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Literature Focus Unit
The Civil Rights Movement
Alexis O’Neal
04/25/2012
Teaching Reading with Tradebooks
Dr. Melanie Goodman
Chestnut Hill College
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5th Grade Unit Goals and Objectives:
-Students will be able to identify the causes of the Civil Rights Movement in the
United States and explain how the movement influenced society.
- Students will be able to identify at least 4 historical figures who influenced the
Civil Rights Movement.
-Students will be able to make connections between leaders in the Civil Rights
Movement and changes that happened as a result of their efforts.
-Students will be able to identify ways in which the Civil Rights Movement
provided more freedoms for the oppressed in America.
-Students will be able to think critically about the advancements of today’s
modern society and defend whether or not equality has been reached.
-Students will be able to read fiction texts and identify narrative elements such as
plot, resolution, setting, and characters.
-Students will be able to explain how setting influences a story’s plot.
-Students will be able to read a nonfiction text in order to gain information and
have a better understanding of the Civil Rights Movement and its key
components.
-Students will be able to infer character traits, motivations, and dynamic changes
throughout a text.
-Students will be able to distinguish between important and nonimportant pieces
of information in a fiction and nonfiction text.
Featured Text
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Our Children Can Soar
The featured text for this literature focus unit is “Our Children Can Soar”, a
historical nonfiction picture book by Michelle Cook. The book contains simple
words but heavy content. According to the Fry Readability Graph, this book is a
600L. The book is a “5” on the Fry readability graph (unfound on Lexile, Reading
Recovery) when taking into account the foreward and the afterward, which would
be included in our focus unit.
Our Children Can Soar is a chronological outline of many integral people
in the ongoing civil rights movement, ranging from George Washington Carver in
the post civil war era, up to Barack Obama in 2012. These pioneers of changes
are beautifully illustrated and simply stated for their accomplishments. The book
takes a poetic form with effective repetition as it discusses these great people. It
leaves the note with an inspirational, open ended thought of how these African
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Americans have paved the way for modern day children to make their own
changes and become powerful components in their own generations.
Though this book is a picture book, I feel that it is appropriate for a 5th
grade reading level due to its foreward and biographies included in the book. The
vocabulary and content in these sections of the book are a higher level of
vocabulary and content. This book could be made appropriate for younger
children by easily glossing over these sections, but I feel that it would behoove
5th graders to enter the book with this background knowledge of its characters as
well as insight into the author’s purpose and perspective. This book is an
excellent launching pad for deeper discussions into who these people are and
how they have created change for African Americans. Without the background
knowledge and prior understanding that an upper elementary schooler may bring
to the story, I feel this book may be an easy “gloss over”.
Our Children Can Soar has literary merit and has been award the NAACP
Image Award for its illustrations, created by 12 influential African American
artists. The story is set up in a form so that students can anticipate upcoming
patterns of words and phrases. It is engaging in that sense, as well as hosting
incredible illustrations that vastly vary in style. The biographies that follow the
story-poem are comprehensive summaries of the progress and change each of
these leaders have created.
The theme of this book, honoring past influential African Americans and
generating new ones, is extremely important. I chose this book because many
young students may not have a full understanding of what it means for our nation
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to have an African American as president. Most of these children were about 6
years old when Obama was elected, and likely have very little personal
understanding of what that means. Working in an inner city school in Philadelphia
has made a large impact of me and my appreciation for the Civil Rights
movement. I want to use this book as my featured text in order to pique student
interest, develop a time-order understanding of our nation’s struggle, and help to
instill a sense of pride and advocacy in my student’s cultures.
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Accompanying Texts
1)Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges
Lexile Level: 860L
Through My Eyes is an autobiography and first hand account of educational
integration in the 1960s. Ruby Bridges, made famous for being the first African
American child to attend a previously “Whites Only” school. Ruby recounts her
side of being a 6 year old caught in the middle of a pivotal and controversial
moment in the Civil Rights Movement. Ruby tells the story as though she is
talking to a niece of nephew, with captivating details and memoirs in an age
appropriate manner. Ruby discusses the days and years that followed, including
the riots in New Orleans, presidential elections, assassinations, and her personal
feelings as she grew up.
