Unit of Study: Schema K - Quabbin Regional School · PDF fileUnit of Study: Schema K 5 ... Today we are going to learn about another strategy reader’s use. ... places you have been,

Unit of Study: Schema K

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Recommended Model Text for Making Connections

Title Author Notes

About Hummingbirds Cathyn Sill informational text

Be Quiet Mike! Leslie Patricelli

Diary of a Wombat Jackie French

Ducks! Gail Gibbons informational text

The Great Gracie Chase Cynthia Rylant

I Hate to Go to Bed! Katie Davis

If You Give a Pig a Pancake Laura Numeroff

Jamaica Tag-Along Juanita Havill

Katie Loves the Kittens John Himmelman

Little Pea Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Meanies Joy Cowley

No, David! David Shannon

Olivia Ian Falconer

One Morning in Maine Robert McCloskey

Owl Babies Martine Waddell

Peter’s Chair Ezra Jack Keats

Pete the Cat Eric Litwin

Pip’s Magic Ellen Stoll Walsh

Roller Coaster Marla Frazee

RRRALPH Lois Ehlert

Shark vs. Train Chris Barton

Thomas’ Snowsuit Robert Munsch



Text Set Items Poems Almanacs Short nonfiction selections Magazine articles Fiction Document Based Questions Picture books Menus Newspaper articles Catalogs Short stories Charts and Graphs Vignettes Maps Biographical information Brochures Internet pieces Recipes Student writing Calendars Mathematical writing Pictures of Artwork Lists Letters and Journals Historical recounts Stamps Photos Song lyrics Primary sources Quotes What are text sets? Text sets are collections of resources from different genre, media, and levels of reading difficulty that are designed to be supportive of the learning of readers with a range of experiences and interests. A text-set collection focuses on one concept or topic and can include multiple genres such as books, charts and maps, informational pamphlets, poetry and songs, photographs, non-fiction books, almanacs or encyclopedias. Text sets are designed to give readers a choice of interesting and accessible text. They provide opportunities for learning and practicing reading strategies.

JANIE RIDDLE GOODMAN UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA TEXT SETS: PROVIDING POSSIBILITIES FOR

ADOLESCENT READERS



Anchor Lesson: 1 What is schema? - Drama Pre-assessment Turn and talk to your partner about what strategies

readers use. Notes to Build Next Lesson

Select the Materials

Drawing/Discussion

Name the Strategy Explain “I have noticed that…” “A strategy readers use is…” Introduce the Text

Today we are going to learn about another strategy reader’s use. Readers not only figure out the words as they read, they use their schema to help them understand the words and the ideas in the text. Schema is a reader’s background knowledge. It is all the information a person knows – the people you know, the places you have been, the experiences you have had, the books you have read – all of this is your schema.

Demonstrate the Strategy Say: Think aloud. Show: Model. Explain: How this will help them as a reader.

Let’s pretend that our class is going to the cafeteria at the _____________ school. (Pick an elementary school in a nearby town). Has anyone in this class ever been to the Lilja School’s cafeteria? (no) I am going to prove to you that even though you have not been to the cafeteria at the Lilja school your schema will help you to have a lot of ideas of what you might see. Turn and talk to your partner. What are all of the items/people you might see in another school’s cafeteria? This list is our schema about school cafeterias.

This will only work if your students have been to the cafeteria in your school. Change the place so that it will make sense for your students.

Provide Guided Practice Invite the students to practice the strategy with teacher guidance.

Let’s try it with a different topic. Let’s pretend that we are going to go visit a grocery store. Raise your hand if you have ever been to a grocery store. Turn and talk. What are all of the things you know about grocery stores? Record the students’ ideas. The lists we wrote shows our schema for school cafeterias and grocery stores. Over the next few weeks we will learn how to use our schema when reading. When readers’ read about things they know about or have experienced, they use their schema to connect to what they are reading and they are naturally more engaged.

Conference Points

Not applicable for this lesson

Share/Reinforce Not applicable for this lesson



Anchor Lesson: 2 How do readers use their schema? Pre-assessment Turn and talk to your partner about what you

know about schema. Notes to Build Next Lesson


I Hate the Go to Bed!, Katie Davis


Today we are going to learn about how readers use their schema. Schema is a reader’s background knowledge. It is all the information a person knows – the people you know, the places you have been, the experiences you have had, the books you have read – all of this is your schema. Readers use their schema or background knowledge to understand what they are reading. When readers’ read about things they know about or have experienced, they connect to what they are reading and they are naturally more engaged.


