Ideas and Content, In Pictures and In Words

Do you see a theme going on?

I sat down on my new porch to start reading through chapter 7 last night.  "This will be a cinch," I thought.  If I hadn't been distracted by how much I LOVE my porch, it might have made it a little easier. But look at this...So relaxing.  So many windows to look out.  So many birds to see...

It's so peaceful out here!

If I could draw a picture of what I looked like sitting on that porch after I opened the book to get started I might draw this picture:

I shouldn't have waited so long...

or this...

I don't think I can do this...

I love this book.  I can't read it without crying.  It illustrates
the impact a single teacher can make in a child's life.  Patricia
Polacco writes and illustrates books that touch the heart deeply!

Do you know Mercy? Kate DiCamillo created such a likable  character. Illustrator, Chris Van Dusen
captures her emotions as well as the other characters in the book beautifully!

In Pictures and In Words is one of the idea richest books I've come across.  No reproducibles...just tools to help us be teachers of ideas in the classroom.  Tools that allow us to help children think, notice, and wonder.

Technique 9:  Showing, not telling!

Katie connected with me right off the bat when she used the book Birds  for an illustration examples.  If you don't have this book you should stop right here and go to your favorite place to order books on-line and order it.  It's that rich in text and illustration.  It's become class favorite. It will become a "go to' book for me as I put into practice all I'm leaning! I'll wait here while you order it.  While I'm waiting I'll look at my favorite page from the book.  Maybe I'll head over and visit my friend Laurie who introduced me to this book!


Welcome back...You'll be so glad you ordered it!

Once I finally got started last night it was hard to quit!  I had brought home a stack of books from school because all of my children's books are there.  As my children grow, their books find a way into my classroom!

Dogku by Andrew Clements and illustrated by Tim Bowers
is a wonderful story written in haiku.  Technique 2... Here the
central image is pictured from behind.  He looks lonely and we
know why...His boy is going off to school.

The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton is one of
my "go to" books.  Here the rising and setting of the
sun illustrates the passage of time. (Technique 6!)

I think this illustration, also from The Little House, 
shows more than one tequnice.  Crafting a "backstory", Manipulating point of view for effect and
Crafting with distance perspective to name just three!

 


I'm guessing you felt as I did...So many Techniques, so little time!  To help me organize my thoughts and ideas I came up with a way to help guide my classroom study.  I've made a chart that I can put in my planning binder and keep track of each technique as I use it.  I've only made this chart to cover Chapter Seven, but I'll share the others next week.  Click on the picture to get to the document!

I just realized I had another day before this was "due"!  Well , with company coming for dinner tonight I think I better post now.  My ADD(Attention to Date Disorder!) strikes again.

Thank you so much, Deedee for hosting such a wonderful study.  It's so much fun to hop around seeing what others have to say about this book.  You are a champion for educators everywhere!