Creating and Producing
_
Ways for
students to communicate visually
Visual literacy is the ability to create and produce meaning using visual images and symbols. To be visually literate, students must know the language of seeing and be able to create and communicate meaning. (Adapted from Toledo Museum of Art, 2013) The following are some ideas and resources to help guide students as they learn how to describe, analyze, and interpret ideas in order to then communicate meaning using visuals.
STUDENT-CREATED NEWSPAPERS
In a newspaper project, information literacy and visual literacy are closely tied as students first work to understand how text and images are used in media and then go on to gather and interpret information, write articles, use visual resources, and ultimately design and produce a newspaper. The goal is to promote critical thinking and collaboration by engaging these multi-literacies which support the acquisition, production, and sharing of knowledge in a collaborative community.
Creating Historical Events Newspapers.
Studying history can be a complex task. Creating newspapers about historical events can be motivating for students and can help them simplify complex events by placing them into the historical time. As reporters students will combine research with critical thinking as they interpret events from new perspectives.
- Civil War Newspaper Lesson Plan
- French Revolution Newspaper Lesson Plan
- Colonial Newspaper Lesson Plan
Creating Classroom Newspapers
Through a classroom newspaper project students have the opportunity to become news readers as they explore newspapers and magazines and learned to critically examine and interpret text, images, and visual layouts. They then become news gatherers as they take on the role of a journalist, gathering information in text, verbal, and visual forms. They then become news creators as they learn about layout and format, text and images, and how they all work together to convey information. Students then use what they learned to create a classroom newspaper.
- ReadWriteThink.org: Resource for Creating a Classroom Newspaper
STUDENT CREATED BULLETIN BOARDS
Student created bulletin boards can be used to not only display student work but to enhance student learning. This site is titled Simple Ways to Create Student-Centered Bulletin Boards and it provides several ideas on how to effectively use bulletin boards to enhance learning.
MIND MAPS, CONCEPT MAPS, AND IDEA WEBS
These various forms of maps and webs are visual diagrams of information, thoughts and ideas. They can use pictures, words, numbers and audio together or in various combinations. At the center of the map or web is a main idea with branches radiating out and connected to associated ideas illustrated around the perimeter. These maps or webs can be drawn by hand or using digital tools such as Kidspiration, Webspiration, and Text 2 Mind Map.
Visual literacy is the ability to create and produce meaning using visual images and symbols. To be visually literate, students must know the language of seeing and be able to create and communicate meaning. (Adapted from Toledo Museum of Art, 2013) The following are some ideas and resources to help guide students as they learn how to describe, analyze, and interpret ideas in order to then communicate meaning using visuals.
STUDENT-CREATED NEWSPAPERS
In a newspaper project, information literacy and visual literacy are closely tied as students first work to understand how text and images are used in media and then go on to gather and interpret information, write articles, use visual resources, and ultimately design and produce a newspaper. The goal is to promote critical thinking and collaboration by engaging these multi-literacies which support the acquisition, production, and sharing of knowledge in a collaborative community.
Creating Historical Events Newspapers.
Studying history can be a complex task. Creating newspapers about historical events can be motivating for students and can help them simplify complex events by placing them into the historical time. As reporters students will combine research with critical thinking as they interpret events from new perspectives.
- Civil War Newspaper Lesson Plan
- French Revolution Newspaper Lesson Plan
- Colonial Newspaper Lesson Plan
Creating Classroom Newspapers
Through a classroom newspaper project students have the opportunity to become news readers as they explore newspapers and magazines and learned to critically examine and interpret text, images, and visual layouts. They then become news gatherers as they take on the role of a journalist, gathering information in text, verbal, and visual forms. They then become news creators as they learn about layout and format, text and images, and how they all work together to convey information. Students then use what they learned to create a classroom newspaper.
- ReadWriteThink.org: Resource for Creating a Classroom Newspaper
STUDENT CREATED BULLETIN BOARDS
Student created bulletin boards can be used to not only display student work but to enhance student learning. This site is titled Simple Ways to Create Student-Centered Bulletin Boards and it provides several ideas on how to effectively use bulletin boards to enhance learning.
MIND MAPS, CONCEPT MAPS, AND IDEA WEBS
These various forms of maps and webs are visual diagrams of information, thoughts and ideas. They can use pictures, words, numbers and audio together or in various combinations. At the center of the map or web is a main idea with branches radiating out and connected to associated ideas illustrated around the perimeter. These maps or webs can be drawn by hand or using digital tools such as Kidspiration, Webspiration, and Text 2 Mind Map.
WORD CLOUDS
Word clouds or tag clouds are visual representations of text data and are created using online programs. Each word or tag is arranged independently within the graphic with the importance of each word being illustrated through font size. The more important a word or the more frequently it is used the larger the font size. In some cloud program colour can be used to group words in order of importance.
Nine ideas on how to use Word clouds in the classroom (Nicholson, 2011)
Eight Word Cloud Makers for teachers (Nicholson, 2011) .
Nicholson, D. (2011, September 5). 8 word cloud makers for teachers [Blog post]. Retrieved from The Whiteboard Blog: Supporting Technology in the classroom website: http://www.whiteboardblog.co.uk/2011/09/8-word-cloud-makers-for-teachers/
Word clouds or tag clouds are visual representations of text data and are created using online programs. Each word or tag is arranged independently within the graphic with the importance of each word being illustrated through font size. The more important a word or the more frequently it is used the larger the font size. In some cloud program colour can be used to group words in order of importance.
Nine ideas on how to use Word clouds in the classroom (Nicholson, 2011)
- Guess the book .
- Use to introduce a topic by looking at the keywords.
- Comparing the same story in different newspapers and see how the words used differ.
-
Self-reflection on
work by seeing at a glance which words or phrases they are over-using.
- Use to analyse the content of a longer written text.
- To introduce new vocabulary or to memorize new vocabulary/vocabulary lists.
- Use to guide revision of key topics and vocabulary.
- To give presentations without reading from a sheet and just using prompts.
- Encouraging creative writing from a selection of key words from a word cloud.
Eight Word Cloud Makers for teachers (Nicholson, 2011) .
Nicholson, D. (2011, September 5). 8 word cloud makers for teachers [Blog post]. Retrieved from The Whiteboard Blog: Supporting Technology in the classroom website: http://www.whiteboardblog.co.uk/2011/09/8-word-cloud-makers-for-teachers/
Storybird is a Web 2.0 application that helps students create their own stories using visuals as a major component. It collects images and artwork from artists and animators around the world and offers them as a platform to inspire creative story writing. The beautiful artwork can help jumpstart the writing process by engaging students visual literacy skills and get students thinking about common themes and suss out ideas.