EAST MEADOW SCHOOL DISTRICT
EAST MEADOW SCHOOL DISTRICT
EAST MEADOW, NEW YORK
CURRICULUM AREA PROJECT
Grade 6 –ELA Enrichment CAP- 2009-2010
Grade 6 Enrichment
W. T. Clarke Middle School
East Meadow School District
Completed August 2009
Coordinator: Kristen Almeida
Writers: Kristen Almeida, WT Clarke MS Reading Specialist
Melissa Kishegyi, WT Clarke MS Grade 6 ELA Teacher
Table of Contents
|Page # |Content |
|2 |Abstract |
|3 |Rationale |
|4 |Bibliography |
|5 |Syllabus-Nonfiction |
|6 |Syllabus-Fiction |
|7 |Syllabus-ELA Test Preparation |
|8 |CAP Log |
|9 |Parent Letter |
|10-11 |Grade Six NYS ELA Needs: Teacher Resource |
|12 |Enrichment Daily Planner: Teacher Resource |
|13-22 |Accountable Talk: Article |
|23 |Accountable Talk: Dialogue |
|24 |Fishbowl Observation: Chart |
|25 |Fishbowl Observation Follow Up: Chart/ Transparency |
|26-27 |What Good Readers Do: Chart |
|28 |Interacting With a Text: Handout |
|29 |Motivating Your Students During Accountable Talk: Handout |
|30-31 |Teacher Notes on Accountable Talk: Chart |
|32-33 |Pairing Subheadings With Details: Handout |
|34 |Nonfiction Scavenger Hunt: Handout |
|35 |Fiction Scavenger Hunt: Handout |
|36-40 |ELA Practice: Using Directions: Handout |
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Abstract
The key components of Balanced Literacy will be integrated into the sixth grade Enrichment classes. Students will be exposed to non-fiction texts through a variety of sources, including magazines, controversial debates, biographies, etc. Students will recognize non-fiction text features, synthesize text material and express their opinions/thoughts through oral Accountable Talks and written responses. Key teaching strategies and objectives include shared reading, teacher modeling, and supporting conclusions with evidence.
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Rationale
Throughout the past few years, there has been a shift in the emphasis of ELA curriculum within schools throughout New York State. Both teachers and students now face the demands and stresses of meeting specific standards for both reading and writing, as well as state wide exams. While teachers work to prepare their students to meet these demands, they too must perform a juggling act incorporating creativity into their lessons and balancing the remainder of the year’s curriculum. Additionally, these new requirements have created anxiety for students and parents, as well as a lack of motivation on the student’s part.
As teachers of Middle School students we know our sixth graders enter school in September with much angst already. These children are leaving the comfort of their elementary school teachers and peers and entering a world of changing classes, unfamiliar faces, and newfound responsibility. We feel that providing these students with a structured enrichment class, focusing on a variety of reading and writing strategies, and incorporating a sense of classroom community will not only ease the transition to Middle School, but instill a certain degree of confidence for all students.
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Bibliography
Can Tigers Be Saved? (April 21, 2008) Scholastic Action Magazine pp. 6
Sullivan- Beall, Jean, Josh Brackett, Lois Mortimer, and Myka-Lynne Sokoloff.
2002. Comprehensive Reading and Writing Assessment. Merrimack, NH: Options.
Teen Trackers (April 21, 2008) Scholastic Action Magazine pp. 6
Watson, Denise. “Accountable Talk.” tnli/research/
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Non-Fiction
• Sources of Non-fiction (charted by teacher)
Brainstorm and chart
• What do good readers do before/during/after Non-fiction? (teacher chart hung in room)
Teacher will model and chart
• Features of Non-Fiction / Debate using “Teen Trackers” (copy/transparency of “Teen Trackers”)
o Shared Reading with Debate
Teacher will model how to read a debate, including:
-Recognizing the features of a debate
- Recognizing that a debate will include two opposing sides
- Using background knowledge
o Teacher Modeling - Accountable Talk (Kristen and Melissa) (Fishbowl Chart and Follow Up transparency)
Teachers will use a Fishbowl Activity to model Accountable Talk including:
-Forming an opinion
-Supporting an opinion with evidence
-Articulating ideas
-Developing listening skills by “building off” of each other’s
answers
o Partner / Individual Practice (“What Good Readers Do” chart and Teacher Notes on Accountable Talk)
Teaches will choose a debate for their class.
