M U LT I P L E I N T E L L I G E N C E T E A C H I N G S T R AT E G I E S

Visual Discovery

Introduction
Steps at a Glance
Todays students are bombarded daily with images. Constant exposure to televi-
Use powerful images
1 to teach social stud-
sion, videos, computer games, the Internet, magazines, and advertisements has
ies concepts. created a visual generation. Many teachers are beginning to notice, however, that
while students certainly consume many images daily, they are not necessarily
Arrange your class-
critical viewers who understand what they see. In fact, far from being visually lit-
2 room so projected
images will be large erate, many of our students are so numbed by the sheer quantity and rapidity of
and clear. media images that they are left visually illiterate.
Ask carefully
3 sequenced As one of the multiple intelligence strategies used in the TCI Approach, Visual
questions that Discovery turns what is usually a passive, teacher-centered activitylecturing
lead to discovery. into a dynamic, participative experience. Students view, touch, interpret, and
Challenge students to bring to life compelling visuals as they discover key social studies concepts. The
4 read about the image strategy sharpens visual-literacy skills, encourages students to construct their own
and apply what they knowledge through higher-level thinking, develops deductive reasoning, and taps
learn. visual, intrapersonal, and body-kinesthetic intelligences. Seeing and interacting
Have students inter- with an image, in combination with reading and recording notes related to the
5 act with the images content, helps students learn and remember salient ideas that are typically soon
to demonstrate what forgotten after the traditional lecture.
they have learned.

28 Bring Learning Alive!

 Use powerful images to teach social studies
concepts.
1 The key to a successful Visual Discovery activity is using just a
Pictures show the story;
notes only tell it.
few powerful images that represent the key concepts of the les-
High School Student
son. The right image will stay in students minds for months or even years and
will serve as a powerful visual referent to help them recall key information.

A few well-selected images that students carefully read with their visual-literacy
skills will have a far greater impact than a profusion of images viewed passively.
Since images are not shown as fast-paced videos or computer animations, it is
essential that each has a strong visual impact and tells a rich story. The best
images
are clearly tied to your content standards and teaching objectives.
illustrate key events or concepts.
graphically show human emotion, drama, suspense, or interaction.
have the potential for students to step into the scene and bring it to life.
are interesting or unusual.

For example, the first image at right,

which shows U.S. troops landing in
Khe Sanh, South Vietnam, illustrates
the massive deployment of U.S. troops
for the Vietnam War. It is a strong visu-
al reminder of the concept of deploy-
ment. The heavily laden troops seem to
be rushing into an uncertain future.
This sets up an excellent opportunity
for the teacher to assume the role of
on-scene reporter and ask students who
step into the image what they expect to
confront in the jungles of Vietnam.

For the same lesson, the second photo-

graph at right, showing U.S. troops
patrolling a river, captures the danger
and hardship of jungle warfare. Ask stu-
dents to place themselves in the shoes
of these young men and then tell them
two simple facts: most soldiers served a
13-month tour of duty, and their average
age was 19. Read from the diary of an
American marine who wonders whether
hed gotten himself out in the bushes
for nothing, and students will be left
with a lasting impression.

Visual Discovery 29
 Arrange your classroom so projected images
will be large and clear.
2 Careful attention to your classrooms geography is essential for a
successful Visual Discovery activity. Most classroom arrange-
ments actually inhibit interaction; students often sit in long rows where the lucky
ones get the last seats and occasional naps. The front of the classroom is often a
clutter of desks, tables, and file cabinets that make it difficult to see and touch
projected images. To arrange your classroom for maximum success during Visual
Discovery activities, consider the following:

Identify the best wall on which to project images. The wall should be located
in an area of the room that you can make fairly dark. With too much light, the
image will be difficult to see, and students will have trouble locating fine details.
If your room is too dark with the lights off, use a table lamp to add soft, unobtru-
sive lighting. When you project a transparency on the wall, make the image as
large as possible. The larger the image, the more interaction and excitement it
will generate. You can easily create a large screen by covering the wall with
butcher paper.

Set up your classroom for an interactive presentation. Typically, the best class-
room configuration for a Visual Discovery activity is parliamentary style, with
two groups of desks facing each other. Leave approximately 10 feet between the
groupsenough space to discourage casual conversation, but close enough to
allow students on one side to hear students on the other. The center aisle allows
students to walk quickly and safely to the front of the classroom to participate
actively in each lesson. You now have not one but four front rows. This room
arrangement gives you more space to move around the classroom and quickly
reach any student needing individual attention.
This is the most common
classroom arrangement for
Visual Discovery, with a wide
center aisle and front staging
area.

