Session 1 Access Prior Knowledge About Your Topic Before Reading
Reading Workshop at a Glance Minilesson 8–10 min.
Researchers learn that to learn about a topic, it helps to first bring what you know about the topic to the front of your mind. Students learn how to make concept maps, organized by subtopics, such as parts, kinds, and life cycle, to capture what they already know. Students are reminded that when researching a new topic, it helps to first read an accessible, start-here text that orients them to the big concepts and key vocabulary of their topic. Students work in research groups to begin studying a topic related to plants. Groups begin by using sticky notes to create a concept map, and then students read start-here texts from their text sets to better understand the big concepts and key vocabulary of their topic. Students meet in research groups and share what they have learned, talking about how their new learning connects with their prior knowledge.
Mid-Workshop Teaching 3 min.
Work Time 25–30 min.
Share 5–7 min.
Focus Standards z Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for answers. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.1 z Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse part- ners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY. SL.3.1
GETTING READY
YOU WILL NEED… z sticky notes, as well as a large sheet of paper to create a concept map. z the text set you’ll model with: The Forest Keeper: The True Story of Jadav Payeng by Rina Singh, Plants in Different Habitats by Bobbie Kalman, Pretty Tricky: The Sneaky Ways Plants Survive by Etta Kaner, and Redwoods by Jason Chin. z to mark Plants in Different Habitats , with a “start here!” sticky note, signaling that it offers an accessible over- view. z to begin an anchor chart titled “Nonfiction Readers Research New Topics,” and add new sticky notes.
STUDENTS WILL NEED… z to be divided into groups of four students, ideally two partnerships. You will probably want to partner students who can read roughly similar texts. z a research bin, filled with the texts they’ll read across Bend I. We’ve provided recommended topics and text sets. The bin should include multiple copies of at least two start-here texts. z sticky notes. z a large sheet of chart paper to create a concept map, one chart per group. z markers and other art supplies so they can label their meeting spot (their “treehouse”) and dress up their concept map.
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Bend I • Strengthen Nonfiction Research Skills: Researching Plants
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