Visualizing!

Can you imagine if one of your students walked in with ANTLERS?! This book is about a girl who woke up one day and she had sprouted huge antlers. Nobody knew how it happened or what to do about it. Her mother was distressed and her principal had no advice. When she woke up the next day the antlers were gone, but she had a tail like a peacock.

Why do you think this book would be appropriate for students?

Billie: It is written in an language that is easy to understand. But it would also produce lots of laughs from the children. I think that kids will think this book is hilarious.

Cami:  This book is very fun, kids will love learning about what happens to Imogene. It’ s also a fairly simple book to read, so for children that read at a lower level want have a hard time reading this book with their peers.

What was your favorite part of the book?

Cami: I love the picture in this book! They are so vibrant and fun! My favorite picture is when Imogene got hung up on the chandelier, and her mom is passed out in the chair.

Billie: I loved the whole story but my favorite part of the book was definitely the illustrations. Each picture has something different and funny on the antlers. The family’s expressions also give a lot of insight into the story.

How would you use this book in a visualizing activity?

Cami: Because the pictures are so descriptive, I think the best way to help kids visualize this book would be just to read it aloud without showing the pictures. Then, the teacher could demonstrate this strategy for the children. The teacher should use chart paper and draw a quick sketch of what the teacher got from the story. After that, the children will give their interpretations of the picture.

Billie: Once the kids have an idea of what it means to visualize, you will read the book to them again (still not showing the pictures). They will then draw their own interpretation of the book. Now, they can hear the book again and see the pictures! Be sure to emphasize that students should not be concerned with their artwork. Sketches should be done quickly. The point of the strategy is to get their interpretations down on paper without using words.

We think this book would be an awesome book to help kids learn the visualizing strategy. The story is very descriptive and would give kids great mental images to go off of.

Curiousity doesnt have to always kill the cat

We cannot stress enough how important reading comprehension skills are for kids. Today's blog is going to explore making inferences, as well as the book, Curious George Goes to the Movie. This book is relatable to the children, so it will be easier for them to activate their background knowledge and make inferences.

What did you think about the book?
Billie: I thought the book was absolutely adorable! I can remember the very first time I went to the movies. I was little and my attention span was short. So half way through The Hunchback of Notre Dame, when my mom got up to get snacks I started dancing in front of the screen. Thankfully, the theater wasn't full. In the book, the man in the yellow suit leaves George to go get popcorn. George gets distracted and starts to wander around.
Cami: George starts to wander because he is curious about what is going on in the back of the theater. He ends up in the room where the film is being run through the machine and displayed on to the screen. Of course, the machine operator gets scared because there is a MONKEY in the theater. After he panicked, he knocked the film all out of whack. So George steps in and saves the day by making hand puppets for the people while the boy who was working sorted out the film. And that is why I love the book. It doesn't send a discouraging message for curious children. Yes, George didn't make the wise choice but he wasn't punished for being curious.

Do you think this would be a good story to use in your classroom?
Cami: Yes, I think this would be a great addition to any (younger) class library. Kids can relate to the main character but they are also learning about how movie theaters work at the same time.
Billie: I think this would make a perfect read aloud. It had just enough action to keep the kids interested. It also allowed for a lot of predictions for what came next.

Why do you think this book would work well in a "making inferences" lesson?
Cami: Like we have said before, most kids will have a somewhat extensive schema on what goes on in a movie theater. They will be able to use their back ground knowledge on movie theaters to make help inferences.
Billie: I also think that they will be able to relate well to how Curious George is feeling through out the book. They know what it is like to get antsy and distracted. They also know how it feels to be curious about their surroundings. There is also a point in the book where George is so hungry and he passes by the concession stand but he cant stop. Any one can relate to that!


We found a really awesome activity that talks about the differences between making inferences and predictions. (We think this book would be an awesome resource for both though!) It also gives students a place to start when making inferences. So you could read this story to the class or have them read it alone and use this chart to start a writing activity. It has sentence starters like, "The story said _____ which made me think...." and "How the character feels tells me....".
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