
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures Activities and Comprehension Questions
Dr. Temple Grandin helped transform farms into kinder environments for animals and is a spokesperson for autism. The Girl Who Thought in Pictures promotes creative thinking, inquiry and problem-solving. Read on to find activities and comprehension questions.

Dr. Temple Grandin helped transform farms into kinder environments for animals. She is also a spokesperson for autism, spreading the message for everyone to use their unique abilities to change the world. The book gives you the opportunity to discuss:
- Creative thinking
- Problem-solving
- Inquiry
- Empathy
- Remarkable women
- STEM
- Autism
You can also use the book to teach:
- Inference
- Character traits
- Author’s purpose
- Main idea and theme
- Visualising
Scroll down for The Girl Who Thought in Pictures activities, discussion questions and videos.
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures Summary
Temple Grandin was born with autism and didn’t speak until she was nearly four years old. Doctors initially diagnosed her with brain damage and suggested sending Temple to an institution. Her parents ignored this advice.
School was not easy as students who didn’t understand her unique ways bullied Temple. She was later expelled from the school when she threw a book at a child who had taunted her.After this incident, Temple’s parents sent her to live on her aunt’s ranch.
Living on the ranch was a fundamental experience for Temple. Her visual way of thinking and her connections to the animals led her to invent machines that improved the conditions for farm animals.
Today, Temple teaches animal science at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. She is also an internationally renowned spokesperson for autism, spreading the message that being different is not less.
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin by Julia Finley Mosca
Illustrator: Daniel Rieley
Publisher: The Innovation Press
ISBN: 978-1943147304
Take a look inside
Related Books
- The Girl With a Mind for Math: The Story of Raye Montague by Julia Finley Mosca
- How to Build a Hug: Temple Grandin and Her Amazing Squeeze Machine by Amy Guglielmo
- A Friend for Henry by Jenn Bailey
- The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by Bryan Mealer and William Kamkwamba
- I'm Here by Peter H. Reynolds
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures Activities & Resources
I have created literacy graphic organizers for The Girl Who Thought in Pictures. You can find them at my Teachers Pay Teachers store. There are many activities for each literacy area to differentiate depending on your student’s ability/age. They include activities for:
- Author’s Purpose
- Cause & Effect
- Character Traits and Analysis
- Comprehension Questions and Writing Prompts
- Inferring and Predicting
- Main Idea and Theme
- Making Connections
- Point of View
- Problem and Solution
- Retelling, Sequencing and Summarizing
*Click on these links to discover book recommendations on these topics.
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures Activities & Links
- Farm Bureau: Agriculture in the Classroom – The Girl Who Thought in Pictures
- Learning to Give: The Girl Who Thought in Pictures Literature Guide
- National Agriculture in the Classroom: Think in Pictures: Like Dr. Grandin
- Temple Grandin's website
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures Graphic sOrganisers
Would you like free graphic organisers for The Girl Who Thought in Pictures?
I have a freebie that is part of a larger resource so you can try it out before buying anything!
Fill in the form below to get access to the FREE pack. Click on the image to see the full pack on Teachers Pay Teachers.s
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures Read-Aloud Questions
Read aloud sessions are a wonderful way for children to understand the connection between written text and spoken language. You can model reading habits and strategies, reading fluency, tone and eye contact. You can also introduce different genres, authors and illustrators.
- What do you think Julia Finley Mosca wants us to learn from reading The Girl Who Thought in Pictures?
- What did you learn from reading The Girl Who Thought in Pictures?
- How would you describe Temple? What are her character traits?
- Why do you think young Temple reacted to the bullying by throwing a book?
- What advice/help would you have given Temple if you were in the same class as her?
- What does it mean to be “different is not less”?
- Why do you think Temple’s inventions were for animals rather than humans?
- How did Temple show perseverance and resilience throughout her life?
- What does it mean to think in pictures?
- Why did thinking in pictures help Temple connection with animals?
You can find a full set of discussion cards on Teachers Pay Teachers.
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures Book Videos
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