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In the last article, we focusing on common core standard 1, citing specific evidence within technical texts, which including some strategies for making documents in your curriculum align to this goal.<\/p>\nIn the last article, we focusing on common core standard 1, citing specific evidence within technical texts, which including some strategies for making documents in your curriculum align to this goal.<\/p>\n
This article is going to focus on standard 2, \u00a0which states \u201cDetermine the central ideas or conclusion of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms\u201d<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s break this down into what is really expected of students. \u00a0 Based on this standard, students should be able to:<\/p>\n
1. \u00a0determine the central ideas of a text<\/p>\n
2. \u00a0summarize complex concepts, processes, or information in a text<\/p>\n
3. \u00a0paraphrase text<\/p>\n
\u00a0To address this standard, students should be reading their textbook, news articles, essays, novels, and short stories. \u00a0 \u00a0Standard 1 requires them to locate specific information, but this standard is more general, where learners must summarize, draw conclusions, or make inferences. \u00a0 This is the trinity of literacy: \u00a0 Cite, \u00a0Summarize, Infer. \u00a0 \u00a0Here are some strategies for dealing with Standard 2.<\/p>\n
In this strategy, students take a large chunk of text, perhaps from a textbook or from an article and place post-it notes in the margin, they write in their own thoughts, summaries, or questions they have about what they are reading. \u00a0 \u00a0This process can be made more involved by adding symbols and specific tasks. \u00a0For the nonfiction book \u201cStiff\u201d, by Mary Roach, students are required to include post-its in the margins with a symbol. \u00a0For example, the question mark indicates where the reader had a question. \u00a0A star symbol on the post-it would indicate something about the text that grabbed their attention. \u00a0 At the end of the assignment, post it notes are gathered and taped to paper (to turn in) and students finish with a timed writing exercise. \u00a0The full assignment can be seen at \u201cStiff by Mary Roach<\/a>\u201c.<\/p>\n The assignment described above is something I do with advanced biology, and it is not something I would do with every class or even on a regular basis. \u00a0 \u00a0I replaced my original Stiff assignment with this one to facilitate more summarizing and synthesis of information. \u00a0The original assignment<\/a> had basic questions about the chapters that required students to find specific information (citing), but very little thought required. \u00a0Sadly, I also noted many students just copied other students answers. \u00a0The post-it method is open-ended enough that no two projects should look alike, since students have the freedom to quote, ponder, and summarize any part of the text they are reading.<\/p>\n Post-its can be used in the same way for student textbooks, articles or other basic reading material you area already using in your class. \u00a0It is not necessary to go buy a classroom set of a nonfiction book.<\/p>\n You have probably heard this phrase before, though context vary the general idea is usually the same. \u00a0In this case, take an article or section of reading and ask students to work on their own to write down THREE MAIN POINTS of the text. \u00a0 Then they compare their three points with the person sitting next to them, and are asked to discuss between the two which is the most important point. \u00a0The pairs are then to combine or alter their original three points into a single MAIN IDEA. \u00a0 As an extension, you can then expand by asking them to share all the single points with the class and decide as a class what is the main idea of the text.<\/p>\n In this strategy, ask students to read text that they can write on, like a news articles or copies of texts. \u00a0Ask them to highlight areas of the text that are confusing to them. \u00a0As a class (or in small groups), \u00a0discuss why the text is confusing, and model strategies for \u00a0figuring out what the author means. \u00a0Modeling reading strategies is something teachers rarely do with students, as we assume they come to us with reading skills. \u00a0 However, you may notice that students can read the words, but often don\u2019t understand what they are reading. \u00a0Model the text by reading it out loud, skipping over words that you aren\u2019t sure about and making guesses about what the words (or phrases) mean within the context of the text. \u00a0You would be surprised how many students give up reading the text entirely when they encounter a phrase or word they don\u2019t understand. \u00a0 \u00a0Reassure students that even adult, \u00a0college-educated readers stumble over difficult texts, but can still get the jist of what the author was trying to say.<\/p>\n Create a table with CAUSE in one column and EFFECT in another. \u00a0Ask students to identify causes and effects from the text they are reading. \u00a0This may not work for all reading assignments but can be modified. \u00a0For instance, in a science class you might instead use procedure\/outcome \u00a0or \u00a0hypothesis \/ data \/ conclusions \u00a0or \u00a0fact \/ opinion. \u00a0 \u00a0The chart method does rely heavily on you determining what headings work best for the particular reading, so this one may require some advance planning.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"post-it\"](\"http:\/\/facultycorner.com\/main\/wp-content\/images\/post-it-300x202.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n2. \u00a0Pair and Share<\/h2>\n
3. \u00a0Highlight<\/h2>\n
4. \u00a0Cause and Effect<\/h2>\n
5. \u00a0Concept Mapping<\/h2>\n
![\"dna_concept_sample23\"](\"http:\/\/facultycorner.com\/main\/wp-content\/images\/dna_concept_sample23-300x212.jpg\")
<\/a>Concept mapping has been a favorite strategy of mine in advanced biology class because it forces students to think of difficult ideas in nonlinear ways. \u00a0They must first decide what are the main ideas, then connect the main ideas to small support details and show how all the concepts relate to each other. \u00a0In this sample<\/a>, students read text about DNA and created a concept map. \u00a0 While this is not exactly a summary, it does require students to synthesize and organize information, and the main ideas of implied in the map\u2019s main concepts, linked from the center. \u00a0Students can use concept maps to organize a news article they read or information in their textbook. \u00a0 There are many programs (www.gliffy.com<\/a>) out there to assist students with mapping and it is a good idea to model concept mapping on the board before assigning one.<\/p>\n
![sample<\/a>, students read text about DNA and created a concept map. \u00a0 While this is not exactly a summary, it does require students to synthesize and organize information, and the main ideas of implied in the map\u2019s main concepts, linked from the center. \u00a0Students can use concept maps to organize a news article they read or information in their textbook. \u00a0 There are many programs (](\"http:\/\/www.biologycorner.com\/resources\/dna_concept_sample2.JPG\"){kind=link}