The Movie in Your Mind
When I was in seventh grade I remember my teacher reading the Gary Paulsen book Hatchet. (All this time and I didn't know he was born in my hometown until just now when I looked up how to spell his last name. In Minnesota there are many Paulsons/Paulsens, Andersons/Andersens, Olsons/Olsens.)
In the book, the protagonist has to survive in Canada with only a hatchet. I remember one part vividly where he has to get his own food and I remember making connections to my own life. To this day I can still remember how I felt landing in the icy water and finding my own shelter.
In the first of the 7 Keys to Comprehension is that of a "Motion Picture of the Mind". When talking about reading in the past, I have always told my students to "paint a picture in my mind". When I say that phrase I always get this image of an impressionist painting that is bleeding paint and the colors are almost swirling around.
Do my students see that?
What do they see?
Have I told them what I see?
When talking about the "Motion Picture of the Mind", Zimmerman and Hutchins stress the importance of talking with children about what you are seeing as you read.
So I have started stopping when I read stories to my class and taking turns telling them what I see, and asking what they see.
After doing this for about a month, I want to try another suggestion from the book. I will have them act out short scenes that we read. (And we are reading short books, so it will be quick.)
In the book, the protagonist has to survive in Canada with only a hatchet. I remember one part vividly where he has to get his own food and I remember making connections to my own life. To this day I can still remember how I felt landing in the icy water and finding my own shelter.
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| Edited with GIMP |
In the first of the 7 Keys to Comprehension is that of a "Motion Picture of the Mind". When talking about reading in the past, I have always told my students to "paint a picture in my mind". When I say that phrase I always get this image of an impressionist painting that is bleeding paint and the colors are almost swirling around.
Do my students see that?
What do they see?
Have I told them what I see?
When talking about the "Motion Picture of the Mind", Zimmerman and Hutchins stress the importance of talking with children about what you are seeing as you read.
So I have started stopping when I read stories to my class and taking turns telling them what I see, and asking what they see.
After doing this for about a month, I want to try another suggestion from the book. I will have them act out short scenes that we read. (And we are reading short books, so it will be quick.)
