1. Boost Student Comprehension in Any Content Area:
The Framing Routine
Kara Krohn
Education Program Consultant
Iowa Department of Education
Bureau of Teaching and Learning Services

2. A women with multiple roles who enjoys life to the fullest.
The FRAME Routine
Key Topic
Main idea
is about…
So What? (What’s important to understand about this?)
Essential details
Kara Krohn
A women with multiple roles who enjoys life to the fullest.
A wife
A mother
An educator
daughter, Marah
husband, Barry
taught for 16 years
married on the beach in St. Lucia
2 step children, Jessica and Spencer
Trainer at Heartland AEA
golf
family dinners once a month
Drake adjunct professor
Consultant, IA DE
ride Harleys
Kara Krohn is busy women who balances her many roles with fun activities which often include her family.

3. Z

4. I hope it is during an in-service,
When I die,
I hope it is during an in-service,
the transition would be so subtle.

5. What will be covered today?
What challenges do teachers and students face today?
What is the Center for Research on Learning (CRL)?
What is the Strategic Instruction Model (SIM)?
What is the Framing Routine?
Why would the Frame be beneficial for my students?
What does a Frame look like in action?
How can I make a Frame for my content?

6. The challenges our students face:

7. The challenges our students face:
Cultural differences
Economic issues
Information Age
Learning challenges
Variety of text structures
Find information quickly
Perform on a variety of tests
Study skills for all of it

8. Expectations of Students
Read and analyze large amounts of information
Listen to lectures and take notes
Actively participate in discussions
Complete a variety of types of assignments
Express themselves in writing on assignments and tests
Memorize and store information for tests
Take a variety of types of tests

12. Information Explosion/ Instructional Time Dilemma
Content
Time
1960
1980
2000

13. How Times Have Changed From 1900 to 1910, we added  nutrition
 immunization, and
 health to the list of school responsibilities.

14. There’s More From 1920 to 1940, we added  vocational education
 the practical arts
 business education
 speech and drama
 half day kindergarten
 Phys. Ed. Including organized athletics, and
 school lunch programs

15. And More… In the 1960’s, we added  Advanced Placement programs
 consumer education
 career education
 peace education
 leisure education, and
 recreation education

16. And more… In the 1980’s, the floodgates open, and we add
 keyboarding and computer education
 global education
 ethnic education
 multicultural/ non-sexist education
 English-as-a-second-language, and bilingual education
 early childhood education
 Jump Start, Early Start, Even Start, and Prime Start
 full day kindergarten
 pre-school programs for children at-risk
 after school programs for children of working parents
 alternative education in all its forms
 stranger/danger education
 anti-smoking education
 sexual abuse prevention education
 health and psychological services are expanded, and
 child abuse monitoring becomes a legal requirement for all teachers

17. And more… And finally, in the 1990’s, we have added
 HIV/AIDS education
 death education
 expanded computer and Internet education
 inclusion
 Tech Prep and School to work programs
 gang education (in urban centers)
 bus safety education
 bicycle safety education
 gun safety education
And in most states we have not added a single minute to the school calendar in five decades!

18. The ________ Factor
The single most important aspect of the success or failure in student achievement is the ________in that classroom. More than any other factor, it was found that the _______ can and will make the ultimate difference.
(Pressley, Snow, Allington, 2001)

19. Content vs. Understanding
"If it weren't for students impeding our progress in our race to the end of the term, we could certainly be sure of covering the material. The question, however, is not whether we as teachers can get to the end of the text or the end of the term, but whether our students are with us on that journey."
Pat Cross, Director
Classroom Research Project
University of California, Berkley

20. Stop and Think…
What is one thing that has resonated with you so far about the challenges and expectations of teachers and/or students in today’s world?
Share with a partner.

