Framing our Reading Part 3: Extending Thinking

	Text Citation or Link	Rationale for Choosing	Text Frame(s)	Strategies Used and Resource
Extending Thinking Example	Studying how climate affects biodiversity	This article discusses the changes in biodiversity due to climate.	Concept/Definition	Power Notes (Buehl)

Power Notes are a form of outlining.  They can also be paired with Concept Mapping for a more in depth comprehension.  This technique gives students a way to systematically look for relationships within the text.  While similar to outlining, this strategy is simpler for students. 

Power Notes visually display differences between main ideas and supportive information.  Main ideas are assigned a power rating of 1. Details, as well as examples are given a power rating of 2, 3, or 4.

Generally, the form for power notes is shown as below.

Power 1 = Main idea

            Power 2 = Detail/Supportive information for Power 1 (above).

                        Power 3 = Detail/Supportive information for Power 2 (above).

                                    Power 4 = Detail/Supportive information for Power 3 (above).

At the introduction of this strategy, students should be given the power 1 category.  After students become familiar with this strategy, they can begin to determine the categories on their own.

There are many advantages to this strategy.  It is an excellent reviewing technique.  Students also learn to reread to prioritize main ideas.  They can be integrated with many other strategies and help show how information is connected.

I have completed Power Notes for the article listed above:

1. Climate Change

            2. Impacts species occurrence and distribution

                        3. species population fluctuates

            2. Ice Age

                        3. Cyclical number swings coincide with ice age

                        3. ice age

                                    4. compressed distribution

                                    4. falling numbers

                        3. No ice age

                                    4. expanded species

1. Human influence on Climate Change

            2. Humans modify and destroy environments and habitats

                        3. Cause decrease in population

            2. Humans upset natural cyclical number swings

                        3. numbers are pushed past “tipping point” for eventual extinction

Not all articles work well with Power Notes.  I like the idea of having an outline and rating the importance of the information with main ideas and supporting ideas.  I think that if we had chosen a longer article, there would be a little more meat to this strategy, however the benefits are obvious with this particular technique.  To explore this article using the Quick-Writes strategy, please visit Samantha's blog.

References:

Buehl, D., (2014) Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning, 4^th ed. International Reading Association.

Uppsala Universitet. (2015, April 16). Studying how climate affects biodiversity. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 20, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150416132038.htm

Framing our Reading Part 2: Guided Thinking using KWL

	Text Citation or Link	Rationale for Choosing	Text Frame(s)	Strategies Used and Resource
Guided Thinking Example	How a bacteria cell recognizes its own DNA	This article describes a bacteria cell's replication and how it identifies its DNA from an enemy cell. This article draws on past knowledge and relates bacteria cells to Biology and the real world.	Goal/Action/Outcome Making Connections	K-W-L (McLaughlin and Buehl)

The KWL and KWLS Comprehension Strategy is a classic practice that allows students to combine and organize their knowledge, both pre and post reading, as well as add to it during the reading.  It allows students to synthesize information to form a visual aid.  This can be used as a study tool, or just a way to organize thoughts.  A KWL chart is beneficial because it has students think about prior knowledge, sets a purpose for the unit, allows a teacher to assess what the student learned, and shows teachers what their students interests are.

The KWL chart has 3 columns, the KWLS chart has a 4^th column to it.  The chart looks like the following and can be handed out as a template.

TOPIC:
K	W	L

The K Column refers to the question “What do I know?”  Here, students list everything they know about the topic.  This could include words, terms, or phrases associated with this particular topic.  This encourages students to make a connection to their past. 

The W Column refers to the question “What do I want to know?”  This is an important step because it begins to frame the reading and encourages the students to think about what the purpose of reading this text is.  It makes the student think a little deeper than just the superficial questions asked at the beginning of the text.

The L Column is filled with answers to the question “What have I Learned?”  This is filled out after the reading and discusses what the student has learned from the text.  Some teachers prefer to have students fill this out during the reading, which I agree has merit.  A student can forget a lot by the end of a reading.  Ideally, the L Column should answer most of the questions from the W Column.

The fourth, and optional column is S, which stands for “What do I still want to know?”  Students are encouraged to put unanswered questions from the W Column to this column.  They may also add questions that were developed from the reading.