In addition to Ruby’s touching tale, the book is infiltrated with influential
speeches about the Civil Rights Movement as well as letters and reflections from
friends and family members of Ruby. These extra perspectives add a deepened
understanding and mood-setting of what was happening in New Orleans (and the
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country) during this time. There are also real photographs that accompany all of
her stories, which add to many of the harrowing and later hopeful memories of
Ruby’s story.
I chose this story because of the way in which the story is told. Many stories
about the Civil Rights Movement are told in a “history book” style. This is a nonfiction, “read to learn” type of book that is still actively engaging and inspiring for
student’s. Ruby Bridges is one of the leaders mentioned in Our Children Can
Soar and Ruby’s personal account of her story will add a heightened
understanding and support for the featured text.
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2)The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963, Christopher Paul Curtis
Lexile Level: 1000L
The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963 has been awarded both a Newbery
medal as well as the Coretta Scott King award (in addition to over 15 other
literary awards)! This story is a fictional novel based in Birmingham Alabama in
1963: the height of racial riots and opposition to the Civil Rights Movement.
The novel, narrated by 10 year old Kenny Watson, tells the story of his
quirky, yet happy, African American family who decide to move from Flint,
Michigan to his grandmother’s house in Birmingham, Alabama. The family,
including his 13 year old trouble maker brother, are searching for peace and a
little “tough love” for the troubled teen. What they find instead, is that their
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grandmother’s African American church has been blown up in part of the city’s
oppositional hate crimes. This aspect of the story is based on the historical
Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing. The bombing results in the deaths of 4
children, which particularly stirs the narrator and even the “trouble maker”
teenage brother.
The climax and main action of this story are page turners, as students feel
they can closely relate to the narrator and a “weird” family. I chose this book
because of its often age appropriate perspective of the movement. The fact that it
is a fictional novel provides opportunity for strong character development,
predictions, inferences, and other reading strategies. It also provides another
insight into the Civil Rights Movement in a memorable and engaging manner for
the students.
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3) Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Mongtomery Bus Boycott
Russell Freedman
Lexile Level: 1110L
Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Mongtomery Bus Boycott begins with
Rosa Parks’ refusal to relinquish her seat to a white man in 1955 Montgomery,
Alabama. From there, the non-fiction text moves into the beginning stages of the
historical Mongtomery Bus Boycott. The book uses age appropriate language
and places a great focus on the actual efforts of the boycott, as opposed to the
typical summary and its eventual consequences. Instead, the book emphasizes
how much coordination and inconvenience these peaceful protestors willingly put
into their everyday lives in order to create the change in which they so strongly
believed. It pays particular attention to the “faceless and nameless” protestors
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who may not have names in history books, but undoubtedly were the driving
force behind the boycott.
I chose this book because of its direct relation to our focus unit and the
featured text. Rosa Parks is mentioned in Our Children Can Soar and is an
excellent scaffold into this book. Freedom Walkers supports the theme and
inspirational motive of the featured text while remaining historically accurate and
providing a well rounded understanding of yet another movement making strides
for Civil Rights. It provides black and white photographs of the boycott to help
children truly put the event in a place in their schema.
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4) Stealing Home: The Story of Jackie Robinson
Barry Denenberg
Lexile Level:910L
Stealing Home: The Story of Jackie Robinson is a biography of the
infamous and groundbreaking baseball player, Jackie Robinson. Many students
will know Jackie Robinson’s name and will be excited about reading a “book
about sports,” but what I think they will be surprised to find is the deliberate
efforts Jackie took in gaining racial equality both on and off the field. Jackie was
determined to play in the major league baseball field, but he was equally as
determined to create a society in which it would not matter what color your skin
was, regardless of what you set out to do.
Once again, Jackie Robinson is a leader featured in our featured text. This
is a person most children will have a working knowledge of, as well as a high
interest in the subject. By using children’s others interests (sports) and
connecting it to our focus of the Civil Rights Movement, children will be able to
make personal connections and hopefully find stores like this empowering. I hope
that this text encourages them to think critically about their strengths and hopes
and to become advocates for their own rights and education.