21. The Center for Research on Learning
Founded in 1978
Mission: Dramatically improve the performance of at-risk adolescents through research-based interventions
International training network
$100+million in contracted R & D

22. The Big Picture
(SIM)

23. Rigorous Standards Certified trainers only Appealing for teachers
Valuable to students
Powerful for low achievers
Significant gains
Transfers to other settings

26. Student Improvement: Content Enhancement Routines

27. What is the Framing Routine?
A visual device that:
Helps students learn, understand and recall key information and associate essential details
Helps student focus on the relationships between main ideas and details
Helps students summarize what’s important
Can be used to take notes about a key topic

28. How is the FRAME different than a web?

29. Titanic lessons from a disaster
© Edwin Ellis
Lesson: Don’t believe it because somebody said it
Newspaper article:” Titanic largest and fastest, so it’s probably unsinkable”
Fewer lifeboats = more attractive ship = more people buying tickets
Used cheaper steel (thin & brittle, 1 hull) so ship would not cost as much
Owners liked “unsinkable” idea, so they encouraged people to believe it
Fastest ship = more tickets sold = taking great risks in ice burg zone
When a myth is treated as a truth, people fool selves
Putting profit over safety = great loss of life
Lesson: Safety always produces greatest profit in the long run
Builders began to believe the myth; took short-cuts
Titanic lessons from a disaster
how a great ship sinking led to important lessons that changed
Are wealthy people more valuable?
society
Rich were given priority over poor for spaces on lifeboats
Lesson: All human life is equally valuable, regardless of wealth
Cabins closest to deck = most expensive = rich reach lifeboats 1st
Many of the poorer people were locked below so they couldn’t escape
A great disaster can cause society to examine its values and practices so improvements can be made to save future lives

30. Which would you rather have?
© Edwin Ellis
So what? What is important to understand about this?
Titanic lessons from a disaster
is about …
how a great ship sinking led to important lessons that changed society
When a myth is treated as a truth, people fool selves
Putting profit over safety = great loss of life
Are wealthy people more valuable?
Newspaper article:” Titanic largest and fastest, so it’s probably unsinkable”
Used cheaper steel (thin & brittle, 1 hull) so ship would not cost as much
Cabins closest to deck = most expensive = rich reach lifeboats 1st
Owners liked “unsinkable” idea, so they encouraged people to believe it
Fewer lifeboats = more attractive ship = more people buying tickets
Rich were given priority over poor for spaces on lifeboats
Which would you rather have?
Fastest ship = more tickets sold = taking great risks in ice burg zone
Many of the poorer people were locked below so they couldn’t escape
Builders began to believe the myth; took short-cuts
Lesson: Safety always produces greatest profit in the long run
Lesson: All human life is equally valuable, regardless of wealth
Lesson: Don’t believe it because somebody said it
A great disaster can cause society to examine its values and practices so improvements can be made to save future lives

31. © Edwin Ellis 8

32. America’s involvement in world affairs
© Edwin Ellis
So what? What is important to understand about this?
is about …
America’s involvement in world affairs
Protecting American Neutrality
Road to War
War of 1812
Expansion of sea trade with other nations
War hawks promote nationalism
War hawks desire to control Canada
American ships attacked by France & Great Britain
Native Americans relations worsen as settlers move westward
British burn Washington, D.C.
Embargo Act
Battle of Tippecanoe
Andrew Jackson’s Victory in New Orleans
Non-intercourse Act
War declared against Great Britain
Treaty of Ghent

33. © Edwin Ellis
So what? What is important to understand about this?
Foreign policy
is about …
America’s involvement in world affairs
Protecting American Neutrality
Road to War
War of 1812
Expansion of sea trade with other nations
War hawks promote nationalism
War hawks desire to control Canada
American ships attacked by France & Great Britain
Native Americans relations worsen as settlers move westward
British burn Washington, D.C.
Andrew Jackson’s Victory in New Orleans
Embargo Act
Battle of Tippecanoe
Treaty of Ghent
Non-intercourse Act
War declared against Great Britain
First time the US truly started acting like an independent country that refused to be abused by other countries.

