Feeling invisible. It's a very sad, hollow feeling that can make a person question whether or not they're worth existing. If we knew that even one of our students felt this way, we would do everything in our power to validate the little soul.
The problem is that they are not likely to voice--"Hey, I'm feeling a little overlooked here." And with 20 to 30 other students in our classrooms, always with a few larger than life personalities, it's all too easy to overlook the subtle cues of a child who feels invisible.
The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig is a thoughtful book that can be a great starting point for helping your students to be more mindful of how their actions can contribute to someone feeling invisible. At the same time, we can use the book to show students that they can reach out to a safe peer when they are feeling vulnerable.
Build a Sense of Belonging and Community Through Literacy
The Invisible Boy- Brian, is a creative and kind person, yet he remains unseen by his peers. He isn't invited to parties, no one chooses him to be on their team, and he's left out at lunch. One day, a new kid named Justin comes along and gets made fun of for eating bulgogi (Korean BBQ) at lunch. Brian questions, "Which is worse--being laughed at or feeling invisible?" (So sad!!!) Well, Brian reaches out to Justin by drawing him a picture and Justin, who is a natural at making friends, includes him in a whole bunch of activities. An exchange of a few kind acts helps Justin to gain a friend and Brian to feel not so invisible in the end.
Building Empathy
Reading this book is a great step towards teaching kids to be kinder, but we can't stop there! The really powerful stuff is in the reflective, empathy building questions in the back. Here are a few examples:
Have you ever tried to join a group, game, or activity and other kids wouldn't let you? If yes, how did that make you feel?
Have you ever intentionally excluded other kids from joining your group, game, or activity? If yes, why?
Was there a better way for Madison to handle the situation when she and her friends started to talk about her party in front of those kids who weren't invited?
Which do you think is worse--being laughed at or feeling invisible? Explain.
What specifically did Justin do to make Brian feel less invisible?
I'm not sure how vulnerable your students are willing to be in their responses to these exposing questions. Perhaps writing in journals and sharing in small groups may be more effective. Maybe it would be best to read the book in strategic small groups. It all depends on which situation your students would feel safer.
Additionally, I've noticed in teaching my students Social Emotional Learning that the lessons alone aren't enough for most kids. They need in the moment coaching to help reinforce and integrate the lessons learned in class with real life situations. Gently and discretely help them to be more inclusive in real time. Then the light bulbs start going off. :)
Speaking of integrating.
Integrate The Invisible Boy in ELA
The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig
Guided Reading Level: P
Lexile: AD680L
Theme: Being Included, Kindness, Friendship
Inference Character Traits: Because the author does not explicitly state Brian and Justin's character traits, you can have your students exercise their inference skills. Download a character traits study on Brian, Justin, and an opportunity for your students to reflective on themselves and their peers here!
For FREE WORKSHEETS on character traits, click below!
For more worksheets on SEL & ELA integrated activities, scroll down to the end!
Problem and Solution: Studying problem and solution in this book is an inevitable study in social skills. Each problem is solved with kindness and empathy. P & S is also a great opportunity to pose some text to self questions. For example, we can ask students if they've ever intentionally excluded someone from a group or activity and if yes, why? We can then help them come up with solutions on how to have better handled the situation. I've included such questions in my SEL packet, which you can find here.
Other Questions to Consider:
When did you see someone being inclusive in the book?
Have you ever tried to include someone who you think has been feeling left out? What did you do? How did it make that person feel? How did it make you feel?
Can you recognize yourself in the story? Who are you?
How did Patrice Barton, the illustrator, make Brian's feelings visible to you?
Narrative Devices:
Opening: Open with a question. Ludwig opens with an ironic question, "Can you see Brian, the invisible boy?" Your students can refer to Ludwig's example of opening with a question when they write their own narratives.
Throughout: Explore how Ludwig uses dialogue throughout the book. Have your students compare how dialogue is written in the speech bubbles, and how they are written within the text. Use the book as a mentor text to teach a mini-lesson on how to use quotation marks and commas.
Help your students analyze how Ludwig sequences the events in her story using transitional words and phrases. This will show your students that they can use other phrases besides first, next, then, and last to tell a story or structure their own writing. Make an anchor chart listing the examples from the book:
Chronological Text Structure Examples:
"When the bell rings for recess," p. 5.
"In the cafeteria," p. 9.
"At Choosing Time," p. 11.
"On Monday morning," p. 14.
"At lunch," p.15.
"The next day," p. 17.
"At morning recess," p. 19.
"Back in class," p. 21.
"It's lunchtime again--," p. 27.
Have your students generate more phrases to this list. This chart would be a great reference for when they write their own narratives.
Closing: Warm emotions ending. Ludwig leaves her readers with warm, happy hope for Brian. In the final pages of the book, he enters the cafeteria with dread, anticipating a long 20 minutes of being by himself. Justin, however, waves Brian over to sit with him and a friend and then hands him a cookie. Ludwig makes this ending especially heartening because its references one of Brian's drawings earlier in the book depicting what friends do--they give each other cookies. Amen to that!
I hope these ideas adds a little bit more love to your classroom community as well as your Language Arts block!
Check Out the Complete Packet!
For over 40 pages of ready to use worksheets that integrated ELA & SEL created by yours truly, click below!!!
#SocialEmotionalLearning #Inclusion #LeadWithaQuestion #Dialogue #ChronologicalTextStructure #WarmEmotionsEnding #Friendship #Kindness
Aligned CCSS for your lesson plans:
Grade 1
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.3 Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.7 Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.1.5 With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic, respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add details to strengthen writing as needed.
Grade 2
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.2.3 Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.2.5 Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.5 With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing.
Grade 3
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.7 Explain how specific aspects of a text's illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting)
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.3a Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.3b: Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to situations.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.3d Provide a sense of closure.
Grade 4
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.2: Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.3: Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3a Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3b: Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3c: Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3d Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.
Grade 5
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.2: Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.3: Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.3a: Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.3b: Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, description, and pacing, to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.3c: Use a variety of transitional words, phrases, and clauses to manage the sequence of events.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.3e: Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.
Comments