Reading in the Middle, Junior and Senior High Schools, Spring, 2010

Click on the "comments" button below to post your analysis of an RWT lesson plan. Please remember to be very thorough.

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Click on the "comments" button below to post your analysis of an RWT lesson plan. Please remember to be very thorough.

Click on the "comments" button below to post your analysis of an RWT lesson plan. Please remember to be very thorough.

Click on the "comments" button below to post your analysis of an RWT lesson plan. Please remember to be very thorough.

Click on the "comments" button below to post your analysis of an RWT lesson plan. Please remember to be very thorough.

Click on the "comments" button below to post your analysis of an RWT lesson plan. Please remember to be very thorough.

Click on the "comments" button below to post your analysis of an RWT lesson plan. Please remember to be very thorough.

Click on the "comments" button below to post your analysis of an RWT lesson plan. Please remember to be very thorough.

Click on the "comments" button below to post your analysis of an RWT lesson plan. Please remember to be very thorough.

Click on the "comments" button below to post your analysis of an RWT lesson plan. Please remember to be very thorough.

Click on the "comments" button below to post your analysis of an RWT lesson plan. Please remember to be very thorough.

Click on the "comments" button below to post your analysis of an RWT lesson plan. Please remember to be very thorough.

Click on the "comments" button below to post your analysis of an RWT lesson plan. Please remember to be very thorough.

Click on the "comments" button below to post your analysis of an RWT lesson plan. Please remember to be very thorough.

Click on the "comments" button below to post your analysis of an RWT lesson plan. Please remember to be very thorough.

Click on the "comments" button below to post your analysis of an RWT lesson plan. Please remember to be very thorough.

Click on the "comments" button below to post your analysis of an RWT lesson plan. Please remember to be very thorough.

Click on the "comments" button below to post your analysis of an RWT lesson plan. Please remember to be very thorough.

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Hands-on Reading:
•Citation:
Buehl, D. (2009). Hands-on reading. Classroom strategies for interactive learning (93-95). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Explain: This activity deals with effective strategies for reading technical nonfiction. Begin by brainstorming problems that readers typically have when reading technical nonfiction. Students will probably respond by saying that the text is hard to understand and that it includes words they are not familiar with. Furthermore, students may say that the terms used are not “user friendly” and that they may abandon the text/instructions and attempt to finish the project without reading. Hands-on reading implies that the student will actually be doing what the reading instructs them to do. This type of reading requires a start-again stop-again approach that requires the reader to read and then do what the instructions said. How to do Hands-on reading:
1. Size up the text: Reader surveys the text to see what the gists of the instructions are telling them to do and furthermore, what the outcome will be.
2. Clarify vocabulary: Look at the vocabulary, what is known and what is not? What aid does the text give the reader about unfamiliar terms? What should the reader do if the text does not give them enough information to decide what an unfamiliar term means?
3. Look out for cautions: Reader should be aware that in some projects, if one step is missed the project will be ruined. Additionally, the reader could expose themselves to danger if they do not properly follow certain steps or if they ignore certain steps.
4. Read and apply: Students begin reading the text. Student should read the first phase of the technical nonfiction and then apply the information, then reread the text to ensure they have completed the text correctly before moving on to the next phase. Student should continue this cycle until the project is complete.
5. Collaborate: A major component of Hands-on reading is collaboration with fellow learners and sharing of ideas and interactions. Re-reading phases and verbalizing understandings in partners or small groups is a great way to foster social interaction, problem-solving, and peer assistance while working toward a common goal.