Watch how I use my schema before I read a book. Preview the text - Read the title, the title page, the synopsis on the inside flap or back cover and look at the pictures. Share your schema for this topic, author and/or genre with the students. I have schema about this text. I know this book is about someone who doesn’t want to go to bed.. I know a lot about wanting to stay up late. Share your schema for this topic:

§ Sometimes grown ups get frustrated when kids don’t go to bed.

§ Sometimes kids get angry when their parents tell them to go to bed.

§ Sometimes kids ask for lots of things (drink of water, another story, etc.) so they can stay up later.

Now when I read this book I am going to use my schema to understand the story. As I begin reading, I notice that the little girl is frustrated. The text says, “I HATE to go to bed! I just know I am missing something.” The words in the text (the evidence) show that the this girl is frustrated that she has to go to bed. I know this because I have been frustrated



before when I wanted to do something that I couldn’t do. My schema helps me to connect to this topic and to understand how the character is feeling. Continue to read the story and point out how your schema helped you to understand the characters and the plot.


As you read, ask the students to turn and talk. How is your schema helping you to understand the ideas in this text?

Provide Independent Practice Remind students before they go off to read. “When you go to RW try…”

I put a new book in the listening center today. Let’s talk right now about your schema for this text. I am going to preview the text with you now. Turn and talk. What is your schema for this text?

Conference Points

Not applicable

Share/Reinforce

Not applicable



Anchor Lesson: 3 How do readers use their schema

about a topic before reading? – Previewing the Text

Pre-assessment Turn and talk to your partner about the word, schema. What is schema and why do readers use it?

Notes to Build Next Lesson


Be Quiet, Mike!, Leslie Patricelli Using text sets will enable students to get better at building their schema for different topics, authors and genres. Refer to the text set information.

Name the Strategy. Explain. “I have noticed that…” “A strategy readers use is…” Introduce the Text

Remember, schema is a reader’s background knowledge. It is all the information a person knows – the people you know, the places you have been, the experiences you have had, the books you have read – all of this is your schema. Readers use their schema to help them think about the text they are going to read. Before I read a text, I am going to preview the text and think about what I know about the topic. Before we read we think about the topic of this text.

• What do we know about this topic? • Have we had any experiences doing the

things that the characters might do? When we use our schema to think about what we already know about the topic, it helps us understand the text.


Let me show you how I preview the text and think about my schema about the topic. Preview the text by showing the front cover, the title page, the synopsis on the inside flap or back cover and look at the pictures. Now that I have previewed the text I think about what I already know about the topic. My schema for this topic: From previewing this text, I know this book is going to be about

After you demonstrate the strategy you could read the text aloud or wait and read the text aloud during another time in the day.



a monkey who makes a lot of noise. I know about making noise. Sometimes when I am very noisy the people around me get angry and ask me to stop. Did you see how I previewed the text and thought about my schema about the topic? When readers activate their schema it helps them to be understand and to be engaged in the story.


Now I would like you and your reading partner to take a new text out of your book bags. Please take turns looking at the pictures to preview your text. After you have finished previewing, think and talk about what you know about the topic. What is your schema for this text?


Before you begin reading a new book, please remember to look at the pictures to preview the text and activate your schema. Remember to think about what you know about the topic of your text. Then read the text. As you are reading think about how your schema is helping you understand the text. OR Before you begin listening to our new book at the listening center, preview the text. Remember to think about what you know about the topic of your text. As you are listening think about how your schema is helping you understand the text.

Students can write/draw about their schema in subsequent lessons.

Conference Points

• What was your schema for this book? • How is your schema helping you understand

the text?

Share/Reinforce

Can one partnership demonstrate for us how they previewed the text and talked about their schema for the topic?



Anchor Lesson: 4 How do readers use their schema

about the author before reading? – Previewing the text

Pre-assessment What do you think having schema for an author might mean?



If You Give a Pig a Pancake, Laura Numeroff Using text sets will enable students to get better at building their schema for different topics, authors and genres. Refer to the text set information.


Remember, schema is a reader’s background knowledge. It is all the information a person knows – the people you know, the places you have been, the experiences you have had, the books you have read – all of this is your schema. Readers use their schema in a few different ways to help them think about the text they are going to read. We know that before we read a text, we preview the text and think about what we know about the topic. Today I am going to teach you that we not only think about our schema for the topic but we also think about our schema for the author. When we think about our schema about an author we think:

• Have I read books by this author before?

