Tools for the Wise Teacher
FREE TEXT DEPENDENT QUESTIONING UNIT!
“Hey, I’m Quinn the Questioning Quail; use me when you read. Questions are the way to get the information you need. Good readers ask questions to help them understand; They read the text to find the answers—that’s a smart plan.” Read more
Students love Dr. Seuss books because of their engaging, rhymed text, memorable characters, and whimsical illustrations. But, Dr. Seuss books are so much more. They are the ideal tool for teaching central message because each one focuses on a specific theme or life lesson. Plus, the majority of students have had multiple exposures with these books; they are familiar with characters and sequence of events. This background knowledge and literal level of understanding makes it easier to determine the central message, a higher-level comprehension skill.
During our Dr. Seuss study, I preselected books which have the strongest themes and central messages. Students had the opportunity to read many books during guided reading group and independent reading time. I used Sharon the Summarizing Squirrel to teach central message and theme (read more about Sharon’s strategy here). We discussed these messages and themes during reading group time and students cited textual evidence that supported these themes. Students used Sharon’s Central Message Anchor Chart to help them summarize each message or theme.
I found Dr. Seuss quote posters in Target’s Dollar Section and purchased 4 as a central message culmination activity. I posted the posters around the room and students took a Quote Walk, silently reading each quote to determine Dr. Seuss’ message. They recorded their central messages and themes in their Reading Response Journals. They colored in the strategy animals used during each reading response entry. Sharon the Summarizing Squirrel helped students summarize each central message and theme while Vern the Visualizing Vulture helped them visualize each quote. Check out the quote posters and students’ central message jourmal responses:
Looking for additional Dr. Seuss activities? Download our FREE Cat in the Hat Snack recipe and read our latest blog, Celebrate Dr. Seuss In Style.  Happy Read Across America week!
“I’m Chloe the Connecting Coyote, and I make connections.
Connections help you understand your reading selections.
Link the story to your life or what you’ve read in a book.
These text connections are guaranteed to get you hooked.”
Chloe the Connecting Coyote is one our comprehension strategy animals in Hazel’s Reading Roost. Chloe encourages students to make meaningful connections while reading. Read more about Chloe’s strategy below…
WHAT are text connections? Efficient readers comprehend text through making strong connections to the story by using prior knowledge and linking it to something in their own lives, another text, or current events in their community or the world around them.
WHY are text connections important? Making text connections helps students strategically monitor their thinking as they draw on previous experiences and background knowledge. Text connections engage students, increasing comprehension and motivation.
HOW do I teach text connections? Direct modeling of the active thought process is the first step in teaching the text connection strategy. Begin with an engaging passage or story to which students can easily relate. It is best to introduce and practice one type of connection at a time and then build upon each other. Teach text-to-self connections first as they are fairly easy for students to make. Once students are proficient, teach text-to-text connections, requiring that students make a text-to-self and a text-to-text connection.
Introduce Chloe and read accompanying poem. Set the purpose for reading by telling students that while listening to the story, they are to think of a connection or a similar experience in their own lives.
Read Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by J. Viorst. As you read, stop to model specific text-to-self connections. Be specific and detailed to avoid surface text connections.
Strong text-to-self example: “I can connect to Alexander because I am short and so I always get stuck in the middle seat, which is so stuffy and claustrophobic.”
Surface text-to-self example: “I can connect to Alexander because I always get stuck in the middle seat.”
Use these sentence stems to help frame the think-aloud:
| I can connect…… |
| ________________ reminds me of …….. |
| ________________helps me understand…… |
| A text-to-self connection I have is …….. |
| A text-to-world connection I have is ……. |
| A text-to-text connection I have is …….. |
After you model, allow students to try the making connections strategy. Read the rest of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by J. Viorst. Remind students to stay alert and listen for text-to-self connections. After reading aloud, prompt students to Think-Pair-Share to discuss their connections with partner.
Students can also record their connections on the Connecting Coyote Reproducible. Allow students to walk around the room and share connections with other classmates. Come back together as a class to discuss.
If students create connections that do not make sense, prompt them to explain their connection and help them adjust accordingly. If students are still having difficulty, try another short read-aloud section.
As students grasp the making connections strategy, incorporate into daily reading activities. Making connections teaches students to become active readers and critical thinkers.
WHEN should I use text connections? Explicit reading strategy instruction should be included in a balanced literacy program. Chloe the Connecting Coyote can be incorporated into various components of literacy lessons. Here are some specific examples of when to use Chloe:
Helpful Hints:
Chloe’s unit is perfect for general education, special education, RTI and reading intervention. Download the complete unit here.
“Welcome, I’m Peter the Predicting Possum.
Making guesses while you read is…oh…so awesome!
Use picture and word clues to guess what will happen next.
Then read on to find the outcome in the text.”
Peter the Predicting Possum is one our comprehension strategy animals in Hazel’s Reading Roost. Peter teaches students to make purposeful predictions. Read more about Peter’s strategy below…
WHAT is predicting? Predicting involves thinking ahead before and during reading to anticipate information and events in the text. Predictions are created using pictures, titles, headings, and text, as well as background knowledge. After making predictions, students can read through the text to refine, revise, or verify their predictions.
WHY is predicting important? Predicting helps students activate prior knowledge and make meaning out of the text. Making predictions about the text before, during, and after reading, actively engages students and connects them to the text by asking them what they think might occur in the story based on what they already know and clues from the text.
HOW do I teach predicting? Explain that Peter helps readers use clues from the text to make predictions before and during reading to help them make meaning. Provide explicit instruction in making and confirming or revising predictions. Incorporate think-alouds that focus on using background knowledge in addition to text features and illustrations to make predictions.
WHEN should I use predicting? Explicit reading strategy instruction should be included in a balanced literacy program. Peter the Predicting Possum can be incorporated into various components of literacy lessons. Here are some specific examples of when to use Peter:
Helpful Hints:
Peter’s unit is perfect for general education, special education, RTI and reading intervention. Download the complete unit here.
Wondering how to integrate multiple strategies within context of authentic literature? Are you overwhelmed at thought of planning a comprehensive literature study? At last, the secret to successful literature studies is revealed in 5 simple steps. Sound too good to be true? It’s not!
Read our guest blog at Really Good Stuff to learn how to expertly plan and implement effective, engaging literature studies.