30 Bring Learning Alive!

 Ask carefully sequenced questions that
lead to discovery.
3 For each projected image, ask a series of questions that spiral
from the basic (What do you see?) to the critical thinking level
(What do you suppose these people are expecting to happen?). Students often
rush to interpret images before carefully inspecting all the visual details. While
these interpretations may carry some truth, students will come to sounder conclu-
sions if you slow things down and encourage them to look for the details in the
image.

As students offer facts and details about what they

are seeing, move to the next level of questioning
only when most of your students can see the
answers to your questions. In this way, you will give
students the building blocks they need to understand
the most important concepts in each image. Be sure
to link each successive question to the questions
preceding it.

Your final questions may be at such a high level that

only a portion of the class can answer them, but this
is okay. This powerful questioning strategy enables
all students to learn and challenges students at every
level. Do be aware, however, of flagging interest. To
keep student engagement high, you will probably
want to project a new image every 5 to 15 minutes.

Using the Detective Analogy to Develop In this image from the Great
Effective Spiral Questions Depression, we see towns-
people lined up to receive
As students learn how to analyze and interpret images, a helpful analogy is to free food. This sequence of
compare their tasks to those of a detective. This detective analogy suggests three questions will allow students
levels of investigation: gathering evidence, interpreting evidence, and making to discover a wealth of infor-
hypotheses from the evidence. Whether you are using spiral questions in a pub- mation about the image:
What do you see in this
lished Visual Discovery activity or are developing and sequencing your own ques-
photograph?
tions to help students explore an image, keep in mind these three levels of investi- What does the sign on the
gation: truck indicate?
What are the people doing
Level I: Gathering Evidence Start by telling students to think of themselves as here?
detectives, and to regard the projected image as a scene from a time or a place What feelings might these
that they need to investigate. At this level, the detectives task is to look for people be experiencing?
Why arent these people
evidencedetails that may reveal something about the scene. Explain that the
talking with one another?
evidence should be things they could actually touch if they were able to step into
Would people in need act
the scene. the same way today? Why
or why not?
Level II: Interpreting Evidence At this level, your student detectives begin to
interpret the details or evidence they gathered at the scene. Have them formulate
ideas or make inferences based on the existing evidence, such as the time period,
place, or people in the scene. As your detectives share their ideas, encourage them

Visual Discovery 31
 to state their interpretation, then follow up with a because statement that cites
their supporting evidence. Typically, questions at this level are what, when, where,
and who questions.

Level III: Making Hypotheses from Evidence At this level, the student detec-
tives must use the evidence and their own critical thinking skills to determine the
motives behind the scene they are investigating. Have them make hypotheses
about what is happening and why. Typically, questions at this level are why and
how questions that require higher-order thinking skills such as justifying, synthe-
sizing, predicting, and evaluating.

The detective analogy helps students grasp the concept of discovering or uncover-
ing the stories images have to tell. For example, the following series of spiral
questions demonstrates how the three-level detective structure helps students
interact with a painting related to the immigration experience.

In the image below, we see a group of emigrants leaving Hamburg, Germany, for

Analyzing a picture helps

me learn better because
its a window to the past
and I can see through it.
High School Student

the United States around the turn of the century.

Level I: Gathering Evidence
What do you see in this image?
What are some key details, or pieces of evidence, you see?
How would you describe the scene and the people?
What do you hear or smell in this scene?

Level II: Interpreting Evidence

What do you think is the approximate date of this scene? Give one piece of
evidence to support your answer.
Where might this scene have taken place? Give two pieces of evidence to
support your answer.
What do you think is happening in this scene? Be prepared to support your
opinion with two pieces of evidence.

Level III: Making Hypotheses from Evidence

How do you think these people were feeling at this time and place?
Why do you think these people are immigrating to America?
32 Bring Learning Alive!
 Challenge students to read about the image
and apply what they learn.
4 Once students have used their visual-literacy skills to analyze an
image, they are ready to read something about the image in order
to answer questions, fill in content gaps, further their knowledge, and enrich their
understanding. This simple technique helps reluctant students to become more
skilled and inspired readers. For an example of this approach in action, consider
the following segment of a lesson about the growth of democracy during the
Jacksonian Era. Here students are viewing one of several lesson-related images, a
painting that reflects Jacksons Indian policy.

