first ask students: “What do you notice in this picture?” As they point out the different details, they begin to piece together a story for each illustration.
3. Finally, I allow each student to choose one illustration. I give them a copy and they get to take it back to their seats to write their very own story. It’s interesting, because each student connects to a different illustration, and they are almost compelled to tell the story of that illustration.
4. Afterwards, I have students share their stories with their classmates, either to the whole class, or in small groups. They love to hear each and every one!!
In recent years, a collection of stories, inspired by the illustrations, was actually published. The book, The Chronicles of Harris Burdick includes stories by other famous authors including Kate DiCamillo, Stephen King, and Louis Sachar. I will usually read one or two of the stories aloud to the class, and then leave the book available for some of my more serious readers!!
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