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Monday
Literacy Strategies Schedule and Timetable – Week 1
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
9:00-9:20- KWL 9:00-9:30
9:00-9:30
9:00-9:20
Chart of Civil
Quickwrites: Double Entry Word Wall
Rights Movement “Thoughts and Journal using
feelings that
quotes from
9:20-9:50
9:20-9:35 Readcome to mind Through My
Language
Aloud of Our
when I think
Eyes and
Experience
Children Can Soar about Civil
personal
Approach
Rights”
reflections
(Anonymous)
9:35-9:45- Add
Topic: Write a
thoughts/specific 9:30-10:15
9:30-10:00 SSR few sentences
questions to KWL Shared Reading of Through My about a time you
of Through My Eyes
were excluded
9:45-10:15
Eyes
from something
Grand
10:00-10:20
you loved.
Conversation about 10:15-10:40
Cloze
Human
Grand
Procedure from 9:50-11
Rights/Civil Rights Conversation of chapters “We Literacy Centers
in USA
Ruby Bridge’s Are Not Alone” working with
experience as a and “I Have
Through My
10:15-10:40
child
Trouble Eating Eyes
Open Mind Portrait
and Sleeping”
of Dr. Martin
10:40-11 Book
Luther King (based Talks
10:20-10:40
on prior
Introduce text Hot Seat: Ruby
knowledge)
set
Bridges
10:40-11am
Guided Reading:
Through My Eyes
Monday
9:00-9:15
Choral Reading of
Our Children Can
Soar
9:15-10:00
Guided Reading
of Through My
Eyes
10:00-10:20
Question/Answer
Relationships
10:20-10:40
Questioning the
Author of
Through My Eyes
10:40-10:50
Revisit KWL
Chart- focus on L
10:50-11 Reading
Logs for Through
My Eyes
10:40-11am
Guided Reading
Through My
Eyes
Literacy Strategies Schedule – Week 2
Tuesday
Wednesday
Friday
Thursday
9:00-9:15
Anticipation Guide:
Exploring historical
fiction
9:00-9:15
9:00-9:20
Gallery Walks of
Review SQ3R Tuesday’s
Reading
QuickWrites
Strategy
9:15-9:35
9:15-9:30
Grand Conversation: 9:20-9:55
Grand
“How might a child’s SSR of
Conversation:
9:00-9:30
SSR of
Watsons
9:00-9:35
Literacy
Centers for
Watsons and
9:30-9:40
preview
Read-Aloud activities for
of Our
Stealing Home
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view of the civil right’s Watsons
Rebellion and
Children Can
movement differ than
teenage angst.
Soar
9:35-10:05
an adults?”
9:55-10:15
Think stretch: Put
Guided reading
Word Walls: in context of social 9:40-9:55
of Watsons
9:35-10:10
Discuss
issues
Clusters:
Guided Reading in
unknown
Think about 10:05-10:25
small groups of
words in
9:30-10:00
the people in Questioning the
Watsons/Birmingham covered
Shared Reading of Our Children Author of
chapters of
Watsons
Can Soar
Watsons
10:10-10:40
Watsons: use
and how they
Reciprocal Questioning context clues to 10:00-10:25
relate to the 10:25-10:45
in small groups for
define
Venn Diagram:
plot of
Double Entry
Watsons
Compare/Contrast Watsons
Journal for
10:10-10:40
10:15-10:45
yourself to Kenny
chunks of
(adv group): Literature Tea Party in
in Watsons
9:55-10:30 Watsons:
Circles Watsons
small groups
Hot Seat:
Choose events:
forWatsons
10:25-10:40
Kenny of
how do they
10:40-11 Reading Logs
Reader’s Theater Watsons
accurately
for Watsons
for Ch. 5 of
reflect the
10:45-11
Watsons
10:30-11
movement in
Quickwrites: 10:40-11
Book Boxes history
“Why do you Open Mind
for Watsons
think Byron
Portrait:
10:45-11
acts the way he Your choice from
Sketch to
does? What is Watsons
Stretch for
causing these
meaning of
actions?”