-Students will partner up and complete chart, practicing skills
-Class will read the debate as a whole group
-After reading debate, students will participate in an Accountable
Talk
• Setting a purpose for reading using article “Can Tigers Be Saved? (copy of “Can Tigers Be Saved?”and Pairing Subheadings with Details)
o Teacher modeling
Teachers will model using the subheading to determine the main idea of a paragraph that follows it
• Non-fiction Scavenger Hunt (Non-fiction Scavenger Hunt chart)
o Student Activity
-Teachers will set up four classrooms with various fiction and non-
fiction sources
-Students will move from room to room, “searching” for
non-fiction
-Discussion / Review
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FICTION
• Fiction Scavenger Hunt (Fiction Scavenger Hunt chart)
• Teachers will choose a novel
• Pre-Reading Strategies (cards/sentence strips)
o Tea Party
-Teachers will choose symbols / statements / phrases from
beginning of the book
-Each student receives a card with a symbol / statement / phrase
-Students circulate the room, their goal being to share the
information with as many people as possible
-In groups, students create a “We Think” statement (a prediction
about the book)
-Share and hang up “We Think”
• Accountable Talk (Teacher Notes on Accountable Talk and “Motivating Students During Accountable Talk” )
-BIG IDEA in story (ex. – Tuck Everlasting: Every crime should
be punished)
-Teachers will refer to “Motivating Students During Accountable
Talk”
-Teachers will take notes on this conversation
• During Reading Activities (To, With, By) (“What Good Readers Do” chart and copy of Interactions)
• (To) Interactions – teachers will model with general piece during a Shared Reading.
• (With) Using a chapter previously read, students will practice using these interactions with a partner.
• (By) Students will independently read a chapter/excerpt on their own and use the interactions.
• Student interactions will be used as a springboard for discussions in subsequent classes.
• Teachers can monitor student interactions periodically.
• After Reading Strategies
o Teachers will monitor student comprehension of the book referring to the pre-reading strategies and the “We Think” statements.
o As a group, the class will assess one original “We Think” statement. The teacher will model how to support conclusions with evidence from the text.
o Students will then choose one “We Think” statement and write a brief paragraph supporting their conclusion.
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ELA TEST PREPARATION
• “Use of Directions to Help Answer ELA Questions” (articles and student chart)
o Teacher will discuss how directions can help determine genre, author’s purpose, main idea, etc.
o Carousel Activity: Teacher will post 6 articles in the classroom. Students will go from article to article charting the information found only in the directions
o Follow-up- ELA Directions Practice Packet
• Multiple Choice Test Taking Strategies Chart – Hang and discuss (chart)
o Common Terms (most likely, best, in general , etc.)
o 50/50
o Background knowledge
o key words
o distracters
• Writing an Extended Response (examples of poor/good responses and sample ELA question)
o Teachers will discuss / show example of poor vs. good response
o Teachers will model how to recognize parts to a question
o Teachers will discuss prewriting strategies (outlining, graphic organizers)
o Students will practice on their own
• Listening (examples of poor/good responses and sample ELA question)
o Teachers will discuss / show example of poor vs. good response
o Teachers will review “parts to a question”
o Teachers will discuss effective methods of note taking
o Students will participate in two practice sessions
• Poetic Devices (Practice Packet)
o Teachers will review terms (students will have been exposed to terms already in ELA)
o Practice Packet
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Grade Six Enrichment CAP
Log
6/30/09: 12:00-2:00 (2 hours)_____________________________________________
8/12/09: 10:00-12:00 (2 hours)_____________________________________________
8/13/09: 9:00-1:00 (4 hours)_____________________________________________
8/14/09: 10:00-2:00 (4 hours)_____________________________________________
8/19/09: 9:00-1:00 (4 hours)_____________________________________________
8/27/09: 9:00-1:00 (4 hours)_____________________________________________
Total Hours: 20 hours
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9/2009
Dear Parents:
Welcome to W. T. Clarke Middle School! The sixth grade enrichment program will focus on the Balanced Literacy model in which the students will be taught lifelong strategies for reading, writing, and discussing both fiction and nonfiction genres.
This model approaches reading as a culmination of “Before” and “During Reading” behaviors, as well as an “After Reading” speaking component known as Accountable Talk. During Accountable Talk, students will learn to engage in conversations/debates with one another. They will learn appropriate language and speaking/listening rules when having an Accountable Talk. The students will be given the opportunity to voice their opinions on what they read about, whether it may be a current event or character trait/issue in which they can relate to. They will be taught to support their thoughts and opinions using evidence from the text they have read.
Throughout the course of the year, the students will be taught to integrate their talk skills into their writing. This will aid students in curriculum based writing, such as Social Studies DBQ’s, essays, and extended responses. In addition, these skills will prepare them for the NYS ELA exam which takes place in the spring.
We look forward to a very successful year with the sixth graders!
Sincerely,
The Sixth Grade
Teachers
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Grade Six Enrichment
NYS ELA
In order to prepare our students for the NYS ELA exam, the emphasis should be on test taking skills/strategies. We can drill our students with reading packets each day, however, our poor readers will still be poor readers between now and May. It’s important that our students understand the format of the test, as well as, be given concrete strategies so that they can walk into that exam with some degree of confidence.
The following skills will aid in our students’ success on this test:
Part 1: Reading Comprehension
*Students need to be aware of all text features including: directions, pictures, captions, and titles. These features can help them with answers to multiple choice questions.
*Students need to mark up the directions for genre, main idea, and author’s purpose.
