You will learn
- Say what a picture book is.
- Use pictures to find clues.
- Say how pictures and words go together.
- Talk about a favourite picture book.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- A picture book uses pictures and words.
- Pictures give clues.
- Words and pictures tell the story together.
- We can talk about our favourites.
Words to know
a book with many pictures
a picture in a book
the front of a book
the person who writes the words
1. Discover: Look and read
Ama looks at the cover of a new book. It shows a girl with a big umbrella and rain falling. “I think it is about rain,” she says. She opens the book. The pictures show the girl splashing in puddles. “The pictures help me understand!”
Think: What can pictures tell us?
2. Understand: Pictures and words
Idea 1: Parts of a picture book
A picture book has a cover, a title, an author who writes the words and an illustrator who draws the pictures.
Idea 2: Pictures give clues
Pictures show the characters, the place and what is happening. They help us understand the words.
Idea 3: Words and pictures
Sometimes the pictures show more than the words. Read both to get the whole story.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Cover clue
The cover shows rain and an umbrella. What is the book about?
- Look at the picture.
- Guess.
Answer: rain
Example 2 (We do it together): Picture clue
The picture shows a girl splashing. How does she feel?
- Look at her face.
- Guess.
Answer: happy
Example 3 (You try): Who?
Who writes the words?
Show the steps and answer
- Think of the person.
- Find the word.
Answer: the author
Did you know?
Some picture books have no words at all and tell the story only with pictures.
Why this matters
Reading pictures is part of reading and helps you understand stories.
4. Explore: Picture walk
Look through a book before reading.
- Look at the cover.
- Turn through the pictures.
- Guess what the story is about.
- Read and check.
Think about it: what did you notice?
Pictures can help you predict the story.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- The cover shows ___.
- The picture shows ___.
- I think the story is about ___.
- The author is ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What does the cover show?
rain and an umbrella
Question 2. How does the girl feel?
happy
Question 3. Who writes the words?
the author
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- A picture in a book is an ___.
- The front of a book is the ___.
- The person who writes the words is the ___.
- Pictures give ___.
- Do picture books have pictures?
Level 2: Grow
- What can pictures show?
- Who draws the pictures?
- What does a cover tell us?
Level 3: Stretch
- Look at a book cover and say what it is about.
- How do pictures help?
- Ama says pictures are not needed. Is she right?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Look at a picture book with a family member and tell the story from the pictures.
Show a sample answer
The girl splashes in puddles.
Another one. Draw a cover for a story you would like to write.
Show a sample answer
A cover with a title and a picture.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Look at them for clues.
Fix: Read the words too.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can say what a picture book is.
- I can use pictures for clues.
- I can say how words and pictures go together.
- I can talk about a favourite book.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Picture books use pictures and words.
- Pictures give clues.
- Look and read.
- Authors write, illustrators draw.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Nursery rhymes. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- What is a picture book? [1 mark]
- Who writes the words in a picture book? [1 mark]
- Who draws the pictures? [1 mark]
- Name two things pictures can show. [2 marks]
- Explain how pictures help us understand a story. [3 marks]
Total: 8 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- a book with pictures and words [1]
- the author [1]
- the illustrator [1]
- one thing [1]; another thing [1]
- show characters and places [1]; give clues [1]; help predict [1]
Score guide: 7 to 8 = secure. 5 to 6 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 5 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- A picture in a book is an ___.
- The front of a book is the ___.
- The person who writes is the ___.
- The person who draws is the ___.
- Pictures give ___.
- True or false: picture books have pictures.
- True or false: pictures are not important.
- Draw a book cover.
- Tell a story from a picture.
- Name your favourite picture book.
Homework
Read a picture book with a family member and tell what the pictures show.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. A picture in a book is an ___. | illustration | 1 |
| 2. The front of a book is the ___. | cover | 1 |
| 3. The person who writes is the ___. | author | 1 |
| 4. The person who draws is the ___. | illustrator | 1 |
| 5. Pictures give ___. | clues | 1 |
| 6. True or false: picture books have pictures. | true | 1 |
| 7. True or false: pictures are not important. | false | 1 |
| 8. Draw a book cover. | a drawn cover | 1 |
| 9. Tell a story from a picture. | a spoken story | 1 |
| 10. Name your favourite picture book. | any book | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 illustration; 2 cover; 3 author; 4 clues; 5 yes. Level 2: 1 characters, places and events; 2 the illustrator; 3 what the book may be about. Level 3: 1 a valid prediction; 2 they show clues and help us understand; 3 no, they help us understand.
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Say what a picture book is | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Use pictures to find clues | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Say how pictures and words go together | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Talk about a favourite picture book | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Ignoring the pictures. Look at them for clues.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use a wordless picture book.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns to use pictures and words together. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Look at the pictures together.
- Ask what they notice.
- Visit the library.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: say what a picture book is; use pictures to find clues; say how pictures and words go together; talk about a favourite picture book.
Prerequisite knowledge. Traditional tales.
Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Show a book cover and ask what the book is about.
Explanation (10 min). Teach the parts of a picture book.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise picture walk.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners share a favourite book.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What do the pictures show? What do the words say?
Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use a wordless picture book. Extension. Create a picture book page.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Ignoring the pictures. Look at them for clues.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 8-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Use a wordless picture book. Enrichment. Make your own picture book. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 1 » Reading: Literature. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core RL.1.7 (use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events) and RL.1.5; Cambridge Primary English Stage 1 (reading picture books). These sources informed the lesson.