Graphic+Organizer

Graphic Organizer

Chandra Burrell and Jenny Davidson Dr. M.

Reading Comprehension Strategy (RCS)

vName the RCS. Making Predictions

vWhich AASL indicators align with this reading comprehension strategy? Note both the number and the actual language of the indicator.

Reading Development Level Emerging

Note: The levels indicated on the CS4TRC lesson plans correspond roughly as follows: Emerging: Grades K-1 Advancing: Grades 2-3 Advanced: Grades 4-6

However, these are approximations. Depending on the reading proficiency of the students with whom you work, these grades levels should be adjusted up or down. I have used some of the advanced lesson with 8th-grade students. LS 5443 students who are interested in serving at the high school level should choose an advanced lesson for this assignment or email the professor for several high school examples from her forthcoming book.

Instructional Strategies

Review these strategies on page 13 in CS4TRC.

vWhich of these research-based instructional strategies have you used in your teaching? Name them. Identifying similarities and differences Summarizing and note taking Nonlinguistic representations Cooperative learning Setting objectives and providing feedback Questions, cues, and advance organizers Identifying similarities and differences Summarizing and note taking Nonlinguistic representations Cooperative learning Setting objectives and providing feedback Questions, cues, and advance organizers

vWhich of these instructional strategies do you need to learn? Name them and describe them. Although I have used all of the instructional strategies when teaching, I need to learn more about setting objectives and using advance organizers which will help students to "activate prior knowledge" and set learning goals (Moreillon 13). I am aware of all the instructional strategies and I have used each one while I have been teaching but I can gain from always delving more into each strategies to learn more so that I may become an expert.

Setting goals and advance organizer can help us in aligning lesson objectives, tasks, and assessments. One of the most important instructional strategies for library work is summarizing and notemaking. Having several notemaking strategies in your toolkit can help you reach more students with these challenging skills.

Lesson Length

vWhat are your questions about the lesson length? You must have at least one. The lesson states that the length is 2 sessions. How long is each session? At the school in which I teach, the majority of our language arts time is spent in guided reading groups in the classroom. My librarian rarely, if ever, teaches reading concepts in the library. Would it be possible to teach this lesson in the library during two 30-minute sessions? We have a fixed library schedule where the students only visit the library once a week. Could the first session be taught in the library and the second in the classroom?

You have already hit on the big downside of fixed scheduling. How much teaching can you do in 30 minutes if you don't see students again for a week? Lessons in my book are intended for 45-minute sessions (page 15), but clearly that would not work for the situation you describe... If the educators divide up the lesson, do the students get the benefit of two educators facilitating? Do the educators ensure they are on the same page, using the same terminology, and strategies? Uh, oh... You got me started...

Note: If you have worked within the constraints of a fixed schedule in which students come to the library just one time per week, there are many options for increasing the amount of time you spend with students. School librarians must think about the fact that NO other teachers in their buildings introduce and teach a concept on Tuesday morning at 10:00 and NEVER mention it again until the next Tuesday morning at 10:00. This is simply not an effective instructional practice. What are your strategies for getting out of the fixed schedule library box?

Flexible Scheduling helps because it allows teachers and librarians to work together because there is no certain time that a class has to meet. Try working with one teacher to show how it will work and then begin by making small changes to show teachers that collaboration will benefit all stakeholders involved in the learning process.

Brava! That's an important first step.

Purpose

vHow is the purpose of the lesson connected—or not connected—to your idea of the type of instruction that “should” take place in the school library? The purpose of the lesson is to practice making predictions which a good strategy to use as a reader. By using this strategy the students are able to understand what they are reading. And by making predictions it keeps the book interesting because you make prediction throughout the story and they change and as you move along which makes reading more exciting. Teaching predicting and retelling in the library supports the learning that is taking place in the classroom. Students will build their reading comprehension skills and hopefully be able to transfer their learning to new situations. The type of instruction described in the lesson will ensure that the library is a center for learning.

I agree and yet many librarians do themselves and the profession a disservice when they narrowly define what is and what is not a "library" or "information literacy" lesson.

Objectives

Review Bloom’s Taxonomy: http://www.odu.edu/educ/roverbau/Bloom/blooms_taxonomy.htm

vList at least one verb that is used to name what students will do for every objective in this lesson; list the corresponding level on Bloom’s. Use this chart. Objective Verb Level on Bloom's Objective 1 make Comprehension Objective 2 record Application Objective 3 retell Evaluation Objective 4 draw Application

This is one possible indication of a well-rounded lesson; it will include objectives on several levels of Bloom's.

Example:Objective Verb Level on Bloom’s Objective 1 Identify Comprehension

Resources, Materials, and Equipment Children’s Literature Websites Graphic Organizers Materials Equipment

vWhich are the different formats or genres used to support learners? picture storybooks - Numeroff books If you Give a Mouse a Cookie If you Give a Moose a Muffin If you Give a Pig a Pancake If you Take a Mouse to School big books, picture books

vWhich technology tools are used? If technology is not used in this lesson, do you think there are appropriate tools to help students meet the lesson objectives? Name those tools and how you would use them. Interactive Whiteboard could be used to record the predictions and draw the pictures that match the predictions. This allows the students to be able to move things around as their predictions change over the course of the lesson. overhead, data projector, interactive whiteboard

Yes, always be looking for the best ways to integrate technology in order to meet the learning objectives. Here is a photo of two educators coteaching this lesson: http://storytrail.com/Impact/Chapter_6/main1.htm

Collaboration

vHow does this lesson maximize the benefits of two (or more) educators coteaching? Be specific.