*Students should scan questions before reading to identify questions they can answer before reading. (See Trapped in A Firestorm.) Once they identify these questions, they have established a purpose for reading the article (to answer the remaining questions). They should be taught to highlight only the information that will provide the answers to remaining questions.
*Students should be aware of the following terms that often pop up in comprehension questions:
*Make a generalization
*Conflict
*theme
*mostly, best (main idea questions)
*infer
*fact/opinion
*character trait
*Students should analyze multiple choice questions and be given multiple strategies to attack these questions such as:
*identifying distractors
*50/50
*context clues
*cover and predict
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Extended Response:
*Students should recognize all parts to a question…especially the term “support with details from the passage”.
*Students should know supporting details phrases such as: for example, according to, the story states.
*Students should check off each part of the question as they answer it.
*Students should use their planning page to map out what info they will assign to each paragraph.
For example:
Paragraph 1: similarities between character 1 & character 2
Paragraph 2: differences between character 1 & character 2
Listening/ Notetaking:
*In the past, the listening selections were folktales. Though we can’t guarantee this year’s listening selection will be a folktale, we can practice with one.
*Students should listen for character traits or actions that infer a trait.
*They should listen for definitions, lists, or explanations of something.
*They should listen for clues that express a theme, conflict, etc.
*They should listen for repeating details.
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Enrichment
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Accountable Talk
DENISE WATSON - TNPI FELLOW
Accountable talk- this term is the driving force behind the reading and
speaking standards in a variety of school systems. Students talk; but they need
to be taught how to participate in this type of ‘talk’. Calkins (2001) says” children
must be shown how to cultivate a climate of debate, questioning and multiple
interpretations. They must think about how to disagree with each other in ways
that allow the other person to hear what is being said (p.246).“ This year, this was
the challenge which I faced as I focused on helping my students increase their
level of achievement.
I was particularly concerned about getting them to enjoy reading and
respond to the text either orally or in writing? While this may seem like a very
simple question, it becomes complex as I think about my class.
This year my fifth grade class consisted of 19 students- 9 males and 10
females. These students have either academic or emotional difficulties that have
over time interfered with their academic success. Many of these students have
been retained at least once in their short academic lives. Most of my students
were functioning below grade level; one student, a recent immigrant, was only
reading on a 2.5 -3.0 grade level. One of my students arrived in January. He had
been moving from shelter to shelter throughout the Fall. When he started he was
often verbally aggressive as well as physically threatening.
Many of my students exhibited evidence of low self-esteem. They refused
to make eye contact when speaking, spoke in quiet, monotone voices and seemed
unwilling to raise their hands when questions were asked. My colleagues’ advice
was simple: Just get them out. Don’t try to teach them much, just make sure they pass
and leave the school- they have to go.
Given this portrait of my students and my colleagues, it may seem like
wishful thinking on my part to tell my students that our focus would be reading
writing, and improving our skills so that we could master the standards. There
were comments from the class almost immediately. Here are just a few:
“The standards- what’s that?”
“Oh, is it another test- we gotta pass?”
“What does ‘standard’ mean anyway?”
Based on these comments, I could see that we had a long road ahead of us if I
was going to help them improve their reading and writing skills, let alone doing
it!
The reading program consisted of a basal reader and a workbook. Since
some of my students had already used this series before, I started them at in the
4.5 level hoping to quickly move them into the 5.0 level. Since I wanted to have
heterogeneous groupings and maximize the reading time; I grouped children
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according to their reading skill which was determined by a reading assessment
given in early September. By the end of September/beginning of
October, I was running four different groups. Every day I struggled to work with
each group for 15-20 minutes. This meant that most of the time, students were
working hard to answer the questions they were given, but there was not much
time for “talk” about the text. As I listened to them, I heard that their “talk” was
not about the story being read or the skill just learned but about some unrelated
topic. If students were only working to locate the answer, I thought, how could
they learn to engage in the meaningful talk that helps to generate thoughtful
discussions that might lead to better reading comprehension? While the students
appeared to enjoy reading some of the stories, they made few connections to the
text. While they seemed to enjoy the individual attention they were receiving,
each group complained when I had to move to the next group. Their
independent lessons were not thoroughly completed. What I was seeing and
hearing disturbed me because I felt that my students would not be prepared. I
was worried that I wasting their valuable time.
Thinking About My Teaching
I decided that the problem was mine and that I needed to change some
aspect of my teaching. I began with a focus on my questioning techniques. Was it
possible, I wondered to ask questions that could help my students to think
critically about the texts they read?
What if I were to concentrate on using high level questions as discussed
by Bloom specifically focusing on questions at the analysis (break into parts from
whole concept), and synthesis (use parts to draw new thinking) to evaluation
(judging, reasoning) levels. As I began to model these types of questionings, I
hoped that the students would think about the text in different ways. Once I
realized that they were comfortable on the first level, it was only natural to begin
to expose them to the higher levels.
