Seeing Multiple Perspectives: An Introductory Critical Literacy Lesson

Materials and Technology

Student Interactives

Printouts

Websites

Preparation

 

MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY

• Sticky notes, preferably in the shape of speech bubbles (you can also print out both left and right speech bubble templates for free from the site www.thebubbleproject.com)

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STUDENT INTERACTIVES

Grades   K – 8  |  Student Interactive  |  Writing & Publishing Prose

Postcard Creator

The Postcard Creator helps students learn to identify all the typical parts of a postcard, and then generate their own postcard messages by typing information into letter templates. After printing their texts, students can illustrate the front of their postcards in a variety of ways, including drawing, collage, and stickers.

 

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PRINTOUTS

• Children's Picture Books: Considering Multiple Perspectives
• Photocopies of the first illustration from Stevie (copy this illustration from the book and make one for each student)
• Student examples from Stevie:
  • Example 1
  • Example 2
  • Example 3
    

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WEBSITES

• HarperCollins Children’s Authors & Illustrators: John Steptoe
  

  This is the publisher’s biography of John Steptoe. In addition, there is a link to all of John Steptoe’s books. Use this site as a teacher resource.

• The Bubble Project
  

  This site offers downloadable speech bubbles. In general, the bubble project is a fun site as a teacher resource (warning: it uses some explicit language, so do not share this site with students). It shows examples of using speech bubbles to disrupt the pervasiveness of ads by corporations in public spaces. An excellent example of using this approach with elementary school children is:

  Gainer, J., Valdez-Gainer, N., & Kinard, T. (2009). The elementary bubble project: Exploring critical media literacy in a fourth-grade classroom. The Reading Teacher, 62 (8), pp. 674-683.

   

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PREPARATION

1. Preview the picture book Stevie. Have a few key places in mind in the story where you intend to stop for discussion.
2. Find out some biographical information about John Steptoe, especially for Stevie, his first picture book that was published when he was just 18 years old.
3. Make photocopies of the first illustration from Stevie (one for each student).  Even though Steptoe uses bright, vibrant pastels in the illustration, black and white photocopies will suffice. Alternatively, if you have access to a document camera and data projector, you might project the illustration on a screen.
4. Have sticky notes ready for the students. Preferably, use sticky notes in the shape of speech bubbles. You can also print out and photocopy both left and right speech bubble templates for free from the site www.thebubbleproject.com.

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