• What typically happens in this author’s book?

• Does s/he use the same characters? • Do the characters face similar

problems? When we use our schema to think about what we already know about the topic, and the author, it helps us understand the text.




Let me show you how I preview the text and think about my schema about the topic and the author. Preview the text by showing the front cover, the title page, the synopsis on the inside flap or back cover and look at the pictures. Now that I have previewed the text I think about what I already know about the topic and the author. My schema for this topic: From previewing this text I know this book is going to be about a pig and a little girl and I can tell this pig is going to make a mess. I know this because I know about making messes. I have done big cooking projects and made a mess. I also know there are certain ways to eat politely and take a bath. This pig is not following any of the rules. I bet this little girl is angry at this pig. My schema for this author: I have read other books by Laura Numeroff. I have read If You Give a Moose a Muffin and If you give a Mouse a Cookie. I know that her books are about animals and children. In these stories the animal usually does things wrong and the child has to clean them up. These books always begin and end with the same event. Now I will use my schema to help me make some predictions and ask questions.

• Will this book end the way it begins with the Pig wanting a pancake?

• Will the girl be able to make the pig happy?

• How is this book different from If You Give a Mouse a Cookie?

Did you see how I previewed the text and thought about my schema about the topic and the author? When readers think about what they know, they connect to what they are reading and are more naturally engaged.




Now I would like you and your reading partner to take a new text out of your book bag. Please preview this text with your partner. Then think and talk about what you know about the topic and the author.


Before you begin reading a new book, please remember to preview the text and activate your schema. Remember to think about what you know about the topic and the author of your text. OR There is a new text at the listening center today. Please preview this text before you begin listening. Think about what you know about the topic and the author.

Conference Points

• What was your schema for this text? • What is your schema for the topic? • What is your schema for this author? • How is your schema helping understand the

story?

Share/Reinforce

Can one partnership demonstrate for us how they previewed the text and talked about their schema?



Anchor Lesson: 5 How do readers use their schema about

the genre before reading? – Previewing the text

Pre-assessment Turn and talk to your partner. Why do readers preview a text?



Ducks!, Gail Gibbons REPEAT this lesson with several different genres (fiction, nursery rhymes, poetry, etc.). We want our readers to use genre as a cueing system. Readers ask themselves, “What do I know about this genre?”


Remember, schema is a reader’s background knowledge. It is all the information a person knows – the people you know, the places you have been, the experiences you have had, the books you have read – all of this is your schema. Readers use their schema to help them think about the text they are going to read. You know that after I preview a text I think about what my schema for the topic and the author. We also learned that readers also think about their schema for the genre – the type of book. We ask ourselves, what do I know about reading this type of book? If the text is fiction I know that there will be characters, a setting, a problem and a solution. If this text is an informational text I know that I am going to learn new information. There will be main topics and key details. When readers preview, they think about what they know about the topic, the author and the genre before they begin reading. Here are some of the questions we ask ourselves about a genre:

§ What genre/type of text is this? § What do I know about this genre?

When we use our schema to think about what we already know about the genre, the author, and the topic, we connect to what they are reading and are more naturally engaged.

Demonstrate the Strategy

Let me show you how. As I preview this text my mind is already thinking about what I know this type of book, the genre.



Say: Think aloud. Show: Model. Explain: How this will help them as a reader.

As I preview the text I notice many text features: I see pictures with labels and captions under certain pictures. There are also headings on certain pages too. This book is probably informational text/nonfiction, therefore the information in the text is true. I know that in information books, I am going to learn something and the book will contain main topics and key details. When readers think about the type of book (genre) they are reading, it makes reading easier. The reader is able to understand the important ideas and remember the information when they know the genre they are reading Add these ideas to the Anchor chart: Our schema for reading informational text


• Read a different book with a small group and have the students talk about their schema for the genre before reading. OR

• Read a book aloud and have students turn and talk throughout the lesson. Ask students to discuss what they know about the genre with their partners. OR

• Have students preview a text with a partner and use a post-it to mark why they think the text is a particular genre.


When you preview a text think about the genre of the text. What type of text is it and how do you know? Then think about what you know about reading that type of text. OR There is a new text at the listening center. Before you begin reading, remember to preview this text. Think about what type of text it is and what you know about reading this genre.

