Brain Movies-Visualizing What We Read

By: Madeline Griffith

Rationale: When students have learned to read and become fluent readers, they can transition into reading to learn. It is essential that children comprehend text as they read in order to become expert readers. An important tool children can use to comprehend texts is visualization. If students can visualize a story as they read, they can understand what is happening in the story. Evidence shows that visualization, or constructing mental images, helps children's learning of a text and have more fun while reading. Visualization also helps students become more engaged in what they are reading and with instruction, students can learn to create their own mental pictures of a story.

Materials:

· Mummy Mystery: King Tut article from KIDS National Geographic -teacher

· Mummy Mystery: King Tut article from KIDS National Geographic-student version is printed off with no pictures

· Unfamiliar words on board-INCENSE, PHARAOH, RITUAL

· Pictures of INCENSE, PHARAOH, RITUAL

· Square white cardstock Paper- one per student

· Cards with passages from story on them-one per student

· Colored pencils/markers/crayons etc

Procedure:

1. SAY: “How many of you have read a book before going to see the movie? (wait for response). How many of you read stories and create pictures or scenes in your head to help you understand the text? (wait for response). When you do that, there is a special name for it. It is called visualization. This is a great strategy to help you comprehend complex texts. The more we practice creating these “brain movies” in our heads, the better we are able to comprehend and learn from what we read.

2. Read aloud (vivid story). Have students close their eyes and listen. Ask them to imagine the story playing out in their head.

The gold glistened and reflected off of the pharaohs body at midday. The sun was beaming down on the slaves picking up each stone to make the pyramids. Sweat beading on their face as they had been there since dawn. They were not allowed to leave until the sun dropped below the horizon, filling the sky in swirls of orange, pink and blues. Oh, how they dreamed of being like the pharaoh that watched over them glittered in gold.

Ask students what stood out to them most. Ask students why they could still picture that in their mind. Have a few volunteers to summarize the story or ask what kind of story they saw in their minds.

3. SAY: Today we are going to learn about the mystery mummy of King Tutankhamun or you may know him as King Tut. Before I send you to fend for yourselves, I am going to go over some words that may be tricky when you read them. Write words on board regarding Mummy Mystery passage that will be unfamiliar. Provide pictures small stories to go along with each word to create a picture in their minds. Provide examples and non-examples of the word.

-incense (have a picture) SAY: incense is the smell of something that has burned, and it is the fragrance left behind. Incense is not an odor or stench someone smells.

EX: The smell of incense was present during special ceremonies. What is a common incense smell? Help me finish the sentence: The Egyptian temple’s air was filled with the smell of ____.

-pharaoh (picture of pharaoh or King Tut) SAY: a pharaoh was an ancient ruler of Egypt. They were always looking very prestige with gold covering their body and makeup to stand out from the common people. A pharaoh was not a part of the common people or a slave in Egypt.

EX: King Tut was a pharaoh in Egypt. Do you think there were a lot of pharaohs at one time? Can you help me finish the sentence? King Tut was one of the most famous _____ of all time.

-ritual (show picture) SAY: a ritual is a sequence of activities or events usually related to a religious ceremony. A ritual is not a fad or just a one time thing.

EX: A common ritual in Egypt was the morning offering that was performed daily. Do you think everyone performed these rituals daily? Help finish this sentence: Once a pharaoh passed away they performed a ____ by wrapping their body and putting them inside a tomb.

4. SAY: We just went over some words that you will come across in your reading, so let’s read to find out more! Has anyone ever heard of King Tut before? He became the pharaoh of Egypt at age nine but died not too long into his reign. What do you know about mummies and the rituals they do with them? Did you know there is still a mystery about how King Tut’s death? Let’s read to see if we can uncover that mystery! I am going to read the first paragraph. After I read, I am going to close my eyes to help visualize what I just read. Once I have that image, I can continue to read on.

5. SAY: “I am going to demonstrate how to visualize the text by reading the first paragraph. All I want you to do is turn your listening ears on and listen to the story. (Teacher starts to read first paragraph without showing any pictures on page).

“A young boy stands in a temple filled with burning incense as he waits for a priest to place a glittering crown on his head. (Teacher closes their eyes for a moment to show students the process of visualizing what they read) I see a young boy, probably King Tut. Incense, oh I remember that is a smell of something burning. I bet he thinks it smells funny in there. He is anxiously waiting, hmm I think his fingers are jittery and his toes are tapping impatiently. Oh, I see the crown. It sparkles and is big and gold for King Tut’s head. He was probably trying to hide excitement by keeping a straight face (Show students the motions and facial expressions of what you just said) Continue to read…

The ritual is part of the coronation ceremony that will make the nine-year-old pharaoh of ancient Egypt. His people will call him by his royal name: King Tutankhamun. You probably know him as just King Tut.” Now I see a kingdom of people looking up at King Tut from below. A small boy as he is just nine years old. People are bowing down and saying his name, King Tutankhamun.

6. SAY: Now that I have shown you the process of visualization and creating that brain movie in your head, it’s your turn! We are going to read the next paragraph together and take moments to close our eyes and think about it. I want you all to close your eyes and just concentrate on what I read. Listen to the story that is taking place and try to envision what happens.

“Tut became pharaoh of Egypt in 1332 B.C. at the age of nine. He ruled the country at a time of conflict, when battles over land raged between Egypt and the neighboring kingdom of Nubia.” Were you able to create a visual picture in your head? I am going to reread the passage again so that you can visualize the story better! (Reread beginning with more expression and slower). Ask students if anyone wants to share their “brain movie”.

7. SAY: Now that you know the start of Tut’s life as a pharaoh, I am going to have you read on to see what the big mystery is about his death. I have given you the tricky vocabulary and a small insight into his life, now it’s your turn to investigate by visualizing what you read to comprehend the text. (pass out revamped article to each student-no pictures included). About every paragraph I want you to stop and visualize. If you need to take notes in your notebooks you may do so. Just jot down ideas so you won’t forget them. After you finish the story I am going to give you a part of the story to illustrate the brain movie you visualized. So, make sure you really concentrate on the words and deeply visualize what you are reading. (Walk around room as they are reading, continually reminding to visualize).

8. SAY: Great! I saw a lot of great visualizers while you finished the text. I am going to give each of you a card, on that card will be a passage from the story and I want you to illustrate it on this piece of cardstock (show square of cardstock). Once you get your passage, I want you to reread it, sit and visualize what you read and how you will draw it. I am not grading you on your artistic abilities, I just want to see how you created your brain movie. Then, on the back, I want you to describe what you drew and why in a few sentences. Once everyone is finished, we are going to have a discussion and each of you will present what you drew to the class. [After students are finished, let them present their picture to the class and explain it. This will be an assessment of students’ comprehension and visualization skills. Description of illustration, the illustration, and the passage should all connect and make sense. Students will also go to teacher's desk and answer a couple comprehension questions].

Assessment:

Comprehension Questions:

-Why do you think it took so long for historians to know about the unsolved mystery of King Tut?

-Explain why you think the sacred oils were placed on mummies for a reason?

-Justify why the archaeologists tried to take King Tut out of the tomb.

-From your own visualizations and what you read, how do you think King Tut died?

-Why is King Tut one of the most famous mummies in the world?

Resources:

Dunn, Morgan. http://lmd0015.wixsite.com/literacy-designs/contact

National Geographic for Kids. 2014. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/history/king-tut/

Wilson, Donna. 2014. Brain Movies: When Readers Can Picture It, They Understand It. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/brain-movies-visualize-reading-comprehension-donna-wilson