Image, Sound, and Story: Teaching Literacy for a Visual Culture

Image, Sound, and Story is a professional development program from the Jacob Burns Film Center preparing teachers in grades 5-10 to integrate viewing and creating media into their classroom culture and literacy instruction. The curriculum will eventually expand to reach Pre-K – 12. In addition to sharing excerpts of the unique and innovative approach of Image, Sound, and Story, the webinar shares some brief case studies of how it is being implemented in 5th-10th grade classrooms. Teachers’ lesson plans and student work illustrate how visual thinking skills can influence reading and writing literature, nonfiction, and persuasive texts, all while supporting the Common Core Standards. With accessible technology, engaging content, and seamless integration amongst traditional and contemporary meaning-making, participants will understand how close-reading and critical thinking skills can be developed and applied in a culture dominated by the moving image.