Watsons
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Pennsylvania Standards, Literacy Strategies, and Stages of the Reading
Process
Literacy Strategy
PA Standards
Stage of the Reading
Correlation
Process
Reader’s Theater
1.3.5 (A)
Reading
KWL Chart
Open Mind Portrait
1.1.5 (D),
1.8.5 (B)
1.3.5 (A),
1.6.5 (B)
1.1.5. (D),
1.3.5 (A, C)
1.6.5 (A)
1.1.5 (D)
Guided Reading
1.2.5 (E)
Reading
QuickWrites
1.2.5 (D)
1.3.5 (C)
1.4.5 (B)
1.5.5 (A, C, F)
1.3.5 (C)
1.7.5 (A)
1.1.5. (D)
1.2.5 (E),
1.3.5 (A)
1.2.5 (E)
1.2.5 (E)
Prereading/Responding
1.2.5. (D)
1.3.5 (C)
1.2.5 (E)
1.3.5 (C)
1.6.5 (A)
1.7.5 (A)
1.2.5. (D)
Reading
Read Aloud
Grand Conversation
Book Talks
Reading Logs
Anticipation Guides
Reciprocal Questioning
SQ3R
Tea Party
Sketch to Stretch
All Stages
Reading
Responding
Exploring
Prereading
Responding
Prereading
Reading/Responding
Responding
Applying
Clusters
1.3.5 (C)
Applying
1.2.5. (E)
Double Entry Journal
1.2.5 (D)
Reading/Responding/Exploring
1.5.5 (A, C, F)
Sustained Silent Reading 1.1.5 (A, B, C, D,E, F)
Reading
1.3 (A, B, C, D)
Cloze Procedure
1.2.5 (C, D, E)
Reading/Exploring
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Hot Seat
1.2.5 (D)
Exploring
Word Walls
1.1.5 (B, C)
Exploring
Language Experience
Approach
1.3.5 (C)
1.6.5 (B)
1.7.5 (A)
1.2.5 (E)
1.3.5 (C)
1.4.5 (B)
1.6.5 (A)
1.3.5 (A)
1.6.5 (B)
1.7.5 (A)
1.2.5 (D)
1.3.5 (C)
1.2.5 (A, E)
1.3.5 (C)
1.6.5 (A)
Prereading/Applying
Literacy Centers
Choral Reading
Question-AnswerRelationships
Questioning the Author
Gallery Walk
Venn Diagram
Book Boxes
1.1.5 (D)
1.2.5 (E)
1.3.5 (C)
1.2.5 (C, D, E)
1.3.5 (A, B)
All stages
Reading
Responding/Applying
Exploring
Applying
Exploring
Exploring/Applying
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Rationale for Selected Reading Strategies
Strategy
Reader’s
Theater
Explanation and Rationale
Reader’s Theater is a scripted reading of the dialogue and
narration of a selected portion of a text. I chose this strategy
because of its effectiveness in engaging students and their
heightened interpretation of the story after this strategy.
Because students are given the freedom to “become” the
characters they portray, they must think critically about who they
infer this character to be: how to act, voice your words, body
movements, feelings, etc.
KWL Chart A K-W-L chart is where students record what they Know before
they begin reading, what they Want to know, and what they
have Learned after reading. It can be revisited periodically
throughout the unit. I chose this because my focus unit is also a
history unit, and there are many important facts, people, and
influences that come from these readings. I want my students to
be able to look back on what knowledge they have gained, and
have direction for their own independent research as well.
Read Aloud
I decided to do a shared reading/read aloud to ensure that all
modalities of learning are being addressed. A read aloud is
when either the teacher or students take turns reading chunks of
the text aloud. This not only enforces reading fluency (modeling
pace, inflection), but it also ensures that students who learn
better through auditory instruction are also being provided with
instruction that best fits them. This is an excellent scaffolding
activity.
