Educator's Page
Voice Activity: Owl's Open-Mind Portrait
Summary of Activity: Students will create an open-mind portrait of the owl. They will think more deeply about the character and reflect on story events from the character's point of view. The students will draw and write words that describe the owl's feelings, attitude, and point of view throughout the story. After they have finished the open-mind portrait, they will share with a friend what pictures and words they chose to include in the portrait.
Rationale: One way that students develop their own voice is by retelling familiar stories from the viewpoints of different characters. Open-mind portraits enable students to identify one element of story structure, character identification. This project helps the student to identify with the characters feelings, attitude, and point of view. If the students understand the character and motivation, then they will develop a deeper meaning of the story.
Common Core Standards:
Level of Bloom's Taxonomy: This activity addresses the comprehension level of Bloom's Taxonomy. Comprehension is the ability to grasp and interpret the meaning of material. At this level, students demonstrate understanding of facts and ideas by organizing, comparing, translating, interpreting, giving descriptions, and stating the main ideas. In this activity, the students interpret and describe the feelings, attitude, and point of view of the owl. This activity goes beyond the knowledge level of Bloom's Taxonomy, because they are required to take their knowledge of the book and interpret the owl's viewpoint based on the events that happened in the story.
Rationale: One way that students develop their own voice is by retelling familiar stories from the viewpoints of different characters. Open-mind portraits enable students to identify one element of story structure, character identification. This project helps the student to identify with the characters feelings, attitude, and point of view. If the students understand the character and motivation, then they will develop a deeper meaning of the story.
Common Core Standards:
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.3: Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.4: Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.7: Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.9: Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.1.4: Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.1.5: Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.1.1f: Use frequently occurring adjectives.
Level of Bloom's Taxonomy: This activity addresses the comprehension level of Bloom's Taxonomy. Comprehension is the ability to grasp and interpret the meaning of material. At this level, students demonstrate understanding of facts and ideas by organizing, comparing, translating, interpreting, giving descriptions, and stating the main ideas. In this activity, the students interpret and describe the feelings, attitude, and point of view of the owl. This activity goes beyond the knowledge level of Bloom's Taxonomy, because they are required to take their knowledge of the book and interpret the owl's viewpoint based on the events that happened in the story.