1 Escaping Slavery: Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Reading, Social Studies Grades: Grades 3–4 Professional Commentary: This interdisciplinary lesson integrates the teaching of literary elements with key events in American history. Following a read aloud, students create a problems/solutions/events chart to understand the relationships between problems faced by the main character, Clara, and how she solves them.... 2 Guided Comprehension: Making Connections Using a Double-Entry Journal Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Reading Grades: Grades 3–4 Professional Commentary: Based on the Guided Comprehension Model developed by Maureen McLaughlin and Mary Beth Allen, this lesson introduces students to the comprehension strategy of making connections. Building strategic reading allows students to monitor their own thinking and make connections between texts and their own experiences.... 3 Guided Comprehension: Previewing Using an Anticipation Guide Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Reading Grades: Grades 3–5 Professional Commentary: The focus of this lesson is on helping students to use effective strategies for reading comprehension. Strategic reading allows students to monitor their own thinking and make connections between texts and their own experiences.... 4 Questioning: A Comprehension Strategy for Small-Group Guided Reading Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Reading Grades: Grades 3–5 Professional Commentary: In this lesson, students learn to recognize the difference between thin (factual) and thick (inferential) questions. The teacher begins by showing students how to compose question webs by thinking aloud while reading.... 5 Using Science Texts to Teach the Organizational Features of Nonfiction Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Reading Grades: Grades 2–3 Professional Commentary: This lesson supports students as they explore the organizational features, such as labels, captions, headings, and varying fonts, that are commonly found in nonfiction texts. Following an introductory activity, students work cooperatively to analyze a section of a nonfiction text.... Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Reading Grades: Grades 3–4 Professional Commentary: This resource uses fairy tales to teach the literary features and story structure commonly found in narrative texts. This instructional unit, maintained by the New Zealand Ministry of Education, provides opportunities for students to read a variety of fairy tales and create original stories following the structure and conventions of narrative texts.... 7 Cinderella Folk Tales: Variations in Plot and Setting Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Reading Grades: Grades 3–4 Professional Commentary: Although Disney's version of Cinderella is most popular in America, hundreds of versions exist across many cultures. This resource provides lessons, which examine the similarities and differences in literary elements among many versions of this fairy tale.... 8 Book Report Alternative: Examining Story Elements Using Story Map Comic Strips Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Reading Grades: Grade 1 Professional Commentary: Knowing and understanding the elements of a story helps students with their comprehension of what is taking place in the book or novel. When students apply their knowledge of story elements of characters, setting, problems, events, and solutions, they become more involved in the story and take a greater interest in details.... 9 Guided Comprehension: Evaluating Using the Meeting of the Minds Technique Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Reading Grades: Grade 2 Professional Commentary: Based on the Guided Comprehension Model developed by Maureen McLaughlin and Mary Beth Allen, this lesson introduces students to the comprehension strategy of evaluating texts. Building strategic reading allows students to monitor their own thinking and make connections between texts and their own experiences.... 10 Guided Comprehension: Knowing How Words Work Using Semantic Feature Analysis Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Reading Grades: Grade 3 Professional Commentary: Strategic reading allows students to monitor their own thinking and make connections between texts and their own experiences. Based on the Guided Comprehension Model developed by Maureen McLaughlin and Mary Beth Allen, this lesson introduces students to the comprehension strategy of knowing how words work.... |