Name of Strategy: Chapter Tours

Source (Use APA or MLA style):
Buehl, D. (2009). Hands-on reading. Classroom strategies for interactive learning (59-61). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Text students will read(Use APA or MLA style):
Powell, W.S. (2003). North Carolina: A Proud State in Our Nation. Littell & Mifflin.
(This is one of the state-wide text books used in North Carolina for middle school. The students will read chapter 11: Forming a New Nation 1781-1815)

Give a thorough explanation of the strategy as it is described in the original source:
Often times, when students read through a chapter of their history book they get overwhelmed and bogged down by the number of dates, people, and events and completely miss the most important facts and concepts of the chapter. This instructional strategy is a pre-reading activity that sets up “readers for comprehension by stimulating connections to prior knowledge, self-questioning, imagining, inferring, determining importance, and ultimately, synthesizing understanding” (Buehl, 59). By guiding the students to first access what they already know about a subject, when they begin to read the chapter of the text, they will be able to link the information that is being presented to something they already know. This is called frontloading. Students will begin to find that it is very important to frontload before reading a text to successfully and more efficiently read and understand. With the students having this knowledge, the teacher will guide them through this strategy in reading selected chapters of their history book. There are 7 things to look for when reading through the chapter that the students can take note of that will lead them to better understanding: topic, main idea, major themes, structure, salient details, style, and tone/attitude/mood. The students can fill out this guide while they read to help them identify and comprehend the most important parts of the chapter. When this concept is new, students can get in small groups in class and practice. Once they have mastered it, they can apply this strategy to not only reading for their history classes, but also for science, language arts, and all their other classes!

Instructional Strategy: Blogs

Source:
http://glossary.plasmalink.com/glossary.html

Crie, M. (2006). Using blogs to intergrate technology in the classroom. Glencoe/mcgraw-hill. Retrieved (2010, February 24) from http://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/educationupclose.phtml/47

Explanation of strategy:
Blogs are not only a great way to integrate technology in the classroom; they are also a great instructional strategy. Blogs can beneficial to used for many different educational purposes: classroom management, collaboration, and discussion. Teachers and students both have different uses for the strategy. Teachers can use blogs as a tool to assign task, provide resources, facilitate discussions, keep student portfolios, etc. Students use this strategies as a means of reflection, communication with others (in class or out of class), find resources, or to complete an assigned task. Glencoe /McGraw Hill gives four points to why blogs are a beneficial instructional strategy, (1) It motivates students who may not speak up in class, to do so through the internet where they may feel more comfortable to state their opinion and views. (2) It gives students an opportunity to read and write (the basic education fundamentals that you can never seem to practice these skills too much). (3) Blogs let students become apart of a group which results in collaboration, (teaches students to facilitate discussion, as well as effectively participate in a discussion). (4) Creates tools that will enable scaffold learning (which is another instructional strategy) and mentoring among the peers participating in the blog.

Source: Lyman. (n.d.). Instructional strategies online. Retrieved (25 February 2010) from http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/de/pd/instr/strats/think/index.html

Think/Pair/Share is a great way to get kids thinking critically about various topics. It helps them to develop individual ideas and construct them in a manner to share with their peers, and perhaps even the entire class. By breaking away from the traditional teacher-student responses, it encourages peer to peer interaction. Think/Pair/Share can work in several ways but the most common method when using Think/Pair/Share is to have students read a selected text, and frequently stopping throughout the text to give the students time to Think/Pair/Share. To help students stay on task, it is advised that students write down what they think will happen next in the text (if using fictional text). Then turning to their peers, they are given some time to share their ideas. The group can then summarize each person’s response in preparing to share with the class if called on by their teacher. If using non-fiction material, or current events, the students can think about the material presented, asking themselves why they feel it is important, do they agree or disagree, what parts they feel to be most important, or how it can relate to their own lives. The same steps can be followed, by sharing with their small groups, and then preparing an answer to share with the class if they are called on. Think/Pair/Share is a great way for students to build their conceptual understanding and determine what is important in the texts. It also develops acceptance of other student’s opinions and encourages social interaction.

Name of Strategy: Journals
Source (Use APA or MLA style)"Teaching Strategies." English Learning Area. 09/11/2007. Tasmania, Web. 25 Feb 2010. .

Text students will read(Use APA or MLA style)Remarque, Erich. All Quiet on the Western Front.. 1929. Print.

