Make an Infographic

An infographic uses pictures, graphics, and

words to show information in a way that is
interesting and easy to understand.

1 Choose a Question
Think about the text. What questions does it answer?
Choose one question. Create an infographic that
SHOWS the answer.

2 Plan Your Infographic

How can pictures and words work together to show
the answer to your question? How can you use colors
and graphics? Sketch your ideas. Look at examples of
other infographics to get ideas.

3 Picture It!
Write your question at the top of your paper. Next,
use your sketches to create your infographic. As you
work, ask yourself how each part of your infographic
communicates information.

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4 Put It Together
Present your infographic to a group. Have your group
give feedback about whether it answers a question in a
way that is easy to understand.
Make a Trading Card
A trading card features interesting
details about a story character or
someone from the real world.

1 Pick a Subject
Think about the text you read. Choose a character or a real
person from the text to become the focus of a trading card.

2 Picture Your Subject

On an index card, draw a picture that shows what your
subject looks like or what you imagine the subject to look
like. You might make a portrait of the subject’s face or show
him or her in action.

3 Share Details
Turn over your card, and write your subject’s name at the
top. Which words best describe your subject? What are his
or her likes and dislikes? Did your subject face challenges
or achieve important goals? Include the details you think

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are most important.

4 Guess Who?
Play a guessing game with a group. Cover the front of your
card and read aloud the description on the back. Have your
group guess the subject. Then display the front of your
card. Explain why you chose this subject. Talk about how
the cards in your group are similar and different.
Make a Flipbook
Flipbooks contain a series of pictures. Each picture is a little
different from the one before it. When you flip through the
book, the pictures come to life and look like they are moving.

1 Get Materials
Stack together about 20 index cards. Wrap rubber bands
around one end of the cards to hold them together like a book.

2 Brainstorm
Choose a scene from the text that you would like to show in
action. Be sure the scene you pick has some lively movement
or excitement.

3 Draw! Draw! Draw!

Begin drawing your scene on the cards one at a time. Change
your drawing a little bit on each card. To make something
grow, keep it in the same spot from one card to the next but
make it bigger. To make something move, draw it a little bit
more to the left or the right on each card.

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4 Flip It!
Check your work. Flip through your cards after each new
drawing. If you make a mistake, take out the card and make a
new one.

5 Share Your Work

Share your completed flipbook with a partner. Try to guess the
part of the selection that each person’s flipbook shows.
Make a Documentary
Films that document the world around us
are called documentaries. They contain facts
about real people, places, events, and more.

1 Choose a Topic
Choose a topic related to the text you read. What more
would you like to learn about the topic?

2 It’s in the Details

What makes your topic fascinating? Brainstorm and
research ideas with your group. What do you want people
to know, think, or feel after watching your documentary?

3 Script It
Most documentaries have a narrator who shares facts
about the topic. Some have interviews with experts. What
will the narrator and interviewer in your documentary say?
Write a script. Use the text for ideas.

4 Storyboard

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A storyboard can help you plan out your shots before you
film. It shows how your film will look from beginning to end.
Sketch every scene. Write notes to tell what is happening.

Action!
5 Decide with your group who will be the narrator, the
interviewer, and the videographer. Then film your
documentary.
Make an Invention
Inventors use their imaginations to make
things that solve problems and maybe even
change the world.

1 Choose a Problem
Think about the selection you read. What problem or problems
did the author write about? Choose one problem from the
selection that you would like to solve with an invention.

2 Brainstorm
Make a list of as many invention ideas as you can to solve the
problem. Get wild and silly in your thinking. Don’t worry if an
idea is “good” or “bad.” Sometimes a bad idea can turn into a
great one!

3 Develop Your Idea

Select your favorite idea. Write a description of what your
invention will do. Think of a name for your invention, too!

4 Make It

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Draw a picture of your invention, or use materials in the
classroom to build it. Then share your work with a partner.
Discuss what your invention does and how it solves a problem
in the story.
Make a Mural
A mural is a large painting applied directly to a
wall or ceiling.

1 Analyze Visuals
Look closely at the visuals in the text. What catches your
eye about them? How do they connect to the ideas in the
text? What can you learn from the visuals that is not found
in the text?

