Writing Through Wordless Books: Creating New Stories

Yellow Umbrella-Jae Soo Lui

By: Dawn Wilson

About the Author

Jae Soo Liu was born in Hongsung, Choognam Korea. He has a BA degree in oil painting and an MA in art education. He is a famous artist in Korea and his paintings have been displayed at the Dong Duk Art Center in Seoul. He is a teacher, an artist, and a writer.

Composer

Dong II Sheen was born in Seoul, Korea. He has a degree BA in compostion from South Korea National University and an MA from New York University. He has played at Carnegie Hall and the Hall of Art in Seoul.

Activity

Children will gather at the reading center where I have set up a CD player. Students will bring their writing journals with a pencil to the center. I will introduce the book, Yellow Umbrella, and will tell them about the author, Soo Liu. I will explain that he is from Korea and we will look at out classroom map to see where his country is located. Next, I will tell them that this story is different from many books we read. I will share with them that this is a "wordless" book. I will ask them if they know any other wordless books. Then I will ask them why they think an author would make a wordless book. Then I will share with them that someone else made this story special. I will ask them if they know what a composer is? I will tell them about Dong II Sheen and that he worked with Jae Soo Liu to make this a special book. We will talk about how most picture books have an author and illustrator. I will share that this book is different because instead of words and pictures to tell the story, Soo Liu and Sheen have used pictures and music to tell the story.

We will share the story. The students will look at the pictures while listening to the classical compositions by Sheen. While listening, I will ask the children to write down how the music relates to the pictures. What do you think Soo Liu is telling us through his illustrations? What do you think Sheen is telling us through his music? What changes do you see from page to page in the illustrations? What changes do you hear in the music? What story do you think they are trying to share with you?

When we finish sharing the book, we will talk about some of the things they have written down in their journals about the music and the illustrations. Next, I will explain that we are going to use the pictures and the music to tell our own story-to put words with the pictures and music. I will walk them through the illustrations again and we will look at how the pictures change from page to page. I will ask questions like: Where do you think that person with the umbrella is going? Who do you think just came to walk along beside him? Where do you think they are going? Are they friends? Are they strangers? I will remind them that they can use all of their senses when writing. They might think about how the person likes the feel of the rain on their face, or if they like wading in puddles. What does the rain smell like? What does it sound like? Feel like? Smell like? We will brainstorm words and phrases that would make our writing more interesting and exciting; splash, wet, misty, windy, whoosh, softly, and then, when suddenly, out of nowhere...I will write these on the easel.

For the writing activity, I will place the students in small groups. Each group will have a CD player with earphones and a copy of Yellow Umbrella. I will ask them to create a story together to share with the class. Together, the group members will compose, edit and revise their stories.

Ohio Standards (Benchmarks) for Writing

Grade 3

Process: Generate ideas and determine a topic for writing.

Applications: Write narrative accounts that develop character, setting and plot.

Conventions: Write legibly in finished drafts.

Communication: Respond to presentations and media messages by stating the purpose and summarizing main ideas.