1. Students analyze the image. Students read the painting of the Trail of
Tears as the teacher guides them with spiral questions. They reach these con-
clusions: Native Americans are going somewheretraveling by foot, on horse-
back, and in wagons. They carry their belongings with them. They are accom-
panied by soldiers and appear to be unhappy about where they are going.
Having discovered much from the image on their own, students are eager to
continue the learning process.

2. Students read their text to gather more information and record

notes. With their interest piqued, students now open their books to
find out more about the topicinformation that either reinforces or
corrects assumptions they made when they analyzed the image.
Students gather a wealth of details: The Cherokee had developed
what many considered an advanced civilization. Wealthy planters
and poor settlers were determined to force them out and seize their
lands. Thousands of Native Americans who refused to leave were
rounded up and marched west in handcuffs. Many died on the terri-
ble journey west. Then, they write a summary paragraph in their
Interactive Student Notebook.

3. Students process what they have learned. After completing the

reading and their notes, students have more information and a better
understanding of the Trail of Tears. At this point the teacher projects
the image again and asks students to compare the reality of history
with the images portrayed in the painting. Students then return to
their Interactive Student Notebook, where they add facial expres-
sions and speech bubbles to two outlined heads, representing a
Native American and one of the common people, to reflect how each
group felt and thought about Jacksons Indian policy.

Using images to motivate and set the context for reading will help increase stu- Students use their visual
dents literacy. When students, especially those without strong linguistic skills, literacy skills to read the
projected image of the Trail
experience success at interpreting visuals, they are more motivated to read. They
of Tears. The textbook pro-
also have a better context for understanding what they read. As a result, most will vides them with historical
bring greater effort and more patience to that reading. Ultimately, this approach details about the forced
helps both individual students and the entire class become better critical viewers relocation of the Cherokee.
and thinkers.

Visual Discovery 33
Unless students are active- Have students interact with the images to
ly involved in their learn- demonstrate what they have learned.
ing, they wont remember
much of what you cover.
5 One way to assess what students have learned during a Visual
Using Visual Discovery, I Discovery activity is to ask them to step into the visuals and
not only engaged my stu- bring them to life. Your students will now use their visual, body-kinesthetic,
dents, but also gave them intrapersonal, interpersonal, and logical-mathematical intelligences to demon-
a new way of looking at strate what they have learned.
the history of Africa. It
worked. Some images are so rich with drama, detail, and emotions that they simply invite
students to step in and recreate the moment. This is the time for act-it-outs, the
Middle School Teacher
term used in the TCI Approach for mini-dramatizations of an image. Following
are five ways to structure successful, dynamic act-it-outs. Your students level of
experience with this type of activity, as well as the nature of the image projected,
will determine which form of act-it-out would be most effective. To ensure in-
depth participation, you (or a student) will sometimes assume the role of an on-
scene reporter and interview each of the characters about his or her role.

Act as the on-scene

reporter to ask probing
questions that challenge
students to think deeply
about social studies.

34 Bring Learning Alive!

Scripted Act-It-Out For each significant character in the scene, prepare a simple
script that the actor can read to bring the image to life. This is particularly effec-
tive for images that have two figures engaged in conversation. In some cases, you
might include blank spaces or lines in the scripts, where actors must insert appro-
priate information from their notes.

Use this approach early in the year or semester to introduce act-it-outs. With a
script in hand, your student actors will experience success while they hone their
presentation skills, such as speaking in a loud, clear voice and facing the audi-
ence. The first few times, you may want to choose the actors, selecting students
who you know will feel comfortable in front of the class and do a good job. Later
you can either ask for volunteers or continue to select students yourself.

A scripted act-it-out for an image of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X Students might participate
discussing affirmative action might look like this: in a scripted act-it-out to
Martin Luther King Jr.: I think affirmative action is a positive step for women bring to life this image of two
figures from the civil rights
and people of color.
movement.
Malcolm X: Once again I have to disagree with you. What do you find so posi-
tive about it?
Martin Luther King Jr.: Well, for one thing, it helps to even the playing field
for groups in American society who have traditionally been discriminated
against in employment, job contracts, and admission to higher
levels of education.
Malcolm X: I wont argue that African Americans and others havent been dis-
criminated against, but Im not convinced that affirmative action is the way
to correct the issue. Lets say a black man gets picked for a job over some
white people. The whites will say he got the job just because he is a minori-
ty, not because he is qualified.
Martin Luther King Jr.: That may or may not be true, but once people have the
opportunity, they can prove that they are qualified. Typically in the past, we
havent even had the opportunity.
Malcolm X: Precisely my point! Why should we wait around for a government
program to give us a chance? Lets create our own opportunities for our
own people. Lets support minority-owned businesses that will provide
opportunities for our people without the government telling people what
they have to do.

