Comprehension Focus Groups Lesson Planner Introduce Students to Genre Genre: What are characteristics of this genre? Why do people read this Explain text map for genre What examples of this do you know? Mentor Text of Genre/Text Map Read mentor text from this genre (one section) ____Scary Creatures of the Soil _____________ Complete text map as a group (boxes and bullets text map) Choose Books (Guided Choice) Book talk 3 choices of this Storms Fangs and Teeth Spying on Animals Have students label books 1-3 in order of their preference Tell students you will let them know tomorrow which book you will be reading first, second, and third Phase 1: Preparing for Reading (1 Day- only to be completed at beginning of phases) Phase 2: Reading (2-3 Days) Explicitly Teach/Model Strategy Teach comprehension strategy to group: Summarizing (using boxes and bullets) Model within mentor text on page 10 Remind students to practice this strategy, responding with post-its or in their notebooks as you go: Create own and bullets Orientation to New Book/Purpose for Reading Introduce new book to students Title: Storms Author: Rick Leslie Genre: Informational Purpose for reading Find out about different types of storms Use non-fiction text features Unfamiliar Language Structures: Discuss text features of non-fiction Headings Relevant Vocabulary: Independent Reading & Responding/ 1:1 Conferring Students read independently while teacher confers with students. Students self-reflect on strategy they are practicing or other comprehension strategy as they read or after reading (notebook entry) 3: Writing Phase (1-2 days Day)
Group Discussion Students share strategy they used and evidence of use from book. Comprehension Strategies Checklist: I reread what I didn’t understand. I made predictions and read to find out if they came true. I asked questions and read to find out answers. I made connections. I used my background knowledge and from the text to make an inference. I used the author’s language and crafting techniques to help me visualize. Teacher guides discussion with specific comprehension prompts and may also discuss author’s craft (example: how did the author help you understand what this storm would be like? What descriptive language did the author use?) Students complete text map on own (could be homework) Explicitly Teach/Model Writing Strategy Teach writing strategy to group: Using boxes and bullets to make a paragraph Group generated message- Model writing strategy with response to mentor text Independent Writing/Conferring Students respond to specific comprehension prompt or personal reflection on reading in reader’s notebook: Have students create paragraph from their boxes and bullets Teacher confers with individual writers as they are writing Students go over writing with writer’s checklist Capital letters Punctuation Spelling Reread to be sure it makes sense Ideas are supported with evidence from book Teacher Action Plan for Next Cycle *Reminder- you do not need to reintroduce the genre- go right into Phase 2- Reading Phase 2: Reading (2-3 Days)
Phase 3: Reading (2-3 Days) Explicitly Strategy Teach comprehension strategy to group: rereading what you don’t understand Model within mentor text on page: 8-9 Provide resource for student notebook: reasons we reread Remind students to practice this strategy, responding with post-its or in their notebooks as you go: flag places you need to reread and why Orientation to New Book/Purpose for Reading Introduce new book to students Title: Spying on Animals Author: Brylee Gibson Genre: Informational Purpose for reading How do you spy on different animals Rereading when things don’t make sense Unfamiliar Language Structures: Text features Relevant Vocabulary: Photograph, satellite tracking, tranquilizer, clamp, fins Independent Reading & Responding/ 1:1 Conferring Students read independently while teacher confers with students. Students self-reflect on strategy they are practicing or other comprehension strategy as they read or after reading (notebook entry) Have students write about a place they had to reread and how it helped them Phase 3: Writing Phase (1 Day)