Grand
Grand Conversations are class-wide discussions that can
Conversation happen before or after reading a selection. Grand conversations
are typically started with a focus talking point, usually selected
by the teacher. From there, students are able to listen to their
peers and bounce ideas as they explore their thoughts,
inferences, conclusions, and questions that may be lingering
about the text. It also provides opinions and gives students a
place for their voice to be heard, which is crucial in upper
elementary school ages.
Open Mind
An open mind portrait is done as an after reading activity.
Portrait
Students create an illustration of a character in the text based
on the descriptions in the story as well as their own inferences.
On the second page, students illustrate and label poignant
details about the chosen character. They include things that
would be “on the character’s mind” or close to their heart, based
on the text. I chose this because it provides a fun, interactive
way for students to begin to think critically about the characters
in the story. In order to complete an open mind portrait, students
must first have a solid understanding of character traits and
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motivations.
Guided Reading
Guided reading, or a directed reading thinking activity, is a
situation in which the teacher meets with a small group of
students who are all in a homogenous group according to a
specific skill need or reading level. Depending on the level of the
students, the teacher allows the students to read pre-selected
chunks of text a bit a time, stopping to clarify questions, ask
about vocabulary, ask a variety of questions about the text, and
closely monitor student progress. I chose this reading strategy
because it is crucial in student success. It allows the teacher to
have more focused time with each student and address a very
specific reading skill according to the group. This way, the
students are able to understand the text to their highest potential
and use these skills again in the future. It also encourages and
models other traits of good readers, as modeled by the teacher.
QuickWrites
Quickwrites can be done before or after reading a text or a
portion of a text. The teacher provides a prompt for students to
respond to in a “quickwrite” fashion. The point of these
quickwrites are for students to be thinking, not to be focused on
the technicalities and conventions of their writing. Students can
write about their personal connections, predictions, or schema
to the text’s topics. It allows students an opportunity to “be
heard,” provides teacher insight into the child’s comprehension
of the text and topic, and gives students daily, informal practice
in translating their inner thoughts into written form. I chose this
because many of the topics in this LFU are sensitive, and I
believe that QuickWrites are a great way for students to process
these difficult topics. The gallery walks that follow are excellent
ways to begin grand conversations.
Book Talks
Book Talks are like movie trailers for books. A book talk is used
to introduce a book or a text that students will be exploring. The
teacher can provide information about the author, the topic, and
show students any related illustrations or background
knowledge they may need for the text. Book Talks are a great
way for students to begin to get excited about a book (so
important!) once they see how a teacher is anticipating reading
the story as well. I chose this strategy because I want students
to have a clear focus of their objectives in the literature focus
unit. By previewing all of the books in the beginning of the unit,
students will be able to a)anticipate reading and b) keep their
objectives in mind as to “why do I have to read this?”
Reading Logs Reading logs are personal logs or journals where students can
record reflections, questions, thoughts, explore ideas, etc.
Reading logs can have a specific task for the day “write
about…” or be up to the student. It is a way for students to
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Anticipation
Guides
Reciprocal
Questioning
SQ3R
Tea Party
Sketch to
Stretch
explore and interact with the text and the teacher without
stopping to become distracted in the middle of reading. Reading
logs are a great tool for teachers to use to monitor a student’s
comprehension as well as for a child to deepen his own
understanding of the text. I chose this as another way for
students to process the difficult topics in the unit. It is also a way
for a student to look back on their own progress as the year and
the unit progress.
Anticipation guides are a way for students to activate any
background knowledge they may need before begin to read a
content specific or informational text. Typically, students are
given several statements to consider and “agree” or “disagree”
with before reading. The same checklist can be used after
reading so that teachers can use this not only as a diagnostic,
but also an informal tool to assess understanding afterwards.
Reciprocal questioning is a strategy in which teachers and
students use a variety of questions to deepen understanding
and clarify meaning of vocabulary in a text. First, the teacher
asks students questions ranging from “right there” questions to
higher level thinking activities, like inferencing and synthesizing.
After this, the students have an opportunity to ask the teacher
and their peers any questions they may have any anything
within the text. I chose this strategy because I think it is an
excellent way to hold small group discussions and allow
students the peer-interaction to discuss the topic.
Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review is a strategy for
students to use when reading content specific books with the
purpose of gaining information. With so many of our texts being
nonfiction, this strategy is an excellent way for students to
monitor their own comprehension and ensure that they are
gaining as much information as they can about this specific
topic.
Tea Party is an interactive activity in which teachers (or
students, if capable) choose a passage from the text that holds
particular meaning or importance. Students each have their own
passage, and are to go around the classroom taking turns
reading these passages to one another. After a pair has read
their passages, they are to discuss what that passage means to
them. This strategy provides an engaging way to interact with
both the text and others. Reading is a social activity, and the
more that we can emphasize that in our classroom on a fun
level, students will be excited about the text. It also allows
students to explore insights they may not have found on their
own.
Sketch to Stretch is a strategy in which students are to sketch a
picture or a diagram to represent what the story means to them.
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Students can work in pairs or small groups for this to facilitate
conversation. The purpose of this strategy is not to illustrate
their favorite character or scene, but to think deeply with the text
and its relationship to themselves. This strategy encourages
students to consider the theme of a text in a way that is
enjoyable and artistic, something that is important to my
students. They are mastering the same objectives without
feeling bored or overwhelmed.
Clusters
Clusters are a way for students to map the inner workings of
ther brains in ways that are related to the text. Students are
given a topic to “cluster” and then create a web based on the
thoughts and connections that the student can make given the
word or phrase. I chose this because it is a way for students to
organize their thoughts while making connections between two
texts: our featured text and one of our accompanying text.
Students are able to think critically and witness their own minds
at work as the clusters develop.
Double Entry A double entry journal can be used for a variety of things. In my
Journal
unit, we will use them to record important quotes of passages on
the left hand side. On the right side, students will reflect on the
importance of these quotes or events. The importance could be
to their own lives, its affect on society, or to make inferences.
These journals organize the student’s thoughts in a clear
manner and encourage students to think more deeply about
particularly difficult passages that they may have otherwise
skimmed over. It requires students to stop, think, and interact
with the text.
Sustained Silent Sustained Silent Reading is when students are given a specific
Reading
time and goal for what they should be reading. Students are to
read this portion/text independently and silently. Students are
typically allowed to choose their own reading material (can be
related to the focus unit) during this predetermined amount of
time. I chose this because it allows students to foster their own
independence and confidence in being independent readings, a
skill which becomes increasingly important as they progress in
school.
Cloze
Cloze Procedure is used as an after reading activity for teachers
Procedure
to monitor student’s comprehension. It is also a way for students
to determine the importance of specific passages as a teacher
selects. A paragraph, or chunk of the text, is selected and
rewritten with specific words left out of the text (and filled in with
blanks). Using a word bank, students are to fill in the blanks of
the text. Students will have already ready the passage as a
whole and should be able to remember and comprehend the
meaning of the passage and what words and missing. I chose
this as a form of “guided notes” so students can read and focus
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on comprehending while ensuring that they are still getting the
information needed for the unit.
Hot Seat
Hot Seat is a strategy where a selected person (could be a
teacher or student volunteer) takes on the persona of a
particular character in the book. The “hot seat” guest is to tell
the class about themselves as if they are the character, perhaps
even bringing in props that may be important to the character or
represent the character. The rest of the class is then able to ask
questions of the character. This strategy requires both the “hot
seat” guest and the questioning students to think critically about
the characters in their text. They have to have a full
understanding of the character (both explicitly and implicitly
stated) in order to ask appropriate questions and take on their
persona. I chose this because it is a fun activity for students to
become more aware of the important leaders, like Ruby Bridges.
Word Walls
Word Walls are an ongoing collection of words that have been
discussed in class. These vocabulary words are found in the
texts and students are able to use context clues and outside
sources to determine their meaning. After discussing as a class,
these words are turned into vocabulary and displayed on a
Word Wall. I chose this strategy because it is a reason for
students to constantly be aware of new words they may come
across in reading. By having a pre-ready activity for this,
students are encouraged rather than discouraged to admit when
they find a word they do not know. It aids in vocabulary, and
therefore later writing and comprehension skills.