In November, I began to see a gradual deepening of thinking based on
their responses in the small groups. In a group that was reading the story entitled
the Wreck of the Zephyr by Chris Van Allsburg, some students entered into a
discussion of the author’s use of “flashback” to tell the story.
T: Chris Van Allsburg uses flashback as a means to tell the story.
Why do you think he does that?
Chris: He wants to teach a lesson.
Woody: What lesson?
Chris: That man needs to work with nature, not against it.
Vinny: Okay, but he could just tell the boy that.
Chris: No, he couldn’t- by telling the story he relives it and the boy is able
to see the events in his mind’s…
Vinny: eye- The mind’s eye. I get it- he goes through the experience with
him, and it helps him to understand that he should be careful himself.
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Woody: Right, so that he won’t make the same mistakes as the narrator
T: What mistakes does he make in the story?
Yan: He’s too proud, arrogant – he thinks that he doesn’t need anyone. He
thinks he’s perfect. He thinks he can’t make mistakes.
T: Can you learn anything from his experience.
Chris: Yeah, maybe to listen to others, ‘cause the people in the village told
him not to go sailing because of the storm.
Woody: Also, to be patient. If he had waited on the sailor he could have
learned how to fly the boat back home without it crashing.
Balanced Literacy
While I was excited about the progress that some children were
making, I was still concerned about their oral and written responses. As I spoke
with colleagues teaching in the younger grades they started to expose me to a
model that was currently being used in K-2. It was called Balanced Literacy and
it is make up of a variety of components. The integral parts of this method are
Read Aloud, Shared reading, guided reading, interactive writing and the writing
workshop. Gay Pinnell (2000) defines balanced literacy this way: “When talking
about balance in this model, the word comprehensive is actually more
appropriate. Educators are working towards having comprehensive programs in
their rooms which focus on reading, writing and word study. Balanced literacy
isn’t a set program. It’s a rich and integrated combination of approaches. The
teacher is the expert “ (p. 50)
After reading this quote, I once again looked at my students. What type of
literacy experiences did I want them to have? Would they be able to have a
chance to meet the standards? Since I am the expert in my room, I decided to
concentrate on using the read aloud, shared reading and writing workshop. I
figured that these components would be most advantageous to my students and
might help them raise their levels of achievement. The term “comprehensive”
really struck me because it deals with an understanding not just of materials but
more importantly of how these aspects work together to accomplish a broader
task.
What the research shows
When we think about classroom instruction, and the major subjects taught
to our children; we rarely think about how to get kids talking about their
learning. If we want children to reach the speaking standards, we as educators
must teach them how to talk.
In the Art of Teaching Reading, Lucy Calkins states “talk is sometimes
valued… but talk is rarely taught. Yet talk, like reading and writing, is a major
motor- I could even say the major- of intellectual development(p.226).” It is
important for us to engage in the “talk-curriculum” if we want to help our
students learn how to respond orally to text. We must read aloud to them so that
they can hear what makes sense. It is vital for them to understand that they can’t
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respond to a text that does not make sense.
Teachers must also allow children to talk, by giving them wait time (Mary
Budd Rowe). This concept is a hard one to grasp because as instructors we are
always imparting information to our students. Think about this: How can we
know what is truly concerning them if we don’t stop, wait and listen? We must
give them a chance to talk! Remember, for learning to be effective and
meaningful; we have to give them an opportunity to teach us.
As Pinnell says” If we want children to write, then we must provide them
with examples of good texts, so that they can learn the craft of writing. As
children focus in on this craft, they have to practice, practice, and practice again.
Students must write each and every day, so time must be set aside for them to do
this (p.50)”. They should write about topics close to them, respond to situations
in the world around them- but most importantly – just write. They must have
models that teach them how to compose sentences, paragraphs and stories. As
we teach, explain your thinking process to the class. The research suggests that
students learn better when they are explicitly shown how to do something rather
than told how to do it. (Pinell, p.52)
Components of Balanced Literacy
The read aloud allows the students to become better readers as the teacher
models “thinking” about a variety of texts. Since it usually takes place at the
beginning of the reading block, one can focus on one specific reading skill or aim.
I was able to zero in on those reading strategies that are needed for the “test”. I
began to read aloud using novels like Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli, non-fiction
articles found in science texts or from Time for Kids, poetry taken from Shel
Silverstein, and folk tales from around the world. As I read these texts, I had two
purposes:
(1) to expose my students to different types and forms of literature
(2) to provide them with opportunities to respond to literature.
Shared reading provides opportunities for the students to hear how ‘good’
writers should be read. They are exposed to figurative language, helped to
increase their vocabulary and to develop a sense of community within the
classroom. Students come together and listen; but they also ask questions about
things they don’t understand. As we continue to ‘talk’ about the text, they begin
to make predictions, discuss changes in a specific character’s behavior or relate
these events to what they already knew from personal experience.
The writing workshop when used in accordance with these components
helps the students to become more comfortable responding in written form.
Children are writing, editing, and revising independent pieces every day.
(Pinell, p.52 ) Their weaknesses are identified and these become the basis for the
mini-lessons. These mini-lessons help to drive instruction for the class. In the
workshop, the teacher is able to confer with individual students and small
groups. These conferences allow students to listen, develop appropriate turn
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taking skills and most importantly- have an opportunity to practice writing.
The Experiment Begins
After reading the literature and selecting the components that I would use
from this model, I set off to prepare my students for the ‘test’ and to reach the
standards. Before the winter break, I started discussing with them some of my
new ideas about the ‘reading’ block and they appeared willing to give it a try. In
January when we returned from Christmas break, I collected the basals. The
students seemed excited and ready for the challenge.
I told them we would be reading a novel called Gifted Hands. I read the
back of the novel, covered the front cover and asked them to make predictions
about the story elements. Using a semantic web, I wrote down their responses.
Then I handed out the book. There were several comments made- e.g. “Wow, I
feel like I’m in junior high”, “Are we really going to read the whole thing? This
looks scientific- there are diagrams and stuff.” The comments continue for a
while, but I saw something which I had not seen before- enthusiasm and
willingness to try something new.
As we continued reading this novel, I focused on my questioning
techniques. I wanted to make them think about the text they were reading and
analyze the content of the statements. The questions I asked were based on the
higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy (synthesis, analysis, and evaluation) because
I knew that these types of questions would appear on their reading test in May.
However, even more important, I knew that engagement with high level
questions held the possibility of helping my students to become better readers
and writers.
Here are a few sample questions that I asked:
Why is it so important that Ben control his temper?
Does Ben change in chapter 13? Provide evidence to support your answer
Discuss the significance of the title Gifted Hands. Why is this term used
to describe Ben?
What decisions does Ben have to make? Evaluate his choices?
If you were in the same situation as Ben, would you make similar
decisions? Why or Why not?
What role does TRUST play in the relationship Ben has with his mother?
How do your past experiences affect the way you treat others?
As the students became more familiar with my questioning techniques, they
became more comfortable responding with thoughtful conversation. Here is a
small excerpt from one conversation.
T: So, do you think Ben’s mother is strong or a woman of strength?
Joanie: She’s strong because she tells his father to make a choice.
Chris: I agree, she realizes that it is not good to have him going back and
forth. It’s not fair.
Aisha: You know, she’s strong because even though she is hurt, she never
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cries in front of Ben and Curtis. She always protects them and is there for
them.
Nicholas: I agree with everyone- but I think she is a woman of strength because
she takes charge of her life and she makes decisions that will help
her sons even though it is hard. She is like my mom- she only wants the
best no matter the cost.
On many occasions, students engaged and debated different points of view. The
best part of the dialogue for me was that I was able to become a facilitator in the
discussion. It was also interesting to see how some of my students began to
substantiate their oral responses with evidence provided in the text. Often
during a conversation one could hear: “Where does it say that Ben did… or
prove to me that he should go to Australia because I feel that he should stay…”
These types of exchanges made me realize that my students were finally
engaging in accountable talk. Yes- they were finally discussing the text, no longer
just highlighting the story elements. My students were working towards
reaching the standards without even knowing it. Most importantly though, my
unmotivated students seemed excited about reading and they appeared to be
enjoying this experience.
From talk to writing
Once the accountable talk began, it was time to begin working on the
student’s writing. In the Art of Teaching Reading, Calkins states “ … we hope to
show children that readers write about their reading because writing helps them
think more deeply and generates good conversations (p.232).” My students were
more reluctant to write than to speak. They often asked if they could tell me their
opinion as opposed to writing it down.
At first, I had them write about their reaction to read alouds. Many of
them wrote that they liked or did not like the story, mentioned a main character
all in a sentence or two. Some children seemed not know what to write; it was if
they had no thoughts about anything. I decided that before I could have them
respond to literature, they had to get used to the physical act of writing.
Therefore everyday we all began to write for a specific period of time. We started
off writing for five minutes; then we moved to ten minutes. I gradually increased
the time increments so that they would not have enough time and then would
have to ask for more time. During these sessions, they were allowed to engage in
free writing activities.
Since I wanted them to be able to respond to literature, I started to give
them writing assignments based on issues that arose in our novel. We would
discuss these in class, and then for in-class assignments or for homework, I
would have them begin answering essay type questions. I modeled how to
answer questions as a group process. The students gave me information that I
could use from the text to answer the question. In this way, they were able to see
how I was thinking, and using appropriate vocabulary to convey my thoughts
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and opinions.
Some examples of writing assignments were:
Is Ben’s mom a strong woman or a woman of strength?
How does Ben’s belief system effect the decisions he makes?
When you get angry like Ben did, describe what it feels like. What
does it look like?
Has there ever been a time when you doubted your ability to complete a
project?
Ben has a dream in chapter 8. What do you think the dream means?
