Visual Supports

Overview

In this lesson, students learn that images can add information to a report and help the reader understand the animal more clearly. They practise looking closely at illustrations and matching what they show to what the text says.

Learning intentions

• Students will notice images and graphics in informative texts.
• Students will explain how images add to or multiply meaning in a report.
• Students will use a simple comprehension strategy to connect image details with written words.
• Students will plan a short “report sentence” that includes an image support idea.

Success criteria

• I can point to an image or graphic and say what extra information it gives.
• I can tell how an image helps me understand (for example, where, what it looks like, or what it does).
• I can use my sentence starters to write one report sentence that matches an image detail.

Curriculum links

• AC9E2LA08: images add to or multiply the meanings of a text.
• AC9E2LY05: use comprehension strategies (visualising, connecting, questioning) to build literal and inferred meaning.
• AC9E2LY06: create and edit short informative written and/or multimodal texts with simple sentences and topic vocabulary.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Hook (Look, Think, Tell). Teacher shows a single-page endangered animal mini-report with one clear image (e.g., a map, labelled picture, or habitat scene). Students do a quick “Look” then answer: “What can you learn from the picture that might not be in the words?”
2. 4–10 min · Direct teach (Image meaning). Teacher models with think-aloud: “The words tell me… The picture shows… This helps because…” Teacher points to 2 specific image features (colours, parts, habitat, labels, arrows). Students repeat the sentence frame with partner support.
3. 10–18 min · Guided practice (Connect with a strategy). Students receive a short informative text snippet about an endangered animal plus its image (or matching picture cards). Teacher prompts using questioning and connecting:

• “What do you see in the image?”
• “Which word/line matches that?”
• “What new idea does the image give?” Students record answers using one of two simple supports: a “Picture + I learned…” template or a sentence starter sheet.

4. 18–26 min · Create (Write a report support sentence). Students choose one image detail from their page (example choices: habitat, body part, action, location). Teacher provides a shared word bank (animal name, lives in, has, can, looks like, helps). Students write one short sentence that includes the image support idea using a starter such as:

• “In the picture, I can see…”
• “The picture helps me understand that…”
• “It lives in…” Teacher circulates, checking that students are connecting the sentence to an image detail.

5. 26–30 min · Exit (Quick check). Each student answers one question to a teacher on a mini whiteboard or paper: “What extra information does the image give?” Teacher uses a quick checklist: points to image feature, gives an added meaning reason.

Resources

• Short, high-contrast informative text snippet about an endangered animal (print or digital)
• One supporting image per animal (labelled illustration or habitat scene)
• Picture-only card set (2–3 images) for students who need less reading
• “Picture + I learned…” worksheet and sentence starter strips
• Word bank cards (animal name, habitat/location words, body/feature verbs)
• Mini whiteboards/paper, crayons/coloured pencils
• Teacher model page for think-aloud

Assessment

• Formative during guided practice: teacher listens for student explanations of “extra information” from images.
• Formative during writing: teacher checks that the sentence matches an image detail (not a random fact).
• Exit ticket: students state the added meaning from the image in one short response.

Differentiation

• For low reading ability:
• Provide picture-only cards plus the “matched words” strip (students match picture to 1–2 key words like “forest”, “reef”, “wings”).
• Allow pointing instead of long explanations; students can choose from two answer options on the worksheet.
• Sentence supports: offer 2–3 sentence starters with a word bank, and allow dictation to the teacher or scribe where needed.
• For students who are ready:
• Ask a deeper question: “Does the image show an action, reaction, or where it lives? How does it help you imagine the animal?”
• EAL support:
• Use real objects/photos of vocabulary (e.g., leaf/reef/map) when possible and keep key words consistent across the lesson.
• Encourage gestures (point to, show, where).
• Small group structure (7 students):
• Teacher works with a group of 3–4 during guided practice; remaining students work with picture cards and a simplified template.