I was excited to try out the K-W-L technique, because it’s basically just a bunch of lists and I happen to love lists.  I think that the KWL chart is a good way to organize your thoughts and think critically before, during, and after the reading.

TOPIC: Bacteria cells and how they recognize their own DNA
K -          Single celled organisms -          Many different kinds -          Can cause disease -          Reproduce through division (Called fission maybe?) -          Can duplicate itself quickly	W -How do they recognize their own DNA? - Is a single celled organism’s DNA different than a human’s? - In what situation would a bacteria cell need to tell the difference between its DNA and another cell’s DNA?	L -Bacteria have an immune system, fight off invasive viruses called phages -immune system called CRISPR “remembers” past encounter so it can defend against similar future attacks -“Chi sites” are uncommon in viral genomes, but common in bacterial genomes, acting as a self marker

After completing the reading using the KWL technique, I was surprised by how much I gained by using the technique, as opposed to just reading the article straight through.  I have not taken a biology class or studied cells since my freshman year of college and I was not confident that I would take away important information from the article.  By using the KWL technique, I not only was able to remember some very minor facts about bacteria, but I was able learn a lot more than expected.  I like that each entry into the L Column is a short little summary of the article.

I am a bit concerned with some aspects of this comprehension technique.  First of all, it is a lot of work prior to reading the actual article.  I have concerns that the students might get distracted and or bored before a teacher even gives out the article.  My second concern is that while I was reading the article, there were times where I was just reading to fill out the third column and not reading to learn and comprehend.

I do like that after completing the chart, one can look back and have a nice summary of the article and their learning process.  Furthermore, teachers can look at the chart and easily assess what the student learned and took away from the article.

To explore this article using a different technique, check out the Hands on approach by Samantha.

References:

McLaughlin, M., (2015).  Content Area Reading:  Teaching and Learning for College and Career Readiness. Boston:  Pearson.

Buehl, D., (2014) Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning, 4^th ed. International Reading Association.

Weizmann Institute of Science. (2015, April 13). How a bacterial cell recognizes its own DNA. ScienceDaily. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150413130825.htm

Framing our Reading: Part 1 (Engagement)

	Text Citation or Link	Rationale for Choosing	Text Frame(s)	Strategies Used and Resource
Engagement Example	How many gold atoms make gold metal?	This article combines math, biology, chemistry, and engineering to show how new discoveries can revolutionize technology.  This article explores nanometer-sized pieces of gold and their electronic changes.  This can help make new discoveries in bioimaging and sensing.	Concept/definition  Compare/contrast	Connection Stems (McLaughlin)

The Connection Stem Strategy provides a way to help students make connections with their prior knowledge and the texts.  Students can associate the current reading with other readings as well.  The basis of this reading comprehension strategy is to make connections so that students can reflect on their reading.   Connection Stems can be used for narrative and informative text and be used at any time during the reading (pre-reading, post-reading, or during).

Students read the text and make connections to the real world, their own life, or other text using Connection Stems, or a phrase to begin a connection.  McLaughlin suggests the following Connection Stems:

-          -That reminds me of…

-          -I remember when…

-          -I have a connection…

-          -An experience I have had that was similar to that…

-          -I felt like that person when…

-          -If I were that person, I would…

Students will individually think of Connection Stems with the article being read and write them down.  After reading and reflecting, they could share it with their neighbors.  You can also specify the type of connections that you would like the students to focus on: text-self, text-text, or text-world.

While reading the gold atoms article, I focused on my own Connection Stems.  “I have a connection with observing electronic properties because I studied electrical engineering in college.”  “I remember when we studied molecule and atom behavior in material science and how it affects electronics.”  “Using this in short-term energy storage reminds me of an article we read in my renewable energy class about how difficult it can be to store power.”  While my own Connection Stems are mainly related to my experience with Electrical Engineering, students will be able to create their own connection stems to their current and past classes, as well as past knowledge from outside of school.

Works Cited:

Akatemia, Suomen (Academy of Finland). (2015, April 10).  How many gold atoms make gold metal? ScienceDaily.  Retrieved April 12, 2015 from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150410083516.htm

McLaughlin, M., (2015).  Content Area Reading:  Teaching and Learning for College and Career Readiness. Boston:  Pearson.

Buehl, D., (2014) Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning, 4^th ed. International Reading Association.