2 Sketch It!
Think about a mural you would like to make about the text
to show that you understand what you read. Your mural
can be about a scene, a character, an event or topic in the
text, or an idea all your own! What do you want your mural
to communicate to your audience? Sketch a few ideas.

3 Gather Materials
Think about how different artists’ tools and techniques can
create different effects. Which ones do you want to use in

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your mural? Make sure you have permission to paint your
mural. Then gather the materials that you will need.

4 Create and Present

Create your mural, and think of a title for it. Share your
finished artwork and title with others. Challenge them to
explain how it connects to the text.
Write a Poem
Poems are written with words chosen for their sounds and
the feelings they suggest, as well as their meaning. A poet’s
choice of words helps to create pictures in a reader’s mind.

1 Choose a Topic
You can write a poem about almost anything. Think about the
text you read. Choose a topic that you would like to use as the
inspiration for a poem. You might choose a character, a setting,
an event, a fact, or even a picture.

2 Brainstorm
Brainstorm words and phrases to use in your poem. Draw
pictures and make lists to collect ideas. Look back at the text to
help you expand your lists with many options. What thoughts
and feelings about the topic do you want to express?

3 Write
Write your poem. Try out a few lines, a few rhymes, and
interesting sounds. Write the lines in different ways to create

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different effects. Use words that paint clear pictures in your
reader’s mind. Read your poem many times to be sure you like
how the words sound together. Revise as needed.

4 Share
Share your poem with others! Plan a poetry reading with a
group. Invite classmates and friends to be the audience. How
can you use your voice, body movements, and props to make
your poem come to life?
Make a Book Trailer
A book trailer is like a commercial for a book.
It uses pictures, words, and sounds to make
people excited about reading it.

1 You Have to Read This!

Work with a group. Talk about how to make people want
to read the text. What interesting things about the book
will get their attention? What kinds of pictures and sounds
relate to the book? List your ideas.

2 Write Your Script

Write a script for your book trailer. Be sure to include the
title, the author, and interesting details about the text.
Don’t give too much away!

3 Choose Pictures and Sound

Choose pictures and sound to go with your script, and plan
when they will show or play. What can you show that will
make people excited about the text? What kind of song or

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sound effects will help people know what it is like?

4 Make It and Share It

Draw pictures to show what each part of your book trailer
will look like, or use technology to create it. Share your
book trailer with other groups!
Make a Field Guide
A field guide is a book to take into nature to help you
explore. Each page has facts and pictures that help
you identify wildlife and the other things you see.

1 Plan Your Field Guide

Work with a group. How can you share information from the
text in a field guide? What things from nature can you include?
Have each person in your group choose a different topic from
the text to make a page for the group’s field guide.

2 Describe Your Topic

Look back at the text. Which facts will help readers get to
know your topic? Research your topic in other sources, too.
Make notes about your findings. Then use your notes to write a
description. Include details that will help readers identify your
topic when they see it in nature.

3 Add Visuals
Draw a picture of your topic or find a photo of it. You might

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even do both! Consider including labels to show your topic’s
different parts or adding a map to show where to find it.

4 Put It Together
Present your page to your group. Show and explain your
visuals. Combine the pages from your group members to
make one book. Together, create an interesting cover to
protect the pages.
 News is information about current events or things

Write a News Story that are happening in the world, as reported by

newspapers, websites, radio, television, and other
forms of media. Most news stories focus on facts
rather than on someone’s opinion.

1 Choose a Topic
Page through a current newspaper, either online or in print,
to view a variety of news stories. Then think about the text
you read. Choose an event from the text that you think
would be interesting to share with others as a news story.

2 Investigate
Ask yourself who, what, when, why, and how questions
about the event you chose. Make notes about your
answers. Write enough to help you remember the
important ideas.

3 Report It

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Be a reporter! Refer to your notes to write a news story. Be
sure to include the important events and details. End with
a conclusion that wraps up your story. Add a headline, or
title, and a picture that will attract a reader’s attention!

4 Share the Scoop

Think of ways to share your news story. Will you deliver
copies to classmates? Would you like to read it aloud like a
TV reporter? What other ways can you share the news?