Research Based Reading Strategies
Strategy/Tool/Act. / Standard (s) / Time Required / Frequency / How to UseAnalyzing questions- identifying standards that are assessed / All / Class Period / Once per year / You could have a short cliff notes version created in students’ folders or notebooks, then refer to it often when going over questions. If they can identify the standard based on the question stem, they are much more likely to be able to identify the correct response to that question.
Angela file on district website:
3456 Reading Workshop Electronic Resources
2015-2016 Reading Project 5-8 Workshop 1. doc (pg2)
Blitz- Support Act. / Standards 1 and 3 – also could include others / 1 or 2 class periods / There are blitz cards in the Angela folder that you would only use one time. You may repeat the strategy by creating your own cards based on your texts. Once per month / Using your own text, identify statements that the students could support or explain citing evidence from the text to support their answers. You may then have the students draw the statement out of hat, etc.. The students would then use the text to support the statement. (You could throw in a couple of false statements, and see if students could identify the statements that could not be supported using the text. At the end of the class, you could have students share their responses with their neighbors or table groups, then randomly call on a few to share and discuss with the class.
Angela Resource on district site:
2015-16 Blitz Cards Lesson Learned.doc
Build an Answer / Standard 9; others / 10 minutes / 8 times a year / Develop an extended response question using your own text. Create a model answer to the question, then separate the answer onto different sheets of paper. Pass out the sheets of paper to students, then have them work together to build the model answer.
Variations:
*Throw in a few repeated information sheets so the students will understand the repeated information isn’t necessary
*You could print out on a couple of pages, then cut into strips to place into envelope. You could then have small groups or pairs work together then present their version to group for discussion.
Angela Resource:
2015 RW 456 Build An Answer Magic Spinach.doc
and
3456 Reading Workshop Electronic Resources
Bundle-previewing, recalling while reading, and predicting / Any or all / 45-55 min.- determined by length of passage and # of questions / At least once every two or three weeks / Please see “Bundle Steps” document located in Angela Reading folder on district website.
BUNDLE steps.doc
The district has developed several bundles to be completed by grade level.
Chunking / Any or all / 15-20 / Base on student need; no more than once a week.
Citing Evidence to Justify Answers / Standard 1 and others / 15 minutes / At least once a month; some classes may need more practice. / Find a passage with MC questions (There are several in the Angela resources online)
1)Have students preview questions
2)Have students read passage
3)Give students a minute to predict answers to questions
4)Give students the correct answers to the questions
5)Have students go back and cite evidence to prove the correct answers
** You may have them highlight specific information that proves an answer is correct. For example, highlight question 1 and the evidence that proves the answer to question 1 yellow.
** You could also have them underline, circle, box in, etc..depending on the number of questions you have.
***It is important to always close with discussion and examples. Give students an opportunity to share out and discuss their findings with a partner, then randomly choose some to share with whole group. This helps make their work meaningful.
Comparison/Contrast- Hurricane Katrina / Standard 9 / One class period / Depending on the needs of your class, you may repeat this strategy/activity up to four times during the year. You’ll want to customize it for your specific grade level. / Find two texts on same topic. (Usually a first person account and a second person account work well) Have students read both text. Identify topics that are addressed in both texts. Possibly an event, etc.. Then discuss the similarities and differences of how those events/topics are described within the text.
- You may want students to highlight specific events in each text a particular color, this will help them to identify the similarities and differences in the way they are presented in the texts.
2015-2016 O Reading Project WK 2 Morehead
Deconstructing Text / `Any or all / 10-30 minutes / Only with classes who need this strategy; no more than once every two weeks. / 1)Choose a passage to read with students
2)Have students list 15-20 details they recall from the passage ** You may want to give them subjects such as find six details about bears and five about wild hogs, etc..
3)Have students replace all pronouns with nouns. For example: “It is easier to write on with a pen” will become “Parchment is easier to write on with a pen.”
4)Students do not need to write entire sentences, but details should be complete.
5)Before students begin sharing, choose a “magic fact.” The student who shares your fact will get a prize after everyone has shared.
6)While students are sharing details, type their details or write them on the board.
7)**To add listening layer: Have student share detail, then ask another student to repeat as you type or write their response
8)You could then print out and have students number or place in correct order
9)Quick comprehension assessment.
