An Exploration of Text Sets: Supporting All Readers

Materials and Technology

Student Interactives

Printouts

Websites

Preparation

 

MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY

• 5–7 containers and labels
  
  
• 5-7 large sheets of butcher paper, approximately 3'x3'
  
  
• 5-7 sets of large point felt markers
  
  
• Transparencies and overhead projector
  
  
• Inquiry/research journals (optional)
  
  
• Stopwatch or timer (optional)
  
  
• Text Set: China Then and Now
  
  
• Creating Text Sets for Your Classroom

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STUDENT INTERACTIVES

Grades   K – 12  |  Student Interactive  |  Writing & Publishing Prose

Letter Generator

The Letter Generator is a useful tool for students to learn the parts of a business or friendly letter and then compose and print letters for both styles of correspondence.

 

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PRINTOUTS

Sharing from Graffiti Boards Learning Assessment

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WEBSITES

• KidsClick!
• Yahoo! Kids
• Ask Kids
• Awesome Library
• Smithsonian: Museums
• Library of Congress

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PREPARATION

• Think about how you would organize text sets in your own classroom. The November 2002 English Journal article "Blending Multiple Genres in Theme Baskets" gives readers some insight into how such sets can be organized in a secondary classroom.
  
  
• Read the Creating Text Sets for Your Classroom guide which includes additional information on creating and arranging text sets.
  
  
• Gather appropriate materials for the text sets in your class (e.g., containers, labels) as well as markers and butcher paper.
  
  
• Prepare yourself for this lesson by assembling your own text set. Model the process by choosing a concept that interests you and for which you will later have a purpose. If you'll be roofing your house this summer, make that a focus! If you've always wanted to develop a unit on the Harlem Renaissance, now is your chance. A sample text set on China: Then & Now has been compiled for this lesson. It is not meant to be duplicated, but to serve as an illustration of the range of resources that can be included.
  
  
• Create sign-up sheets for the groups, so that all you have to add is the topics that students have selected for their projects.
  
  
• Schedule the sessions, including time for you and for your students to visit the library. The project works well when begun on a Thursday (Session One) and followed up with library time on Friday (Session Two). Following this structure, students have their text sets gathered early in the following week and can spend the remainder of the week exploring the reading strategies in this lesson plan (Sessions Three through Five).
  
  
• Test the Letter Generator student interactive on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tool and ensure that you have the Flash plug-in installed. You can download the plug-in from the technical support page.
  
  
• Prepare text and overheads for Session Four, which focuses on the second reading strategy, Browsing for Key Information, developed by Carolyn Burke. This strategy helps students process longer or denser texts, such as encyclopedias or nonfiction written above their independent reading level. If one of the text sets contains such a text, use it for the teacher demonstration part of this lesson. If not, you will need to locate such a text that contains information that addresses the students' questions. Copy at least 4–8 pages of the text onto transparencies. If you would like students to work with the same information midway through the lesson, make paper copies for them as well.

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