Conference Points

• What do you know about this genre? • What do you know about this topic? • How are you using your schema as you are

reading?



Share/Reinforce

Have students share how they determined the genre of a particular text.



Anchor Lesson: 6 Schema changes as we read

Pre-assessment Turn and talk. What have you learned about how readers use their schema?



About Hummingbirds, Cathryn Sill


We know that our schema about a topic, an author, a genre and our own personal experiences help us understand the texts we read. When readers read about things they know about or have experienced, they connect to what they are reading and are naturally more engaged. Today I want to teach you how readers can build their schema as they are reading. Each time we read a new piece of text we learn more and our schema changes and grows. Sometimes as I read, I actually change my schema. For example I might say, I used to think _________, but now I understand _______. I can also learn new information as I read and build my schema. For example I might say. Now I know ______________ As I keep reading and building my schema, my knowledge of the topic, the author, and the genre helps me understand the text.


Watch me. My schema about the topic is going to grow and change. Preview the text and share your schema before reading. Record the ideas on a two-column chart: My schema before Reading/My Schema after Reading. My schema for the topic: This book is informational so I am going to learn new information about hummingbirds. My schema about hummingbirds is_______________. My schema for the genre. This book is



informational. My schema for informational books is that they teach me information about a specific topic. Instead of hearing a story about hummingbirds I am going to learn facts about hummingbirds. My schema for the author. I have not read any other books by Cathryn Sill so I do not have any schema about this author. After I read this text I will know a bit about this author’s books. Now read the text and share how your schema is growing and changing as you read: e.g. page 1-2. My schema for hummingbirds is already growing. I didn’t know that hummingbirds have long tongues. e.g. page 3: My schema is changing. I didn’t know hummingbirds ate insects. I thought they only drank nectar from flowers. I am learning so much.

Provide Guided Practice. Invite the students to practice the strategy with teacher guidance.

After modeling several times, ask the students to share how their schema is growing and changing. Explain to the students that each person’s schema is different, so our schema will expand in different ways and at different times. Encourage students to share how their schema about the topic, author and genre are changing.



Provide Independent Practice. Remind students before they go off to read. “When you go to RW try…”

Today at RW, I would like you to work with a partner to think about how your schema is growing and changing as you are reading. Before you begin reading a new book, talk to your partner about your schema. What do you already know about the topic, the genre and the author? Write/Draw your ideas in the column, My Schema Before Reading. Then as you are reading and after you finish, please write and draw how your schema has changed. OR There is a new book at the listening center. Before you begin listening, think about your schema. What do you already know about the topic, the genre and the author? Write/Draw your ideas in the column, - My Schema Before Reading. After you have finished listening write and draw how your schema has changed.

Conference Points

• Tell me about how your schema is changing as you are reading this book.

• Tell me about your schema for this story • What do you know about this genre? • What do you know about this topic? • What do you know about this author? • How are you using your schema as you are

reading? • What is your schema now that you have

finished reading? •

Share/Reinforce

Please tell us how your schema changed as you were reading. Please remember to read us the part in the text that made your schema grow or change.



My Schema Before I Began Reading My Schema During/After Reading



Anchor Lesson: 7 What is a connection? - Drama Pre-assessment Turn and talk to your partner about how readers

use their schema Notes to Build Next Lesson


Classroom Discussion


We know that our schema about a topic, an author, a genre and our own personal experiences help us understand the text. When readers read about things they know about or have experienced, they connect to what they are reading and are naturally more engaged. Today we are going to learn how readers use their schema to make connections. We make a connection when we hear or read about something that is in our schema and think:

§ I already know something about that… § This reminds me of… § I remember when…. § This is the same as…. § This is different from…

A connection can be something we have in common with another person. Which children in this class take bus _____? - These children have a connection that the rest of us don’t have because they have a common experience together. Which children have an older brother or sister? - These children have a connection because they know what it is like to have an older sibling. __________ (student name) and I have a connection because we both _____________. Readers connect to the characters, the problem and the setting in a text. Making connections helps a reader become involved in the story just like when people make connections and they become involved in a conversation. Making connections is like ”talking back to your book.”



Demonstrate the Strategy. Say: Think aloud. Show: Model. Explain: How this will help them as a reader.