Detail Detectives / Standard 1; Any or all / 15-20 minutes / Once a month with students who need this level of practice. / Angela Resource on district site:
2015-2016 Reading Proj. Workshop 3 (begins on pg43)
Have students work individually or in pairs to identify details in the text that will support the answer to the question.
One way to approach:
1)Put the passages in sheet protectors
2)Give each student a copy of all passages
3)Have each student work independently to mark answers
4)Then have students compare answers, adding or deleting as needed
5)Once students agree, have students hand in one set of the passage to be scored
6)**Prizes could be awarded for students with all details correctly identified***
eRase the Repetition / Standard 9: others / 10 minutes / 4 times per year / Angela Resource on district website:
2015-16 Reading Proj. eRase the Repetition Act. .doc
Using the Angela resource above, do the following:
1)Give out the sheets to individual students
2)Have one student stand
3)Ask if anyone has a detail or example related to the sheet of the first student. Students may struggle here if they’re not strong readers or if they have trouble classifying.
4)Work with your class to build the response. You will be eliminating some sheets altogether.
** It is important for students to understand the importance of not using valuable space repeating information. They need to elaborate and expand on thoughts, not simply continue repeating.
EWR-Here’s the Answer, What’s the Question / Any or all; Standard 9 / 10-15 min.- I don’t recommend doing more than a couple of these on any given day. / No more than once a week; you have other EWR options. / Show students a completed extended response answered, then have them evaluate the answer to determine the question that was asked.
*You could have them do this individually, in partners, or small groups.
* Have students develop a justification as to why they believe their question was asked.
*Have students share their thoughts and discuss as a whole group.
* You could also discuss the responses and what was good or bad about them.
* You could do this after reading a text, in place of the students completing an extended response question, then have them identify the question and improve the response.
Angela file on district website:
3456 Reading Workshop Electronic Resources
2015-2016 Reading Proj. Workshop 3 (Pgs 14-20)
EWR- Make it a 4 / Any or All; Standard 9 / 10 min. to a class period; on some days you’ll only analyze responses, not rewrite answers. / No more than once a week; you have other EWR options. / You develop a EWR question as well as response to that question (Make sure your response is not a 4!) After reading a text, have students evaluate the question and the response, then work to make it a 4.
One way:
1)Put students in pairs
2)Give students dry erase poster board, eraser and copy of response that needs revised
3)Give students a time limit to revise (depends upon your group)
4)When time is up, collect markers
5)Have students share and justify their revisions
6)Have group discussion about changes needed and made
Angela file on district website:
3456 Reading Workshop Electronic Resources
2015-2016 Reading Proj. Workshop 3 (Pgs 21-25)
Extended Written Response- acronym / Any or all; Standard 9 / Teaching the acronym will probably take a class period; using the acronym will continue all year. / EWR practice- Aug.- Feb., - once a week; after Feb., probably twice a week; you have several variations you can use.
RACE and RACERS / Make sure you teach each part of the acronym, as well as what information needs to be included in that specific part.
Short Answer:
R- Restate the question
A-Answer the Question
C- Cite evidence supporting your answer
E- Explain how your evidence supports your answer
EWR
R- Restate the question
A-Answer the question
C- Cite evidence supporting your answer
E-Explain how your evidence supports your answer
R- Repeat evidence and explanation (C and E)
S- Summarize your answer.
Angela file on district website:
3456 Reading Workshop Electronic Resources
Finding Details for Specific Purposes / Any or all / 15-20 minutes / At least once every four weeks; possibly more often, if students need more practice. / Examples could be:
*Finding details that support a character trait you have identified.
*Finding details that support a given inference.
*Finding details that support the author’s claim
** You could also turn this around and give them the details and have them identify the author’s claim, etc..
Fluency- Catch / Standard 4 / 6-10 minutes. Try to include all students / No more than once a month; you may have to schedule this one outside the classroom. / You will need a ball with letter labels and a list of the questions (Beach balls work well because you can use a sharpie to add the letters)
1)Make up questions in at least five different categories.
A-Spell the word
B-Use the word in a sentence
C-Here’s a sentence. What part of speech is ______?
D-Use the plural form of the word in a sentence. Call on someone to repeat your sentence.
E-Use this word in a sentence of at least 12 words.
2)Assign a letter to each category.
3)Then place corresponding letters to ball
4)The letter students will use is wherever the right thumb is (or is close) when the ball is caught.
5)As students catch the ball, give them a question from that letter category.
6)You’ll want to monitor the game to be sure that everyone is involved. Sometimes you should establish a passing or throwing order before the game begins.
