Having just received my copy
of (three time Caldecott winner) David Wiesner's new book, Mr.
Wuffles, I started to think of how I could incorporate wordless picture
books into my teaching and school visits. Students of all ages sometimes
struggle to come up with ideas for a
story, even if prompts and suggestions are given. A wordless picture book is
one way to visually inspire a student to come up with a story based on the
illustrations in the book. No two students will interpret the pictures and
story in the exact same way.
Using a wordless picture book as a prompt, have
your students write (or tell) about what they see happening in the pictures.
Who are the main characters? Where is the story taking place? What challenges
do the characters face and how are they eventually overcome? For older
students, a vintage photograph, a travel shot, or picture from a garden
magazine could be used in the same way to help stimulate story ideas.
Using an already written
story (a familiar tale or a student created work) as a prompt, have students
draw the story in pictures only. Challenge students to incorporate as many
details of the story as they can--not only the physical traits of the characters
and the setting, but the mood, emotion, and the interaction between characters
based on what is happening. Have students share their wordless picture books
with the class and ask other students tell the story as they see it. How closely does it match the author's
vision? Even for older students, this can be a useful exercise to help develop
a story before writing it down.
There are many wordless
picture books to choose from, but some of my favorites are:
Flotsam, by David Wiesner
Tuesday,
by David Wiesner
The Lion and the Mouse, by Jerry Pinkney
Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad, by Henry Cole
No comments:
Post a Comment