Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Article 3 summary
I couldn't agree more Ashley that it is nice to see how it would build up each year. Seeing the modifications that could be made for the younger students is great because each year I have at least 4 or 5 students that are reading 2 or more years below grade level. Using a strategy like this for nonfiction would be great because it would help them to organize their thoughts and ideas and aid comprehension. I really liked this article and all of the suggestions that were made to modify it!! It will sure come in handy in September!!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Response to CWS Article
Overall, I think that all three of us are teaching about non-fiction texts in our classrooms. Since we all teach elementary grades, and they happen to be 3 grades in sequential order, we can definitely see the difference between the years.
For myself, in first grade, I introduce non-fiction, we talk about how it's also called "realism" and my students know that this type of text gives information and is factual.
It seems that in second grade, in Julie's class, the students read a lot more non-fiction, and the students have centers and reading groups based on this type of text.
In third grade, CWS seems to be the grade level where this strategy would work best. In this grade, that Karrie teaches, it seems that students now have a solid background as to what makes up a non-fiction text and at this age level, the students are prepared to "dissect" the text and use the strategy. As with all subject areas, each year is a foundation for the year to come, and I think the CWS strategy is a perfect example of this!
For myself, in first grade, I introduce non-fiction, we talk about how it's also called "realism" and my students know that this type of text gives information and is factual.
It seems that in second grade, in Julie's class, the students read a lot more non-fiction, and the students have centers and reading groups based on this type of text.
In third grade, CWS seems to be the grade level where this strategy would work best. In this grade, that Karrie teaches, it seems that students now have a solid background as to what makes up a non-fiction text and at this age level, the students are prepared to "dissect" the text and use the strategy. As with all subject areas, each year is a foundation for the year to come, and I think the CWS strategy is a perfect example of this!
CWS article
Ashley-I definately feel that it would be tough for first graders, as you said because I think it would be a challenge until later in the year for second grade. Even if students in first grade were just exposed to this strategy and the format of the prop with sticky notes, even just as a whole class, it would be a great introduction and familiar to them when they see it again in second grade.
I can just picture second and third grade teachers having a really large version of this CWS prop made up to post on the board, make it the size of chart paper. This way it could be an interactive tool used during a read aloud for students to complete with the teacher. Students at a young age could even be given larger lined sticky notes or large index cards to post onto the prop. Really young kids could even be introduced to this strategy using picture cards rather than writing.
Karrie-I really like the idea you presented about having this at a center. After it was modeled enough and students had a good grasp on how to use it that would be perfect. My students actually go to a nonfiction work station (center) each week, where they are interacting with nonfiction text and responding. This would be a great way for them to collaborate with a partner to understand the text with a higher level of thinking.
Our school as a whole has created many ways to focus on nonfiction this past year and many strategies have been introduced. I'm excited to take this one back to my building because I feel that any grade level would be able to do this.
I can just picture second and third grade teachers having a really large version of this CWS prop made up to post on the board, make it the size of chart paper. This way it could be an interactive tool used during a read aloud for students to complete with the teacher. Students at a young age could even be given larger lined sticky notes or large index cards to post onto the prop. Really young kids could even be introduced to this strategy using picture cards rather than writing.
Karrie-I really like the idea you presented about having this at a center. After it was modeled enough and students had a good grasp on how to use it that would be perfect. My students actually go to a nonfiction work station (center) each week, where they are interacting with nonfiction text and responding. This would be a great way for them to collaborate with a partner to understand the text with a higher level of thinking.
Our school as a whole has created many ways to focus on nonfiction this past year and many strategies have been introduced. I'm excited to take this one back to my building because I feel that any grade level would be able to do this.
CWS response
This article by Bass and Woo has a lot of information based around a good teaching strategy. Using CWS to "support students in their decision-making process as they analyze and synthesize informational text," would be very useful as the article states for children in grades 3-6.
As I think about how I could adapt this strategy for first graders, I know that I would have to simplify it a great deal. First off, I wouldn't start a strategy like this until later in first grade. In the beginning of the year, we're trying to figure out how to make it through the day without rest time! Reading non-fiction text begins early on in the year, however. My students are exposed to some non-fiction and informational text in our anthology each week. Later in the year, more non-fiction is introduced in reading groups as well.
As far as introducing the strategy, I would do it whole group to start. As both Julie and Karrie stated, I would model, model, model! Beginning with one heading, and writing sticky notes underneath for that one heading would be a good place to start. For example, one informational text that we read this year was an article on frogs. I would write the heading "Types of Frogs" on the top of my white board and then stick 2 sticky notes underneath. One at a time, 2 students would come up and fill in the blank stick notes with information (red eyed tree, toad) from the text. This visual would be good for students to see what two animals are being compared in the text. For some of my class, the strategy would stop right there. For other students working on a higher grade level, I could differentiate the activity and have them find three facts in the text on each type of frog and write it on new sticky notes. An activity such as that could be done in a reading group setting.
