Dropping
in and listening carefully during reading workshop. Choosing to be quiet and listen to the
conversations around 8 vocabulary words: tobacco, pry, destination, conductor,
quilt, beckoned, lineage, and station.
There were three directions: find a friend, discuss how the words
are connected and make a prediction about what the play will be about. Finally write your thinking down in your
reading spiral.
I am
celebrating allowing students the opportunity to think around 8 vocabulary
words. Half of the words were unfamiliar to them, and I celebrate them working
with a peer to discover the definition and confirming with a dictionary. Reteaching
the importance of guide words and also choosing which definition works best for
the similarities was a celebration. As students grouped the words, several
comments were made about their predictions.
·
I think the setting will be a long time ago because of the word (quilt)
·
I think the plot will be about a family traveling (destination,
conductor, conductor)
·
I think the characters will be a part of a big family (lineage)
·
I wonder if someone will work on a plantation and grow (tobacco)
and call their brother to help them (beckoned)
Have you guessed the play? Henry's Freedom Box was our mentor text for the week. I celebrate allowing students the opportunity
to discover and make connections with an important story. Thanks to Ruth for encouraging us to celebrate throughout the week. I'm excited to read other celebrations from the week.
I tried hard to figure out the title from your vocabulary words and was pleasantly surprised that it's a favorite mentor text of mine. Thanks for sharing. when you mentioned reteaching the importance of guide words, I was pleasantly transported. I still use the dictionary that my best friend's mom gave me when I graduated from college. I'm sad that my students don't dive into dictionaries like I did and still love to do. Their i-pads provide instant access to words, but without the page turning sensation I so love.
ReplyDeleteMy heart jumped as you mentioned the pages turning in a dictionary. I have to admit I often go old school on vocabulary inquiry. I still love to see their smiles when they finally say, "I found the word."
DeleteI love that story! I remember my students researching the story after I read it and finding out it was a true. We could have spent months reading and talking about this time period. They were so interested in it. I love seeing your students' thinking about how the word are connected. So much better than just copying down definitions!
ReplyDeleteI love how the books allows students to shift their thinking and go beyond the Underground Railroad. The extensions of learning were a highlight.
DeleteFun lesson! Students discovering their learning all on their own, just because you let go and let them. Good for you, Maria!
ReplyDeleteLearning to "let it go" is a constant battle but always with strong support from my coaches.
DeleteLove the way you allowed the students to discover how the words connect! I had a feeling that the book would be related to something in the Civil War era.
ReplyDeleteMy passion is vocabulary...this was the first time I tried this strategy and I will be trying it again :)
DeleteYou are a master at weaving word learning and authentic reading together Maria! Your students are so lucky to have you. Miss seeing you and hope to see you soon.
ReplyDeleteThanks Katie, I was so happy when I read your post today. I miss our conversations too. At least we have the Dublin Literacy Conference :)
DeleteThat discovery together must be fun to do before the book starts, Maria. I too miss the dictionary browsing, and also the card file browsing in the library. It used to be fun to see what else I could discover.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite memories were my mother and I visiting the library every Saturday. Searching for books, puzzles and best of all searching through card catalogue file. Happy Saturday.
DeleteWhat a great lesson, Maria - surely something to celebrate!
ReplyDeleteThanks the students enjoy it :)
DeleteThis is a great way to get students engaged with a text before reading it. Discovery is very powerful!
ReplyDeleteI have to admit they were hooked quickly...and trying to guess the plot of the story.
DeleteWhat a fantastic activity! Students are working together, deciphering, predicting, inferring, and getting excited about a text before they've even seen the book! I'm inspired. 😃
ReplyDeleteThat is why I love Celebrations and sharing them. Several ideas for my class have come from reading friends' blog post.
DeleteYou follow the wonderful advice of "Don't do anything that the students can do for themselves." Letting them to figure out words and making predictions instead of front loading everything certainly grew their interest in the book. I can imagine that the conversations that follow will be very interesting.
ReplyDeleteI am excited to see if the conversations continue and as important to me are the connections students make. Have a great Sunday.
DeleteWhen we allow our students to take the reins of their learning, great things happen. I like the way you approached your lesson, Maria.
ReplyDelete