The benefits of the educators coteaching is that students are in smaller groups which allows the teacher to see if the students are getting the concept easily or struggling. This allows the teacher to focus on what needs to be retaught so that students are able to be succesful with the activity. The students have the opportunity to know have a long wait time to answer questions with fewer students and they have the opportunity to focus on the activity more quickly since it is a smaller group and there is not a lot of time wasted with class management issues. The students are able to observe two teachers modeling the same concept. The lesson is able to flow smoother because each educator has a different responsibility. The teachers are able to give more individualized instruction to address learning needs. With two teachers, students will have questions addressed quickly and will be able to make adjustments to their learning.

Yes! to all! Assessment

vAre there multiple methods/tools for assessing student outcomes? If there’s one, name it. If there are multiple, name them. Students will create their own storyboard which shows if they understand how to record predictions and use pictures to explain the story. By listening to students retell their stories in Session 2, the teacher-librarians are able to identify whether or not students comprehended the story and were able to make predictions. The educators also should be asking the students questions about their predictions which will indicate their understanding of the topic. Finally, the educators can assess the students' storyboards.

vAre there opportunities for learners to self assess? (AASLStrand #4: Self-Assessment Strategies) What are they? Students will use a rubric to self-assess their predictions and retelling. This will allow students to immediately see if they are on the right track when they are going over the rubric that has been given to them. Participating in a Think-Pair-Share during Session 1 will give students immediate feedback. Also, the teacher models asking questions such as "Does this make sense?" Students should be assessing their answers in this manner in order to make corrections. At the end of Session 2, students are asked to self-assess their storyboards.

Good. Remember: Self-assessment is one of the S4L strands.

Standards Readingand/or writing Listening and speaking Other content areas Information literacy Educational technology

vWhat content-area standards are integrated into this lesson? List them. Use specific standards from state standards inTexas or the state you and your partner have negotiated. I am using the Texas TEKS.

Reading- Grade Level(s)? (4) Reading/Beginning Reading/Strategies. Students comprehend a variety of texts drawing on useful strategies as needed. Students are expected to:

(A) predict what might happen next in text based on the cover, title, and illustrations; and

(B) ask and respond to questions about texts read aloud.

(8) Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Fiction. Students understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of fiction and provide evidence from text to support their understanding. Students are expected to:

(A) retell a main event from a story read aloud

Writing (14) Writing/Literary Texts. Students write literary texts to express their ideas and feelings about real or imagined people, events, and ideas. Students are expected to:

(A) dictate or write sentences to tell a story and put the sentences in chronological sequence

Listening and speaking (21) Listening and Speaking/Listening. Students use comprehension skills to listen attentively to others in formal and informal settings. Students continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to:

(A) listen attentively by facing speakers and asking questions to clarify information; and

(B) follow oral directions that involve a short related sequence of actions.

(22) Listening and Speaking/Speaking. Students speak clearly and to the point, using the conventions of language. Students continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to share information and ideas by speaking audibly and clearly using the conventions of language.

(23) Listening and Speaking/Teamwork. Students work productively with others in teams. Students continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to follow agreed-upon rules for discussion, including taking turns and speaking one at a time.

Information literacy

(16) Reading/Media Literacy. Students use comprehension skills to analyze how words, images, graphics, and sounds work together in various forms to impact meaning. Students continue to apply earlier standards with greater depth in increasingly more complex texts. Students are expected to:

(A) recognize different purposes of media (e.g., informational, entertainment) (with adult assistance); and

(B) identify techniques used in media (e.g., sound, movement).

Note: These lesson plans were published before AASL’s Standards for the 21st Century Learner were available.

vWhich AASL indicators align with this lesson? Give both the number and the description for each. These are the ones I identified for this lesson: http://storytrail.com/Impact/Chapter_6/main1.htm

1.1.2 Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning.

1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual,visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.

1.1.9 Collaborate with others to broaden and deepen understanding.

1.4.1 Monitor own information-seeking processes for effectiveness and progress, and adapt as necessary.

2.1.2 Organize knowledge so that it is useful.

2.1.5 Collaborate with others to exchange ideas, develop new understandings, make decisions, and solve problems

2.1.6 Use the writing process, media and visual literacy, and technology skills to create products that express new understandings.

2.4.3 Recognize new knowledge and understanding.

3.4.1 Assess the processes by which learning was achieved in order to revise strategies and learn more effectively in the future.

