I'm trying an experiment: I created a summer reading assignment of "partnered" books -- one non fiction and a fiction set in the same time period i.e. for seventh grade Fever 1793 and Jim Murphy's Yellow Fever. I chose the books knowng what was on their curriculum calendars for each grade. I'm hoping that the entire summer reading experience will "front load" one part of the curriculum for the upcoming year. So even if the kids choose to "reread" a text, they will still be involved in a learning experience. I don't know how the nonfiction reading will go. I'm optimistic, though, as usual.
Maureen Robins Literacy Coach NYC On 7/2/07, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > What does he do with the article? This year about 1/3 of my students had > tons of background knowledge, and the rest would just say, "I don't > understand" about any outside information I brought in. They did not seem > to try to understand articles I supplied. > > When I had students bring in their own articles to discuss (thinking that if > they picked an article, they would be more interested), they read the > article out loud to the class instead of discussing the content! > > > -------------- Original message ---------------------- > From: "Bill IVEY" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > Hi! > > > > In a free moment, I decided to click on a podcast by Kelly Gallagher at > > Stenhouse. > > http://www.stenhouse.com/gallagher.mp3 > > It's short, just under four minutes long, and it's about him reflecting on > > the year, and how he wants to improve for next year. He wants to focus on > > getting his kids to do a lot more reading and writing in the real world - > > newspapers, magazines, speeches, etc. He also speaks of his students' lack > > of background knowledge and how that affects their comprehension. > > > > One thing he talks about is bringing in an article of the week. Does > > anyone do this? > > > > What would be good ways of building background knowledge in our students? > > > > Take care, > > Bill Ivey > > Stoneleigh-Burnham School > > > > _______________________________________________ > The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive > _______________________________________________ The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive
