Text Code Key

As many of you probably know, the concept of metacognitive active reading - more specifically annotations - is abuzz in the education world. In an earlier post, we shared an activity that included using text codes an annotations to monitor thinking while analyzing poetry, spoken word, and songs.

This upcoming school year we are introducing text codes up front. Students will be introduced to the concept of annotations (we are beginning with sixth graders) with a guided lesson that delivers instruction through modeling. We will first present the Text Code Key (a poster will hang in the room and each student will receive a copy of the key to which they can refer when they use the strategy independently).

Click to view. Make a copy to edit.

Next, students will be introduced to the Vale MS Article of the Week. Because we are approaching the curriculum thematically, the classes will be assigned one AoW on a topic related to the essential question(s) each week for the duration of the unit.

I like to use a projector and write on the white board (an older-style projector or any projection camera device will work), so for modeling the text coding strategy I will project a digital copy. All students will have copies of the article and we will preview the text and conduct a shared reading of the article. This allows students to hear how I make connections and ask questions about the text as I read and encourages them to do the same using their personal background knowledge.

During Reading:  Using the text codes from the key, I will draw the text code in the text and make a note to accompany that code in the margin (space is provided on the article handout). You can set a minimum of codes/annotations for students to make, but it's about quality not quantity.

Students volunteer to share their thinking, and this encourages an analytical conversation. The rest of the Article of the Week assignments (embedded responses) will be done independently for classwork or homework, or can be done in pairs. 

This strategy can work with any genre of text. It incorporates several strategies, including analyzing word choice, purpose, and perspective, as well and making inferences and drawing conclusions based on explicit, implicit, and background information.

As always, please feel free to Make a Copy in Google Doc, adapt, and share!

Close Reading with "Thank You, Ma'am"

I may be behind the curve, but I am so excited to have been introduced to Kylene Beers's Notice and Note Signposts close reading strategies! 
No, I don't have the students use sticky notes to post all over a text - but I so think the "look fors" are wonderfully effective for close reading.
With my seventh and eighth-graders, we did a "cold read" of Langston Hughes's very short story, "Thank You, Ma'am" (after viewing a presentation and taking brief notes on each signpost). We did a second - close - read of the text with the graphic organizer below. Instead of asking why the signpost (event) is important, I found it more effective to ask students to make an inference, draw a conclusion, or make a prediction about either the future events of the story, the character, or the impact on the plot, conflict, or theme. 
It was great! The students were engaged, knew clearly what their goals were for the close read, and were able to analyze and understand the text much more deeply than with any other fiction reading strategy I have tried.
Have you tried this strategy? I'm excited to hear about other texts that teachers have tried with the signposts and what kind of graphic organizers you've adapted that work for students! Please share!

Click here for strategy handout.

Making Connections

While the KWL Chart can be a great teaching and learning tool, it doesn't always suffice for individual learning. I created this tool for making connections before, during, and after reading. I like the idea of students generating questions once they have gathered new information.


Try it out with your students!

Disney Pixar's "Up" Inference Activity

This is a great activity for students to apply what they know about body language, music, and setting to draw conclusions about what is happening this movie clip.

There is a silent montage in "Up" that begins with Ellie and Carl's wedding and takes viewers through the hardships they experience together, as well as Carl's life when Ellie is gone.

This is a great movie, and the scenes evoke many different emotions.

You may want to go introduce the activity, watch the clip (available on YouTube), review the questions, then watch the clip again. It's interesting to see how the student responses differ based on their background knowledge.

Download the PDF here: