Today we re-examined the art of responding to nonfiction literature. We have learned the framework before, but in steps. We are focusing on pulling it all together into cohesive two and three paragraph essays.
We started with the first paragraph, the summary. We have worked extensively on how to paraphrase and be concise, remembering that each sentence should contain essential main idea rather than details. We have moved into developing a second paragraph, where the kids explain something they inferred from the article and then provide a specific text example to support it.
The fourth graders have been taking this depth of response to yet a third paragraph, were the focus is on the significance of the piece. Here they have to explain what the bigger understanding is -- now that I know this information, what is the importance? How can we apply this to life?
Talk about rigor! The kids have been digging deep...it's way more than just telling me about what they read. It's synthesis, analysis, and application...I hope their middle school teachers thank us (ha!).
Here's my model examples and then a sample or two of the kids' work. After I modelled the one together with a common text, they chose a text from either the textbook, our Weekly Reader, or our Texas Studies Weekly to do on their own.
We are still a work in progress, but it's exciting to see us challenging ourselves to think this way!
We started with the first paragraph, the summary. We have worked extensively on how to paraphrase and be concise, remembering that each sentence should contain essential main idea rather than details. We have moved into developing a second paragraph, where the kids explain something they inferred from the article and then provide a specific text example to support it.
The fourth graders have been taking this depth of response to yet a third paragraph, were the focus is on the significance of the piece. Here they have to explain what the bigger understanding is -- now that I know this information, what is the importance? How can we apply this to life?
Talk about rigor! The kids have been digging deep...it's way more than just telling me about what they read. It's synthesis, analysis, and application...I hope their middle school teachers thank us (ha!).
Here's my model examples and then a sample or two of the kids' work. After I modelled the one together with a common text, they chose a text from either the textbook, our Weekly Reader, or our Texas Studies Weekly to do on their own.
We are still a work in progress, but it's exciting to see us challenging ourselves to think this way!
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ReplyDeleteI liked responding to the social studies book because it was challenging
ReplyDeleteFor me, writing the second and third paragraph was a bit of a challange, but I think it's fun. I also think this kind of response is good for me because I NEED to know this for middle school, high school, and collage. Thank you Ms. Forrest!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is amazing! Not only that the kids did this but that you were able to post all this- do you ever sleep? Thanks for sharing this
ReplyDeleteGrace,
ReplyDeleteI like responding from the text book because it was a challenge but it helped me.