Part 3: “Hilda Must Be Dancing” and “Giraffes Can’t Dance” — Compare/Contrast (cont.)
Give each child a completed map identical to the one on your white board and on the reverse side have ready a map with just a blank template for drawing.
Ask the children to look at the side with the text and review the compare/contrast items they came up with in the previous lesson. Make, and have ready, several baggies containing the compare/contrast words presented yesterday and ask students to place them in front of them, as shown.
Part 2: “Hilda Must Be Dancing” and “Giraffes Can’t Dance” — Compare and Contrast
Review the two stories with the children using the narrative icons/map and present the Compare/Contrast Map on a white board (or chart paper, depending on your situation). I set it all up ahead of time.
Begin by explaining the map to the children. Then, suggest that we start thinking of ways the two stories are the same/different using the SGM retelling icons. Start with the Character icon. Ask the children how Hilda and Gerald are the same/different...
Early Elementary Idea to Reinforce Character, Feelings, List and Sequence
Children’s book author and Illustrator, Bernard Waber created many books for children including the Lyle the Crocodile series and Ira Sleeps Over. Another book, You Look Ridiculous Said the Rhinoceros to the Hippopotamus, is an old favorite that lends itself very well to introducing/reinforcing the SGM®/Braidy® List Map.
In this story, the hippopotamus is told by a series of other jungle animals that she looks ridiculous. Each animal then tells the hippopotamus that she needs features that he/she possess (examples include the leopard telling the hippo she needs spots and the giraffe telling the hippo she needs a long neck)...
Adobe Voice gives “Voice” to Narrative or Expository Language
It’s Technology Tuesday, and this month we will cover a simple, free tool to practice combining visuals and oral narration to produce an engaging video! A main goal of using MindWing’s Story Grammar Marker® and ThemeMaker® tools is to provide structure for oral discourse. Narrative or expository maps provide a “plan” for the elements of discourse, along with key words to help students connect their thoughts when formulating a story or explanation. In this way, a culminating activity of using any language map can involve asking students to “connect the dots” in formulating a complete story or using expository language. Adobe Voice, a free, easy-to-use app, provides a fast and motivating way to do this!...
Expository “My Research” Cut–and-Fold Booklet
The “Core” of The Core manual contains many hands-on materials for student use. One of my favorites is the Expository “My Research” Cut–and-Fold Booklet. I have used this in many settings and grade levels, including centers and with intervention groups. Instructions are included in the manual.
Sea Turtles by Gail Gibbons is one book that works very well with this activity since it includes all expository text structures. As an added resource, Maryellen recently did a section of a webinar on the topic of sea turtles that you might be interested in viewing. (Click here to view Sea Turtles expository analysis excerpt.)...
Writing: Expository/Informational Descriptive Map to Paragraphs
Today, we will look at some writing samples using the topic of Koalas and ideas to scaffold the process from using the Character Descriptive Map to paragraphs. As stated previously, any book/resource that you use may be adapted to these activities.
We used several resources including:
We followed the same procedure as in the Armadillo and Cheetah lessons: reading short segments, making a list of facts, and placing each fact in the correct category (physical appearance, habitat, food and eating, young, special characteristics)...