Fold, Look, Learn / Standard 4 / 10-15 min. (first time only); after students understand the process, if they choose to use this strategy, they can use it independently. / Taught once / You are going to create a foldable flip with 8 sections
1)Take a sheet of unlined printer paper and fold in half horizontally
2)Fold the page again lengthwise
3)Look at the halfway mark. Fold the paper approximately ½ of the way to the half fold.
4)Fold it over again and again until you get to the end
5)Unfold the paper. You should have 8 sections.
6)Tear or cut the fold lines on one side just to eh center lengthwise fold. You will have four sections that form flaps.
7)Close the flaps
8)Have students write a word on the top flap
9)Have students write a brief definition or a sentence under the flap.
10)Have students exchange charts and “test” themselves. Read the word. Define it. Check answers by lifting the flap.
*** If the folding is just too much for your class or group, you can take a stack of about 8 pages and fold them all at once to do for the students, so they would be premade and ready to go!
Gist List / All / Class period / Great for all; you may have to differentiate among classes. One time per year. / Gist List – If you haven’t done an overview of the standards with your classes, before Christmas would be a wonderful time to do this.
Show your students a standard; let students pick out the gist. For some standards, I have a magic word, and the student who guesses the word gets a prize. I also give small prizes to students who can give examples. For example, a student might say, “We talked about theme when we read “The Fox and the Grapes.”
I’m not quite sure how to put this into words, but as you go through the standards and build the gist list, make your students think that learning and mastering these standards is a wonderful opportunity. You may also want to imply that they’re able to do much more now that they’re 3rd, or 4th, or 5th graders.
Angela Resource on district site:
2015-2016 Reading Project 5-8 Workshop 1. doc (pg 2)
High-Low / Standard 4 / 5 min. – Use only with two or three words at a time. / Use sparingly, only with classes that will benefit; may be useful for RTI
Hot Seat / Any or all- Standard 1 questions work well. / Class period / No more than once every four weeks. / Reading Version:
After reading a text, have students develop a question. (Usually how or why questions work well) Then have three or so students volunteer to come and be in the HOT SEAT, this is where students will ask their questions to the people or person in the hot seat.
*You can turn this into a game with two HOT SEATS and split the class into two teams. Each question is asked to the other teams HOT SEAT person and you could keep the score.
Vocabulary Version:
1)Choose 20-25 words
2)Read a short scenario to students. Ask students to select the word that fits.
3)You may need to share more than one scenario.
4)Give students a character to write about. For example, Ben is 16, a sophomore at Central High School He works part-time at Papa John’s Pizza and has an old green truck. He hopes to become an engineer.
5)Now put students in pairs and have them create a three-to-four sentence scenario that will “fit” one of the words.
6)Students may read their scenario to you, and you will guess the word.
Example scenario:
1
Ben worked until 11 p.m. on Tuesday night. Because it was really late, and he was tired, he decided to wait until Wednesday morning to stop for gas. When his ____ truck started to sputter, he wondered if he was nearly out of gas or if something else had gone wrong.
2
Ben didn’t always enjoy his job. The hours were long, and the work was hard. One ____, however, was the fact that the restaurant was close to school He could be at work approximately 15 minutes after the last bell.
Identifying main ideas/ writing headings / Standard 2 / Class period / 4 times a year; more if students need practice / Locate a text that has subheadings. *Be sure the information in each section is really centered or focused around a main idea. Then have students work together in partners to read and create subheadings that really highlight the main idea of each section of text.
- You could make this more engaging by requiring alliteration..ect.. in the created subheadings.
2015-2016 Reading Project 5-8 Workshop 1. doc (pg 13)
Inferencing- Why and How Questions / Standard 1 / 10-15 minutes / At least once every four weeks / Variations:
- Develop how and why questions as well as pieces of evidence that could support or not support each. Post the how and why questions around the room, then give the students a slip with evidence on it to see if they could match up with the question they could best support.
- Have students draw a how or why question out of hat, then have them identify the evidence that would best support it in the text.
- Have students develop the how and why questions, post them around the room, then assign students randomly to one of the spots. They must then answer the question using evidence.
- Play HOT SEAT (see above)
Inferencing #3: Reaching a conclusion-reading descriptions / Standard 1 / 10 min. / Twice a year / Read some short paragraphs where the students can easily draw a conclusion, which they can support using the given information.