ClassX Video Lessons Subjects Art How Illustrations Show Mood | Reading Comprehension | Khan Academy Kids
Have you ever read a story and noticed the pictures that go along with it? Pictures can be really helpful when we’re reading because they add extra meaning to the words. Let’s explore how pictures can change the way we understand a story!
Imagine you’re reading about a girl walking through the woods. If the picture shows a dark and shadowy forest, you might feel worried or scared. But if the picture shows a bright and sunny forest, you might feel happy and peaceful. Even though the words are the same, the pictures can make you feel very different emotions.
Pictures help describe the mood of a story, which is how the story makes you feel. They can show things that the words might not say directly. This is why it’s important not to skip the pictures when you’re reading. They can give you clues about what’s happening and how the characters might be feeling.
Next time you read a book, take a moment to look at the pictures. Think about how they make you feel and what they add to the story. You’ll find that they can make reading even more fun and interesting!
Picture Mood Match: Gather a few picture books or print out some story illustrations. Look at each picture and discuss with a friend or family member how it makes you feel. Does it make you feel happy, sad, excited, or scared? Try to match the mood of the picture with a word or phrase from the story. This will help you see how pictures and words work together to tell a story.
Create Your Own Story: Draw a picture of a scene you imagine, like a day at the park or a trip to the zoo. Then, write a short story or a few sentences about what is happening in your picture. Share your story and picture with someone and ask them how your picture makes them feel. See if their feelings match the mood of your story.
Picture Detective: Choose a book you haven’t read before and look at the pictures without reading the words. Try to guess what the story is about just by looking at the pictures. Discuss your guesses with someone and then read the story to see how close you were. This activity will help you understand how much information pictures can give us about a story.