Let me show you how I can use my schema to make connections and have a conversation with ______ (child in the class). I want to get to know _______, so I am going to ask her questions to learn more about her. What do you like to do? (_______ answers playing the piano) I play the piano too. This is a connection. Now I can ask _______ what songs she is learning to play. After she answers, she will ask me questions about playing the piano. We have a connection about playing the piano.

Provide Guided Practice. Invite the students to practice the strategy with teacher guidance.

Turn to your partner and figure out what you have in common. Do you both play soccer? Do you love to draw? Do you take the same kinds of lessons? Once you have found what you have in common begin having a conversation about the topic.

Conference Points

• What is a connection? • Show me where you made a connection. • How do your connections help you as a

reader?

Share/Reinforce

How did your connection help you when you were speaking to each other? How would the conversation have been different if you didn’t have something in common? Create an Anchor Chart: Ways readers talk about their connections



Anchor Lesson: 8 How do readers make connections? Pre-assessment How does using your schema help you to make

connections? Turn and talk to your partner. Notes to Build Next Lesson


Owl Babies, Martin Waddell


Yesterday we discussed how we make connections in our lives all of the time. Making connections is when you think

§ I already know something about that… § This reminds me of… § I remember when…. § This is the same as…. § This is different from…

Readers make these same types of connections with books. Readers connect to the characters, and the big ideas in the text, not just to small details. Making connections helps a reader become involved in the story just like when people make connections and they become involved in a conversation. Making connections is like ”talking back to your book.”


As readers read they use their schema to make connections with the text. Here are some of the ways readers talk about their connections: Review the Anchor Chart: Ways Readers talk about their connections:

§ This part reminds me of … § I remember when…. § This is the same as…. § This is different from… § This helps me to understand § Now I know how ________ feels § Now I think ________ will happen

I am going to read the text aloud and I will stop reading and share how I use my schema and the text to make connections As I read the first 2 pages, it reminds me of a time when I was little and got lost. I couldn’t find my mom. This helps me to know how the characters, Sarah, Percy and Bill, are feeling. I know how worried and scared they are. I wonder

It is important to show them how your connections must stay within the “4 corners of the text.” Extraneous connections such as, “I have a friend named Bill” doesn’t help the reader understand the text. Students need to connect to the ideas in the text, not isolated items.



how they will find their mother? Readers, did you see how I used my schema to make a connection? I understand how Sarah, Percy and Bill are feeling because I have felt that same way. I used my schema to understand the characters and the bigger ideas in the text. Continue reading until you find something you can connect with, using one of the prompts from above. When you are modeling show the students how your connections helps you to understand the characters and the bigger ideas in the text.


Read the next few pages aloud. Turn and talk. Please share any connections that you might have. Remember that these are some ways readers talk about their connections. (Point to the anchor chart). If students share connections that do not help them understand the characters and the bigger ideas in a text, model the types of connections that help us understand the text.


As you are partner reading, continue to think about your schema. Make connections to the characters and the bigger ideas in the text. Making connections helps you become involved in the story. As you are doing this you will find that you are almost ”talking back to your book.” OR As you are listening to a text at the listening center think about your schema as you are reading. Make connections to the characters and the bigger ideas in the text. Making connections helps you become involved in the story. As you are doing this you will find that you are almost ”talking back to your book.” Please remember to use our anchor chart as you are thinking about your connections. Ways Readers talk about their connections:

§ This part reminds me of … § I remember when…. § This is the same as…. § This is different from… § This helps me to understand



§ Now I know how ________ feels § Now I understand the message in the text § Now I think ________ will happen

Conference Points

§ Show me where you made a connection. § How did your connection help you to

understand the story?

Share/Reinforce Who would like to share a connection they made when reading their book today? Please explain how your connection helped you to understand the text.



Anchor Lesson: 9 How does making connections help you

understand the characters?

Pre-assessment Turn and talk to your partner about how you can use your schema to understand the characters in a book.



Jamaica Tag- Along, Juanita Havill


Yesterday, we talked about how readers use their schema to make connections. We learned that readers sometimes say… Ways Readers talk about their connections:

§ This part reminds me of … § I remember when…. § This is the same as…. § This is different from… § This helps me to understand § Now I know how ________ feels § Now I understand the message in the

text Readers make these connections and think about how the connection helps them to understand the text. Today I want to teach how making connections can help you understand the characters in the text. We can use our connections to understand the main characters’ feelings, the type of person s/he is, and understand why these characters act certain ways.


