A.3.1+Graphic+Organizer

Jamie Lath and Megan LaCaze Dr. M. A graphic organizer should be constructed as a tool for learning. This graphic organizer follows the lesson plan template on page 15 in CS4TRC or on page 17 in CRCSSSL. Read the additional information provided on this graphic organizer and use it to analyze the lesson plan you are deconstructing.
 * Important:**
 * 1) **Each partner should use a different color font** to indicate her/his contributions to this collaborative assignment. Do not use black!
 * 2) Where you see a **diamond-shaped** bullet (or *), you will need to provide a response.
 * 3) “Yes” and “no” (or variations of these such as “none”) are incomplete answers and will earn **zero points**, except as noted on the checklist.

· Reading Comprehension Strategy (RCS) * Name the RCS. Making Predictions and Drawing Inferences (6.1 Drawing Inferences) >> Listed from CRCSSL p. 103: >> Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning (1.1.2) - Only this one aligns with the reading strategy. >> Organize knowledge so that it is useful (2.1.2) >> Show social responsibility by participating actively with others in learning situations and by contributing questions and ideas during group discussions (3.2.2)
 * Reading Comprehension Strategy:** Making Predictions and Drawing Inferences (6.1 Drawing Inferences)
 * Instructional Level:** Advancing (possibly Grades 7-8)
 * Planning**
 * Which AASL indicators align with this **reading comprehension strategy**? Note both the number and the actual language of the indicator.

· Reading Development Level Advancing (possibly Grades 7-8)


 * Research-based Instructional Strategies **

Review these strategies on page 13 in CRCSESL or on page 16 in CRCSSSL.

* Which of these research-based instructional strategies have you used in your teaching? Name them. As a teacher in an IB school I used all of the instructional strategies listed in Fig. 2-2 on page 16: Identifying similarities and differences, summarizing and note taking, nonlinguistic representation, cooperative learning, setting objectives and providing feedback, questions, cues, and advance organizers. In my one year as a school librarian I really only used two, identifying similarities and differences and setting objectives and providing feedback. I have used identifying similarities and differences; summarizing and notetaking; cooperative learning; and setting objections and providing feedback as a librarian. Although I did model some questioning/making predictions and teaching about scanning, I don't think I was focused enough on this to say that I have really used it with great success.

* Which of these instructional strategies do you need to learn? Name them and describe them. I used the nonlinguistic representations (expressing/presenting knowledge in a way that does not use language. Can be done in a variety of ways like through visual or kinesthetic imagery) and cooperative learning (students working together toward a common goal with the teacher as an assignment facilitator rather than an information dispenser) frequently in my role as a classroom teacher. I need to find a way to incorporate them more in the library. Yes! to non-linguistic representations that involve students in kinesthetic learning.

Summarizing and notemaking are essential to library work. Developing questioning skills is also essential to library work. Through modeling, we can help students learn to ask better questions.

I need to work on using nonlinguistic representations more often in the library. I could do this through having students act out what we have read, using mind maps to organize information, having students try creating images in response to poetry or other readings, and creating charts and graphs with students (just to name a few). For cues, questions, and advance organizers, I could teach students how to activate their background knowledge and ask questions through KWLQ charts. I could also focus on skimming and scanning and how this could be transferred to a mind map.

If you do not already, please consider other advance organizers beside K-W-Ls. Anticipation guides and admit slips can be useful to building background knowledge when students do not have it. Venn diagrams are the most common similarities and differences graphic organizers but there are others that can be more effective. Category matrices and webs can allow for more precise comparisons. Consider kinesthetic representations as well as visual.

· Lesson Length * What are your questions about the lesson length? You must have at least one. See page 15 (CRCSESL) or page 17 (CRCSSSL). Lesson 6.1 is 1 session in length (approximately 50 minutes). If this lesson were to be taught in the library with a fixed schedule situation, it would leave no time for the librarian and students to accomplish anything else such as circulating books or taking teacher required AR tests (if applicable). My question would be how could this lesson be condensed into less than 50 minutes or extended into two sessions without losing its effectiveness? That is correct. If a librarian has the goal of being a teacher in the library, book checkout must be separated from instructional time. Depending on the size of your school, scheduled checkout times could consume all of your instructional time. Open libraries where students can refresh their books at any point can supplement or even replace scheduled checkout allowing the library schedule to be used for standards-based collaborative instruction.

