Monday, January 26, 2015

Smell, Taste, Hear, and Feel Books

I tell my kids, "Reading is better than going to the movies."  In fact, I say it often enough they can finish my sentence for me.      Letting them in on the beauty of seeing the book like a movie in the mind is of course a key ingredient to reading enjoyment.  The piece that I touch on but need to delve even further into is how the reader uses all the other senses at the same time.  A reader who can do that is pretty much a goner.  They're lost in the book, which is exactly where I want them.

Today I introduced the idea that readers don't just visualize.  They smell, taste, hear, and feel while they read.  We practiced by way of four poems from Where the Sidewalk Ends, a chart, and some small post-its.  For example, I asked them to think about what they could taste while I read "Eighteen Flavors" twice through.  Then each one quickly wrote what they could taste on a post-it and attached it to our chart.  I quickly reported on some of their answers, and we moved on to the next section.  By the time we were finished, our chart looked like this.



I sent them off to Read to Self thinking about what they might smell, taste, hear, and feel during their own reading.  After Read to Self time, a few readers shared.  Carson could feel himself in the wind of the tornado he was reading about.  "Wow!  Only readers get to hang out in a tornado while sitting in a first grade classroom!  How cool!"

This discussion is definitely not complete.  We'll be returning to it repeatedly, because I want them fully and completely lost in their books...forever.

P.S.  Here are the four poems I chose:
        Eighteen Flavors - taste
        Rain - hear
        Pancake? - smell
        Boa Constrictor - feel

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14 comments:

  1. Tammy, I love this lesson...it makes sense! I am stealing it! Melissa

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  2. Tammy, every single time I read your blog I think, "this is the teacher I want to be!" Thanks for sharing your ideas and passion.

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    1. Lyn, I hardly know what to say to this, especially coming from someone who I highly esteem. Thank you. Thank you.

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  3. I love Carson's comment!! He really gets it. :) It is so incredible when they understand what we are trying to get them to see (hear, taste, smell, etc....)
    Lori
    Conversations in Literacy

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    1. Lori, I'm really hoping it sinks in with everyone!

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  4. I know I've said this to you before ... brilliant!

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    1. Barb, thank you. I know you don't use that word lightly. :)

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  5. What a way to get them really into their stories! :) Another idea I may have to steal! :)

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    1. Miss Trayers, I'm hoping that's exactly what it does. Thanks!

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  6. This is perfect! I'm getting ready to talk about engaged readers vs. pretenders this week because I'm seeing some warning signs. This will be great to give them something new to focus on while reading. Thanks for sharing!

    Crystal
    Teaching Little Miracles

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    1. Crystal, I hope this makes an impact on your engaged readers!

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  7. Great post! I'm totally doing that this week as we create mental images.

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    1. Ann, thank you and I do hope it enhances those mental images.

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