34. Supporting Research
Researched intended for intermediate and secondary classes
Teachers can learn the routine easily
Student learning gains were observed by teachers and researchers.
Students’ writing fluency increased dramatically. Students wrote on average 96 more words on post-test writing tasks; ideation significantly more coherent; mechanical errors reduced significantly.

35. Supporting Research Results were achieved when teachers:
received 2-3 hours of instruction
discussed the routine with colleagues
spent the necessary time to plan and use it
taught students how to use the routine
used the routine regularly over time

36. The FRAME Routine Essential details
Key Topic
Main idea
is about…
So What? (What’s important to understand about this?)
Essential details

37. Linking Steps Focus on the topic Reveal the main ideas
Analyze the details
Make a “so what” statement
Extend understanding

38. A women with multiple roles who enjoys life to the fullest.
The FRAME Routine
Key Topic
Main idea
is about…
So What? (What’s important to understand about this?)
Essential details
Kara Krohn
A women with multiple roles who enjoys life to the fullest.
A wife a mother an educator
husband, Barry
Married on beach, St.Lucia
Golf
Ride Harleys
daughter, Marah
2 step children,
Jessica & Spencer
Family dinners 1X
a month
taught for 16 years
Heartland AEA
Drake adjunct professor
Consultant, IA DE
Kara Krohn is busy women who balances her many roles with fun activities which often include her family.

39. Our turn (We do) Read the article entitled Sleep.
When you are finished please look at me.
We will then co-construct a frame.

40. The FRAME Routine people need good sleep to be healthy
Getting 8 hours of good sleep with both NREM & REM each night is
necessary for our physical and mental health.
Sleep
Most need 8 hours
Most get 7 hours
1/3 of Americans
Get 6 hours
Non-rapid eye movement
Body growth/repair
Rapid eye movement
Restores brain
Need both kinds to
Be healthy
NREM = most time 75%
REM = 25% time
Puts people at risk
(you and others)
Less alert, tired -
Accidents-car, space shuttle
Valdez, Chernobyl
Loss of $ due to illness
And accidents in
workplace
Illness - colds, flu
amount
types
Effects of
lack of sleep
The FRAME Routine
Key Topic
Main idea
is about…
So What? (What’s important to understand about this?)
Essential details

41. Focus on the topic: The name of the key topic being studied.
Non-rapid eye movement
Body growth/repair
amount
types
The FRAME Routine
Key Topic
Main idea
is about…
So What? (What’s important to understand about this?)
Essential details
Focus on the topic:
The name of the key topic
being studied.

42. Focus on the topic: “IS ABOUT” STATEMENT A brief explanation of what
Sleep
Non-rapid eye movement
Body growth/repair
Rapid eye movement
Restores brain
The FRAME Routine
Key Topic
Main idea
is about…
So What? (What’s important to understand about this?)
Essential details
Focus on the topic:
“IS ABOUT” STATEMENT
A brief explanation of what
the key topic is about.

43. Non-rapid eye movement
Sleep
Most need 8 hours
Most get 7 hours
1/3 of Americans
Get 6 hours
Non-rapid eye movement
Body growth/repair
Rapid eye movement
Restores brain
Need both kinds to
Be healthy
NREM = most time 75%
REM = 25% time
The FRAME Routine
Key Topic
Main idea
is about…
So What? (What’s important to understand about this?)
Essential details
Reveal the main ideas:
The main ideas behind the key topic.
-subtopics
-brief phrases of the key topic
-items that are sequentially related

44. people need good sleep to be healthy
The FRAME Routine
Key Topic
Main idea
is about…
So What? (What’s important to understand about this?)
Essential details
Analyze the details:
Details that are essential for students to
know and remember about each main idea.