As I read, I will think about how the connections I am making are helping me to understand the main characters.

• How are they feeling? • What are they thinking? • Why are they making certain choices? • What type of person is this character?

Read the first few pages of Jamaica Tag-Along. In the beginning we know that Jamaica wants to play basketball with her older brother. When her brother says, “ You’re not old enough. We want to play serious ball.” Jamaica is disappointed. This reminds me of when my kids say “no” to each other. When my son asks my



daughter to play a game and she says no, he is very disappointed. This connection helps me to know how Jamaica feels. When I can feel what Jamaica feels, I understand the story better because I understand the characters. Continue to model several more examples. Now I know that Jamaica’s feelings are changing. In the text it says, “Stay away from my castle,” Jamaica said. “Berto, the woman pushing the stroller said, “leave this girl alone. Big kids don’t like to be bothered by little kids.” “That’s what my brother always, says” Jamaica said. I think Jamaica’s feelings are changing. She is learning to treat younger kids with more respect. She doesn’t want to treat Berto the way her brother treated her. I wonder what she will do now? Do you see readers, how I read and pay attention to what the main characters are saying, what they are thinking and what they are feeling? I understand their feelings and their actions because I can make a connection to how they are feeling. When I make connections to the characters it is like I am right in the book standing next to the characters. When I know my characters this well I understand the bigger ideas in the text.


Read a few more pages aloud. Ask students to turn and talk with a partner about their connections. Ask students to explain how their connection helps them understand how the main character feels and why the main character is making particular choices.


Today, I want you and your partner to reread a text and think about the connections you are making. How are your connections helping you to understand your characters: • How are they feeling? • What are they thinking? • Why they making certain choices? OR



In the drama center, there are props for you to use to act out this story. When you are acting out this story think about how your characters are feeling? Make your voice sound the way the characters might talk. OR At the listening center, I want you listen to this text again and think about the connections you are making. How are your connections helping you to understand the characters? • How are they feeling? • What are they thinking? • Why they making certain choices?

Conference Points

• Show me where you made a connection in this story? What is your connection?

• How does that connection help you to understand your characters?

• What have you learned about your characters? Show me the evidence in the text.

• How is your character feeling? How do you know?

Share/Reinforce Please turn to your “turn and talk” partner. Tell your partner about a main character:

- How are they feeling? - What are they thinking? - Why they making certain choices?



Anchor Lesson: 10 Text-to-self connections: How does making connections help you make/revise predictions?

Pre-assessment Turn and talk to your partner about how using your schema can help you make predictions.



The Great Gracie Chase. Stop That Dog!, Cynthia Rylant

Name the Strategy Explain. “I have noticed that…” “A strategy readers use is…” Introduce the Text

Yesterday, we talked about how making connections helps us understand the main characters’ feelings. Today I want to show you how we use our schema about the characters to help us make predictions. Once we know our characters well we can predict what will happen next and how it will happen. Add to the anchor chart Ways Connections Help Us “Our connections help us to predict what will happen next and how it will happen.” Remember, making connections helps us become involved in the text. As you are doing this you will find that you are almost ”talking back to your book.” When you are this involved in the text you understand what is happening and pay attention to the big ideas.


Before I read, I preview the text and think about what I know about the topic, the author and the genre. Once I have a few ideas in my head, I use that information to make a few predictions. Let me show you how. My schema for the topic: The cover of the book says, The Great Gracie Chase. Stop That Dog! and the illustration shows the lots of people chasing a dog. I am going to think about what I know about this topic. This book is probably about a dog who runs away. I know a lot about trying to catch a pet who is running away: I know that:

§ Dogs run quickly. § Dogs usually listen to their owners but sometimes

they don’t and they run away. My schema for the author: I have read other books by Cynthia Rylant. I have read a few Henry and Mudge books. I know that there are dogs in Cynthia Rylant’s other books. I also know that the



dogs in her books are friendly. I bet Gracie is friendly too. As I read I will notice if any of my schema is the same for this book. My schema for the genre: This is a fictional text. I know there is going to be characters, a setting, a problem, a solution and a theme. I think I already know the problem – Gracie runs away. Now I can predict. I predict that Gracie has done several things wrong. I think this because on the cover a painter, children, and a cat are all chasing Gracie. I am wondering why they are chasing her? Let’s read and make predictions as we are reading. Let’s use our schema and our understanding of the characters to predict what will happen next and how it will happen.

