“The Trouble with Television”
Knowledge Rating Chart
Strategy Description:
A Knowledge Rating Chart activates/provides background knowledge about the words students
will encounter in the text. It demonstrates that understanding of words gradually depends over
time.
Key words important for concept development or words that may be difficult to understand are
extracted from the text and students are asked to rate how familiar they are with each word.
Preparation:
1. Make copies for each student of the Knowledge Rating Chart that has been prepared for
coaching this text.
2. Make a transparency of the Knowledge Rating Chart.
Directions:
1. Hand out a copy of the Knowledge Rating Chart. Ask students to independently rate their
knowledge of each word. If they rate their knowledge of a word as a “3,” they must know
the word well enough to define it, and use it in a sentence if asked. A “2” indicates they
have heard the word and could probably figure out the meaning. A “1” indicates they are not
familiar with the word.
2. As a whole group, ask students to identify how they rated each word. For example,
“narcotic.” Raise your hand, if you gave narcotic a “3.” How many gave it a “2?” a “1?”
If the majority of the class gave the word a “3,” put an asterisk in that column. Then ask
someone that gave the word a “3” to define the word and then use it in a sentence. This will
give the “2’s” a chance to recall the word and the “1’s” a chance to hear the word and be
aware of its use in the selection.
3. If the majority of the students do not know the word, then circle the word. Tell students what
it means or have students look it up and ask them to look for it when they are reading to see
how it is used.
KNOWLEDGE RATING CHART
“Trouble with Television”
Rate the following words below according to how well you know them. Briefly define the
words that you rate with a 3. Identify the source of the definition, if you have to look it up
or you ask someone.
WORD
1. narcotic
2. stimulus
3. kaleidoscopic
4. divert
5. usurps
6. inherent
7. medium
8. imperative
9. august
10. bequeathed
11. commanding
12. pervading
13. dismissible
14. coherence
15. anachronism
3
Can
define/
use it
2
Heard
it
1
Don’t
know it
Definition (and Source)