Skip to main content
Sign in Create a free account
Varsity Tutors
Sign in
Back to lessons

1st Grade Reading (Common Core) • Reading Informational Text

Pictures and Words: What Does Each One Tell Us?

Learn how to find information in pictures and in words — and see how they each help us in different ways!

Explore the lesson 9 min read
An open book with reading glasses and a speech symbol for elementary reading
Inside this lesson 10 sections 5 questions 5 figures

Section 1

Why Do Books Have Pictures and Words?

Have you ever looked at a book about animals? You see a big, colorful picture of a lion. You also see words that say, "Lions live in Africa." The picture and the words both teach you something, but they teach you different things! People have been putting pictures and words together for a very, very long time. Let's see how it all started.

Long, Long Ago

People drew pictures on cave walls. There were no words yet! The pictures showed animals and people. That was how they shared stories.

A Long Time Ago

People made up writing. Now they could use words to tell more details. But they still used pictures, too!

When Books Were New

People started making books by hand. They put beautiful drawings next to the words to help readers understand.

Today

Our books, websites, and screens use pictures and words together. Each one gives us information in its own special way.

So here is the big question: What can a picture tell us that words do not? And what can words tell us that a picture does not? This lesson will help you figure that out!

Section 2

Big Ideas to Remember

When you read a book that teaches you about something real (like animals, weather, or food), the book gives you information in two main ways. Let's learn what they are!

1

Words Tell Us Facts

Words can tell us names, numbers, and details. For example: "A giraffe is 18 feet tall." Only words can tell us that number!
2

Pictures Show Us What Things Look Like

A picture can show you the shape of a giraffe, its spots, and its long neck. You can see it right away!
3

Sometimes They Tell Different Things

The words might say "Frogs eat bugs." The picture might show a frog sitting on a green lily pad. The picture gives us extra information!
4

Together They Help Us Learn More

When we look at both the words AND the picture, we learn even more than if we only looked at one!
✦

Key Takeaway

Think of it like a sandwich. The words are the bread — they hold the facts together. The picture is the filling — it adds color, shape, and extra details. You need both parts to get the whole yummy sandwich!

Section 3

See It! A Book Page Example

Let's look at a pretend page from a book about dogs. Pay attention to what the words tell you and what the picture shows you.

🖼 PICTUREShows us:• The dog is brown• It has floppy ears• It has 4 legs and a tail• It is standing on grassAll About DogsDogs are great pets.They can learn many tricks.Dogs need food, water,and love every day.Some dogs help peoplewho cannot see.📝 WORDSTell us:• Dogs are great pets• They can learn tricks• They need food & water• Some help people seeTogether, pictures + words help us learn MORE! ✨
A pretend book page — the picture and the words each tell us different things about dogs.

Did you notice? The picture shows us what the dog looks like — its color, its ears, its legs. But the words tell us things we cannot see in a picture, like "dogs can learn tricks" and "some dogs help people who cannot see." Each one gives us information the other one does not!

Section 4

How It Works: Asking Two Questions

When you look at a page in a book, you can be a reading detective! Here is how. Ask yourself two simple questions every time you see a picture and words together:

💡

🔍 Question 1: What does the picture tell me?

Look at the picture carefully. What can you see? Think about colors, shapes, sizes, and what is happening. The picture gives you information your eyes can grab right away.
💡

🔍 Question 2: What do the words tell me?

Now read the words. What facts or details do the words share? Words can tell you names, numbers, reasons, and feelings. Words give you information your ears and brain can understand when you read.

After you answer both questions, think: Are they telling me the same thing, or different things? Most of the time, the picture and the words each give you something new. That is what makes them so powerful together!

1. Look at the page2. Look at the PICTUREWhat do I see?3. Read the WORDSWhat do they tell me?Picture tells me:colors, shapes, sizes,what things look like,where things areWords tell me:names, facts, numbers,reasons, feelings,things we can't see4. Put them together —I learn MORE! ⭐
Follow these steps to be a reading detective!

Section 5

Look Closer: What Can Each One Do?

Let's make a chart. This chart shows what pictures are really good at and what words are really good at. Notice how they are different!

What I Want to Know🖼 Picture📝 Words
What color is the bird?Yes! I can see it.Maybe, if the words say so.
What is the bird's name?No, I can't see a name.Yes! The words tell me.
How big is the bird?A little — I can guess.Yes! "It is 6 inches long."
Where does the bird live?Maybe — if I see a tree.Yes! "It lives in forests."
What does the bird look like?Yes! I can see it!A little — words describe it.
What does the bird eat?Only if the picture shows food.Yes! "It eats seeds."
✦

Key Takeaway

Pictures are like windows — they let you see things. Words are like someone whispering a secret — they tell you facts you might not be able to see. Good readers look through the window and listen to the secret!

Section 6

Let's Try One Together!

Pretend you are reading a book about the ocean. On one page, there is a picture of a sea turtle swimming. Next to it, the words say: "Sea turtles can live for more than 80 years. They swim thousands of miles." Let's be detectives!

Sea Turtle Detective Work

  1. 1

    Step 1 — Look at the picture

    The picture shows a green sea turtle swimming in blue water. We can see its shell, flippers, and head. The picture tells us what a sea turtle looks like and that it lives in the ocean.
  2. 2

    Step 2 — Read the words

    The words say sea turtles can live for more than 80 years. That is a long time! The words also say they swim thousands of miles. We could not know those facts just by looking at the picture.
  3. 3

    Step 3 — Compare them

    The picture shows us the turtle's color, shape, and home. The words tell us how long it lives and how far it swims. They teach us different things!
  4. 4

    Step 4 — Put it all together

    Now we know what a sea turtle looks like and amazing facts about its life. We learned more by using both the picture and the words. Great job, detective! 🌟

Section 7

Pictures vs. Words: Side by Side

Here is a fun way to remember the strengths of pictures and words. Each one is like a superhero with its own special power!

🖼 Pictures (Illustrations)📝 Words (Text)
SuperpowerShows what things look likeTells facts and details
Best atColor, shape, size, placeNames, numbers, reasons
Not so good atTelling exact numbers or namesShowing exactly what something looks like
ExampleA picture of rain falling on a city"It rained 3 inches in New York."
How fast?Very fast — one quick look!A little slower — you read each word
✦

Key Takeaway

Neither pictures nor words are "better." They are a team! It's like peanut butter and jelly. Peanut butter is great. Jelly is great. But together? Amazing. That is how pictures and words work in a book. 🥪

Section 8

What Comes Next?

Now that you know how to tell what a picture teaches you and what words teach you, you are ready for even bigger reading adventures! Here is what you will learn to do next as you grow as a reader.

What You Can Do NowWhat You Will Learn Next
Tell what a picture showsUse pictures to understand harder books
Tell what words sayFind the main idea in what the words say
See that pictures and words give different infoExplain how pictures help you understand the words better
Look at one picture and a few sentencesRead books with maps, charts, and diagrams

Every time you read a book with pictures, you are practicing this skill. Keep being a reading detective! The more you practice, the better you will get. Soon, you will look at a page and your brain will automatically notice what the picture shows and what the words say. That is a superpower! 🦸

Section 9

Practice Time!

Try these questions. Think carefully about what pictures show and what words tell. Click "Show Answer" when you are ready to check!

Question 1: Problem 1 — Think About It

A book has a picture of a big, red fire truck. The words next to it say, "Fire trucks carry water to put out fires." What does the picture tell you that the words do not?
Show answer
The picture tells you the fire truck is big and red. The words do not say what color the truck is or how big it is. The words tell you what the truck does — it carries water to put out fires. Great thinking! 🎉

Question 2: Problem 2 — Find the Fact

A page shows a picture of a cat sleeping on a couch. The words say, "Cats sleep about 16 hours every day." Where do you learn that cats sleep 16 hours? From the picture or the words?
Show answer
You learn the number 16 hours from the words! The picture shows the cat sleeping, but it cannot tell you the exact number of hours. Words are great at giving us numbers and exact facts. Nice work! ⭐

Question 3: Problem 3 — Both Together

A book about plants has a picture of a sunflower in a garden. The words say, "Sunflowers can grow to be 10 feet tall. They always face the sun." Name one thing the picture tells you and one thing the words tell you.
Show answer
The picture might tell you the sunflower is yellow, it has a big round center, and it grows in a garden. The words tell you sunflowers can be 10 feet tall and they face the sun. You couldn't learn those facts from just the picture! If you named one thing from each, you did a great job! 🌻

Question 4: Problem 4 — Real Life

You are reading a book about penguins. There is a picture of a penguin standing on ice. The words say, "Penguins cannot fly. They are very good swimmers. Some penguins live where it is very cold." Can you tell from the picture alone that penguins cannot fly? Why or why not?
Show answer
No! You cannot tell from the picture alone that penguins cannot fly. The picture shows the penguin standing, but many birds stand on the ground and can still fly! You need the words to learn that penguins cannot fly. This is a great example of words telling us something a picture can't! You are thinking like a real detective! 🐧

Question 5: Problem 5 — Super Challenge

Imagine you are making a book about your school. You want your readers to know two things: (1) what your school looks like, and (2) how many kids go to your school. Which one should you use a picture for? Which one should you use words for? Explain why!
Show answer
Use a picture to show what your school looks like! A picture can show the building, the colors, the playground, and more. Use words to tell how many kids go to your school, like "300 kids go to my school." A picture cannot show an exact number, but words can! You are a reading AND writing detective now! 🌟🏫

Summary

What We Learned Today

Summary

Today we learned that books teach us in two special ways: with pictures and with words. Pictures are great at showing us colors, shapes, sizes, and what things look like. Words are great at telling us names, numbers, reasons, and facts we cannot see in a picture.

When we read a page, we can be reading detectives by asking: "What does the picture tell me?" and "What do the words tell me?" When we put both answers together, we learn more than we would from just one. Pictures and words are a team, and good readers use both! Keep looking, keep reading, and keep learning! ⭐📚

Varsity Tutors • 1st Grade English Language Arts • Pictures vs. Words in Informational Text