A few points about Invisibles Questioning Level 5:
1. If we are working from a one word image to start our Invisibles story, we can ask, at the end of the creation of the image and right before the Reveal, what possible problem of the new invisible character might be. This is done in English. We can have the students write the possible problems on an exit ticket or they can just tell us there in class. It is nice to have suggestions that we may be able to use later in the story. Doing it this way brings good buy-in from the kids.
2. If we are working from an individually created character, we have the powerful “back-of-the-page” options of the character’s name, job, like/dislikes, fear, problem and secret. If the child has put love and thought and color into the creation of their character, these “back-of-the-page” options on the individually created characters bring immediate interest and, very often a lively problem, to Questioning Level 5.
Example of a beautifully drawn umbrella but with a sad face:
Name: Claire
Job: Gift Wrapper at Nordstrom’s
Likes/Dislikes: Lemon Serbet/Bad Weather
Problem: (none provided on this character)
Fear: Being turned inside out by the wind
Secret: Has never had the courage to go outsideAnother example, of a mango on a tree with fear in its eyes:
Name: Mango Tango
Job: Growing up/becoming ripe
Likes/Dislikes: Sun and trees/insects and being alone
Problem: He is near the bottom of the tree and easy to reach
Fear: To be picked before he is ripe
Secret: He never wants to leave home(I will post some other Invisible examples in separate posts.)
I could almost look forward to going back to work in the fall if I knew I would be able to work with these individually created Invisibles characters. So much easier to teach with them!)