If you do extend the lesson length (or for other lessons that are longer than one session), how do you help reluctant teachers who are already stressed trying "to fit their own plans in" see how more library time would be good for students and for covering curriculum? Your library plans are their plans! When they experience the benefits for students (and themselves), they will not see the difference.
 * Note:** If you have worked within the constraints of a fixed schedule in which students come to the library just one time per week, there are many options for increasing the amount of time you spend with students. School librarians must think about the fact that NO other teachers in their buildings introduce and teach a concept on Tuesday morning at 10:00 and NEVER mention it again until the next Tuesday morning at 10:00. This is simply not an effective instructional practice. What are your strategies for getting out of the fixed schedule library box? (Talk with the teacher and provide him/her with resources and ways to extend the library lesson into the classroom. Make sure these resources align with things they are already doing in their classroom so that the teacher isn't losing instructional time in another area but instead building on what they are already doing and learning. Perhaps offering to assess work would make a teacher more interested in being in the library more often. )

Offering to grade will help, but there is no silver bullet for moving out of the rotation/fixed schedule model. You are wise to demonstrate what is possible by coteaching with a willing colleague, collecting and sharing student outcomes data, and asking that person to promote your work as a coteacher. If all sixth-grade classes, for example, are scheduled at the same time on different days of the week (ex. all at 10:00 a.m.), then two teachers might cooperate and give up time one week to have double the time the next week. That allows for two consecutive days of coteaching... and deeper student learning. · Purpose

* How is the purpose of the lesson connected—or not connected—to your idea of the type of instruction that “should” take place in the school library? Working on drawing inferences is a skill commonly taught in a library setting. This lesson aligns with what I think "should" be taught in the library because it is a reading comprehension skill. I too think dravwing inferences makes sense in the library setting. This particular lesson however would definitely need coplanning and coteaching for it to be in line with what the students are learning. If it seems to come out of the blue, i.e. they haven't been already discussing tone, mood, or setting, then it would take root less (unless of course this is introducing these topics). I believe a lot of types of instruction "should" be taking place in the school library, but I am very keen on it flowing with what is going on in their classrooms too. Like all of the lessons in my books, this lesson was coplanned and cotaught. It was used as an introduction to a year-long literature circle study of the tone/mood. Based on test score data, the 8th-grade ELA-R GATE classroom teacher, Jenni Hunt, identified this as the most important skill students could learn while deepening their engagements with text around story elements. Here is the link to the students' lit circle wiki pages: http://wandawiki.wikispaces.com/2008-2009+Literature+Circles · Objectives Review Bloom’s Taxonomy: []

* List at least one verb that is used to name what students will do for every objective in this lesson; list the corresponding level on Bloom’s. Use this chart. Objectives: 1. Determine when to pause the reading to draw an inference. 2. Combine specific evidence from the text with background knowledge and research to draw inferences 3. Record evidence, background knowledge, research, and inferences in preparation for crating an overarching inference that shows the impact of setting on the mood and tone of the piece. 4. Use notemaking formats. 5. Craft an essay or other product to demonstrate drawing inferences.
 * Example:**
 * Objective || Verb || Level on Bloom’s ||
 * Objective 1 || Identify || Comprehension ||

Excellent The naughty new Bloom's does not include the term "synthesis." I am glad you do...
 * Objective || Verb || Level on Bloom's ||
 * Objective 1 || Determine when (Appraise) || Analyzing / Analysis ||
 * Objective 2 || Combine (Create) || Creating / Synthesis ||
 * Objective 3 || Record (List) || Remembering / Knowledge ||
 * Objective 4 || Use (Employ) || Applying / Application ||
 * Objective 5 || Craft (Construct) || Creating / Synthesis ||

· Resources, Materials, and Equipment Children’s Literature, Young Adult Literature, or Other Resources: Mentor text: //Goin' Someplace Special// by Patricia C. McKissack, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney; Application: picture books, historical fiction novels, or classic literary works Websites Graphic Organizers: 6.1 Anticipation Guide, 6.1 Category Matrix, 6.1 Teacher Resource -Completed Category Matrix. For the application: Notemaking Chart, Notemaking Graphic Organizer, Works Cited Graphic Organizer, Notemaking and Works Cited Graphic Organizers Rubric. For the extension: the Group Work and Multimedia Product Rubric. - The graphic organizers for CRCSSSL are on the ALA Editions Web site. Materials Equipment: Overhead, data projector, or interactive whiteboard, or optional Elmo projector, (optional computer or other audio-playing device because this lesson could be easily adapted to use audio books and pause the reading to demonstrate when to pause to make inferences) Agreed

* Which are the different formats or genres used to support learners? This lesson can be done using different literary genres depending on student interests or needs. The text suggests using picture books, historical fiction novels, or classic literary works. You can almost present the texts in a variety of way to support the needs of the learner for example students can listen to an audio book with the educator demonstrating when to pause by pausing the recording. Students also get to listen to how the teachers are making inferences, see the teachers model completing the graphic organizer, practice making their own inferences, and share in groups and with the class. Having all these formats supports the learners with different learning styles (auditory, visual, kinesthetic, and verbal). Excellent and you and your coteacher will need to decide which is the best format for modeling the strategy. * Which technology tools are used? If technology is not used in this lesson, do you think there are appropriate tools to help students meet the lesson objectives? Name those tools and how you would use them. An interactive whiteboard can be used. Additional technology tools (Web 2.0 tools) can be used in the provided extension. Other ways technology could be used is to have all the graphic organizers available to the students online (on their own wikis or google doc). For the 6.1 Anticipation Guide, if the students have any sort of interactive response system, they could respond to the first five questions (before and after read). Then they can see the percentage of classmates that agree/disagree with each statement and if that changes after the teaching. Students could also have laptops that they work in groups, and one member could take notes on the laptop. Excellent ' · Collaboration * How does this lesson maximize the benefits of two (or more) educators coteaching? Be specific. Having each educators draw an inference related shows the students that there is more than one correct "answer". As long as you are using evidence in the text and logical reasoning to draw your conclusion, you are not wrong. Having two educators also helps within the modeling section in that one can be sharing while the other is taking notes (thus maximizing time while teaching). During application, both educators are there to help cofacilitate or they can divide the class to create smaller groups and thus more personal time with each student. Excellent - demonstrating multiple responses/perspectives is one of the huge benefits of coteaching... in this lesson in particular. Yes! to moving the lesson along at a more rapid pace in order to keep the attention of... in this case middle schoolers.

· Assessment

* Are there multiple methods/tools for assessing student outcomes? If there’s one, name it. If there are multiple, name them. Students are using matrices to demonstrate deep comprehension of the text. The matrices will show the evidence, their background knowledge and the researched used to construct their inferences. Educators are monitoring the students during guided practice and the application and can informally assess how students are doing. Rubrics are provided for teachers on notemaking and works cited and for the extension activity. Good * Are there opportunities for learners to self assess? (AASL Strand #4: Self-Assessment Strategies) What are they? Students can self assess by re-reading and reviewing evidence in the text and using the author's note to ensure they have constructed a logical conclusion. They can also self-assess as they work in groups and discuss their own inferences with each other by noting where their own understanding of the concept differs from their partners'. The rubrics provided should also be given to the students so that they can self-assess in this manner as well. Excellent · Standards Listed from CRCSSL p. 103: Reading and/or writing - Reading keywords - "Draw inferences; analyze for story elements (setting)" Listening and speaking Other content areas - Social studies keywords - "Understand the influence of historical events on contemporary culture; recognize how history and geography contribute to a sense of time and place" Information literacy Educational technology - Educational technology keywords (for the extension): "Plan, designing, and present multimedia academic products and collaborative communication activities to share products with audiences inside and outside the classroom." * What content-area standards are integrated into this lesson? List them. Use specific standards from state standards in Texas or the state you and your partner have negotiated. Builds on 6th grade ELA TEKS 6.6 Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Fiction. Students understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of fiction and provide evidence from text to support their understanding. 7th Grade ELA TEKS 7.6 Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Fiction. Students understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of fiction and provide evidence from text to support their understanding. 8th Grade ELA TEKS 8.6 Comprehension of Literary Text/Fiction. Students understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of fiction and provide evidence from text to support their understanding. For a 7th grade class: 7.8 Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Sensory Language. Students understand, make **inferences** and draw conclusions about how an author's sensory language creates imagery in literary text and provide evidence from text to support their understanding. Students are expected to determine the figurative meaning of phrases and analyze how an author's use of language creates imagery, appeals to the senses, and suggests **mood**. For extension activity: 7.15 Writing/Literary Texts. Students write literary texts to express their ideas and feelings about real or imagined people, events, and ideas. Students are expected to: A. Write an imaginative story that: v. uses a range of literary strategies and devices to enhance the style and **tone**.

What about a social studies TEKS or two? One contribution we can make in the library is integrating other content area standards into our lessons - social studies into ELA-R or ELA-R into social studies, and the like. Social studies is even evident in the ELA-R standards: 6th-grade example: §110.18. (9) Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Culture and History. Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about the author's purpose in cultural, historical, and contemporary contexts and provide evidence from the text to support their understanding. Students are expected to compare and contrast the stated or implied purposes of different authors writing on the same topic.

* Which AASL indicators align with this lesson? Give both the number and the description for each. >> Listed from CRCSSL p. 103: >> Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning (1.1.2) >> Organize knowledge so that it is useful (2.1.2) >> Show social responsibility by participating actively with others in learning situations and by contributing questions and ideas during group discussions (3.2.2) Notice how few I selected. Please see the class feedback.


 * Implementation**

· Process Motivation

Motivation is also known as “anticipatory set” in the Madeline Hunter, EEI lesson plan design. Will this invitation to learn be effective in capturing students’ interest? Why or why not? I think that the embarrassing story in a school setting will capture the students' interest because at the middle school level they are so worried about something embarrassing happening to them at school. They are a very self-conscious in general at this age, so I think they will be intrigued by the story. In my experience with 7th & 8th graders they enjoy feeling like they know their teacher outside of just the teacher role. So they would be interested in hearing stories that you're sharing, even if they aren't about things that have happened to you. I think that an embarrassing story, as the book suggests, would be a great way to capture interest. Agreed.

* What are your ideas to increase student buy-in to this lesson? Give at least one. Using a true story that happened to one of the teachers. Using a digital embarrassment, like something that happened over facebook. Telling a story about something that happened at that school, without naming names. Good ideas (I would be careful with the FB example. We what to be sure to model positive digital citizenship.) Please keep the purpose of the lesson in mind as you develop ideas for motivating students.

Student-friendly Objectives * Are these objectives at the instructional level of the targeted students? Give an example. I believe that they are all written to the instructional level if the students with the exception of some terms. #1 and #4 are written to be especially student friendly. The objectives are all geared toward the target student group. They use concepts and terminology familiar to many students. For example, "record evidence, background knowledge, and research as notes" are all things that the students in these grade levels would have been exposed to in their science classes. * Are there terms in these objectives that may need to be taught to students? Give an example. Inference (if this is an introductory lesson to the term) Background knowledge (if they haven't been using this particular term) Overarching (to check for comprehension on what is really being asked of them) Explaining to students what is meant by "respond to the anticipation guide" Yes! we should always be coteaching academic vocabulary in our lessons. Giving students more opportunities to practice using terms in various contexts helps ensure they will comprehend them and use them in their own speech and writing.

Presentation * Describe the modeling aspect of this lesson. One educator will read the text (//Goin' Someplace Special)// while the other records information in the matrix. Both educators then model when to pause and draw inferences. Yes * How are the benefits of two or more educators maximized in the presentation component? Having two educators doing the modeling allows the students to see how this assignment can be done in a group work setting. It also shows the students how multiple inferences can be drawn from the same text. It also benefits by maximizing time. If only one educator was presenting, s/he would have to take time to pause, share why s/he paused, the inference drawn, and then take the notes down too. This would take away from time from the teaching as s/he had to turn around and take the notes. Excellent

Student Participation Procedures or Student Practice Procedures

* Are the directions clear? Give an example. Yes, the procedures outline a three-step process. 1. Select a piece of evidence related to the setting from the text and record it on the graphic organizer. 2. Connect the evidence with background knowledge or information from the author's note and record a note about it. 3. Compose an inference based on evidence and background knowledge or research. Not only was it a short, succinct three-step process, but it also was very precise in a way that would help students succeed. For example, I appreciate that direction #1 states "related to setting." It's a good reminder to students that they are focusing on setting and helps them find the evidence they need. These should always be posted for students' and educators' reference.

Guided Practice

* How are the benefits of two or more educators maximized in the guided practice component? Student groups can receive more one-on-one attention from the educators because they are monitoring the group together. If a certain group needs more assistance, one educator can tend to them without the rest of the group being unmonitored. Students also benefit from hearing feedback from more than one educator as both may circulate and interact with all groups. If a student or group has a question that one educator feels would benefit all the group, the educators can pause everyone and model with each other through think alouds the answer that question. Yes

Closure

* Are students active in the closure component? What are students doing for closure? The students are actively involved in the closure component. Students are sharing their inferences in small groups or with the entire class. Students can also be involved in the review of the process of making inferences by having them answer specific questions about the process with pair and share or the entire class. Yes! Too often educators summarize the learning for students. Be sure to keep students active in the closure.

Reflection

* How is the reflection component related to the learning objectives? The reflection reviews the objectives such as when to pause to draw an inference, which parallels objective #1, and what to do to draw an inference if you lack background knowledge (research), which relates to objective #2. The reflection also asks a further question, "Why do strategic readers draw inferences?". This helps students to look at the big picture of why they need to learn this (an often asked question if the big picture is left out). Good

· Extensions

Take a familiar tale (and one that is in public domain like a folk tale or fairy tale) and change the setting to change the mood and tone. Write out the new tale and a reflection sharing some of the student's thought process and inferences on why this would change the mood/tone. Student groups can write their own short stories playing close attention to setting, mood, and tone. Then the groups will share the stories with other groups to practice when to pause and drawing inferences. Afterward the class can discuss how the settings of the story impacted the mood and tone and ultimately their inferences. Excellent - Brava for keeping the focus on the reading comprehension strategy objective. Can you see a way to extend this lesson into an inquiry project, in which students will need to make inferences?
 * What are your other ideas for extensions to this lesson? Describe at least one.


 * Remember: ** Extensions are further invitations to classroom-library collaboration. They are worth thinking about during the planning stage!

Individual Reflection – 20 Possible Points – See the Assignment Sheet: A. 3.1 for details

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