Stephanie's plan

Stephanie Lindstrom

Teaching Sequence: Picture Books with Voice
Grade Three

Purpose(s):
Through the use of picture books students will learn about the concept of voice. Voice is one of the six traits of writing. For the focus of the unit the students will make a picture book that portrays their voice.

Rationale:
Picture books are often used in elementary classrooms to teach a variety of lessons. Most children like picture books, it interests them. They can use their imaginations to create the pictures or make the picture come alive. The use of picture books allows students to examine how meaning is constructed though both visual and written language. With that in mind I intend to use picture books to teach grade 3’s about the concept of voice. Therefore in this unit the students will be looking at the portrayal of voice in stories specifically picture books. Students will compose their own picture books in so doing portraying their voice in their work.

Overview:
Through the use of picture books the students will be looking a voice and how it can be portrayed in the stories. In doing so the students will be engaged in some initial activities to familiarized themselves with the text type and concept at hand. They will look at how an author portrays their voice in their writing. After being familiarized with the voice in picture books students will be challenged to create a book of their own that portrays their voice. They will be partnered up in the revising and proof reading stage to work on editing and providing constructive feedback. Over the course of this unit the students will work with a variety of strategies to capture ideas and to plan. They will work to find the one that works best for them.

Learning Outcomes:
From the English Language Arts (K-9) Program of Studies:

2.3 Understand Forms, Elements and Techniques
• Understand Forms of Genres
→ Discuss ways that visual image convey meaning in print and other media texts
2.4 Create Original Text
• Generate Ideas
→ Experiment with ways of generating ideas prior to creating oral, print and other media texts
• Structure Texts
→Add sufficient detail to oral, print and other media texts to tell about setting and character and to sustain plot
3.3 Organize, Record and Evaluate
• Organize information
→ Organize ideas and information using a variety of strategies, such as clustering, categorizing and sequencing
4.1 Enhance and Improve
• Enhance Artistry
→ Choose words, language patterns, illustrations or sounds to add detail and create desired effects in oral, print and other media texts.

Reference List:

1. Alberta Learning. (2000). English Language Arts (K-9): Program of Studies. Alberta Education.
The program of studies for English Language Arts in Alberta.

2. Bearne, E. and Wolstencroft, H. (2007). Visual Approaches to Teaching Writing: Multimodal Literacy 5-11. London: Paul Chapman Publishing.
This is our textbook. The teaching sequence was taken from here.

3. Cronin, D. (2003). Diary of a Worm. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.
This is a picture book about a worm. It is made in the form of a diary. Each page is an entry in the worm’s diary. It is a good way to look at voice with the students. It is funny and creative and shows the personality of the author. A follow up activity that can be done is to have students write a story with the voice of another animal or person. It can serious or funny depending on the student.

4. Hall, D. (1994). I Am The Dog. I Am The Cat. New York: Dial Books.
This book shows the personalities of a dog and a cat. Before you read the book you could have the students brainstorm qualities of a dog and a cat. Then read excerpts from the book and have the students guess which animal it is. As a following up activity have the students write a two character story.

5. Munsch, R. (1985). Mortimer. Toronto: Annick Press Ltd.
Robert Munsch is a good example of an author who portrays his voice in his writing. He also has really good examples of word placements on the page to add feeling. His illustrators are also really good at conveying emotion in the pictures.

6. Spandel, V. (2001). Books, Lessons, Ideas For Teaching the six Traits: Writing in the Elementary and Middle Grades. Wilmington: Great Source Education Group Inc..
This is a really good book to get ideas to teach any of the six writing traits. This is where I got many of my voice lessons.