Act-It-Out with Role Cards Rather than using complete scripts, you might
sometimes provide each student actor with a role card that simply tells his or her
name (when it is unknown, use an appropriate fictional name) and a brief expla-
nation of who this character is. The cards should provide actors with some cues
ideas, key phrases, or questionsto help them prepare for their roles and accu-
rately represent their characters. Give actors their role cards before you begin ask-
ing spiral questions about an image. This way, they can be thinking in terms of
their character as their understanding of the image grows. During the act-it-out,
assume the role of on-scene reporter and interview the characters.

This type of act-it-out is best used after students have experienced success on
stage in a couple of scripted act-it-outs. Again, you may want to choose the actors

Visual Discovery 35
An act-it-out can bring to life
this Depression-era image of
unemployed steelworkers
huddled around a shanty-
town fire. Role cards help
students identify with these
impoverished figures.

the first few times, selecting students who will feel comfortable in front of the
class and do a good job. After students have some experience with this form of
act-it-out, you can ask for volunteers. Later in the year, you can have students
prepare the role cards themselves.

Here is a role card that might be used with an image of unemployed men during
the Depression:

Your name is Joe. You used to work in a factory, but you havent had a job
for two months. You have a wife and three children. When your character is
asked how he feels, include the words ashamed, worried, and discouraged in
your answer.

In the next example, the role card describes a figure in an image of Europeans
boarding a ship to immigrate to the United States in the late 1800s.

Your name is Antonio. You are from southern Italy. You are the second
oldest son in your large family. Be prepared to answer these questions:
What is your name, and where are you from?
Why are you leaving your homeland?
What do you hope to find in America?
How do you feel about what is happening?
Do you think you will ever see your family again? Why or why not?

Talking Statues Act-It-Out For images that include a large number of characters
or that represent especially poignant moments in time, such as the sit-in at the
Woolworths lunch counter during the civil rights movement, ask everyone to pre-
tend to be one of the figures or objects in the image. Tell students to imagine
what their character is thinking or feeling at that precise moment. Then ask a
group of volunteers to come forward, and have them freeze into the precise
body positions of the different figures. One by one, touch each character on the

36 Bring Learning Alive!

shoulder. That figure comes to life long enough to state what he or she is think-
ing or feeling, then freezes back into position. Each talking statue statement
should be briefideally no more than one sentence.

You would typically use this form of act-it-out toward the beginning of the year
or semester when you want to give many students the experience of being on
stage, but in a limited and highly structured way.

Group Presentation Act-It-Out For images with several figures, you can put
students into groups of four or five and assign one character to each group. On an
overhead transparency or a handout, give each group some questions to discuss
and to answer from the perspective of their character. Once groups have prepared
their responses, ask a volunteer from each group to step into the image and take
on the assigned role. During the act-it-out, you will assume the role of the on-
scene reporter and interview the characters, asking questions similar to those dis-
cussed in the groups.

This type of act-it-out works better later in the year when students are familiar
with the act-it-out format and are ready to take on more responsibility.

Impromptu Act-It-Out Besides the various forms of planned act-it-outs, you

can call for impromptu act-it-outs whenever you encounter an image that involves
clearly dramatic interaction. After the class has analyzed an image, completed any
related reading, and recorded their notes, have volunteers step into the image
with their notes, if neededand assume the roles of some of the figures. Either
you or students in the audience can then act as on-scene reporters to interview the
figures. For images that are read easily, consider using the impromptu act-it-out
before students turn to the related reading, to further pique their interest in the
text.

Impromptu act-it-outs are most successfully used later in the year or semester,
when students are confident about dramatizing images and need less structure, or
when they are already familiar with the historical content of the image and can
react to it spontaneously.
Impromptu act-it-outs are
often tense and emotionally
charged as students feel and
appreciate the passions
reflected in the image. Using
this image of a Vietnam War
protest, you might have
students step into the roles
of protesters and police.

Visual Discovery 37