"Solving Problems": Interpret graphic features: Sidebars, charts, and photos

1. Grade 4, Unit 1, Week 1, Mini-Lesson 5 (15-20 min.)

2. I will be able to:
Interpret information presented visually.
Explain how the information contributes to an
understanding of the text in which it appears.

3. Nonfiction texts often contain graphic features such
as photographs, charts, graphs, and sidebars.
Writers include these features to support or extend
the information in their texts.
What kinds of information would you find in a
chart or graph? How can these types of graphic
features help you understand a text?

4. (instead of creating a Graphic Features Chart, write
notes directly on text)
As I read the text in the sidebar, I see that it describes
a specific example of how different levels of government
worked together after a natural disaster. It gives
details that help me understand how bad the disaster
was, as well as details about how the levels of
government worked as a team to provide relief. The
photograph helps me see why people needed help. It
also touches my feelings – I am sad for the people who
lost their home.

5. I will draw an arrow to paragraph 2; that lets me
know that the sidebar supports that part of the text.
We’ll also write next to the sidebar:
The sidebar gives an example of state and federal
governments working together to solve problems.
Next to the photo we’ll write:
Helps me visualize the disaster; touches my
feelings.

6. Let’s reread page 5 of “Solving Problems.”
Now, let’s take a close look at both the pie-chart and
the photo, along with its caption.
How do these graphic features support our
understanding of the text?

7. What does the pie chart show?
What information is contained in the caption? Is
that information available elsewhere in the text?

8. Let’s draw an arrow from the pie-chart to the
sentence “Washington State – the leading producer
of shellfish in the nation.” We will highlight this
sentence to show that the pie chart supports it.

9. Let’s look at the photo. We are going to draw an
arrow from the photo to paragraphs 4 and 5.
We will write next to the photo:
Helps me see what jobs in the shellfish industry are
like.
We will write next to the caption:
Provides a detail not found in the main text.

10. How do you think your understanding of “Solving
Problems” would be different if the sidebar, pie-
chart, and photo and caption weren’t included?
(discussion question)

11. Let’s find another section of “Solving Problems” that
might benefit from a graphic feature.
I am thinking that paragraph one might benefit from a
diagram showing the different levels of government.
Let’s take this time to draw a diagram that supports
the information in paragraph one.
(draw in text if room; If not, draw on scratch paper)