Beginning this week, Easelly wants to show you show how easy it is to align your Common Core content with our infographics resources. This week our spotlight is on the Reading Literature, CCSS Standard 1. While the standard does get more complex as the grades increase, beginning in Kindergarten students should be able to ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
Kindergarten – 2nd grade teachers
As a quick review, let’s take a look at the Reading Literature Standard 1:
- Kindergarten – With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text. – RL.K.1
- 1st grade – Ask and answer questions about key details in a text. – RL.1.1
- 2nd grade – Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text. – RL.2.1
Eric Carle has written a number of phenomenal books that intrigue the minds of youngsters. His clever characters and bright illustrations captivate young minds. Let’s take a closer look at an example which shows how The Very Hungry Caterpillar, can be paired with Easel.ly to create a fun, interactive formative assessment.
Teachers can project this vheme onto a smart board and allow students to complete it. The colored circles can be used to allow students to draw what the caterpillar ate on days 1 through 7. The space under “He ate” can be used to write what he actually ate on each day. After students work together to complete the vheme, you might ask students to answer a question independently in their reading journals, such as: on what day did the caterpillar make a poor choice? What should he have done differently?
Other extension ideas related to this picture book:
- Create a vheme on Easelly to show the life cycle of a butterfly.
3rd – 5th grade teachers:
While the complexity of the Reading Literature Standard 1 is more intricate for the upper primary grades, Easel-ly’s diverse vhemes provide excellent resources to teach, reinforce, and assess this standard. Let’s briefly look at the standards for grades 3 – 5
- 3rd grade – Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. RL.3.1.
- 4th grade – Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. RL.4.1
- 5th grade – Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. RL.5.1
Patricia Polacco has written a number of fantastic picture books that provide rich themes and diverse life lessons. Let’s take a look at an example which demonstrates how Thundercake can be paired with Easelly to create an interesting post-reading activity.
Teachers can project this Easelly vheme onto a smart board and allow students to complete it. The turquoise boxes allow students to reflect on two different events from the book that caused the little girl to be frightened. Then, students can reflect on what the little girl’s actual fear. As the teacher displays this interactive on the board, students could be asked to complete it independently in a reading notebook or on a piece of paper. After students complete the vheme, they could write a diary entry from the perspective of the little girl.
Other extension ideas related to this picture book:
- Create a vheme on Easel.ly to show the required steps to bake a Thundercake.
6th – 8th grade teachers
If you are looking for a new way to motivate students on short answer and extended answer responses, Easelly is the answer! Students can use Easelly’s user-friendly interface to create well-organized responses to short answer and extended response reading questions. Let’s briefly look at the standards for grades 6 – 8:
- 6th grade – Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says as well as inferences drawn from the text. RL.6.1.
- 7th grade – Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says as well as inferences drawn from the text. RL.7.1.
- 8th grade – Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. RL.8.1.
Reading novels in the middle school classroom is an enriching way to build reading comprehension, inferencing skills, and prepare for national reading assessments. Let’s take a look at how students can use Easel-ly’s resources to answer a short answer and an extended response question:
Even at the ninth through twelfth grade levels, teachers will find many ways to incorporate Easel-ly into their classroom instruction. A specific vheme may help to clarify the meaning behind a particularly difficult text. Meanwhile, these vhemes can also be used by students to bring dull presentations to life. Let’s briefly look at the standards for grades 9 – 12
9th – 12th grade teachers
- 9th & 10th grade – Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. RL.9-10.1
- 11th & 12th grade – Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain. RL.11-12.1.
Classical literature is a vital part of the high school reading curriculum. Let’s take a look at how teachers can use Easel-ly’s resources to create a note taking guide for students. This can help to clarify some of the mystery in the opening scenes of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare:
Once students have discussed the notes with the teacher, more critical analysis of the direct citations can occur. Students can be asked to choose one or more quotes from the vheme and discuss the meaning of that quote in relationship to that character’s role in Act 1, Scene 1.
Other extension ideas related to this picture book:
- Create a vheme on Easel.ly to depict five key bits of textual evidence from one character. This textual evidence can be related to a prediction about the text’s plot line.
Conclusion
Now, that we have taken some time to spotlight CCSS Reading Literature 1, I’m sure that your mind is overflowing with ways to incorporate this standard and Easel.ly’s resources into your classroom instruction.
Join us next week for more great examples and a spotlight on CCSS Reading Informational Standard 1.