Rebus Activity 6R

OVERVIEW

If you've ever drawn a heart for the word "love," you've written a rebus. Rebus, writing which substitutes images for words in the text, is used by authors to write books for young readers able to identify only a limited number of words. Rebus books substitute pictures for the harder words that young students cannot yet identify or decode.

A rebus puzzle encourages children to sound out words and find letters, numbers, and images that can replace words in a story while still making the story understandable by a writer. Rebuses create a unique challenge that may entice even the most reluctant of writers

Generally a rebus story uses 7 to 10 picture words, some of which are repeated in the story. Focus on nouns, colors, and numbers. Verbs don’t make good picture words. There should be only one way to "read" the picture. For example, "smile" is not a good rebus word because the reader might be confused with a picture that showed a mouth, teeth and lips. But, "nose" is a good picture word because there is no confusion as to its meaning.

What topics work best? Anything that is part of a 2- to 6-year-old’s world: family, friends, home, toys, animals, school, holidays, weather, gardens and nature. Sometimes a retold folk tale works well in this format.

Keep the language and sentence structure simple. Don’t worry about using big words if they can be pictured. For example, hippopotamus or wheelbarrow will be used with a picture.

Assignment

In this lesson, you are to use rebus writing to create a story or poem for your book buddy by drawing pictures of the words you need to complete for your buddy to be able to read.

Start out by writing a short, short story on a piece of scrap paper. Leave a lot of space above and below each line to sketch pictures. This is just a draft. Read the story word-by-word looking for words that can become letters, numbers, symbols, and pictures. For example, “ate” becomes “8” and “can’t” becomes a picture of a can with a “t” right next to it

"Write" the finished draft on plain paper folded into a card. Create a cover and a legend.

           Rubric for Rebus Story or Poem for Fall or Halloween 6R

Scores:

       1

       2

       3

Card

Card is folded in a haphazard fashion

Card is folded, but untidy in places

Card is folded neatly

Cover

Cover is missing 2 of these elements: neat, colorful, appropriate picture for the text.

Cover is missing 1 of these elements: neat, colorful, appropriate picture for the text.

Cover is neat, colorful, appropriate picture for the text.

Rebus Sentences

Less than ¾ of the sentences or lines  are complete, and have the correct pictures at the right places in the sentences

¾ of the sentences or lines  are complete, and have the correct pictures at the right places in the sentences

All the sentences or lines  are complete, and have the correct pictures at the right places in the sentences

Neatness Colour

Less than ¾ of the pictures are neatly executed

More than ¾ of the pictures are neatly executed

All of the pictures are neatly executed

Picture Accuracy

More than ¾ of the pictures have a double meaning

Less than ¾ of the pictures have a double meaning

None of the pictures have a double meaning, or legend included

Identification

Missing both of Book Buddy and author names

Missing one of Book Buddy and author names

Book Buddy and author names are included

Score:         /18

 

Halloween Night is Fun!      Pilgrims Rebus

Samples

Reflections

Start out by writing a short, short story on a piece of scrap paper. Leave a lot of space above and below each line to sketch pictures. This is just a draft. Read the story word-by-word looking for words that can become letters, numbers, symbols, and pictures. For example, “ate” becomes “8” and “can’t” becomes a picture of a can with a “t” right next to it.

Read more at Suite101: Rebus Writing Activities for Kids http://www.suite101.com/content/rebus-writing-activities-for-kids-a293230#ixzz130vToqyW

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