It really must show how completely unaware I am of these things when I stumble upon content standards descriptions like this. How did I now catch it when I first read these standards? Oh yeah, because I was busy being confused by all the other stuff (see CA credentialing tag).
Fifth graders are supposed to read a wide variety of text, but in this area of comprehension they are supposed to focus on informational text. Plus all this stuff here:
@ how graphs, pictures, charts, and other text features are used to make information accessible
@ sequential and chronological ordering
@ identify the main idea/concepts of the text and assess evidence that supports these ideas
@ draw inferences, also with supporting evidence
@ tell facts from opinions
To be honest, I don't have a lot of experience with elementary level informational text. Mainly because I think the way they are written is a snore-fest. Although I do like kids National Geographic, or other such magazines. I should probably read more of these things.
One way to teach this content is to have reports. Book reports. State reports (fifth grade is all about the Revolutionary War era and the formation of the country). Animal reports. You get the picture. Anything that requires students to do some reading research and then to spit that information out again in some sort of project or presentation. With a written component of course.
I also like having students make timelines. This is really fun when you can make it really big - have it stretch out all the way around the classroom's walls. Or clear down a hallway on campus. Special permission is needed for that latter idea.
No comments:
Post a Comment