Extending+our+Learning

Intentionally developing visual thinking skills is an important way to tap into our childrens’ natural curiosity about the world around them and their desire to understand what they see. Providing opportunities for them to develop and use their observations (through whatever senses they naturally have) can lay the foundation for critical thinking, for language growth, and for understanding themselves and others. It doesn’t require special equipment and can be a natural experience in any environment – at home, at school, out in the community. It begins with “What do you see?”

__Activity:__ Link to this photograph and ask your students "What do you see?" Be prepared for lots of excitement and individual responses !!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36650277@N06/3425655428/ You can do the same thing with any visual that can elicit many different responses.

Planning an instructional unit that develops a wide range of concepts and skills around a selected piece of children's literature, such as 'Brown Bear, Brown Bear" can be sketched out through a graphic organizer, such as the following.

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As you can see, many skills can be learned and applied across contexts throughout the children's day, both at school and at home.