OT: Teacher help needed

JessicaT2007

I need to create a hook/introduction to a mini lesson. The lesson is about learning to visualize while reading a book with out pictures. I was going to read a loud a vivid part of text and ask them to picture it in their head as I read it and then discuss it and draw it. This is for 7th grade. Any ideas on how to hook them in and make them interested? I was wanting to introduce the idea of visualization without it being boring.

Thanks everyone :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

JessicaT2007

I need to create a hook/introduction to a mini lesson. The lesson is about learning to visualize while reading a book with out pictures. I was going to read a loud a vivid part of text and ask them to picture it in their head as I read it and then discuss it and draw it. This is for 7th grade. Any ideas on how to hook them in and make them interested? I was wanting to introduce the idea of visualization without it being boring.

Thanks everyone :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

JJLM

I'm not a teacher but what about some guided visualization/meditation with journaling. eyes closed lights off out of desks (like sitting on the floor)?

ChubbyBunny

I'm not a teacher but what about some guided visualization/meditation with journaling. eyes closed lights off out of desks (like sitting on the floor)?

That's what I was going to suggest.
I do this in one of my classes and they LOVE it.

JessicaT2007

hm... that does sound interesting. I am not a teacher yet, so I don't have the whole class, I have a small group in the library. I can use that and do what I can tho... hm...

michlingle

Have students listen to vivid classical music. Have them journal about what would be happening in a movie if this music were playing in the background. Put the song on repeat for students so they have enough time to write their story.

JessicaT2007

bunny, do you mind telling me what you do exactly?

Phoenix_Rising

Have students listen to vivid classical music. Have them journal about what would be happening in a movie if this music were playing in the background. Put the song on repeat for students so they have enough time to write their story.

I love that. I hear songs and imagine the movies they are themes to all the time!

JessicaT2007

Have students listen to vivid classical music. Have them journal about what would be happening in a movie if this music were playing in the background. Put the song on repeat for students so they have enough time to write their story.

I wish I could do that. I will be in the library and have to be quiet. LOL

ChubbyBunny

bunny, do you mind telling me what you do exactly?

What I do is one that my college Stress Management teacher taught us. The key is to make sure that those who don't WANT to participate do not distract or bother the others, for the most part they get sucked in.
What you do is you dim/turn off the lights, if it's at all possible.
Have students close their eyes.
Then you descibe a scene, bit by bit.
You include the sight, sound, smell, etc.

EX: A beach, a mountain, a lake, etc.
Something where there is a lot to soak in.

Does that makes sense?

JessicaT2007

that does make sense. I like that idea. So... when they are done I can explain to them that what they did was a visualization technique and then go into my lesson where I read the passage and have them draw what they see in their head. It's a reading comprehension lesson using a visualization strategy. Does that sound like a good mini lesson.

jukramer

On the classical music note, I did this with seventh graders. I played Vivaldi's The Four Seasons and had them draw one of the seasons. I'm a huge proponent of the Optimal Learning Model so here's what I did:
MODEL: We listened to one of the seasons with our eyes closed (heads on desk is way cooler than eyes closed with head up). I made a list of what I visualized on chart paper, and made a rough sketch.
SHARED: We listened to another season, and together we made a list of what we visualized and I made a rough sketch based on the ideas.
GUIDED: We listened to another season and pairs of students made lists of what they visualized and drew a rough sketch. They shared with 2 other pairs.
INDEPENDENT: We listened to the fourth season and the studetns made their own list and rough sketch. Later, they made those rough sketches into art. I hade watercolors, markers, colored pencils and paint available.
I can't remember what seasons I used for each step - this was 8 years ago. The kids were reticient at first, but by the third season, most were starting to see things.
BTW - sorry if this is so long. I'm a stay-at-home mom right now, and I love teacher-talk!

bugmagnt

I have done the music visualization with 9th graders. I had 3 different pieces of music that sounded different and had them picture either the beginning, climax, and end of the story or had them describe characters while journalling. (The first piece was the 1st character, 2nd was the 2nd, and the 3rd could be the action...)

You could also perhaps have something connected with scent. Or objects. Either have a bunch of objects and have them create a story around it (or a character that might own that object)...or have a certain scent and have them visualize a place or story around that.

Good luck!

ChubbyBunny

that does make sense. I like that idea. So... when they are done I can explain to them that what they did was a visualization technique and then go into my lesson where I read the passage and have them draw what they see in their head. It's a reading comprehension lesson using a visualization strategy. Does that sound like a good mini lesson.

I think it sounds great.
You can make it as long and short as you need.
I've never had them go more then 15 minutes though.

ChubbyBunny

On the classical music note, I did this with seventh graders. I played Vivaldi's The Four Seasons and had them draw one of the seasons. I'm a huge proponent of the Optimal Learning Model so here's what I did:
MODEL: We listened to one of the seasons with our eyes closed (heads on desk is way cooler than eyes closed with head up). I made a list of what I visualized on chart paper, and made a rough sketch.
SHARED: We listened to another season, and together we made a list of what we visualized and I made a rough sketch based on the ideas.
GUIDED: We listened to another season and pairs of students made lists of what they visualized and drew a rough sketch. They shared with 2 other pairs.
INDEPENDENT: We listened to the fourth season and the studetns made their own list and rough sketch. Later, they made those rough sketches into art. I hade watercolors, markers, colored pencils and paint available.
I can't remember what seasons I used for each step - this was 8 years ago. The kids were reticient at first, but by the third season, most were starting to see things.
BTW - sorry if this is so long. I'm a stay-at-home mom right now, and I love teacher-talk!

Ohhhhhh....I like this idea....if you have a setting for it.

JessicaT2007

yeah, I liked jukramer's idea, but I don't have the actual class to have that freedom... just a teacher in training here! LOL. I will have to keep the hook activity short, so I can do the other one too. I onlyh ave like 15 minutes TOTAL. So, thank you guys so much for helping me. I just love y'all!