Sometimes we make good, but inaccurate predictions to show the students how we change our predictions as we read.


Read a few pages aloud. Ask students to turn and talk with a partner about their predictions. Encourage students to predict what will happen and how it will happen. Ask students to explain how their schema and the evidence in the text helped them to make their predictions.


Today at RW, I want you and your partner to think about the connections you are making and how they are helping you to understand the text. As you read, use your knowledge of the character to predict what will happen next and how it will happen. Or At the listening center, I would like you to listen to a few pages of a story. Once you have heard a few pages, stop the tape and draw/write what you think will happen next. Remember to write/draw what makes you think that.



Conference Points

§ Show me where you made a connection in this story? What is your connection?

§ How did that connection help you to understand the text?

§ What were some of your predictions? What evidence in the text helped you to make that prediction?

§ What do you know about your characters? Based on what you know about the character, what do you think will happen next and how will it happen?

Share/Reinforce Please share a prediction you today. Remember to share not only what you think will happen but also the evidence in the text that supports your thinking.



Anchor Lesson: 11 Authentic versus tangential

connections

Pre-assessment Turn and talk to your partner. How does making connections help you read?



Pip’s Magic, Ellen Stoll Walsh


We have been talking about how readers use their schema to make connections and to predict what will happen next. I have noticed that some of the connections you are making help you understand the text while other connections do not. Sometimes you are making a connection about a very small detail in the text. This connection is helping you remember something in your own life rather than helping you to understand the text. Since readers focus on connections that help them understand the text, we need to make connections to the bigger ideas in the text, not to small details. Today I am going to read and make some connections. Some of these connections will help me understand the text and others will not. In order to check whether my connection helps me understand the text I will ask myself, “How/What does this connection help me understand?” If I can’t answer this question then I know my connection didn’t help me understand the story. Remember, our meaningful connections help us to stay engaged and understand the text. Our tangential connections get us thinking about other things rather than thinking about the text.

This lesson is only appropriate for students who are having difficulty making authentic connections.


Read aloud Pip’s Magic and model both authentic and tangential connections: For Example: Tangential connection: “My friend’s dog is named Pip.” How/What does this connection help me understand?” - nothing. This connection isn’t meaningful. I need to pay attention to what is happening in the text.



Authentic connection: “I am afraid of the dark?– How/What does this connection help me understand?” I understand how Pip feels. I bet he is a little embarrassed about being afraid and he wants to figure out how to get over his fear. I know this because that is how I feel. I am also afraid of the dark.


Elicit connections from the students. As students share encourage them to ask the question, How/What does this connection help me understand?”


Today at RW, I want you and your partner to think about the connections you are making. Remember to ask yourself, How/What does this connection help me understand?” Or At the listening center, I would like you to listen to a few pages of a story. As you are listening think about the connections you are making. Remember to ask yourself, How/What does this connection help me understand?”

Conference Points

• Let’s read a bit and tell each other our connections.

• How/What does this connection help me understand?”

Share/Reinforce

What did you notice about the connections that helped you? What did you notice about your connections that weren’t helpful? Summarize the ideas and add the information to the anchor chart: Different ways readers make connections to texts :



Anchor Lesson: 12 Text-to-self connections

Pre-assessment Turn and talk to your partner about connections you have made to a book you have recently read.



Thomas’ Snowsuit, Robert Munsch


We have been talking about making connections as we read. Today I want to show you one type of connection that readers make when they are reading a book. Readers compare their own life with the ideas in the text. When readers do this it is called, “Making a Text-to-Self” connection. Making meaningful text-to-self connections help us to stay engaged and understand the text.


Let me show you how I make text-to-self connections and how they help me to understand the book. Preview the text and begin reading, stopping when you have a meaningful text-to-self connection. For example, When Thomas says, “That is the ugliest thing (snowsuit) I have ever seen in my life. If you think I am going to wear that ugly snowsuit, you are crazy!” I know how Thomas feels. He is angry because he doesn’t like his snowsuit. I understand that feeling. When my son has to wear his best shirt and pants he also gets angry. This is a text-to-self connection. I also know how that mom is feeling. Thomas spoke rudely to his mother and she was just trying to keep him warm. I bet she is angry too. I don’t like to be spoken to that way and it makes me angry when someone speaks rudely. This is also a text-to-self connection. Did you see how both of my text-to-self connections help me to understand the characters’ feelings?




