Text Features

  My sweet third graders took their Benchmark on Wednesday. They did incredibly well and I'm so proud of them little stinkers. I can't believe how much they have grown academically. 

                                     

  As I reviewed the data from the benchmarks, I decided maybe it was time to revisit "Text Features" and their general purpose. If you view the picture below, there are text feature boxes glued onto a file folder. I found the text feature boxes on scholastic.  Students cut, glued, and wrote extra information around some of the Text Features boxes. The following concepts were glued onto the file folder--- Heading, Subheading, Title, Table of Contents, Index, Map, Glossary, Diagram, Charts, Graphs, Time-lines, and Captions. All the Text Feature boxes had visual images for the students to view. After  reviewing these concepts, students were given an independent activity sheet to use with their "New Text Feature File Folder". We are going to store these folders in our desks so we can review it periodically.

The independent activity sheet consists of the following;
Define certain "Text Features"
Use the glossary to look up oasis
Color Texas Blue on the map
Color certain parts of the shark from the diagram
Identify information on a pictograph
In the Glossary --what is topic two
Use the index to find the pages for Celebration
Draw a picture in the box and add a caption

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top_teaching/2011/03/my-march-top-ten-list-nonfiction-reading-resources#more Text Boxes 

"GAME ON"

The kids had so much fun doing this activity.

We spoke about all the strategies that we need to utilize tomorrow during our District Benchmark Assessment. I found this example from PINTEREST and tweeked it accordingly to fit my districts procedures for test taking. I'm still searching for the creator of this unique strategy.

 

Inferencing

Students received 3 pictures (without words) and glued them to the chart paper. They worked collaboratively in pods of four as they wrote down evidence & used their background knowledge to infer. Students were given sticky notes to add their final inference.They shared their information with the class. Then they were provided with another picture where they did the same assignment independently. To extend this activity----we took it over into our "Writing Time" where students created a story from t he picture.

First list the evidence + Background Knowledge = Inference

Schema Roller

I'm a huge fan of PINTEREST! As I was browsing around, I found this cute idea created by a lady named Holy from http://crisscrossapplesauceinfirstgrade.blogspot.com. You have to check out her blog. Hollly introduced schema using a flint roller to her students. I thought this was an amazing way to get the primary grades use to the word (schema) and have a concrete and visual image of what it represents. 

Go to Holly's blog and print out these cute copies to use with your students. She will provide you with detail how to utilize these copies within your lesson. All credit goes to this creative lady........ I just wanted to share her knowledge and style of incorporating this concept within an activity students could understand.

Freaky Friday Quote Day

Enemy Pie

My students are so excited about reading "Enemy Pie" tomorrow.  I heard one student say that he couldn't wait until "2nd Period" tomorrow. Awe! That makes me smile...... I'm sharing an example of what the students caught a glimpse of this afternoon. 

The pie is suppose to resemble the one in the book. 

Students will glue the "Story Elements" on the opposite side of the cute design.

I created two more additional questions. The front question ----What was the Author's Hidden Message?

I also provided the question ---How would you have solved the problem. I want my students to think of different ideas to solving a problem. I have additional activities to come......keep posted!!

Examples...The Students Loved IT!

Next, thing on the agenda is for the students to practice sequencing the events and writing another summary. Our weakest objective is that darn "Summary"! It's definitively a toughie for my kiddos.

A Bad Case Of Stripes

I have created some activities that I would like to share with you. I did some searching and found some information on Read*Write*Think. I took one of their ideas and added my own touch to the concept. You can view the completed document below. Sorry I don't have a picture of it but it's on scribd.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/79783396/Character-Emotions

After we read "A Bad Case of Stripes" students will collaborate as a group and rotate tables with chart paper. Each table will have a basket with a pair of scissors, glue, and three markers. Each table will also have a file folder that provides the question bubble. Students will cut, glue, and complete the answer as a group. Then within 10 mins rotate to the next table.

Example of Questions

Chart paper with glued questions.

Question Bubbles on scribd.

Students made a graphic organizer to display the story elements of the story. They also displayed how the character changed from Beginning to End.

Medicine Bottle
Summary on the outside

Cause & Effect on the inside

I had seen some cute examples of how to create the Medicine bottle, but I knew that my lesson had to be geared towards the objective for the day so I created this document. I really like how it turned out. The document is also on scribd

http://www.scribd.com/doc/79755497/The-Case-of-the-Stripes


http://www.scribd.com/doc/79712202/Stripes-Cause-and-Effect

Student Work!

THEY LOVED THIS ACTIVITY