It really is just what it says. The teacher writes sentences about the topic the kids will be studying...for example, before we began our science unit on the sun and moon I wrote ten "facts" that I know will be important concepts ... but the catch is some of the facts I write are false and some are true. The kids must access their prior knowledge and make connections to help them guess if they think the fact is true or false. Then we review each sentence.... they must answer with a "two-fisted reply " (a Jim Cunningham quote) That means they tell their guess plus why they guessed that way. Because it is a guessing game, and because students review answers with their schema lots of important learning happens even before you read a single word in the text. It is a great way to get conversations and schema started as well as an easy structure to help kids confirm or modify thinking... by listening to the observations and memories of others. Because it is guessing the pressure is off. My first graders like this so much more than a K-W-L chart even though it essentially does the same thing. There's lots of modifications too. Kids can guess in partners, at power tables etc. then as the unit progresses and we begin reading and learning the true facts, kids correct their guesses and write the text page, draw the illustration, note the speaker who helped them modify or confirm their thinking. Four Blocks is filled with activities that demonstrate the comprehension strategies. Look on the internet for more... I have been using the 4 blocks framework for years now. It works with any text, in any curriculum area, and combines easily with any other approach or guru. _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org.
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