Reading Strategy Instruction
Lesson 1: Inferencing
Before reading Ellis Island, students will be introduced to the unit through an inferencing activity. The teacher will bring in a suitcase full of the primary source documents found throughout the book. Before introducing the items, the students will be told that they are detectives and they need to use the clues found in the suitcase to figure out who it would belong to. One by one, the teacher will pull out the documents and record what they are on a T-chart. The chart will have three columns "Evidence, Background Knowledge, Inference". After all of the documents are recorded under the "Evidence" column, the class will discuss what they know already that will help support an inference. For example, for the ticket from Finland to the U.S., students might say that their background knowledge tells them that someone would use a ticket to travel to a new place and record that under background knowledge. Then, they class will work together to put the evidence and background knowledge together to make an inference. For the previous example, the inference would be that whoever owns the suitcase is traveling somewhere. This process would repeat for all of the primary sources and artifacts in the suitcase, and would reinforce inferencing skills before reading.
Before reading Ellis Island, students will be introduced to the unit through an inferencing activity. The teacher will bring in a suitcase full of the primary source documents found throughout the book. Before introducing the items, the students will be told that they are detectives and they need to use the clues found in the suitcase to figure out who it would belong to. One by one, the teacher will pull out the documents and record what they are on a T-chart. The chart will have three columns "Evidence, Background Knowledge, Inference". After all of the documents are recorded under the "Evidence" column, the class will discuss what they know already that will help support an inference. For example, for the ticket from Finland to the U.S., students might say that their background knowledge tells them that someone would use a ticket to travel to a new place and record that under background knowledge. Then, they class will work together to put the evidence and background knowledge together to make an inference. For the previous example, the inference would be that whoever owns the suitcase is traveling somewhere. This process would repeat for all of the primary sources and artifacts in the suitcase, and would reinforce inferencing skills before reading.
Lesson 2: Using the Index
Students will participate in a scavenger hunt activity in order to familiarize themselves with the index of a non-fiction text. Students will be given Ellis Island and a sheet of paper that lists 5 - 10 words that can be found in the index. Using the index, each student will be expected to write down the page number where the word can be found, and then take a few notes on the term based on the information on the previously stated page. After about 20 - 25 minutes of this activity, the class will come together and share a few of the words that were found and their meaning. Then, the teacher will prompt a discussion about the importance of an index in non fiction texts.
Students will participate in a scavenger hunt activity in order to familiarize themselves with the index of a non-fiction text. Students will be given Ellis Island and a sheet of paper that lists 5 - 10 words that can be found in the index. Using the index, each student will be expected to write down the page number where the word can be found, and then take a few notes on the term based on the information on the previously stated page. After about 20 - 25 minutes of this activity, the class will come together and share a few of the words that were found and their meaning. Then, the teacher will prompt a discussion about the importance of an index in non fiction texts.
Lesson 3: Nonfiction Elements Vs. Fiction Elements
Prior to reading Ellis Island, students will be given about 25 minutes to explore piles of books that the teacher has pre selected. Books should be about half non-fiction and half fiction, with varying topics and reading levels. Students will be encouraged to look through as many books as possible and try to discover elements of a non-fiction book, as well as elements of a fiction book. After the exploration time, the class will come together and create one anchor chart that lists elements of non fiction and fiction books. After these text elements are discussed, the teacher will distribute copies of Ellis Island to each student and ask them to take a few minutes to look through the text and decide whether this text is fiction or non-fiction. The goal is that students will be able to use the anchor chart to discover that Ellis Island is a non-fiction book. After this, the teacher will explain that non-fiction means that the story is true and introduce the follow-up activity. Since this book about immigrants is a factual text, students will have an opportunity to explore the website (http://www.ellisisland.org/search/passSearch.asp) to find records of their ancestors.
Prior to reading Ellis Island, students will be given about 25 minutes to explore piles of books that the teacher has pre selected. Books should be about half non-fiction and half fiction, with varying topics and reading levels. Students will be encouraged to look through as many books as possible and try to discover elements of a non-fiction book, as well as elements of a fiction book. After the exploration time, the class will come together and create one anchor chart that lists elements of non fiction and fiction books. After these text elements are discussed, the teacher will distribute copies of Ellis Island to each student and ask them to take a few minutes to look through the text and decide whether this text is fiction or non-fiction. The goal is that students will be able to use the anchor chart to discover that Ellis Island is a non-fiction book. After this, the teacher will explain that non-fiction means that the story is true and introduce the follow-up activity. Since this book about immigrants is a factual text, students will have an opportunity to explore the website (http://www.ellisisland.org/search/passSearch.asp) to find records of their ancestors.