Lesson 5 :: Activating Schema
For the Love of the Game [Before the Read]
Lesson 5 :: Activating Schema
For the Love of the Game [Before the Read]
As readers, we use different strategies to understand
our reading and build reading stamina. One way we do
this is by activating schema, or thinking about what we
already know about an author, genre, or topic before
we begin reading. As readers, we approach all texts we
read as individuals. We consider: What do I know
about this author? This genre? This topic? By getting
our minds “ready” for reading, we position ourselves to
understand the text better and build our reading
stamina.
Display and fill in Appendix 1 “Activating Schema,” using
Appendix 2 as a reference. After sharing what you know,
ask students to turn and talk about anything else they
know about the author, genre, or topic that you could add
to the chart. Be sure to open the book to the first page or
two of text in order to determine that the genre is poetry.
Note that you wouldn’t know the genre y just looking at
the cover.
Now that we have gotten our minds ready, let’s read
this poem and consider what it is about and how it
makes us feel.
Today we are going to read “For the Love of the Game:
Michael Jordan and Me” by Eloise Greenfield. Let’s
consider what we know before we read.
Lesson 5 :: Activating Schema
For the Love of the Game [During the Read]
Lesson 5 :: Activating Schema
For the Love of the Game [During the Read]
Read the Dedication.
This makes me think that this book is not just about
Michael Jordan and basketball, but also about finding
something in our own lives to inspire us.
Eloise Greenfield is describing what it looks like to
watch Michael Jordan take a shot in basketball. She
slows down the action through the words she uses. Did
anything stand out to you-any words you noticed?
Turn and talk with a partner.
Begin reading. Stop after “he makes his move.”
Allow time for students to discuss, then share responses.
Since this is poetry, I have to pay attention to the line
breaks as my cues for when to pause.
Read the next two pages of text, stopping with the line “I
am here!”
Continue reading and stop after the line “at the memory of
flying.”
The author shifts here from discussing just Michael to
“life” generally. What do you think “The game of life”
means? Turn and talk to your partners.
Lesson 5 :: Activating Schema
For the Love of the Game [During the Read]
Lesson 5 :: Activating Schema
For the Love of the Game [During the Read]
Allow time for students to discuss, then share responses as
a class.
Continue reading until the end.
Continue reading. Stop after “someday I will choose a path
/ and go.”
What do you think this part means? Turn and talk to
your partners.
I think it is not really a path, but a road to go down in
life.
Allow time for students to discuss, then share responses as
a class. Refer to the words “The time to prepare / is now”
as a call to readers or children to act now and not wait.
Continue reading and stop after the line “that will swallow
me?”
By saying “swallow me”, Eloise seems to be writing
about challenges on the path of life.
Lesson 5 :: Activating Schema
For the Love of the Game [After the Read]
Lesson 5 :: Activating Schema
For the Love of the Game [After the Read]
Today we are going to write in order to help clarify our
thinking and prepare for discussion. Open your Reader’s
Notebook and write the title and author on the top of the
next blank page. Then write this question: How does this
poem make me feel?
Let’s come back together. What ideas did you come up with
while writing? Let’s first talk about how this poem makes us
feel.
Give students a few minutes to write. Circulate and
encourage students to write freely.
After two minutes, stop and ask students to now write
about this question:
What is this poem really about?
Give students 2-3 minutes to write. Circulate to read.
Ask one student to begin the conversation. After
discussion, ask students to reread their writing and
discuss what the poem is really about. Ask another
student to begin the conversation. One possible idea is
that, like Michael Jordan, we all need to find the path that
inspires us in our own lives. Encourage students to listen
closely to one another and ask, “What makes you think
that?”
Tapping into our prior knowledge helps us better understand
what we are reading. Let’s continue doing that moving
forward.