“WHAT IT TAKES TO BE
GREAT”
7 TH G R A D E M O D U L E , R E A D I N G R H E T O R I C A L L Y
Ingrid Brennan -- October 2013
ERWC Workshop
MODULE OVERVIEW
• Designed to be the first module of the 7th grade year.
• Focus is on building student proficiency in accurately
and effectively “listening to” a text.
• Uses a single magazine article about improving
performance through practice.
• Culminates in two major assignments – a summary of the
article and a speech in which students give specific
advice about improving a specific performance.
• Assumes that students will collect their work throughout
the module and use that work to facilitate the two
culminating assignments.
Ingrid Brennan -- October 2013
ERWC Workshop
PREREADING
• Prereading activities are designed to get students
to:
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access prior knowledge.
explore key concepts.
preview the text and make predictions.
acquaint themselves with important vocabulary.
establish a framework for understanding the text.
• As you complete these activities as “students”, think
about how they would work in your classroom.
What scaffolding might you need? What would you
add to increase the challenge?
Ingrid Brennan -- October 2013
ERWC Workshop
ACTIVITY 4: EXPLORING KEY CONCEPTS
• Working with a partner, complete the key concept
chart.
• Now, compare with two other groups. Explain your
grouping decisions to each other, even if your
answers are the same.
Ingrid Brennan -- October 2013
ERWC Workshop
READING
• Reading activities lead students through multiple
readings of each text.
• Generally speaking, students are guided to read “with
the grain” the first time and then “against the grain”
thereafter.
• In this foundational module, students are solely guided in
reading “with the grain”.
• Reading activities help students:
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comprehend the text(s).
acquire vocabulary.
analyze content/argument.
identify aspects of writing style.
recognize structure.
Ingrid Brennan -- October 2013
ERWC Workshop
ACTIVITY 11: CONSIDERING THE
STRUCTURE OF THE TEXT
• Now that you have read Colvin’s “What It Takes to Be
Great”, go back and reread it.
• Using a highlighter or pencil, mark and label the
following on the article itself:
• Where you think the article’s introduction ends
• Where Colvin notes the question researchers wanted to answer
(the problem they wanted to solve) by studying great
performers
• Where Colvin shares the researchers’ findings/conclusions
• The “elite performers” Colvin includes as evidence
• Where you think the article’s conclusion begins
• Then, exchange your copy with a partner and
compare/contrast your labeling. Go back and make
any changes to your markings.
Ingrid Brennan -- October 2013
ERWC Workshop
POSTREADING
• Postreading activities are designed to guide students
through a critical analysis of the text(s) by asking them
to:
• think critically.
• identify strengths and weaknesses in the text.
• recognize arguments and counterarguments, or the lack
thereof.
• formulate their own opinions.
• Generally, these assignments take students through the
process of reading “against the grain.”
• For this foundational module, students are instead being
asked to build their proficiency in listening to the text.
Deeper critical reading will come in later modules.
Ingrid Brennan -- October 2013
ERWC Workshop
ACTIVITY 13: THINKING CRITICALLY
• You will now be divided into three groups. Work with
your group to answer your assigned questions. If you
finish early, answer some of the other questions. Be
prepared to share your answers with the class.
• As groups share their answers, write down their
responses on your own handout. These questions
and answers should go into your folder with the
other work you are doing with Colvin’s article.
Ingrid Brennan -- October 2013
ERWC Workshop
REFLECTING
• Looking back on your experience with the sample
Prereading, Reading, and Postreading activities,
and considering your own students, spend some
time individually or in groups answering the
following questions.
• How would these types of activities help your students?
• How would these types of activities present your students
with challenges – logistically, academically, behaviorally?
• How would you have to provide extra scaffolding for some
students/classes?
• How would you have to increase rigor for some
students/classes?
Ingrid Brennan -- October 2013
ERWC Workshop