I think that all activities can be modified to some degree for many grade levels. After practice, I definitely think my students could do an activity such as CWS on their own.
The article also said that CWS is helpful to "compare informational texts." In first grade, I think that task could be done verbally, as in "what does this article remind you of, what connection can you make?" My students would probably respond with, "that reminds me of the book Frog and Toad that we read in reading group," which is a great response for first grade, however that book isn't a non-fiction book. I definitely think bits and pieces of this strategy would work for my class, but it sounds great for older grades especially!
As I think about how I could adapt this strategy for first graders, I know that I would have to simplify it a great deal. First off, I wouldn't start a strategy like this until later in first grade. In the beginning of the year, we're trying to figure out how to make it through the day without rest time! Reading non-fiction text begins early on in the year, however. My students are exposed to some non-fiction and informational text in our anthology each week. Later in the year, more non-fiction is introduced in reading groups as well.
As far as introducing the strategy, I would do it whole group to start. As both Julie and Karrie stated, I would model, model, model! Beginning with one heading, and writing sticky notes underneath for that one heading would be a good place to start. For example, one informational text that we read this year was an article on frogs. I would write the heading "Types of Frogs" on the top of my white board and then stick 2 sticky notes underneath. One at a time, 2 students would come up and fill in the blank stick notes with information (red eyed tree, toad) from the text. This visual would be good for students to see what two animals are being compared in the text. For some of my class, the strategy would stop right there. For other students working on a higher grade level, I could differentiate the activity and have them find three facts in the text on each type of frog and write it on new sticky notes. An activity such as that could be done in a reading group setting.
I think that all activities can be modified to some degree for many grade levels. After practice, I definitely think my students could do an activity such as CWS on their own.
The article also said that CWS is helpful to "compare informational texts." In first grade, I think that task could be done verbally, as in "what does this article remind you of, what connection can you make?" My students would probably respond with, "that reminds me of the book Frog and Toad that we read in reading group," which is a great response for first grade, however that book isn't a non-fiction book. I definitely think bits and pieces of this strategy would work for my class, but it sounds great for older grades especially!
CWS
Julie- I really like your idea about using this for fiction text to expose students to it before using it with nonfiction. I was also thinking that it would be great to use with students during writing as they check to be sure that they have included everything in their writing prompt or story. It would be great for them to fill in a story map as well. Knowing my students from last school year this would have been a great activity for them to complete during centers either at the listening center or the big book center. I think that the modeling is key and creating a rubric to go with it would also be beneficial so that students have clear and high expectations. I am really excited to use this strategy with my kids next year!! I think that they will really benefit from this strategy!
Monday, June 23, 2008
"Comprehension Windows Strategy" Article
Reading this article was refreshing because it opened my eyes to a completely new way to have students responding to the text they read. I haven't seen anything like this before and I could see my second grade students loving this. In addition to it motivating students, I feel like it would be a very effective strategy that could be carried over into many different content areas or lessons. I liked when it stated, "This process represents much more than just a gathering of facts. At its best, it should foster comprehension and engage students in critical thinking." This is so important because students should be expected to take their thinking to a higher level and not just recall the facts of what they read. In first reading this article, although I really like this strategy, I feel as though it would be difficult for second graders at first. As I read, all I could think to myself was model, model, model. It would have to be presented to students many times and in a variety of different circumstances, but I feel it would be worth it when finally being used appropriately. I had a thought that at the beginning of second grade you could some how incorporate this strategy and modify it a little for fiction text, just so students become used to using the prop and writing on sticky notes. They are already familiar with fiction text so they would just have to get used to the strategy itself to begin with. I was thinking you could give heading such as problems, character's feelings, etc. Once students became comfortable with using sticky notes and finding information from a fiction text and sorting it into categories, then you may introduce it with nonfiction text. But, I feel that there will have to first be a lot of exposure to nonfiction text and its features. You may even give students sticky notes with information already written down and just simply ask them to sort the already labeled sticky notes. I too feel like citing the information correctly might be a difficult step and may not introduce that right away. It may also be beneficial to have students get more modeling and guided practice in their guided reading groups. This way they had appropriate leveled texts and each prop could be differentiated to meet individual needs.
To teach about nonfiction in my second grade classroom, we spend a lot of time comparing fiction to nonfiction. We look at tons of books, sort them, discuss their features, do scavenger hunts in nonfiction texts to find the conventions which make them nonfiction. This takes a lot of time, and it would be necessary before being able to implement CWS. Every year my students work on a nonfiction conventions notebook, where they have to illustrate examples of each nonfiction text feature they have found, such as headings, labels, captions, etc. They then write about how it helps readers. This is a reference they can go back to throughout the year when they are engaging in nonfiction text.
