Understanding the Role of Illustrations in Stories
Understanding the Role of Illustrations in Stories Objective: Students will learn how illustrations help tell a story by identifying what the pictures show and how they relate to the words.
Learning Objectives
- Recognize how pictures add meaning to a story.
- Describe what is happening in illustrations.
- Connect pictures to the words in the story.
Materials Needed
- A picture book with clear illustrations (e.g., ‘Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?’ by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle)
- Paper
- Crayons or markers
- Pencil
Key Vocabulary
- Illustration
- A picture or drawing that helps tell the story.
- Story
- A group of words and pictures that tell about something that happens.
- Describe
- To tell or show what something is like.
Detailed Activities
Picture Walk and Discussion
- Read the title and show the cover of the picture book to your child.
- Flip through the pages without reading the words, and talk about the pictures together.
- Ask your child to describe what they see in the illustrations.
- Discuss how the pictures might help tell the story or show what’s happening.
Read Aloud and Picture Connection
- Read the story aloud to your child, pointing to the pictures as you read.
- Pause on each page and ask your child how the picture helps them understand the story.
- Encourage your child to tell you what they notice in the pictures and how it relates to the words.
Draw Your Own Illustration
- Ask your child to pick their favorite part of the story.
- Help them draw a picture that shows that part of the story on a blank sheet of paper.
- Have your child describe their drawing and how it relates to the story.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- This lesson focuses on helping your child understand that pictures are important parts of a story and help explain what is happening.
- Encourage your child to talk about what they see in the pictures and how it connects to the words you read together.
- Keep the discussion light and fun to build your child’s confidence in sharing their ideas.
Assessment Questions
- Can you tell me what is happening in this picture?
- How do the pictures help you understand the story?
- Can you draw a picture about your favorite part of the story and tell me about it?
Extension Ideas
- Look at other picture books and talk about how the illustrations tell the story.
- Create a simple story together and draw pictures to go with each part.
- Use magazines or printouts to cut out pictures and make a story collage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some children may need extra time to feel comfortable. Try asking simple, open-ended questions and praise any effort they make to respond.
Try to do similar activities several times a week to build familiarity and confidence with connecting pictures and words.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Children may think pictures are just decorations and not part of the story.
- Children might focus only on the words and ignore the illustrations.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Use books with very clear and simple pictures.
- Give extra time and use more guiding questions to help them notice details.
For Advanced Students:
- Ask them to predict what might happen next based on the pictures.
- Encourage them to describe how the pictures show feelings or actions.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Spend about 15 minutes on the picture walk and discussion.
- Use 20 minutes for read aloud and picture connection with pauses to talk.
- Leave 10 minutes for drawing and sharing their own illustration.
Standards
- K.RI.8 — With prompting and support, identify the reasons an author gives to support points in a text.
Printable Worksheet
Plan Your Own Lesson
Looking for a custom lesson plan? Try our Lesson Planning Generator — create standards-based plans for any topic, instantly!
Common Core Aligned Lesson Plans
Looking for another common core lesson? See all of the lesson plans here.
More Free Lesson Plans
We’re adding more every week! Check back soon or explore all our lesson plans here.
Leave a Reply