In this section I have included sample lessons or prompts for visual journaling. These are meant to serve as examples of how these lessons might be taught. For differentiated instruction, a framework can be provided for those students who need specific guidelines and parameters. However, those students who do not need to rely on a structure to help them understand what to do can be allowed and encouraged to move creatively in other directions. These activities ask students to look (either in the physical world or in their thoughts), to listen, to question and to respond. They use both factual and evaluative or interpretative language. Factual language is rooted in concrete observations. Questions that elicit factual language would include: What do you see? How was it made? What sounds do you hear? Evaluative language goes beyond the facts to present a person's interpretation of and feeling about an object or experiences. Unlike factual language, evaluative or interpretative language leaves room for opinion. Questions that elicit evaluative language include: How does this image/object make you feel? What do you think about when you see?
When making observations, it is often helpful for students to develop an inventory list of the details they observe. I prefer to model lessons, walking through the steps of creating the visual journal pages with "think alouds" times when the teacher verbalizes inner speech as the students are working. I find that this teaching technique allows students a deeper, fuller understanding of what the concept is about. It models the process of thinking and then creating. This procedure will also allow students time to visualize and think about their own page. This reinforces the process of thinking to create a deeper understanding and retention in memory.
Visual Thesaurus
For vocabulary enrichment, I will introduce the students to a Web site called Visual Thesaurus. Students will have this resource available to them and know how to access it for any of the following activities. Using the computers in the school, students will be able to explore Visual Thesaurus. This Web site, an interactive dictionary and thesaurus that creates word maps, is designed to encourage word exploration. The students will begin their visual journal with an entry using this resource. The students will pick a word and see the word map that is generated. Students can explore and record the different word choices. Then the students will create images that they can associate with the different words they discover.
Sample Lesson 1: Feelings
Goal:
To enrich vocabulary and use of figurative language
Objectives:
As a result of this lesson the students will be able to:
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1.
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Create a list of different words expressing feelings
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2.
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Create an image of such a word of their choosing
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3.
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Use figurative language to describe such words images
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Required Materials:
Student visual journals, thesauri, computers (if available)
Procedure:
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1.
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Students will brainstorm a list of words expressing feelings and record in their visual journal. Students can use thesauri available including the Visual Thesaurus program on the Internet.
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2.
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From this list students choose one word and create three to four images that illustrate it.
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3.
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Students will add text, including phrases, similes, and metaphors besides the images.
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Closure:
The teacher will review the lists of words generated by the students. Students will have the opportunity to share their journal pages with the class.
Assessment:
The teacher will assess how well students use their creativity in their images as well as their descriptions using figurative language.
Sample Lesson 2: Poetry
Goal:
To create a poem from random words
Objectives:
As a result of this lesson, the students will be able to
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1.
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Arrange a group of words to formulate a poem
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2.
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Orally present the poem
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Required Materials:
Magazines, scissors, student visual journals
Procedure:
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1.
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Pass out magazines and have students cut out thirty random words. Collect magazines
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2.
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Discuss and provide examples of different kinds of poetry, such as haiku and free verse that may be used as forms in this exercise.
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3.
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Students will create a poem using the words they cut out ( length and number of words used may vary). They paste the words in their visual journals to form the poem.
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Closure:
The teacher will review how manipulating words to create meaning promotes creativity and thinking.
Assessment:
Poems should contain a thought or theme that conveys meaning.
Sample Lesson 3: Traveling through Art
Goal:
To reflect on a work of art in the format of a travel journal
Objectives:
As a result of this lesson the students will be able to,
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1.
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List or write phrases that describe a location
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2.
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Sketch important objects or people involved
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3.
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Record reactions with emotional language
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Required Materials:
Works of art depicting different places, (the images can be actual or imaginary places), art postcards or posters, colored pencils pens,
Procedure:
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1.
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Discuss the importance of keeping a journal while traveling.
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2.
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Provide art posters or postcards for students to view
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3.
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Student chooses an image to explore.
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4.
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Students write multiple journal entries as if they were on a trip. Students may imagine they are visiting a place for a certain reason such as pretending to be an actor filming a movie.
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5.
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Students must include descriptions of the location, reactions and reflections ton the experiences.
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Closure:
The teacher will review objectives of the lesson: writing in a travel journal using art.
Assessment:
The students will be given an opportunity to share their entries with their classmates as a peer review. In addition the teacher will provide feedback to student work.