Give a thorough explanation of the strategy as it is described in the original source.
There are several types of Journals for students to choose from. Personal Journals, Dialogue journals, Learning Logs, Writer’s Notebook and Reading Logs are the ones that are mentioned here. Journals are useful because they improve writing, they help students to think critically, help students to explore their values and the authors and they are helpful in assessing student progress. The teacher can choose from these five types of Journals for the one that goes best with what they are trying to accomplish in the classroom.

Name of Strategy: Different Perspectives for Reading

Source: Buehl, D. (2009). Different Perspectives for Reading. Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning (73-75). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Explanation: This strategy pays close attention to the fact that each student comes from a different background and, therefore, interprets what they read in varying ways. No two students will interpret the same piece of literature exactly alike. This strategy is used to assist readers in opening their minds to take into account other people’s perspectives on materials, not just their own. The process of the lesson is as follows…
First, students read a selection of literature (article, book, short story, etc.). Secondly, teachers ask students to think about the literature from a different perspective (be it of a different character in the novel or, in historical writing, someone who was affected by what the article discusses). Third, the students are divided into groups and asked to discuss the feelings, thoughts, emotions, etc. of the particular perspective they have been assigned. Fourth, have students re-read the material with their perspective in mind—what quotes, characters, actions, etc. reveal evidence of their perspective? The fifth step is the reflection stage, where teachers ask students to discuss what they learned from examining literature from different perspectives and write a summary of their experiences.
Throughout this lesson, students are given a graphic outline to document their notes and evidence of perspectives throughout the activity. Having a written worksheet to go along with the lesson is effective in guiding the students in the activity’s process and gives them a framework on which to build. This lesson is good because it broadens students’ minds and allows them to view a text on a new and deeper level.

Interactive reading is designed to help students identify key ideas from background detail. Interactive reading encourages all levels comprehension thinking including; making connections, generating questions, creating mental images, inferring, determining importance, and synthesizing. During interactive reading students work with partners or small groups to read materials that may be considered to difficult for individual reading. While in these groups students are given questions created by the teacher. These questions are designed to provoke thought and lead students to important details. Interactive reading is different than typical study guides because not all questions can be answered by skimming through the text. When preparing interactive reading guides teachers should read through the assignment looking for possible pitfalls for understanding. While creating the interactive reading guide teachers should prompt students to ask questions and stay away from from addressing background details. Before students start their reading assignment they should be asked to discus what they already know about the subject or the teacher should front load the guide with background knowledge; this will set the students up for their reading assignment. Students will receive a passage divided into segments some are to be read orally by individuals in the group and some are to be read silently by each student, while the less important can be skimmed. Students should conclude interactive reading guides by summing up their understandings and discus conclusions or generalizations that can be drawn from the text.

Name of Strategy: Relating to Authors and Understanding Their Works.

Source: Gibson, Carol S. Anderson. "A Biography Study: Using Role-Play to Explore Authors' Lives." ReadWriteThink. International Reading Association, Web. 26 Feb 2010. .

Explanation: This lesson could be done with any author and any written material. I do not think I would go into it with such great detail as having seven to ten lessons on one author and the whole act of role playing. The only reason is that as a teacher I am limited on time in the classroom and I do not feel like spending all of it solely on the author but on his/her works. I like the idea of reading the history of an author and trying to connect why they might have written their work(s) the way they did. For Example, Richard Connell wrote the short story “The Most Dangerous Game”. This story involves hunting people as game instead of just animals. Connell was a soldier in World War I, maybe this can be connected to his short story. Both involves guns, hunting the enemy/game, survival skills, and so much more that could probably be relatable to both the short story and his experiences in war. This is what I want my students to see. How they can relate authors to their works and maybe an understanding of where they are coming from and why they wrote it. This could also go into my students writing something and then writing a little (auto) biography and either getting in small groups and presenting their personal works and their history or present it to the whole class.

Name of Strategy: Relating to Authors and Understanding Their Works.

Source: Gibson, Carol S. Anderson. "A Biography Study: Using Role-Play to Explore Authors' Lives." ReadWriteThink. International Reading Association, Web. 26 Feb 2010. .

Explanation: This lesson could be done with any author and any written material. I do not think I would go into it with such great detail as having seven to ten lessons on one author and the whole act of role playing. The only reason is that as a teacher I am limited on time in the classroom and I do not feel like spending all of it solely on the author but on his/her works. I like the idea of reading the history of an author and trying to connect why they might have written their work(s) the way they did. For Example, Richard Connell wrote the short story “The Most Dangerous Game”. This story involves hunting people as game instead of just animals. Connell was a soldier in World War I, maybe this can be connected to his short story. Both involves guns, hunting the enemy/game, survival skills, and so much more that could probably be relatable to both the short story and his experiences in war. This is what I want my students to see. How they can relate authors to their works and maybe an understanding of where they are coming from and why they wrote it. This could also go into my students writing something and then writing a little (auto) biography and either getting in small groups and presenting their personal works and their history or present it to the whole class.

Source: Buehl, D. (2009). Different Perspectives for Reading. Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning (42-44). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

The analogy chart can be a great way for teachers to help students connect something that is unfamiliar to something that they already know about. The book outlines 3 types of connections students bring to their comprehension of written texts: text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world. Text-to-self is probably one of the most important one out of these three because it helps the student relate what happens in their lives to what the author says. The analogy chart provides a visual framework that students can use to compare and contrast new things to things they already know.
To use this strategy, a teacher must first determine what the students already know. This will help in relating the new material to somethings the students are familiar with. The book gives the example of how you can do an analogy chart on the concept of a colony in history class and how it can relate to a dependent child in a family. The teacher then introduces the analogy chart on a overhead screen and give a copy to the students so they can also fill it out with you. First, the teacher and the students brainstorm on the similarities between the two: for example, a colony and a dependent child both rely on a parent figure for their needs and they must follow rules or laws set by others. Next, the teacher and the students brainstorm on the differences between the two: for example a colony usually is separated geographically from the parent figure, while a child usually lives with the parent figure in a family group, and a colony is regarded as a negative system, while families are not. This is a very important step because the differences help students to not overgeneralize and it will help show that even though the two ideas are similar, they are still two different things. Then the teacher will discuss with the class categories that make up the basis for the comparison; for example, some of the relationships might be labeled as Dependence on others (both rely on the parent for protection and other needs). Afterwards the teacher will have the students write a summary about the similarities between the familiar and new concept using their analogy charts. I think analogy charts are a great way to get students to brainstorm and connect new ideas to familiar concepts so that they can better understand the new information.

Strategy- Close Out Questions
Source- Kirby, D. , Kirby , D., & Liner, T. (2004). Inside out: strategies for teaching writing. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

As a future teacher I have been concerned with how to conclude a novel unit. The close out questions is a great handout that makes students think critically about the plot, theme, characterization, quotes, and vocabulary within the novel. Having students answer thought provoking questions I think it will help them fully understand a novel. The last question on the handout has students reflect on what aspects of the story they found particularly interesting, weird, or memorable. These handouts will be great for students to keep in their notebook and look back over before a cumulative exam or as a resource. This tool/activity can also be used to help students keep track of novels if they are reading more than one at a time. I think it would also be beneficial to have students then discuss their answers and provide textual evidence to back it up. This activity is a great way to have students look back over a novel for the overall literary elements.

I would have students read a novel and at the end of unit they would complete this handout and discuss it as a large group. I would have them keep these handouts in a special folder to help them keep what they have read so far in the semester in order.

This activity coincides directly to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study goals: English I Competency Goal 5- “The learner will demonstrate understanding of various literary genres,concepts, elements, and terms.”