Language
The Language Experience Approach is a type of shared writing
Experience activity where the teacher gives students a specific topic to write
Approach
about briefly. Students are then able to respond to this prompt,
and then share it with the class. Once all of the responses are
shared, it moves into a conglomeration of all responses into one
cohesive “story.” This provides students an opportunity to
become their own writers. They will remember this specific topic
more because it is their own creation. If I want students to
remember the importance of an event or to make a crucial
connection, we would use this activity. The fact that everyone
participates also encourages students to be honest and open,
an important part when discussing the Civil Rights Movement.
Literacy Centers Literacy Centers are a series of literacy activities that students
complete in a circuit in small groups. These centers can include
word work, varied types of reading, writing, organizing, and
more. The centers are quick paced and provide students with
several modalities and opportunities to interact with a text,
theme, unit, or skill. I chose this because it is an effective way
for students to get a variety of practice in several literacy
approaches or skills. Students also have to build stamina and
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self management techniques for these centers.
Choral Reading Choral Reading is a shared reading activity in which the teacher
reads a few phrases or sentences of a text, and the students will
reread the same phrases or sentences aloud as a group. This
“echo” effect allows students to hear a model of fluency, pacing,
and attention to punctuation. The fact that they respond as a
group instead of individually encourages all students to
participate and provides the confidence and anonymity some
students may need. This is typically a strategy for younger
students, but I chose to use it to emphasize the pattern and
effective repetition of the poem in our featured text. If students
were to read this silently, they might not pick up on the
syllabication or alliteration used. When they 1st hear it and then
repeat it, students are more likely to understand the structure of
poetry such as Our Children Can Soar.
QuestionQuestion-Answer Relationships is a strategy that teaches
Answerstudents to judge questions and consider where they will find
Relationships
the answer. This is way for students and teachers to monitor
their comprehension and begin to think more critically about
their texts. Questions can be “right there”, “think and search”,
“Author and Me” and “On My Own” questions. This variety of
questions allows for different levels of questioning, ranging from
simple recalling to higher level questions like inferencing. Many
higher level questions are not found in basals or standardized
tests, but this is the type of thinking that is required for success
in real life. I want my students to be confident and comfortable
with all types of questions and situations.
Questioning the Questioning the Author is a strategy that encourages students to
Author
think deepu about the text in a complex manner. Students are
able to do this while they read as they think of questions that
arise while reading. Teachers model how this works and
encourages a constant inner conversation while reading. I chose
this strategy as a way to develop and foster higher level thinking
in students as they read. I want my independent readers to learn
that this is a crucial part of learning and to become comfortable
asking questions without the direction of a teacher at the end of
a passage.
Gallery Walk
A gallery walk is a display of student work (in this
case,QuickWrites), where students walk around in a way similar
to an Art Museum. Students travel from piece to piece to read,
perhaps respond to in their head or on a post it, and move on. It
allows all students to not only see and hear the thoughts of their
peers (without devoting 45 minutes to every student reading
their answer aloud), but to know that their work is also being
seen. Students can reflect on their peer’s observations and
thoughts and leave feedback or responses. I would use a gallery
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walk as a way to begin a grand conversation. Once the whole
class has an idea of where their other students are in a school
of thought, a grand conversation could be facilitated with a
better focus and goal.
Venn Diagram
A venn diagram is a graphic organizer used to compare and
contrast two things. In my unit, this would be used to compare
and contrast the character from a text to themselves. Students
record their differences in the outside circles and their
similarities in the overlapping circles. This is a visual
representation and an organized way for students to think
critically about the characters in a text. It also requires students
to think beyond the text (into themselves) to reach for these
similarities and difference. When students have personal
connections or relations to the characters, they will have a better
understanding and appreciation for a text.
Book Boxes
Book Boxes are an after reading activity where students are
able to reflect on a text and what it meant to them. Students fill a
box (and decorate it) with props, goods, words, or passages that
the students deemed particularly important and meaningful to
the text. This strategy is a creative way that encourages
students to move from inside the book to real life, and
translating between the two as they pull pieces for the Book Box
from real life. I chose this because I thought it would be a fun
activity for students to show their understanding of our texts.
