Tools for Teachers:
Connecting Social Studies and the CCSS
Informational Text
Session Objectives
As a result of this session, participants will…
• EXPLORE informational text
• ENGAGE in identifying characteristics of
informational text
• CONNECT informational text to classroom
practice
• REFLECT on how informational text impacts
teaching and learning
EXPLORE:
How do we engage students using informational text in our
current practice?
Read the article and answer
the question that follows:
•
ARTICLE: The Power of Non-fiction:
Using Informational Text to Support
Literacy in Special Populations
•
After reviewing the article, how does
this clarify or enhance your definition
of “informational text?”
View the lesson and answer
the question that follows:
•
Historical Detective Work, Teaching
Channel Video
•
What types of informational text is
the teacher
using?
Use the Characteristics worksheet you printed in the last
lesson – add 3 to 4 characteristics on the worksheet.
EXPLORE:
How do we engage students using informational text in our
current practice?
Watch the following video
and answer the questions
that follow:
1.
What does “balancing
informational text” mean?
2.
What does it look like in the
classroom?
3.
What strategies could I use to
build success with informational
texts?
4.
What challenges will I face as I
build student confidence with
informational text?
Engage NY video - CLICK HERE
Use the Characteristics worksheet. Identify and Circle 3
characteristics for this learning session – on your agenda.
ENGAGE
Characteristics of Informational Text
Use the “6/3 Shifts” chart,
Video
1
2
3
4
TextBased
Build
Knowledge
Write frm
Sources
Complex
Inquiry
Group
Discussing
Non-Fiction
Reflect on HOW you will incorporate the ideas viewed into
your practice.
CONNECT
Informational Text to Classroom Practice
SAMPLE Literacy lessons at
the grade bands:
New York Times, The Learning Network –
Current Events
•
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Read,
Write, Think – keyword
search, Christopher Columbus
•
MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL:
New York Times, The Learning
Network – Current Events –
click on “Lesson Plan” icon
•
C-E-R Article Analysis
Template – to use with
Mandela article
Complete the Chart on your Agenda: Describe one new way
you could incorporate this lesson-type into your practice.
CONNECT
Another way to connect with Informational Text…What does
this LOOK like?
Connecting ideas, read
articles:
Popular Graphic Arts,
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs, LC-USZC22373
•
READ: Visual Literacy, Ch. 3,
Media Literacy in the K-12
Classroom
•
REVIEW: Visual Literacy
•
VIEW: Visual Literacy Across
the Curriculum
•
What ideas are connected in
the graphic to the left?
How would this information benefit how you use visuals
during classroom instrution?
Time to Reflect
Using the Tools learned in
this Module –
Identify ways instruction
around Informational text
is relevant to your
teaching.
Where will you begin to
incorporate lessons
learned?
What support do you
need to get started?
Additional Resources
• Stanford Read Like a Historian
• Economics Council for Economic
Education – Resources
• Informational Text Strategies - K-5
Teaching & Learning Strategies
• 2009 National Council for Social
Studies Ways to teach about
informational literacy
• Harvard Graduate School of Education
Artful Thinking
• Macomb ISD
Reading Strategies and Writing
Stragegies
• ReadWriteThink K-12 Lessons
Keyword Search Social Studies
CREDITS
We would like to thank the following
partners & contributors:
• MAISA – Michigan Association of
Intermediate School Administrators,
General Education Leadership Network
(GELN) Project
• REMC Association of Michigan –
Regional Educational Media Center for
the funding of this project
• The Aspen Institute – PowerPoint
graphics
• Teaching with Midwest Region – for
the content references