1.2.3. CLICK! I SEE
students move up in grades, their reading
comprehension gets better. A major
factor of comprehension is visualization.
Visualization is the ability to be able to create images in your
from either text that you read or text that is read aloud to you. Visualization is especially important in
fourth or fifth grade, because children are reading less picture books
expository text. This lesson will help
children learn to create their own pictures in their heads so that they
better comprehend what they are reading.
Frindle by Andrew Clements (one copy per student)
Notebook (one per student)
One Copy of “The Flattered Flying Fish” by E.V. Rieu (teacher)
“I Wish I Could Meet the Man That Knows” by John Ciardi (one copy per student)
1. Quick review of silent reading. Say: “Class,
we have learned how to read
silently to ourselves. When we read
silently to ourselves, it is
important that we read the words inside our
so that no one else can hear us. If you
need to, it’s alright to VERY QUIETLY whisper them so that only you can
yourself. Silent reading is very good
because it allows us to spend time by ourselves and let our imagination
with what we are reading. Today, I am going to
pass out a poem to each of you. It is called, 'I Wish I
Could Meet the Man That Knows' by John Ciardi.
Let me tell you a little bit about this poem. It is about a boy
who is trying to save his father from a crazy fly. The boy
intends to hit the fly but
instead, he smacks the father flat on the nose! Well, the father
isnt too happy about this one! Will the boy get punished?
To find out, I want you to silently read the poem by yourself,
and flip it over when you are finished. Please stay quiet so that
everyone can concentrate! Any questions? Alright, begin!"
until every student has finished reading. Say: "Did you enjoy the poem? I
heard some of you giggle! Why did you giggle? Were you
picturing what was going on inside of your
head? Can someone share with me what they saw?" Allow
students to share what they saw in their
3. Say: “That’s so awesome. When I read, my
brain automatically created
an image of the little boy trying to swat the fly, but instead of
aiming correctly, I pictured the boy missing and SMACK! He hit his
father hard on the nose! I then saw the father jumping up, startled,
not sure of what was going on! I found the poem to be pretty
funny. I also find it so interesting how our
brains can automatically create images while we are reading
silently. But, did you know that our brain can create
images while we are having something read to us?”
4. Have the students pass back in the
poem. Say: “O.K. I want everyone to clear off
your desk. I am going to read you something else, and I
want everyone to close their eyes. While
I am reading, I just want you to concentrate on what is going on in
this poem. Picture in your mind what is going on. Everyone
settled? Alright, let’s begin. This poem is called ‘The
Fish,’ by E.V. Rieu.” Read the rest
the poem to the class.
5. Say: “O.K.
Everyone can open their eyes now.
I want some volunteers to share some images that they saw while I was
reading the poem
aloud.” Allow students
to share their responses.
6. Explain visualization.
Say: “The point of reading
both of those
poems, one silently to ourselves and one read to us, is to show you
when you either read something, or hear something that’s being read to
your brain automatically creates images of what you are reading
to. This process is called visualization. Your brain is so
complex and awesome that it
can automatically take the information that is presented to you (either
visually or through hearing) and create pictures so that you can
what is going on better. Your brain is
like a big camera. Every time you get
new information, your brain creates a picture so that you can better
what is going on. Your brain stores
those pictures that it captured so that you can line everything up in
to make more sense of what is going on.
That’s pretty amazing, huh?"
7. Book Talk. Say:
“In front of me is one of my
personal favorites. Now, I know many of you love to joke around
with your friends, but how do you know when the joke has gone too
This book is called Frindle. Have you ever heard
of the word frindle? You haven’t! Why not?
A frindle is a pen, and my friend, Nick Allen, has created this
Well, the word catches on and soon everyone
starts saying frindle. Can Nick stop the
joke he created, or is it too late? To
find out, you must read Frindle!"
Ciardi, John. "I Wish I Could Meet the Man
That Knows." The
Random House Book of Poetry for Children.
Ed. Jack Prelutsky. New York: Random House, 1983. 134.
Clements, Andrew. Frindle. Selznick, Brian,
illus. 1996. New York: Scholastic, Inc.
McWilliams, Jordan. Picture This! http://www.auburn.edu/rdggenie/connect/mcwilliamsrl.htm
Rieu, E.V. "The Flattered Flying
Fish." The Random
House Book of Poetry for Children. Ed.
Jack Prelutsky. New York: Random House, 1983. 77.
Williams, Andrea. Picture It! http://www.auburn.edu/rdggenie/connect/williamsrl.html
Let me order a nice little dinner for two!
And come as you are, in your shimmering blue.”
Said the Flying Fish: “Fancy remembering me,
And the dress that I wore at the Porpoises’ tea!”
“How could I forget?” said the Shark in his guile:
“I expect you at eight!” and rang off with a smile.
She powdered her nose; she has put on her things;
She is off with one flap of her luminous wings.
O little one, lovely, light-hearted and vain,
The Moon will not
shine on your beauty again!
I Wish I Could Meet the Man That Knows
I wish I could meet the man that knows
Who put the fly on my daddy’s nose
When my daddy was taking a nap today.
I tried to slap that fly away
So Daddy could sleep. But just as my hand
Came down to slap him, the fly jumped AND
I hit with a bang – where do you suppose? –
SMACK ON THE END OF DADDY’S
“Ow!” cried Daddy, and up he jumped.
He jumped so hard that he THUMP-
His head on the wall.
Well, I tried to say,
“See, Daddy, I slapped the fly away.”
And I should think he would have thanked me.
But what do you think he did? He
“I was just trying to help!” I said.
But Daddy was looking very red.
“For trying to help, I have to thank you.
But for that smack on the nose, I’ll spank
And up in the air went his great big hand
As he said, “I hope you understand
It’s my nose I’m spanking for, not the fly.
For the fly I thank you.”
And that is why
I wish I could meet the man that knows
Who put the fly on my daddy’s nose.
For when I find him, I want to thank him.
And as I do, I want to spank him.