“The Neighborhood” and The House on Mango Street
Burke, M. (2003). The English teacher's companion. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
“The Neighborhood” is an assignment where students draw a map of their own neighborhood or the neighborhood in a piece of literature. It is a tool to help learners not only keep up with the characters, setting, and plot in stories they read, but it allows them to have a visual that induces thinking and questions. After the composite is complete, it is suggested that the students share their artwork.
Competency Goal 5: The learner will demonstrate understanding of various literary genres, concepts, elements, and terms. 5.01 Read and analyze various literary works by:
• using effective reading strategies for preparation, engagement, and reflection.
• recognizing and analyzing the characteristics of literary genres, including fiction (e.g., myths, legends, short stories, novels), nonfiction (e.g., essays, biographies, autobiographies, historical documents), poetry (e.g., epics, sonnets, lyric poetry, ballads) and drama (e.g., tragedy, comedy).
• explaining and interpreting archetypal characters, themes, settings.
• determining a character's traits from his/her actions, speech, appearance, or what others say about him or her.
• explaining how the writer creates character, setting, motif, theme, and other elements.
• understanding the importance of cultural and historical impact on literary texts.
• producing creative responses that follow the conventions of a specific genre and using appropriate literary devices for that genre
I will begin by posting a journal entry each day that pertains to the work we are studying. I will say to my students, “We are beginning a new book today; one that we will continue with for a week. In order for us to grasp fully what the author, Sandra Cisneros, has intended for us readers, we must learn the back ground for The House on Mango Street.” I will then teach my students about the author and the Hispanic culture she speaks of in the work. I will encourage my students to engage in conversation. My students will take notes about the genre of the novel and the literary elements that are displayed, focusing on characters. We will then begin to read the novel in class, later reading some for homework. I will expect my students to complete a double entry journal in which they will write down at least 3 significant points they wish to share in class the next day. On the second day of studying Cisneros’s work, students will begin to create a neighborhood for the characters. They will be full of color and details of the characters, plot, and setting. Students will work on this everyday in class till the novel is finished. On the second to the last day, students will create a map of their own neighborhood that they grew up in. If the work is not finished in class, learners will finish their self map at home for homework. On the last day, we will take those self maps and begin composing compositions of a short story or memory they have from their own neighborhood, with a focus on audience. Before starting the new literary work the next week, we will share our self maps and a memory to the class. I feel this is a fun and great way to get kids to read the literature but also, hopefully discuss it. I believe the activity will keep their interest and get them engaged in the work.
Attached are a sample of “The Neighborhood” activity and a sample of a double entry.

Name of Strategy: Seuss and Silverstein: Posing Questions, Presenting Points.

Source:
Hoffner, Helen. "Seuss and Silverstein: Posing Questions, Presenting Points." ReadWriteThink. International Reading Association n. pag. Web. 27 Feb 2010.

Standards:
English I: Strands: Oral Language, Written Language, and Other Media/Technology: Competency Goal 2: The learner will explain meaning, describe processes, and answer research questions to inform an audience.: 2.01 Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print informational texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:: identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.

English II: Strands: Oral Language, Written Language, and Other Media/Technology: Competency Goal 4: The learner will critically interpret and evaluate experiences, literature, language, and ideas.: 4.05 Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print critical texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:: identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.

Explain: (this is only the first session)

Pre-reading: Before introducing the story "The Zax" by Dr. Seuss, tell the class that terms such as stubborn, rigid, inflexible, flexible, and open-minded are often used to describe people's actions in certain situations. Write the terms on the board, and ask students to think about situations where they have encountered people who acted in these ways. Ask them to also think about situations where they have acted in these ways. Initiate a class discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of stubbornness versus flexibility.
Remind your students of the differences between a literal question and a critical thinking question. Many students can give satisfactory answers to literal questions, but have difficulty raising and responding to critical thinking questions. Critical thinking questions ask students to consider and respond to elements of a text based on their values and experiences. Unlike literal questions, there is usually no one correct answer to a critical thinking question. When responding to a critical thinking question, a student must justify the answer by providing examples from the text or from his or her life experiences.