45. Make a “So What?” statement:
Non-rapid eye movement
Body growth/repair
Rapid eye movement
Restores brain
NREM = most time 75%
REM = 25% time
Puts people at risk
(you and others)
Illness - colds, flu
amount
types
Effects of
lack of sleep
The FRAME Routine
Key Topic
Main idea
is about…
So What? (What’s important to understand about this?)
Essential details
A statement designed to help students connect
what is really critical to understand about the
unit of study.
Make a “So What?” statement:

46. Extend understanding:
Non-rapid eye movement
Body growth/repair
Rapid eye movement
Restores brain
Need both kinds to
Be healthy
NREM = most time 75%
REM = 25% time
Puts people at risk
(you and others)
Less alert, tired -
Accidents-car, space shuttle
Valdez, Chernobyl
Loss of $ due to illness
And accidents in
workplace
Illness - colds, flu
amount
types
Effects of
lack of sleep
The FRAME Routine
Key Topic
Main idea
is about…
So What? (What’s important to understand about this?)
Essential details
Teacher facilitates the evaluation of the new
information with the students and intentionally
guides students to connect all the pieces of
information in the Frame.
Extend understanding:

47. EXAMPLE- EXTEND UNDERSTANDING:
people need good sleep to be healthy
Getting 8 hours of good sleep with both NREM & REM each night is
necessary for our physical and mental health.
Sleep
Most need 8 hours
Most get 7 hours
1/3 of Americans
Get 6 hours
Non-rapid eye movement
Body growth/repair
Rapid eye movement
Restores brain
Need both kinds to
Be healthy
NREM = most time 75%
REM = 25% time
Puts people at risk
(you and others)
Less alert, tired -
Accidents-car, space shuttle
Valdez, Chernobyl
Loss of $ due to illness
And accidents in
workplace
Illness - colds, flu
amount
types
Effects of
lack of sleep
The FRAME Routine
Key Topic
Main idea
is about…
So What? (What’s important to understand about this?)
Essential details
EXAMPLE- EXTEND UNDERSTANDING:
How does the AMOUNT of sleep a person gets effect
the TYPES of sleep attained each night?

48. EXAMPLE- EXTEND UNDERSTANDING: Which of these factors
people need good sleep to be healthy
Getting 8 hours of good sleep with both NREM & REM each night is
necessary for our physical and mental health.
Sleep
Most need 8 hours
Most get 7 hours
1/3 of Americans
Get 6 hours
Non-rapid eye movement
Body growth/repair
Rapid eye movement
Restores brain
Need both kinds to
Be healthy
NREM = most time 75%
REM = 25% time
Puts people at risk
(you and others)
Less alert, tired -
Accidents-car, space shuttle
Valdez, Chernobyl
Loss of $ due to illness
And accidents in
workplace
Illness - colds, flu
amount
types
Effects of
lack of sleep
The FRAME Routine
Key Topic
Main idea
is about…
So What? (What’s important to understand about this?)
Essential details
EXAMPLE- EXTEND
UNDERSTANDING:
Which of these factors
has the greatest impact
on students?
family members?
businesses?
Rank order them in
terms of
MOST-to-LEAST
impact

49. EXAMPLE- EXTEND UNDERSTANDING: Write an article for the
people need good sleep to be healthy
Getting 8 hours of good sleep with both NREM & REM each night is
necessary for our physical and mental health.
Sleep
Most need 8 hours
Most get 7 hours
1/3 of Americans
Get 6 hours
Non-rapid eye movement
Body growth/repair
Rapid eye movement
Restores brain
Need both kinds to
Be healthy
NREM = most time 75%
REM = 25% time
Puts people at risk
(you and others)
Less alert, tired -
Accidents-car, space shuttle
Valdez, Chernobyl
Loss of $ due to illness
And accidents in
workplace
Illness - colds, flu
amount
types
Effects of
lack of sleep
The FRAME Routine
Key Topic
Main idea
is about…
So What? (What’s important to understand about this?)
Essential details
EXAMPLE- EXTEND
UNDERSTANDING:
Write an article for the
school newspaper
that explains how good sleep can increase a student’s academic and
extra-curricular performance
levels.