Describe how Ben has changed throughout the story? What do you think
Has caused this change?
What qualities does Ben possess that will make him a successful leader? Is
he ready for this challenge? Why or why not?
In order to respond to these questions, the children had to show their
comprehension skills, but they were also being asked to apply the information
given. Many of these questions centered on reading objectives like: point of view,
cause and effect, author’s purpose, drawing conclusions and making inferences.
It seemed to me that the best part of this type of teaching was that my students
were being taught reading skills in a contextual environment as opposed to
isolated reading skill lessons.
The results
The classroom discussions became more interesting. The students were
able to engage in meaningful conversations about the various themes in the
novel. Many of them stopped looking to me for reassurance and began to utilize
their text to support their conclusions. They were also able to begin identifying
different reasoning skills as questions arose in the room. Some students would
comment “ Hey that question is asking us to make an inference” or “you‘re being
asked to draw a conclusion.” It was exciting to see them identifying skills that
they would need for the test. They also started to make connections with events
that were taking place in the text. One student remarked “ You know, Ben is just
like me because my dad left us, too, and now he lives in Connecticut.” This was
just one example of a text- to-self connection. As teen issues arose, the students
seemed to be able to discuss them in a mature manner. Observe this interchange:
T: Describe what is happening to Ben in Chapter 10?
Shenika: He wants to be like the other children, he is afraid to be
different.
Woody: Ben wants to wear fancy clothes even though he knows his mom
can’t afford them.
Richard: He, he wants to fit in. He hangs out with the bad kids, and he
gets bad grades. He’s failing.
Vinny: Ben is not listening to any adults, he wants to have his own way.
T: What is Ben’s problem?
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Nicholas: Ben is experiencing peer pressure. He is more concerned with
what his friends think, than what he should do.
Yan: Yeah- that’s like us. We have peer pressure- we do things
that get us in trouble because our friends are.
T: So is “peer pressure” good or bad? What do you think?
Vinny: It’s both- sometimes your friends can help you but sometimes they
can get you in trouble. Like if they are taking drugs -- you know its wrong
but you might try anyway.
Joanie: Or they might be picking on someone that you know, but you
don’t help- you just laugh.
Rakiyah: But peer pressure can be good. Like when you don’t want to
study or you need help your friends can help you. You know, like work
on a report or quiz for a spelling test.
Nicholas: So peer pressure can be both. The person just has to decide
when they are going to follow their friends and when they won’t.
It was impressive to see them exhibit appropriate turn taking skills. They were
listening to one another and trying very hard to respond appropriately, but they
were also determined to support their responses with examples and details from
the novels or stories which we read.
Although the class was progressing nicely in their oral conversations, the
writing aspect was a little more difficult. I did not have to put a time constraint
on them because they had already developed the physical stamina needed to
write; but they seemed to have difficulty transferring their thoughts to paper.
Some of them would attempt to answer the question, but lose the general focus
of the assignment. Others were not able to effectively organize their answers so
their writing appeared rambling.
Through the workshop environment, students began to work with a
buddy. The purpose of the buddy was to provide the immediate feedback that
they often needed, while I conferred with a select group of students. As a
community, we began to analyze the elements of writing that needed to be finetuned
so their writing would become clearer. I tried using mini-lessons, after
which they would ‘try-it.’
Another method that I used involved selecting a child’s written response,
and then revising it as a group, focusing on how the piece could be made
stronger. The interesting part of this process was that the children began to
realize that they were learning from each other, not just from me. Some of them
began to use details from the stories as a means to support their responses to
essay questions. They started to make connections in their written responses
which helped to further substantiate their comprehension of a specific concept or
idea.
The content of their writing improved drastically, and they became more
-20-
willing to share with others. The students would voluntarily come and begin
sharing ideas with their partners prior to beginning their first drafts. They started
to pay attention to writing conventions such as word choice, grammar and
sentence construction. Once the ideas were on paper, they also became more
concerned with writing mechanics like spelling, punctuation and capitals.
However, the “mechanics” of writing were no longer a hindrance to their desire
to write.
The state exams
The state examinations took place in May. I wondered- Would they be
ready? Do they have the skills necessary to pass the test? The day of the reading
test arrived and the children worked consistently and thoroughly. After the test,
the class debriefed about its contents. They voiced concern about the length of
the selected passages and the wording of the questions. This was exciting to me
because in September these students would not have even cared about the exam
and now they were critiquing the contents. It was also refreshing to hear them
talk about how they used certain strategies to help them answer the questions.
They were able to have accountable talk about an exam that they dreaded at the
start of the year. When the results came back, 16 out of the 19 students had
passed the test.
Research Implications
It seems clear to me that …
Students need to learn in a structured context. No matter what you are
teaching, it is important to provide a context for them to learn. While test prep is
important and plays a vital role, children don’t benefit from skill taught in
isolation. Children must see how these skills are applied and how they can be
used. We can’t stop educating our students in order to prepare them for the ‘test’.
