Illustrating Knock-Knock Jokes
Presented by: Mary Beth Bauernschub
Subject Area(s):
- Visual Arts
- K-12: Language Arts
Grade Level(s):
Description:
An illustrator does his/her job by identifying and visualizing the main idea of text. Students look at how different illustrators illustrate jokes. They discuss why an illustration works identifying the main idea of a joke. They practice illustrating simple main ideas. The students select and illustrate the main idea of a knock-knock joke.
Materials:
- Barrett, Judi. Animals Should Definitely Not Wear ClothingFreyman, Saxton, et al. Knock KnockHall, Katy. Simms Taback’s Great Big Book of Spacey, Shakey, Buggy Riddles
- Pencils
- Post-it notes
- Plain white 8 1/2” x 11” paper
- Knock-Knock Jokes to Illustrate paper with checklist on the same sheet
- Document camera or visualizer
Procedures:
Direct Instruction:
- TL warms up class by telling a few jokes and asks students what the main idea of one of the jokes was. What made it funny?
- Ask students what an illustrator’s job is. Discuss how identifying the main idea in the text helps the illustrator make decisions about what to illustrate.
Modeling and Guided Practice:
- Read Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing. Direct students to identify how the visual puns capture the main idea of the text.
- Give each child three Post-it notes and a pencil.
- Ask students to illustrate ‘happy.’ Give them 15 seconds to do this. Ask students to describe what the main idea of ‘happy’ is, visually. Using the visualizer, share a few examples and discuss.
- Ask students to illustrate the main idea of a ‘house.’ Give them 30 seconds to illustrate. Then discuss and share ideas.
- For one final time, ask students to illustrate the main idea of a ‘giraffe.’ Give them 30 seconds to illustrate. Then discuss and share ideas.
Independent Practice:
- Read Knock Knock. Sixteen different illustrators created illustrations for the jokes in the book. Ask the students to think about the main idea and the illustrations.
- Students are given the “Knock-Knock Jokes to Illustrate Worksheet” (SM1_KnockKnock) with the checklist at the bottom. Each student should have a plain piece of paper and a pencil. Go over the directions with the students. Give the students 5 - 10 minutes to complete worksheet.
Sharing and Reflecting:
- Student volunteers share their knock-knock joke illustrations on the visualizer.
- TL and students use the checklists to identify how well they followed directions to illustrate a knock-knock joke.
- Some students may have chosen the same jokes to illustrate. What makes them the same and different at the same time? Did each student identify the main idea visually?
- Review again what the illustrator’s job is. After completing this activity, ask students to think about books that they have read; did an illustrator use the main idea to illustrate?
Supporting Files:
- SM1_KnockKnock.doc
Illustration handout w/ assignment checklist
Standards: