TSSSA Conference

1. TSSSA Conference Holland Poulsen Social Studies Integration Specialist Alief I.S.D. Holland.Poulsen@aliefisd.net http://www.aliefisd.net/instructional/social-studies/

2. HookLearning is Connecting • A HOOK is used to tap into students’ background knowledge and assess what they already know so that you may link it to what we want them to understand. Information that does not fit into a students’ existing schema may not be comprehended, or may not be comprehended correctly.

3. List/Group/Label • List-Group-Label develops concepts and vocabulary before reading. (This strategy can also be used as an end-of-unit assessment.) • List-Group-Label develops categorizing skills. • It may be used independently, with a partner, small group, or whole class. • List-Group-Label activates prior knowledge. • Students engage in shared meaning collaboration, negotiation, and problem solving to build a common frame of understanding. • List-Group-Label works really well for developing vocabulary concepts in science and social studies.

4. Example of List-Group-Label3rd Grade- Culture

5. List-Group-Label Activity • Take a few minutes and make a list of a few things you think you know about Westward Expansion of the 1800’s. • Turn and talk about items on your list. • Share responses and chart on post-it notes. • Turn and talk about possible groups that the items could categorized into. Groups items and label categories. • Using our collective background knowledge of Westward Expansion, write a summary following the SWBS format. (Pioneers)

6. Summary StatementsTAKE IT TO WRITING! • CNN Headline News Version: • Somebody… • Somewhere… • Wanted… • But… • So they… • Then… • And so… • SWBS: • Somebody… • Wanted… • But… • So…

7. RAN OrganizerReading & Analyzing Nonfiction Stead, Tony (2006). Reality Checks: Teaching Reading Comprehension with Nonfiction K-5. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers.

8. Example- RAN Organizer Westward Expansion What I Think I Know Confirmation (Yes, I was right!) New Information (I learned…) Questions (I‘m wondering…) On the Back:Misconceptions

9. Example of RAN Organizer- 4th Grade SS

10. Example of RAN Organizer- 6th Grade

11. Example of RAN Organizer- 4th Grade LA

12. LineThe Content • The LINE activity teaches students the unit generalization – the “content” of the lesson. • Students collect information and use it to develop notes in a graphic organizer. • The new information consists of content-based examples of the same concept or universal generalization they explored in the “hook.”

13. Visual Discovery • What is it? Students view, touch, analyze, and act out images projected on overhead transparencies. As the teacher asks a series of inquiry questions, students discover key social studies concepts. • The key to a successful Visual Discovery activity is using a few powerful images that represent key concepts of the lesson. The right image will stay in students’ minds for months or even years and will serve as a powerful visual referent to help them recall key social studies concepts.

14. Visual Discovery

15. Example of Visual Discovery 5th Grade

16. Summary StatementsTAKE IT TO WRITING! • CNN Headline News Version: • Somebody… • Somewhere… • Wanted… • But… • So they… • Then… • And so… • SWBS: • Somebody… • Wanted… • But… • So… (Native Americans)

17. Note-Taking: Opinion-Proof What Is Opinion-Proof?Column notes that are designed to take the power of students' own opinions about their content and harness them as tools of learning. The basic idea is that an opinion can be put forward, but it should be a supported opinion, based on ideas, facts, or concepts found within the material being studied. How Does It Work?Two columns are set up, Label the columns with "Opinion“ and "Proof". Whatever opinion the teacher assigns or which students choose themselves is written in the left column. Then, support for that opinion is culled from the text, video, newspaper, story, or other source of information. Students can then use their Opinion-Proof charts to write a persuasive essay, compose an editorial suitable for a newspaper, or to prepare themselves for a classroom debate, among other things.

18. What does an Opinion/Proof chart look like? • Imagine using the following as a pre-writing activity for a persuasive essay.

19. Other Options for T-Charts • Opinion/Proof • Main Ideas/Details • Predictions/What Really Happened • Facts/Opinions • Questions/Answers • Vocabulary/Definitions • Problem/Solution • Notes/Visual Aids • Facts/Details/Response • Text Evidence/Themes

20. SinkerProcess New Information • The SINKER activity requires students to explore and extend their new, deeper understanding of the concept. • The activity further develops the same concept or generalization explored in the “hook” and “line” activities. • The activity is engaging, challenging, and interesting. • The activity constitutes independent practice.

21. RAFTThe RAFT strategy encourages creative thinking and motivates students to reflect in unusual ways about concepts learned. Role: In developing the final product, what role will the students need to “take on”?   Writer?  Character (in the novel)? Artist? Politician?  Scientist?  Audience: Who should the students consider as the audience for the product?  Other students?  Parents?  Local community?  School board?  Other characters in the text? Format: What is the best product that will demonstrate the students’ in-depth understanding of their interactions with the text?  A writing task?  Art work?  Action plan?  Project? Topic: This is the when, who, or what that will be the focus/subject of the final product. Will it take place in the same time period as the novel?  Who will be the main focus of the product?  What event will constitute the centerpiece of the action?

22. What does it look like? A teacher assigns (or students select) a role, audience, format, and topic from a range of possibilities.  Below is a chart with a few examples in each of the categories; it is meant only as a sampling to spark new ideas and possibilities for building RAFTS:

23. Example of RAFT Assignment5th Grade- Westward Expansion • ROLE: Pioneer • AUDIENCE: Mother • FORMAT: Postcard • TOPIC: The many hardships being faced as you move out west and the reasons why you continue on and don’t give up. Billmeyher, Rachel & Barton, Mary Lee. 1998. Teaching Reading in the Content Areas: If Not Me, Then Who?, Second Edition, Aurora, Colorado.

24. Create Your Own! • ROLE: • AUDIENCE: • FORMAT: • TOPIC: Billmeyher, Rachel & Barton, Mary Lee. 1998. Teaching Reading in the Content Areas: If Not Me, Then Who?, Second Edition, Aurora, Colorado.

25. Examples of RAFT Assignments4th Grade

27. AlphaBoxes Following a unit of study, students work in pairs or small groups to think of words that reflect the important points learned. They insert the words alphabetically into the Alphaboxes on the recording sheet. The goal is to fill in as many boxes as possible. Once students complete the organizer, they would then use the information to write summary statements about the content of the unit. Adapted from: Revisit, Reflect, Retell: Strategies for Improving Reading Comprehension by Lindy Hoyt. Heinemann, 1999.

28. Example of Alpha BoxesKindergarten- Community Helpers

29. Summary StatementsTAKE IT TO WRITING! • CNN Headline News Version: • Somebody… • Somewhere… • Wanted… • But… • So they… • Then… • And so… • SWBS: • Somebody… • Wanted… • But… • So…

30. Thank you! Holland Poulsen Alief I.S.D. Social Studies Integration Specialist http://www.aliefisd.net/instructional/social-studies/default.htm Holland.Poulsen@aliefisd.net (281) 498-8110 (ext. 66-60)

31. References and Resources Billmeyher, Rachel & Barton, Mary Lee. (1998). Teaching Reading in the Content Areas: If Not Me, Then Who?, Second Edition, Aurora, Colorado. Buehl, D. (2001). Classroom strategies for interactive learning. Newark, DE: International Reading Association Hoyt, Linda. (1999). Revisit, Reflect, Retell: Strategies for Improving Reading Comprehension. Heinemann Stead, Tony (2006). Reality Checks: Teaching Reading Comprehension with Nonfiction K-5. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers. Reading Quest: http://www.readingquest.org/strat/ Alief Independent School District: http://www.aliefisd.net/instructional/social-studies/