We must show them how to prepare for tests as we show them how to study,
think and analyze the texts they read.
Questioning. The standards require our children to think critically about
the texts they read. Is it possible for them to do such, if we as educators refuse to
ask higher level questions. It is impossible to generate much discussion, debate
or conversation if we are asking questions that only require our students recall
basic understanding. Revisit Bloom’s Taxonomy-there are six levels of questions
that are discussed. Ask yourself: On which level do my questions fall? Can I raise
my standard of questioning? Do I help my students to think critically?
Talk. The NYC State speaking standard states: students are to participate
in group meetings. We must give them the tools so that they will be able to meet
this goal. We must teach them how to talk. Students must be encouraged to think
as they read, so that they begin to focus on the larger themes, and ideas
presented in various texts. If they are going to have meaningful discussions then
they must be exposed to quality texts and literature.
When it comes down to it, as educators we must continue evaluating our
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own practice in order for our children to reach and master the greatest standard
of all – LIFE.
References
Calkins, Lucy. (2001). The Art of Teaching Reading. New York, NY: Addison-
Wesley Publications.
Calkins, Lucy. (2000). The Art of Teaching Writing. New York, NY: Addison-
Wesley Publications.
Hubbard, Ruth and Power, Brenda. (1993). The Art of Classroom Inquiry.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann
Pinnell, Gay. (2000). Guiding Readers and Writers: Grades 3-6. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann.
What’s the BUZZ on? (May/June 2000) Creative Classroom pp. 50-54
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Accountable Talk Dialogue
Kristen: After reading the article, I strongly agree with statement #1:
Teens are almost adults. They need some privacy and shouldn’t be watched all the time. According to the article, this device is a great way to track a dog. I am not a dog and I don’t want to be compared to one.
Melissa: Yes, however, not all teens are the same. You said teens are almost
adults, but they don’t always think like an adult or make adult
decisions. Some teens might tell their parents they will be going
somewhere and then they go somewhere else.
For example, the article states that this device helps parents feel
secure. It helps them know if their child left the neighborhood or
school or if they were kidnapped.
Kristen: I understand what you’re saying about helping parents feel more
secure, however, in the real world you can’t watch your kids 24 hours a day. They need to trust them a little.
I don’t feel that this device is a HORRIBLE idea. For example, the original reason for the jacket makes sense. The article states that
it was created for hurt or lost mountain climbers. That’s a great use for this device but not for spying on your teen.
Melissa: I respect your opinion, but I still feel strongly that some teens
should be watched more closely than others. I think parents will
need to make their own decisions whether or not to use this device
with their teen. All in all I think it’s a great invention.
-23-
[pic]
|What I Observed |What I Observed |What I Observed |
|Before Teachers Read the Article |While Teachers Read the Article |During the Accountable Talk |
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|Before |While |During Accountable Talk |
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|Thought about what I knew |Formed an opinion |I strongly agree/disagree |
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|Looked at picture and related it to my |Reread bold words and referred to word |Respect/kind |
|IPOD |workout for meaning | |
|I saw bold print words and word workout |Reread |I understand |
|Recognized captions/title |Made a connection to real life |Listen |
|Came up with questions |Paused to check for understanding |Made eye contact/nodded |
|Gave myself a purpose to read | |Turn taking |
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| | |Built off of each other |
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| | |“According to the article…” |
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| | |“For example….” |
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| | |“The article states…” |
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[pic]
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What Good Readers Do…
|Before You Read: |Notes |
|1. Look at the Picture |I notice… |
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|2. Read the Captions |I notice… |
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|3. Make a connection to |This reminds me of… |
|yourself/life | |
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| |This is similar to… |
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|4. Notice Bold Print |I recognize… |
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|5. Skim/Scan |Some features that catch my eye are… |
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|6. Create ?s you want answered |I wonder… |
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|7. Set a purpose for reading |I am reading to find out….. |
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What Good Readers Do…
|While You Read: |
|1. I paused to make sure I understood… |
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|2. I reread… |
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|3. My opinion is… |
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|4. The evidence from the article that supports my opinion is… |
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|According to the article… |
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|5. I referred to ____________(text feature) for help in understanding… |
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|6. I discovered the answer to my questions. They include… |
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|7. This article changed me as a reader because… |
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-27-
Interacting with a text:
KEY
[pic] = A clue
= Important information
? = Question
“” = Something important a character says
F = A character’s feelings
-28-
Motivating Your Students During Accountable Talk
* General Guidelines for Accountable Talk :
1. TALK should probably take the entire period
2. Review the rules before every accountable talk
3. Get group into a circle
4. TALK
5. Record TALK notes on recorder paper
*Accountable Talk options:
1. Final Word- Teacher begins with a statement (Can be from the article or one of your own relating to the article.) She says the statement to the
group but does not share her opinion or any thoughts on the issue. It is very
difficult, but the teacher is not allowed to make any comments until
everyone speaks. She can only take notes on NOTETAKING SHEET.