50. Remember… The Frame Routine helps students…
develop a more thorough understanding of important information associated with key topics and main ideas.
learn the information because it is a concrete representation of abstract ideas.
to focus on the relationships between main ideas and details as well as among several main ideas.
become strategic learners, capable of creatively and effectively processing information.

51. To be successful… The Frame Routine must be…
explicitly introduced to students
used regularly
adapted to meet unique needs
integrated over time with other routines
an interactive device all students can construct
designed for students to use independently

52. FRAMING ROUTINE
Get Ready!
Get Set!
Go!
Win!

53. GET READY! Choosing when to use the routine:
Typically used to understand a considerable body of content that has particular significance within the unit of study
Any time students need to understand the organization or structure of information and the relationships between those pieces of information

54. Collect ideas and materials…
Think about a topic/concept you teach…
Jot down the key/main ideas
Add the essential details needed
Consider ideas for extending student learning

55. Construct a Draft
Design or find a frame that best fits your information

66. Your turn- You do Alone or with a partner(s)
Select a topic or content area to develop a frame on
Possible ideas: Your building, Reality TV shows, beer, sports, one about you …

68. Focus on the topic - Significant event or time period
Sleep
The FRAME Routine
Key Topic
Main idea
is about…
So What? (What’s important to understand about this?)
Essential details
Focus on the topic
- Significant event or time period
- A famous person
-Key, important large idea

69. Add the “Is about …” statement
Sleep
The FRAME Routine
Key Topic
Main idea
is about…
So What? (What’s important to understand about this?)
Essential details
why people need good sleep to be healthy.
Add the “Is about …” statement
Provides a brief explanation or
paraphrase of the overall topic
Captures the gist of the
whole lesson
Should be in easily
understood language

70. Reveal the “Main ideas”
Sleep
The FRAME Routine
Key Topic
Main idea
is about…
So What? (What’s important to understand about this?)
Essential details
why people need good sleep to be healthy.
effects of
lack of sleep
amount
type
Reveal the “Main ideas”
-Components of an idea
-Reasons why things happen
-Significance of a famous person
-Important ages, stages, phrases
-Characteristics of a process
Ask yourself:
“A year from now, if my students only
remember (three) things about this topic,
what should they be?

71. Analyze the “Essential Details” effects of amount type lack of sleep
The FRAME Routine
Key Topic
Main idea
is about…
So What? (What’s important to understand about this?)
Essential details
people need good sleep to be healthy.
effects of
lack of sleep
amount
type
Analyze the
“Essential Details”
Should be the information that is
absolutely necessary to know in
order to understand the main idea
Does not include trivia!
Helps students focus on what is
important to remember

72. Nothing in education is so astonishing as the amount of ignorance it accumulates in the form of inert facts Henry Adams

73. Essential details: List on Frame and test
Queen of Spain financed trip in
order to spread Christian gospel
Columbus was Italian, but
couldn’t get Italy to finance trip
Martin Pizon, captain and owner of
Pinta, tried to beat Columbus
back to Spain & claim credit
Nina, Pinta, & Santa Maria
(Santa Maria sank)
Columbus discovers the
New World
Main idea
Essential details
Essential detail
Clarifying detail
Cultural expected trivia
Specialized or esoteric trivia
Essential details: List on Frame and test
Clarifying details: Don’t list/don’t test
Cultural trivia: List on Frame and test
Esoteric trivia: Don’t list/don’t test

74. Make a “So what?’ statement May be an overall summary
people need good sleep to be healthy
Sleep
Most need 8 hours
Most get 7 hours
1/3 of Americans
Get 6 hours
Non-rapid eye movement
Body growth/repair
Rapid eye movement
Restores brain
Need both kinds to
Be healthy
NREM = most time 75%
REM = 25% time
Puts people at risk
(you and others)
Less alert, tired -
Accidents-car, space shuttle
Valdez, Chernobyl
Loss of $ due to illness
And accidents in
workplace
Illness - colds, flu
amount
types
Effects of
lack of sleep
The FRAME Routine
Key Topic
Main idea
is about…
So What? (What’s important to understand about this?)
Essential details
May be an overall summary
May connect the topic to a real-world context
or to a problem to be understood or solved
May identify applications or implications
of the topic
Make a
“So what?’
statement
Getting 8 hours of good sleep with both NREM & REM each night is
necessary for our physical and mental health.