During Reading: Tell students to be thinking about question they could present to the class for discussion. Read the story out loud to the students giving them opportunities to read parts as well.

Post Reading: Have students break into small groups and come up with one literal question and one critical thinking question.
The class will then join as a whole and each group will present their questions for class discussion. They will then discuss how these issues can relate to their conflicts and social issues in their own lives.

Analysis: I would like to use this in my classroom when studying these two authors. It will teach the student about how to ask and answer different types of questions in order to lead a successful group discussion. Reading out loud will help students practice oral presentation. This lesson will take several days, but I chose to only outline the first session. The group will prepares critical thinking questions and lead a class discussion about the issues raised in the other stories over the next several days. As a class, students can discuss how these issues relate to the conflicts and social issues in their own lives. It is important that students can relate what they read to real life situations.

Source: Gillet, and Temple. (1990). Understanding Reading Problems.

The DRTA is a group discussion in which the students make predictions about what they will be reading. The purpose of this activity is to increase interest and understanding in a text. The DRTA consists of a predict-read-prove/disprove cycle. In a fiction reading, the teacher asks open ended questions about the book before they even begin reading it. The teacher and the students may look through the text and look at pictures but they don’t read it. Then the teacher will ask things about what the students think will happen in the story and what things mean. The teacher will also ask questions about why the student thinks what they do. After the theacher gets some good ideas from the students and has got their interest in the story he or she tells the students to read a set, predetermined by the teacher amount to see if any of the predictions were right and then make new predictions. They continue this process until the whole text is read. After the story is read, the students and can have a discussion about what they learned and any controversial questions that the text brings up or they can answer some questions created by the teacher. This process is meant to teach the students to use predictions to increase comprehension while they are reading. This process is nearly the same for nonfiction texts except that the students start by discussing what they already know about a subject. They find out what they know and often it is more than they thought they did. The students then know what they are looking for when they are reading. They are looking to prove or disprove what they thought that they knew. Through the discussion, the teacher can find out where the students have gaps in information. They can see what they need to teach in order for the students to understand and get the most out of a reading. I think that this will be a great way to help my students learn.

Name of Strategy: Identifying Similarities and Differences

Source: Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement.
Authors: Robert J. Marzano, Debra Pickering, Jane E. Pollock

Explanation: Identifying similarities and differences between people, stories, or events can help to recognize the solution of the most difficult problems. From research and theory there are four generalizations that can be made about this concept. First, guiding students in identifying similarities and differences enhances understanding and the ability to use knowledge. Directly telling students the similarities and differences will often lead to only one conclusion and allowing the students to come up with their own thoughts through discussion and inquiry to support generalization of ideas. Student directed activities are another way to focus on identifying similarities and differences. This activity stimulates critical thinking and invites students to create opposing or deviating conclusions. Creating a visual in any lesson is important, this can be done by using graphs and symbolic representations to further clarify and generate student understanding. The fourth generalization about this theory of instruction is that there are different “forms” indicated as highly effective; comparing, classifying, creating metaphors, and creating analogies. In order to fit into a form, elements of similarity and difference must first be identified then placed into a form, allowing generalization and learning to occur.
For this strategy to be effective the tasks should first be teacher-directed. When implementing this strategy the process of comparing should be presented in a highly structured task to achieve familiarity, i.e. the items to compare and characteristics which are the bases of comparison. These tasks will help focus the comparisons and create knowledge of general similarities and differences. After the teacher aids students in understanding the process of comparison, they should select the characteristics and/or items to compare. This is a student-directed comparison task. Venn diagram and comparison matrix are two visuals for organizing comparisons. Venn diagrams list similarities of two elements in the intersection of two circles. The parts not intersecting list differences. A comparison matrix is more detailed, allowing for multiple elements to be compared at one time. Classifying elements into forms can be teacher-directed or student-directed as well. Students will be placing characteristics into appropriate categories, with an understanding of why they belong there. Finally, metaphors and analogies help to generalize and create an understanding of information.