3.4.2 Assess the quality and effectiveness of the learning product.

Implementation

Process Motivation

Motivation is also known as “anticipatory set” in the Madeline Hunter, EEI lesson plan design.

vWill this invitation to learn be effective in capturing students’ interest? Why or why not? Students are generally interested in cartoons so that will hold their attention because they want to know what will happen next because of curiousity. The use of cartoons to draw the students in would be effective. Young students enjoy cartoons because the pictures are as important as the words. For students who are just learning to read, the use of pictures when telling stories is an important step in reading development.

vWhat are your ideas to increase student buy-in to this lesson? Give at least one.

Students can: preview books with clues for predicting such as those by Jan Brett. predict what will happen next when the teacher acts out a simple task (such as looking over your shoulder when you are walking). use kid-friendly movie trailers and then they can discuss what will happen in the movie based on a 30 second clip which allows students to see how predictions can be used in the real world

These are excellent ideas. Never let a published lesson plan inhibit your creativity.

Student-friendly Objectives

vAre these objectives at the instructional level of the targeted students? Give an example. The objectives are at the appropriate instructional level for emergent students. The use of nonlinguistic representation rather than text is appropriate for young students. The objectives allow students to show and tell what they know about predictions in a manner that is easy for them to understand.

vAre there terms in these objectives that may need to be taught to students? Give an example. There are terms in the objectives with which many young children may be unfamiliar. For example, prediction should be introduced as "What will probably happen next?" Nonlinguistic representations would be introduced as "pictures." Students will need to be taught that sequencing is "putting things in order." While the objectives do use words that may be unfamiliar to students the student friendly objectives are included so they are very clear. When you pair both objectives together students will see the difference and it will show that complex words were replaced with similiar words. But I do believe that it is good to expose students to both so they can broaden their vocabulary.

Yes, vocabulary must be taught by linking it to what students already know. I just love it when a student learns a term and later says, "Dr. M., do you want to see my non-linguistic representation?" ;-)

Presentation

vDescribe the modeling aspect of this lesson. This lesson is divided into two sessions. The entire first session is the educators modeling making predictions and retelling a story. The educators first model how to predict using only the cover of the book. Then the educator models how to create a storyboard to make predictions. The educator reading the story also models thinking aloud while reading. The lesson is divided to ensure that students are not rushed through the lesson by allowing it to be taught over a two day period. This allows students to truly gain from the lesson because it will not be rushed and they will have the opportunity to go through the entire lesson cycle. Also the lesson goes from teacher-centered to student-centered as they delve deeper into the lesson.

Modeling with think alouds is the key when teaching strategy lessons of any kind.

vHow are the benefits of two or more educators maximized in the presentation component? While one educator reads the story, the other educator writes the predictions on a storyboard graphic organizer. This type of collaboration will help the lesson to flow smoothly. With only one teacher, you would have to read a page and then stop to record. Most likely this would require a lot of movement for the teacher and detract from the overall lesson. The benefit is both teachers have the opportunity to piggy back on what each other is saying.This gives students more information to work with as they make their predictions. Also with both teachers the book will be displayed at all times and kids will be able to still see the book while the other teacher is writing predictions. So the students are more focused since they are not distracted because the teacher has to move more when she is by herself.

True, true, true - These are all "selling" points for the coteaching model.

Student Participation Procedures or Student Practice Procedures

vAre the directions clear? Give an example. The lesson includes step-by-step directions in simple language which is easy for children to understand. The lesson gives exact resources and what to do next activities which make it easier to focus on the concept of making sure that students understand how to make predictions.

Guided Practice

vHow are the benefits of two or more educators maximized in the guided practice component? Educators are able to address the needs of learners quickly and address any misconceptions. The student-teacher ratio is decreased which allows the educators to better meet the unique needs of the learners. Students will get the opportunity to connect with a teacher quicker since there are two in the room which gives them that necessary exchange to see if they are on the right track and if not which way should they be going in the process.

Closure

vAre students active in the closure component? What are students doing for closure? yes, Students are in an inside-outside circle and they are telling their classmates what book they read using the storyboards. And from the storyboards the other group will give predictions. This means that through the closure students are able to be exposed to both books by being able to talk about with other students at the end of the lesson. Use of an inside-outside circle to share learning requires all students to participate. Students are retelling the story using their prediction storyboards for assistance.

Yes... to students rather than teachers summarizing and demonstrating the learning.

Reflection

vHow is the reflection component related to the learning objectives? Students reflect on their techniques for predicting. They also think about how predicting relates to comprehension and focus. The reflection reinforces what the students did during the lesson and bring in back full circle to show why making predictions is so important and how what they just accomplished helps them to see that.

Yes again... to students rather than teachers doing the reflecting...

Extensions

vWhat are your other ideas for extensions to this lesson? Describe at least one.

One extension would be to have the students read a story of their own choosing and create a prediction storyboard. Another extension would be to incorporate the prediction storyboard into other content areas. For example, in science predicting is an important skill. When completing an investigation, the educators can ask the students to predict what will happen in a certain scenario and then to test their prediction. The storyboard can then be used to summarize the investigation.

Allow each student to create a mystery box story. Then students will partner up and try to figure out what is in their mystery box by making predictions.

Brava for these fine ideas! Students love predicting. These are all ways to build on their natural curiosity and affinity for "game-like" learning.

Remember: Extensions are further invitations to classroom-library collaboration. They are worth thinking about during the planning stage!