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The Civil Rights Movement : Room 305 KWL Sample
What we KNOW
Martin Luther King,
Jr. fought for it
What we WANT TO
KNOW
-Why weren’t
African Americans
treated the same?
It has to do with
-When did slavery
African Americans in end?
America
African Americans
weren’t treated the
same way
People died for it.
-Did whites fight
back?
-Wasn’t racism
illegal?
-Where did the
It was about African C.R.M happen?
Americans wanting to
have freedom
-When did it
It happened in
America
It happened
sometime in the
1900s, I think?
happen?
-Did children learn
the same things in
schools?
-Who were the
leaders?
What we LEARNED
Ruby Bridges, Jackie Robinson,
Martin Luther King, and many
“little people” made the BIG
difference
Racism was legal, so was the
inequality. Today, it is illegal to
deny these rights to anyone.
-CRM was mostly in the 1960s
-African American schools were
run poorly with little supplies
-Many whites fought back to
CRM, but some also joined the
movement to help fight for
equality
Racism is still in America, but in
different ways.
The worst part was in the South.
Some people protested by
boycotting busses.
-Who is Ruby
Bridges?
-Is racism still in
America today?
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Sample Quickwrite Strategy
Prompt: What thoughts or feelings come to mind when you think about the Civil
Rights Movement in America?
(as done by a student)
When I think about the Civil Rights Movement, not a whole lot comes to mind. I’ve seen
movies about it and I know that we get a day off in the winter because of it. Martin
Luther was the president of the movement and he died for what he believed in. Lots of
people thought blacks couldn’t or shouldn’t do the same things as whites. They got mad
about it. I don’t really have any feelings because none of my friends or family were in it.
Right now, that’s all I know. Maybe after this unit I’ll have more.
(another student)
When I think about the Civil Rights Movement, I feel a little sad
and a little happy. My grandparents talk about it sometimes at
dinner when we are all together. My parents try to make me
understand it because it is part of “our history”. I know that my
great grandparents were a part of it, and my great grandfather went
to jail for a little. White people with power thought that blacks did
not deserve any freedom or good things, so they kept them from
them. The blacks decided to get together and fight it. I think it’s
nice that people came to together and it makes me happy that they
got what they deserved and fought for… but it makes me sad to
think of innocent people in jail or being killed for fighting for their
freedom. I hope we never have anything like that.
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Cloze Procedure Example
Original passage:
“Byron started throwing me curveballs. ‘If you hadn’ta been born who would have
took her away from that bomb? No one. If you hadn’ta been born and she walked
outta that hot church and saw some stranger waving at her from across the street
you think she would have followed him? Hell no. She’da gone right back in there.
If you hadn’t been born who woulda gone in that church to see if Joey really was
in there? Me and Momma and Dad was all too scared, you was the only one
brave enough to go in there.’”
Cloze Procedure Passage:
The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963, pg. 202
Word Bank:
church
bomb
scared
brave
Joey
“Byron started throwing me curveballs. ‘If you hadn’ta been born who would have
took her away from that ________? No one. If you hadn’ta been born and she
walked outta that hot ________ and saw some stranger waving at her from
across the street you think she would have followed him? Hell no. She’da gone
right back in there. If you hadn’t been born who woulda gone in that church to
see if _________ really was in there? Me and Momma and Dad was all too
_________, you was the only one ________ enough to go in there.’”
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Bibliography
Bridges, R. (1999). Through my eyes. New York, NY. Scholastic.
Cook, M. (2009). Our children can soar. New York, NY. Bloomsbury.
Curtis, C. P. (1998). The Watsons go to Birmingham-1963. New York, NY.
Scholastic.
Denenberg, B. (1990). Stealing home: The story of Jackie Robinson. New York,
NY.
Scholastic.
Freedman, R. (2006). Freedom walkers: the story of the Montgomery Bus
Boycott. New York, NY. Holiday House.
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