After you have modeled several text-to-self connections, ask students to share some of the connections they are making. Remember to ask the students - How/What does this connection help me understand?”


Today at RW, I want you and your partner continue to think about the connections you are making. Remember to ask yourself - How/What does this connection help me understand?” Or At the listening center, I would like you to listen to a few pages of a story. As you are listening think about the connections you are making. Remember to ask yourself - How/What does this connection help me understand?”

Conference Points

• What text –to-self connections are you making as you reading?

• How does making text-to-self connections help you to understand the story?

Share/Reinforce

What connections did you make today? Explain to us how this connection helped you understand your story.



Anchor Lesson: 13 Text-to-text connections: Comparing

and contrasting characters

Pre-assessment Turn and talk to your partner about what you know about making connections.



No, David!, David Shannon (Read one text on a prior day ) David Goes to School, David Shannon

See text set list for more examples of texts to use.


Yesterday, we talked about how we can make text-to-self connections. Today I want to show we can make connections between two texts. When we read texts that have the same characters or texts written by the same author we can compare and contrast the texts. This is called making text-to-text connections. When readers make connections between books it helps them to get to know the characters really well.

One piece of text should have been read during a previous lesson.

Demonstrate the Strategy. Say: Think aloud. Show: Model. Explain: How this will help them as a reader.

We are very familiar with the text, No David! Now we are going to read another book that has one of the same characters in the text – David. Since both of these texts have the same characters I can compare and contrast how David acts in these two stories. This is called making text-to-text connections. Read text aloud and share your text-to-text connections between the two books. Remember to focus on how the characters actions are the same and different. Before I even read, David Goes to School, I think about how David acted in No David and wonder whether he we do similar things at school:

• Will David follow the rules at school? • What will happen to him if he doesn’t? • Will his teacher stay angry or will she

change like David’s mom did in the book, No, David?


Ask students to share their text-to-text connections as you are reading. Encourage students to talk about how the characters’ actions are the same and different.




Today at RW, I would like you and your partner to read two familiar books with the same characters and make your own text-to-text connections. How are the characters acting the same in both stories? How are the characters acting differently? OR Today at the listening center you will listen to the book, David Gets in Trouble. As you are listening I would like you make your own text-to-text connections. How are the characters acting the same in both stories? How are the characters acting differently? OR In the dramatic play area I have put props so that you can act out the different No David books. As you are acting out the story, think about how the characters act the same and differently? Does David act the same in school and at home? How do the mom and the teacher act the same and differently?

Conference Points

• Tell me about the text-to-text connections you are making between these books

• How does that connection help you to understand the characters?

Share/Reinforce

Let’s share a few of our connections. How does making connections help you to understand the characters?



Anchor Lesson: 14 Readers make connections in

combination with other reading strategies

Pre-assessment Turn and talk to your partner about all of the strategies you use as you read.


Select the Materials Use classroom read aloud Name the Strategy Explain “I have noticed that …” “A strategy readers use is …” Introduce the Text

We have learned so much about using our schema and making connections. Today I want to teach you how readers make connections as well as use other reading strategies when they are reading. When readers read, they are always combining reading strategies. We read the words, we look at the pictures and we make connections. Most importantly we are always making sure our reading makes sense and that we understand the deeper meaning of the text. I’m going to show you how I use more than one strategy to help me read and understand the text.


Watch me. The first thing I do is preview the text so that I have an understanding of what I am going to read. I know that I start thinking about my schema for the topic, the author and the genre even before I read. Previewing helps me to begin thinking about the bigger ideas in the text too. Show the students how you read the pictures, read the words and make connections as you are reading.


Continue reading and encourage students to notice the strategies you are using. Model both word solving strategies and thinking strategies.



Provide Independent Practice Remind students before they go off to read … “When you go to RW try …”

When you go off to read, remember to use all of the strategies we have learned. You can look at the anchor chart to help you remember your strategies.

Conference Points • Show me what you did when you first picked up this text.

• What strategies are you using? • Show me how you are figuring out the

words and understanding the text • Read a bit and then think aloud. Let me

hear what you are thinking.

Share/Reinforce

Turn and talk with your partner and show them a couple of places in the text where you used different reading strategies.

Documents

Unit of Study: Schema K - Quabbin Regional School · PDF fileUnit of Study: Schema K 5 ... Today we are going to learn about another strategy reader’s use. ... places you have been,