Crossing the Bridge of Comprehension Literary Essay

Crossing the Bridge of Comprehension Big Understanding: Students will distinguish the main idea from less important details in the text in order to determine importance and determine key words and main ideas essential to making meaning in a selection.

KBAD monitor your stamina. Day 1

Monitor Stamina Stamina: endurance, how much you are able to read at one time By the fifth grade you should be able to sit and read for at least 30 minutes without stopping You monitor your stamina by writing down how many pages you've read in your reading log

Turn and Talk What can you do to push yourself as a reader?

KBAD check-in on your logs and reading responses. Day 2

Logs and Reading Responses What should you see in a reading response notebook? How many pages you've read How long it took you to finish a book Reading responses that use quotes from your book Books from different genres

Turn and Talk If you looked into your partner's reading response notebook what should you see?

KBAD understand expectations for book clubs. Day 3

Book Club Expectations Complete each night's reading assignment You come to class prepared to talk about the book You've answered all questions You have a question to ask the group

Turn and Talk How will you know if you are ready for a book club meeting?

KBAD determine main idea and details. Day 4

Main Idea and Details The main idea gives the "big picture" of the text Details give the little bits of information that expand on the main idea

On Friday, July 8, NASA sent the space shuttle Atlantis into outer space for the last time. America is ending the groundbreaking space shuttle program after 30 years, and Atlantis is the last of NASA's shuttles to launch into space. Officials estimate that as many as almost one million spectators were there to watch America’s last shuttle soar into space.

Turn and Talk What is one detail from this passage?

KBAD respond in different ways while supporting your opinions. Day 5

Responding with Opinions When you complete a reading response it is okay to include your opinion After you finish your summary you can add your opinion about what you have read

Turn and Talk When is it important to share your opinion?

KBAD checking in to make sure our books are just right. Day 6

Just Right Books Within your ZPD range There are two or three new words in each chapter You can describe the genre and identify the theme of the book

Turn and Talk How do you know if you're reading a just right book?

KBAD find evidence to support point of view. Day 7

Point of View Point of view: a character's attitude or perspective You can find examples of a character's point of view by looking at what they say (dialogue) and what they do (actions)

Turn and Talk How would you describe your main character's attitude?

KBAD compare themes between texts. Day 8

Identify Different Themes Conservation/ preservation (Selective Logging) Restoration (Water Quality) Survival Man v. wild Activism Being a change agent Types of energy Toxins/chemicals Air Quality Water Quality Recycling Hazardous Waste Good v. Evil History of Law Friendships with animals Cooperation Seeing other’s point of view Tragedy/ Overcoming devastation Rebuilding Hope Commitment Going against the norm

Comparing Themes Think about the theme of a book you read earlier this year What is the theme of the book you are reading now? Are they similar or different?

Turn and Talk What is the theme of the book you are reading now?

KBAD identify how setting influences theme. Day 9

Setting Influences Theme It is important to notice the setting of a story The location, time of year, time of day are all part of the setting The setting can often be connected to the theme of a book

Turn and Talk What is the setting of your story? Is it related to the theme of your book?

KBAD explore and identify themes to help build thesis statements. Day 10

Theme Thesis Statements Once you have identified the theme of your book you can write a sentence that sums it up The theme of Holes is friendship and survival. This books demonstrates the power of having friends when you are struggling to overcome a hardship.

Turn and Talk How would you sum up the theme of your book?

KBAD identify author's purpose, influence and bias. Day 11

Author's Purpose Authors' have many reasons for writing a text Persuade: to convince you of something Inform: teach you about something Entertain: to amuse you

Turn and Talk Why did the author write this text?

KBAD identify context and tone. Day 12

Context and Tone Context: the background information of a text Tone: the attitude and mood of a text

Turn and Talk What is the tone of your book?

KBAD notice characters' relationships and interactions. Day 13

Characters' Relationships It is important to think about the characters when you read Notice the way they interact and get along with other characters Think about the relationships between the characters

Turn and Talk How would you describe the relationship s between the two main characters of your book?

KBAD use context clues to find the meaning of new words. Day 14

Context Clues Everyday we read we come across words we do not know It is important to push ourselves with high level texts so that we are introduced to new words

Turn and Talk Why is it important to stop and think about new words we come across when reading?

KBAD make inferences about the setting and characters. Day 15

Making Inferences The author of a book usually let's us use our imagination while we read It is important to notice the clues they give to help us picture the setting and characters in our head

Turn and Talk What clues in your independen t reading book tell you about the setting of your story?

KBAD find evidence to support thinking. Day 16

Find Evidence It is important to have opinions about your book You want to make sure that you find a sentence or two in your book to show why you feel a certain way

Turn and Talk Why should you find evidence from your book to prove your opinion?

KBAD use quotations as evidence to support thinking. Day 17

Using Quotes Quotes from your book are the best way to show how you formed your opinion On page 45 the main character shows that he is brave. It says, "Justin walked into the haunted house ready to fight the ghost."

Turn and Talk Why do good readers use quotes to support their opinions?

KBAD visualize using multiple senses. Day 18

Visualizing It is important to picture the story when you read You want to pretend that movie is taking place Imagine what you would see, smell, hear, feel, taste if you were a character in the book

Turn and Talk What sounds would you hear if you were a character in your independen t reading book?

KBAD summarize for the deeper meaning of text. Day 19

Summarizing A summary should include the important things that happened in a chapter This means that you should include the main character of your book, what they did and where they did it

Turn and Talk What should be included in a good summary of your independen t reading book?

KBAD revise our inferences as we read and talk to others. Day 20

Revise our Inferences Good readers notice the inferences they made in the beginning in the book and whether they were wrong and right As the author gives us more clues as we read our thinking changes

Turn and Talk What has surprised you in your independen t reading book? Did something unexpected happen?