Classroom+Materials

Making Connections

 [|Making Connections Poster] Display this poster to remind students to make connections while reading.

[|Double Entry Journal] This graphic organizer can be used for students to record their thinking.

 [|Connection Stems]      The following lesson encourages students to use a common language as they discuss their text connections. [|Book List] This is a thorough list of picture books to model various comprehension strategies. These titles are perfect to use for teacher "Think Alouds." Questioning   [|Thick vs. Thin Questions]    This lesson teaches students how to differentiate between higher and lower level questions. Will a little practice, students will be able to formulate, answer, and discuss their own "thick" questions. [|Questioning Stems] These question starters can assist your students in writing higher-level thinking questions.

[|Questioning Bulletin Board]    Once students understand the difference between "thick" and "thin" questions, this interactive bulletin board can be used to encourage "deep" conversations about texts. [|Questioning Bookmark]  Students can use this bookmark to keep track of their questions while reading. Inferring <span style="DISPLAY: block; FONT-SIZE: 120%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive; TEXT-ALIGN: left">  [|Encouraging Inferential Thinking] This activity titled "Reading Between the Lines" provides teachers will open ended question stems to encourage inferential thinking. <span style="DISPLAY: block; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive; TEXT-ALIGN: left">[|T-Chart]  <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive"> This chart allows students to record their inferences in one column and their supporting evidence in the other column.

<span style="DISPLAY: block; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 140%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive">[|Book List]   <span style="FONT-SIZE: 110%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive">The follow chart contains a selection of books that encourage students to make inferences. <span style="DISPLAY: block; FONT-SIZE: 230%; COLOR: #f40101; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffe000; TEXT-ALIGN: center">Visualizing

<span style="FONT-SIZE: 140%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive">[|Sketch-to-Stretch] <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive">This lesson from Read Write Think explains how to use the instructional strategy "Sketch-to-Stretch." <span style="DISPLAY: block; FONT-SIZE: 130%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive; TEXT-ALIGN: left"> [|Visualizing Poster] Display this poster to remind students to create "mind pictures" while reading.

[|Artist's Storyboard] Students can use this organizer to illustrate their mental images.