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Sunday, June 22, 2014

Words of the Wiser--Notice and Note Lesson

This post is to describe the continued the immersion of literary signposts from Kylene Beers and Robert Probst's book,  Notice and Note:  Strategies for Close Reading.

Remember, our goal is for our students to understand that these are not just something fun, but are tools designed to help them as they read closely, relating to and learning from the literature we read.  This makes us socially smarter and our reading (and viewing) lives enriched.

We started with "Contrasts and Contradictions" then moved on through "Aha Moments" and "Tough Questions" as described in earlier posts.

Again, we created a class anchor chart for each of these signposts as the children followed along, creating their own in their readers' notebooks.  We drew a sign (like a street sign) with the name of the signpost, added the types of clues that the reader will encounter, a STOP sign for what the reader needs to do and a speech balloon with a large-print question on it to draw attention to what the reader should wonder when encountering this signpost.  Finally, we added what the reader can expect to learn from using this signpost.

We decided to introduce each signpost by using video clips from movies made from literary texts. 


Words of the Wiser


Materials:
·         Notebooks for students
·         Chart paper/writing tools and/or   Interactive Whiteboard for Teacher
·         Sticky Notes and/or Graphic Organizers (from back of  N&N text)
·         Fiction Text for Words of the Wiser
o   IDEAS:
§  NEW KID (short story)
§  EACH KINDNESS by Jacqueline Woodson
§  CHARLOTTE’S WEB by E. B. White
§  A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

·         Possible Videos/clips:
o   Oz to the characters as he doles out the items in his bag:
o   Scrooge and Marley (about 7 minutes)
(could start about 2 min., 30 sec., into this clip and stop at 9:28)
o   Charlotte’s explaining her web/lifestyle to Wilbur:


Standards:  The Signposts from NOTICE AND NOTE can be used to meet the following standards from the IDOE’s Assessment Guidance for 2013-14:

4.RF.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
Ø  Read on-level text with purpose and understanding.
Ø  Read on-level prose orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.
4.RL.1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
4.RL.2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
Ø  (IAS 4.3.6 – The CCSS requires the summarization of the text.)
4.RL.3 Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).
Ø  (IAS 4.3.3 – The CCSS requires in-depth description of character, setting, or event by using specific details in the text.)
4.RL.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, in the grades 4–5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
IAS 4.3.2 Identify the main events of the plot, including their causes and the effects of each event on future actions, and the major theme from the
story action.
4.SL.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Ø  Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
Ø  Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
Ø  Pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information, and make comments that contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of others.
Ø  Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.

Objectives

  1.  Each student will learn about the signpost of “Words of the Wiser” in order to read closely to consider/better understand:
    • theme
    • character development across a text

Procedure/Plan:

1.      Review that we have been working with the signposts, “Contrasts and Contradictions”  “Aha Moments,” and “Tough Questions”.  These are sets of clues that authors use to get you to think about characters—it is how they make them seem real.
2.      This next signpost is one that you may have experienced—having someone give you advice or explain important lessons about life to you.  “Words of the Wiser.”
3.      Show PPT to introduce ideas about what the kids predict this will mean.
4.      sometimes appear in stories to teach the character a lesson—and to help the reader in thinking about the theme of the story.   
5.      Let’s think about “Words of the Wiser.” 
6.      “Let’s take some time to think about one of the ways that an author shows us how a character is being taught something to solve a problem or make a decision.
7.      If we think about Scrooge, he didn’t know he had a problem—he thought the problem was with the rest of the world!  Let’s review how he received wise words at first on that fateful Christmas Eve.
8.      Call children back to the story area.
9.      Review about Scrooge’s partner, Marley, and how he had been dead for exactly 7 years.  Seven is a “magic” number is stories—so this is a clue to readers that this particular night might be magical—and it is, right?
10.  Read aloud about Scrooge’s visit from Marley then view the video clip to help kids envision. 
Ø  Scrooge and Marley (about 7 minutes)
                                                              i.      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh_fUMgFomk
(could start about 2 min., 30 sec., into this clip and stop at 9:28)



11.  We call this signpost technique the, “Words of the Wiser” .

Begin creating poster while students make their in the their notebooks.
“When you’re reading and a character (probably older and wiser) offers the main character advice or wisdom to help with a problem or decision.”

12.   Pause to add this to the chart as kids add this definition to their notebooks.

13.   Then we want to pause and ask ourselves one question:

(Write this on the poster while kids add to their corresponding reading notebook page:)

What’s the life lesson, and how might it affect the main character?


14.  As we read, we should be on the lookout for places where the author shows us a character who giving/receiving wise words because it means that things are probably going to change—these could lead to tough questions or aha moments!

15.   Clues the author might give us would be having the main character and another having a quiet, serious moment and the wiser character shares wisdom or advice to help the main character solve his/her problem or to make a decision.

16.   Those clues are there to tell you that this moment is important, and you need to pause to give it some thought. 

17.  So once we have spotted a moment where words of the wise are being dispensed, we have to pause and do something with it.  That is when we go to the key question (be sure this is in color in our notebooks):

What’s the life lesson, and how might it affect the main character?


18.  Let’s watch the video clip of “The Wizard of Oz” where Oz is giving brains, courage, and a heart to three of the main characters.  Along with each of the tokens, he shares wise words.
Ø  Oz to the characters as he doles out the items in his bag:
                                                              i.      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky7DMCHQJZY

19.  Review our story, EACH KINDNESS by Jacqueline Woodson.   We want to think about where the Words of the Wiser are in this story.  These might occur near an “Aha Moment” or “Tough Question,” so notice if they do!
20.  Discuss.

21.  Do you recall any wise words in NEW KID?  Work in partners to find and share.

22.   As you do your reading in your own books as well as for class, you might practice noticing Contrasts and Contradictions, Aha Moments, Tough Questions, and Words of the Wiser. 






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