Hasse, J, Stor. K Burke, C1988), Creat Clasrooms for Authors. Pons, NI
eremana
Sketch to Stretch -Comprensian
‘Sketch to stetch was originated by Jerry Harste, Carolyn Burke, Majorie
Siegel, and Karen Feathers (Tiemey, Readence, & Dishner, 1990) and is a
strategy that provides students with an opportunity to represent the most
{important “picture” that plays in their mind when they read or listen to 8
selection, It also gives students the opportunity to see that multiple
‘meanings are constructed by class members as they share and discuss their
drawings, ‘The strategy is useful for both content and narrative texts and
consists ofthe following steps:
1. Students read text. (Ifdesired, students may divide into groups of four to
five and read the same selection, This strategy may also be implemented
with a story that the teacher reads aloud to the class or a small group of
children),
Draw a sketch of “the picture that you see in your mind when you think
of the story.” Remind students that there is not a “right” or “wrong”
picture. There are many ways of depicting the meaning of an experience.
3, [fall students have been reading the same text, they should divide into
groups of four or five after completing their sketches. Each person
shows his or her sketch to the others in the group. Group members have
‘a chance to express what they think the artist/student is trying to say.
4, After all the group members have had the opportunity to indicate what
they think the drawing represents, the artist/student gets the last word.
‘All of the groups share. Groups may collaborate and construct a group
sketch after sharing,
This strategy provides students with an opportunity to discuss the impact the
text had upon them by sharing the most important mental image that was
formed as they interacted with the text. During this sharing, the concept is
reinforced that reading text is much more than just “saying the words.”
Mental images must be formed. Finally it reinforces the notion that readers
bring meaning fo the text rather than extracting meaning from it.