2. The students take a moment to think about the statement and see if they agree or disagree or have any thoughts/connections to the topic. (It’s important to tell the students that they can only speak when it is their turn.)
Once the next child starts, they cannot speak again.
3. When you have gone completely around the circle, and everyone has shared their thought, the teacher (who has been taking notes) then states her opinion and why.
4. The teacher then comments on statements made by the students (from notes). From what the children said, the teacher will generate a new issue or question.
At the end of the period or the next day, the teacher can review what students had said that was wonderful and what the class needs to work on.
-29-
Teacher Notes on Accountable Talk
Talk Topic____________________________________
Date:_________________________________________
|Speaker |What Went Well… |What the group needs to work on… |
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|Speaker |What Went Well… |What the Group Needs to Work On… |
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Name____________________________________Date_________
Pairing Subheadings with Details
Below each subheading, write several supporting details which could be found within that paragraph.
Subheading: __________________________________
Supporting Details:A.___________________________
B.___________________________
C.___________________________
D.___________________________
Subheading: __________________________________
Supporting Details:A.___________________________
B.___________________________
C.___________________________
D.___________________________
Subheading: __________________________________
Supporting Details:A.___________________________
B.___________________________
C.___________________________
D.___________________________
-32-
Subheading: __________________________________
Supporting Details:A.___________________________
B.___________________________
C.___________________________
D.___________________________
Subheading: __________________________________
Supporting Details:A.___________________________
B.___________________________
C.___________________________
D.___________________________
Subheading: __________________________________
Supporting Details:A.___________________________
B.___________________________
C.___________________________
D.___________________________
Subheading: __________________________________
Supporting Details:A.___________________________
B.___________________________
C.___________________________
D.___________________________
-33-
Nonfiction Scavenger Hunt
|Nonfiction Sources Word Bank |
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|articles encyclopedias biography dictionary |
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|journal debate textbook essay |
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|DBQ autobiography internet primary source |
|Title of Nonfiction |Source (choose from above) |How did you know? |
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-34-
Fiction Scavenger Hunt
|Fiction Sources Word Bank |
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|novel historical fiction fantasy science fiction |
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|short story realistic fiction mystery |
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|Title of Fiction |Source (choose from above) |How did you know? |
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-35-
Name___________________________Date__________
Mrs. Almeida
ELA PRACTICE
If you’re like most students, you are not looking forward to the upcoming NYS ELA exam. Unfortunately, you are required to take this exam. Fortunately, you have time to gain very important strategies, which will help you face the exam with confidence.
STRATEGY #1: Always read the directions
Before each passage
Q **Why are the directions so important?
A***The directions can give you important answers to questions about the passage. In most cases, the directions will tell you the main idea, genre, or author’s purpose for each passage.
Q**How can I figure out the main idea of a selection?
A**______________________________________
______________________________________
Q**What does the word GENRE mean?
A** ______________________________________
______________________________________
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The 2 main Genre categories are Fiction and Nonfiction.
|Fiction= |Nonfiction= |
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Q **What does Author’s Purpose mean?
A** Authors write for many reasons. The 4 main purposes an author may write are:
1. to inform
2. to entertain
3. to describe/express
4. to persuade
Let’s Try it!!!
Directions#1: Here is a science article about thermometers and their uses.
Genre: NF or F
Main Idea________________________________
Author’s Purpose___________________________
-37-
Directions #2: Here is a folktale from Japan about a stonecutter who fell in love with a princess.
Genre: NF or F
Main Idea________________________________
Author’s Purpose___________________________
Directions#3: Here is an essay entitled “Life-From Behind a Counter,” an account that Pulitzer Prize winner Bernard Malamud wrote while in high school. It tells of his experiences working at his father’s grocery store on New York City’s Lower East Side.
Genre: NF or F
Main Idea________________________________
Author’s Purpose___________________________
Directions#4: Here is a story about a message in a fortune cookie and how that message influences a young girl.
Genre: NF or F
Main Idea________________________________
Author’s Purpose__________________________
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Check it out! Let’s see how the directions can really help us to answer questions and guarantee a correct answer!
Directions#5: Here is an article about software that allows you to talk to a computer.
Genre: NF or F
Main Idea________________________________
Author’s Purpose___________________________
Question related to these directions:
*HINT: What type of question is this?
A “Computer to Talk To” can best be described as
A. a fictional short story
B. a biography
C. a non fiction article
D. a play
Directions#6: Here is a journal about a woman who learns to navigate a clipper ship during the 1800’s. This journal is called historical fiction.
Genre: NF or F
Main Idea________________________________
Author’s Purpose___________________________
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Question related to these directions:
*HINT: Before you answer, identify what the question is asking you. What must you do to answer this question?
This selection is mostly about:
A. delivering cargo by ship during the 1800s
B. a severe storm at sea during the 1800s
C. sailing conditions during the 1800s
D. a woman learns to navigate a ship during the 1800s
-40-
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