BARBER BULLETIN
Week of February 20 - February 24
The Case for Multiple Texts.........an article from ASCD
Students grasp more information, think more critically, and learn to synthesize when they read many texts on one topic.
If we want students to be able to engage in thoughtful conversations and write fluently about a topic, reading one text on that topic isn't enough. When students read multiple texts on a topic, their understanding of that topic expands, and they can use knowledge they develop reading the first text to help them comprehend a second and third. What's more, readers can begin to think critically about what's being shared in each of those texts because they've read multiple texts.
Let me further this case with a quick example.
In the picture book Trapped! A Whale's Rescue by Robert Burleigh and Wendell Minor (Charlesbridge, 2015), the author describes the rescue of a whale trapped in fishing nets off the coast of California in 2005. As you read this excerpt, consider what you're learning about the whale's struggle.
But wait—danger haunts these waters.
Unseen nets, left by crab fisherman, drift through the dark sea.The whale feels the tickle of thin threads. She plunges on. She tosses. She spirals sideways as spidery lines tighten around her.The struggle begins. The web of ropes cuts into her skin.She flails, starts to sink, fights for air.With each thrust of her tail, she tires.Her sides heave. She flops. She flounders.At last the great whale shudders and lies still.1Because you read this, you have a better understanding of what happened when the whale got tangled in the net. You probably noticed the powerful language the author uses to reveal the whale's struggle—"web of ropes cuts," "flails," "sink." You might also sense the potential gravity of this problem.
Now let's read an excerpt from a news article about the same event. Again, note what you're learning about the whale's struggle as well as its entrapment.
About 20 crab-pot ropes, which are 240 feet long with weights every 60 feet, were wrapped around the animal. Rope was wrapped at least four times around the tail, the back and the left front flipper, and there was a line in the whale's mouth. … At least 12 crab traps, weighing 90 pounds each, hung off the whale, the divers said. The combined weight was pulling the whale downward.
In the excerpt from Trapped!, we learned that the whale was entangled in ropes from a fishing vessel. In the news article, however, we learn more about these ropes. They were hundreds of feet long and attached to crab pots that weighed 90 pounds each! With this new knowledge, we can infer that entanglement in the ropes was only part of the problem. The crab pots were pulling the whale down, keeping it from being able to breathe through its blow-hole and endangering its life.
Reading the second text expanded our understanding of what happened. We have a clearer picture in our minds. We know not only what happened, but why.
Needed: More Practice, More Guidance
Traditionally, reading multiple informational texts on the same topic has been reserved for writing research reports, a big production that may occur only a few times a year. Although doing major research projects is grand, reading multiple texts on the same topic a few times a year isn't enough practice for students to master the skills required to synthesize information from multiple sources.
Another flaw in many research assignments is that students are often asked to locate their own sources with little guidance. I remember talking with two 5th grade girls who were excited to be researching hedgehogs. When I asked them to tell me about their research, one exclaimed, "We read a WHOLE book about hedgehogs!" When I asked them to tell me what they were going to write in their report, they paused. Then the other proclaimed, "We're going to write about the whole book on hedgehogs!"
When students are left to their own devices to locate sources and then read and think across those sources, what happens? Some students can figure out how to synthesize information and select the best parts. But many tend to take notes on everything or just copy excerpts into their final papers. Some get overwhelmed and shut down.
In my work with teachers in the field, we've begun to explore how regularly reading more than one text on a topic might benefit students and how teachers can support students as they grapple with multiple texts. Here are five supports we've identified.
1. Establish a purpose.
The students doing the research on the hedgehogs needed a tighter purpose for reading. They needed a few research questions like, "What role does the hedgehog play in a healthy ecosystem?" and "How does the hedgehog's diet support its health?" These questions could lead them to scan multiple texts for important excerpts they might read more carefully.
A purpose for reading, stated as a question, acts as a guide as students tackle multiple texts. With a 3rd grade class studying simple machines, the teacher first introduced several types of details authors use to describe these mechanisms, like function, physical description, and real-life example. Then the purpose for reading she gave the students was, "What types of details are we learning about simple machines?"
2. Select a set of short texts.
A middle school teacher shared with me how he'd asked students to read a book on a topic and then compare it to an article on the same topic. He was clearly disappointed in the results because students gave general responses like, "Both are about Holocaust survivors." Frequently, students are overwhelmed by the amount of information in longer texts. Cognitively, they can't hold on to and then compare or contrast so many specific details. The result is generalization.
My colleagues and I have found it helpful to provide short texts for students to analyze. A "text" can be an excerpt from a news article, a short video clip, a paragraph from a trade book, or a diagram from a reliable source on the Internet. When a 5th grade teacher and I were planning to launch a unit on ecosystems, we chose four texts to use—a one-minute clip of a longer video, two diagrams, and one section of a short book.
There's also a place and time for reading whole texts. Sometimes it's important for students to get a sense of the whole text, the gist, or the big picture before they think carefully about an excerpt from that text.
3. Model making connections between texts.
Some students need support as they begin reading and thinking across multiple texts. Many educators have gotten into the instructional habit of modeling for students how to read an excerpt of text closely; we also need to model our thinking when we begin to read an additional text and compare or contrast it to the first one.
An Inquiry Chart, or I-Chart, helps students think through what they pick up from different texts and compare details.
An inquiry chart (I-chart) helps students keep track of what they learn from reading multiple texts on one topic during research.
4. Help students discuss.
We know the value of students talking together in response to one text. It's equally valuable when students discuss multiple texts on a topic. In the 5th grade class studying ecosystems, I asked students to turn and talk about what they had learned from the two diagrams and video clip we'd analyzed. I was surprised when they tried to talk to their groups without even looking at their carefully taken notes.
When the students turned to talk in small groups I leaned in to coach, using prompts like,
- How can you combine information from more than one text to respond to what your partner just said? Let's look at your notes and try it together.
- In your notes, it looks like you've noted some similarities between these authors' perspectives. How can you use your notes to say something about this to the group?
5. Integrate sketching and writing.
As students determine what to sketch or write in response to multiple texts, they must think carefully about all that they've learned and make important decisions about what to include in their illustrations or written pieces. They may have to clarify their understanding of details, review the texts, and revise their notes. The process of writing about their learning can deepen their understanding.
Hallway Habits at PES
LITERACY NIGHT
Pontiac’s Family Literacy Night is scheduled for Thursday, February 23rd, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. A Google Doc with a list of participants will be emailed to you for convenience. Please don’t forget to remind students that returned their reservations of this upcoming event. We have over 100 families joining us!
Our theme for this year is For The Love of Books. After a brief welcome activity in the cafeteria, parents and their children will be reporting to classrooms for a Book Tasting. All menus will be prepared by Mrs. Ramsue. She also has red and white gingham placemats and pencils for anyone that needs supplies for this event.
Teachers will close the evening with a quick make-and-take activity. Please encourage families to take their items home and to submit their raffle tickets. A drawing will be held for our literacy gift basket. The winner will be announced during the morning news show the next day
All teachers (including Global) are expected to attend literacy night. Remember, this is one of our family nights that was required and shared with you at the beginning of the school year in our handbook.
Consider presenting at the SC Midlands Summit!
Imagine the Possibilities! is the theme of the 2017 SC Midlands Summit. We are looking for presenters to help present sessions focusing on the integration of technology into the school and classroom with a focus on using Google Apps for Education, learning environments, innovation, transformation, 21st century skills and mobile devices for student learning. Presentation proposals for the 6th annual SC Midlands Summit which will be held June 7 and 8, 2017 are due by February 28. Help make the Summit a successful professional development event for all by filling out the 2017 SC Midlands Summit Proposal Request Form https://goo.gl/bv2p7u.
Additional information about the Summit can be found at http://scmidlandssummit.blogspot.com
A Look at Our Week Ahead
Inclement Weather Make Up Day - NO STAFF MEETING in an effort to give back this time.
Tuesday:
4th grade Lunch N Learn with C.Turner
Jackie Fannon from SCEA in small conference room
Bus evacuation drills held
3:30pm Beliefs revisions
Wednesday:
K-2 FOSS Kit training with Ed Emmer
3:15pm Lighthouse Team meeting
3:30pm AVID site team meeting
Thursday:
Digital Learning Day during grade level Global - See Tech Mentor for more information!
11:30am Summit Music Road Show for 5th grade in gym
6pm SchoolWide Literacy Night
WEAR JEANS AND OUR LEADERSHIP GRAY SHIRTS FOR Digital Learning Day/Literacy night
Friday:
College Colors Day
David Linville from VALIC Financial will be in small conference room
7:30am Bojangles breakfast sales in car rider line to support ARTS Day!
Child Development on Field Study
1:45pm TA meeting in cafeteria