75. Extend understanding of the information!! The FRAME Routine Sleep
people need good sleep to be healthy
Getting 8 hours of good sleep with both NREM & REM each night is
necessary for our physical and mental health.
Sleep
Most need 8 hours
Most get 7 hours
1/3 of Americans
Get 6 hours
Non-rapid eye movement
Body growth/repair
Rapid eye movement
Restores brain
Need both kinds to
Be healthy
NREM = most time 75%
REM = 25% time
Puts people at risk
(you and others)
Less alert, tired -
Accidents-car, space shuttle
Valdez, Chernobyl
Loss of $ due to illness
And accidents in
workplace
Illness - colds, flu
amount
types
Effects of
lack of sleep
The FRAME Routine
Key Topic
Main idea
is about…
So What? (What’s important to understand about this?)
Essential details
Extend understanding
of the information!!

76. Extend Understanding Prioritize main ideas and/or details and discuss
Most/least important to understanding
Most/least impact on people/event
Most/least controversial
Most/least understood
Most/least surprising

77. Extend Understanding…
Speculate what might have happened if…
Changed the sequence of events
Never happened
Could change one thing

78. Extend Understanding…
Forecast, predict, or anticipate
What happened next
How did people react to it

79. Extend Understanding…
Connect to other main ideas
What do the main ideas have in common with each other?
How are they related to previous ideas?
How are they related to past experiences?
How will this impact your life?

80. GET SET!!
Introduce the Frame Routine to your students for the first time:
Set expectations for students
Model
Co-construct

81. GO!! Making the Frame Routine a regular part of your instruction
Expect it to be used correctly and completely
Vary the use of the routine
Slowly release responsibility to students
Always facilitate the “extend understanding” step
Regularly evaluate/reflect on effectiveness

82. WIN!!
The teachers who make the biggest difference in education today are those who are committed to a process of continual professional growth and development. The challenges of the teaching profession are enormous.The key to addressing them, in large measure, is in the hands of teachers who are willing to try new ways of teaching and reaching students. (Edwin Ellis)

83. Teachers win… Improved student learning of content ideas
Efficient manipulation of information
Organized and purposeful lessons
System of collegial support
Confidence as routine becomes effective
Increased rigor and relevance of curriculum

84. Students win… Confidence in learning power Improved grades
Relevance/value in learning concepts
Critical thinking skills improve
Efficient manipulation of information

85. Beware of the pitfalls Frames don’t have to be prepared before class.
Students don’t need to be involved in construction.
Students will automatically see the advantages of using a Frame.
If I don’t get it right the first time, I won’t ever get it.

86. Vary the routine Brainstorm activity “KEW” routine Anticipation guide
Fill-in-the-blanks
Framing themes
Post-instruction construction
Guess what?

87. The Framing Routine is about…
Key Topic
Key Topic
The Framing Routine
is about…
a two dimensional graphic organizer that allows the teacher to display important info related to a targeted key topic.
Main idea
Focus on the Topic
Main idea
Main idea
Reveal Main Ideas
Main idea
Main idea
Main idea
Analyze Details
Main idea
Main idea
Main idea
Main idea
Make a “So What” Statement
Main idea
Extend Understanding
Main idea
Essential details Essential details Essential details Essential details Essential details
Name the topic/explain it
Intro main idea
Generate a
“So What”
Facilitate eval of new info
Specify/discuss essential details
Examine how topic is related to unit
Activate prior knowledge
Overview of how ideas are related
Discuss non-essentials
May rank importance by #’s
Provide rationale for learning
Students reflect on connections
So What? (What’s important to understand about this?)
The Framing Routine helps teachers visually organize important information for and with students.

88. Thank you!!!
???