This Comprehension Windows Strategy would have been an awesome strategy for me to use with my students this year. They worked on writing their own nonfiction books for young author's night on any topic of their choice. It took about 2 months for them to read books, search online, research, learn about note-taking, and then to finally create their nonfiction books. The books had a table of contents, glossary, headings, labels, diagrams, captions. It was an amazing project, but a lot of work for second grade, but they loved it. I'm thinking this next year that I could use CWS as a way for my students to organize their research, and then structure their research to write their books. This would have been really helpful if I had known about it this year. I'm looking forward to trying this in my classroom! Great article!
To teach about nonfiction in my second grade classroom, we spend a lot of time comparing fiction to nonfiction. We look at tons of books, sort them, discuss their features, do scavenger hunts in nonfiction texts to find the conventions which make them nonfiction. This takes a lot of time, and it would be necessary before being able to implement CWS. Every year my students work on a nonfiction conventions notebook, where they have to illustrate examples of each nonfiction text feature they have found, such as headings, labels, captions, etc. They then write about how it helps readers. This is a reference they can go back to throughout the year when they are engaging in nonfiction text.
This Comprehension Windows Strategy would have been an awesome strategy for me to use with my students this year. They worked on writing their own nonfiction books for young author's night on any topic of their choice. It took about 2 months for them to read books, search online, research, learn about note-taking, and then to finally create their nonfiction books. The books had a table of contents, glossary, headings, labels, diagrams, captions. It was an amazing project, but a lot of work for second grade, but they loved it. I'm thinking this next year that I could use CWS as a way for my students to organize their research, and then structure their research to write their books. This would have been really helpful if I had known about it this year. I'm looking forward to trying this in my classroom! Great article!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Article #3 Comprehension Windows Strategy
This article was entitled Comprehension Windows Strategy:A Comprehension Strategy and Prop
for Reading and Writing Informational Text by Mary Lee Bass, Deborah Gee Woo. I really liked the activity that this article presented in order to help students organize information that they learn from reading a nonfiction text. I think that using the sticky notes and creating a visual is a good way for students to begin to develop and form their initial understanding about a topic. It is my belief that each time something is read something new is gained from the reading. I think that this strategy will help students to see this as they read a piece of informational text for the first time as well as subsequent readings of the same or similar texts.
The article states "CWS addresses multiple learner outcomes, specifically it (a) facilitates building a content knowledge base, (b) organizes facts, (c) motivates students to
become active readers and writers, (d) supports critical thinking, and (e) introduces proper documentation and use of citations." As a third grade teacher this is so important because their is a major focus in reading instruction from learning to read to reading to learn. Using this comprehension strategy seems like it will help to scaffold and facilitate this challenge. The one part of the strategy that I might find most difficult would be to have the kids properly reference where the information is coming from. I would most likely have them record the title of the article or the book that it came from but not worry as much about proper citations.
The challenge that I can see with this activity would be the use of sticky notes. I use sticky notes in my classroom a lot but it must be modeled, modeled, modeled before students are able to do this is partners or independently. I think that as teachers it is important that we model the use of sticky notes as well as the strategy so that students can be successful in using this. I can see using this strategy as a way for older students to outline what they might write in a report in which case the citations would be extremely important. I plan on using this strategy during my unit on Rocks and Minerals as a way for students to organize information.
I am wondering if you girls can see using this strategy with first and second graders? If so what modifications would you need to make to make this strategy successful? Also what other strategies do you use when teaching your students about nonfiction texts and writing about nonfiction texts?
for Reading and Writing Informational Text by Mary Lee Bass, Deborah Gee Woo. I really liked the activity that this article presented in order to help students organize information that they learn from reading a nonfiction text. I think that using the sticky notes and creating a visual is a good way for students to begin to develop and form their initial understanding about a topic. It is my belief that each time something is read something new is gained from the reading. I think that this strategy will help students to see this as they read a piece of informational text for the first time as well as subsequent readings of the same or similar texts.
The article states "CWS addresses multiple learner outcomes, specifically it (a) facilitates building a content knowledge base, (b) organizes facts, (c) motivates students to
become active readers and writers, (d) supports critical thinking, and (e) introduces proper documentation and use of citations." As a third grade teacher this is so important because their is a major focus in reading instruction from learning to read to reading to learn. Using this comprehension strategy seems like it will help to scaffold and facilitate this challenge. The one part of the strategy that I might find most difficult would be to have the kids properly reference where the information is coming from. I would most likely have them record the title of the article or the book that it came from but not worry as much about proper citations.
The challenge that I can see with this activity would be the use of sticky notes. I use sticky notes in my classroom a lot but it must be modeled, modeled, modeled before students are able to do this is partners or independently. I think that as teachers it is important that we model the use of sticky notes as well as the strategy so that students can be successful in using this. I can see using this strategy as a way for older students to outline what they might write in a report in which case the citations would be extremely important. I plan on using this strategy during my unit on Rocks and Minerals as a way for students to organize information.
I am wondering if you girls can see using this strategy with first and second graders? If so what modifications would you need to make to make this strategy successful? Also what other strategies do you use when teaching your students about nonfiction texts and writing about nonfiction texts?
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