Pictorial Songbooks

Write up enough songs in this way over the year and you'll have a permanent class songbook that kids can "read" as they sing their favorites.

Objectives

Children ages 4-5 can interpret pictures containing several ideas Lang. IA
and they can read the pictures Lang. IB
Children ages 2-2 ½ years can identify objects and actions in picture Lang. IB

 
 
 

Materials

Large piece of butcher paper which can be tacked on wall and rolled up for storage or large (18"x24") artist's sketch pad with spiral binding; felt pens or crayons; song texts.

Procedures

1. Choose any songs that the children know and like and that can be easily represented visually, line by line.

2. Write out the words, line by line, in print large enough for the children to see and read easily. Leave enough space between lines and at the end of lines to allow for an illustration. You might lightly write in the words in pencil beforehand and then, in front of the children, write them out with dark felt pen, enunciating them or having the children dictate them.

3. Make a picture which illustrates the meaning of that line. Again, the pictures could be sketched in lightly beforehand and drawn in darker when the children are watching. Class artists might do some of the pictures or add the missing parts and details.

NOTE: See the following 2-page illustration for example: