LESSON THREE: Making Connections Continues
LESSON DESCRIPTION
Night in the Country by Cynthia Rylant is read aloud to students. Students begin to make connections independently.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS
R1I Identify connections between text ideas-similarities and differences in information and relationships in various fiction and nonfiction works; text ideas and own experiences; text ideas and the world, with assistance.
LESSON MATERIALS
§ Sources of literature
o Night in the Country by Cynthia Rylant
§ Supplies
o Independent reading books
§ Handouts provided
§ Words to know
o fiction
o nonfiction
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Teacher observation, T-chart worksheet
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1. Read Night in the Country by Cynthia Rylant aloud. Model making connections (prepare for this strategy ahead of time). Ask students to share their own connections as the read-aloud continues.
2. Tell students they will make connections on their own while reading their independently.
3. Model how to use the T-chart. (“Information in Text” / “Remind Me Of.”) Student use the T-chart to record connections as they read their independent reading books.
4. Students read independently. Circulate around the room conferring with students and making anecdotal records and focusing on their connections.
5. Students return to the whole group setting. Student share connections made while reading independently.
6. Tell students to ask this question while making connections: does the connection I made help me understand what I am reading? Encourage students to continue making connections as they read other kinds of text.