Nonfiction Reading with Independence - Grade 3

Reading Unit 4

Unit Title: Nonfiction Reading with Independence / Duration: 4 weeks
Concepts:
  1. Informational readers learn the skills and habits essential for informational reading.
  2. Informational readers respond to texts and share the topics they are studying with others.
  3. Informational readerspursue collaborative inquiries critically and analytically.

Materials to be provided by the teacher:
  1. Informational texts on a variety of topics
  2. Chart paper for anchor charts
  3. Dictionaries for each partnership
  4. Reader’s notebooks
  5. Sticky notes
  6. Text set of informational books (3-5 books on one topic) for demonstration purposes (see Read-Aloud Texts for suggested titles about the moon)
  7. Text sets of informational books on various topics for partnerships
  8. Large white paper and markers for demonstration and for partnerships
/ Professional Resources:
1.Units of Study for Teaching Reading: A Curriculum for the Reading Workshop, Grades 3-5, Book 3: Determining Importance and Synthesizing, Lucy Calkins and Kathleen Tolan
2.A Curricular Plan for the Reading Workshop, Grade 3, 2011/2012, Lucy Calkins
3.Knee to Knee, Eye to Eye, Ardith Davis Cole
4.Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Retelling: Skills for Better Reading, Writing, and Test Taking, Emily Kissner
5.Teaching with Intention: Defining Beliefs, Aligning Practice, Taking Action, Debbie Miller
6.Conferring with Readers: Supporting Each Student’s Growth & Independence, Jennifer Serravallo & Gravity Goldberg
7.Grades 3-6, Still Learning to Read: Teaching Students in Grades 3-6, Franki Sibberson and Karen Szymusiak
8.Reality Checks: Teaching Reading Comprehension with Nonfiction K-5, Tony Stead
Materialsto be produced by the teacher:
  1. Text Features list
  2. Enlarged copies of the following anchor charts:
Ways Information Readers Read with Power
Text Structures
  1. Enlarged copy or copies for each partnership of the following excerpts from Cheetahs for each partnership:
Pages 11-17
Pages 23-25
Pages 11-13
Pages 8-9
Page 32
Pages 11-12
Pages 29-31
Pages 38-43
  1. Enlarged copy of the illustration on page 35 from Cheetahs.
  2. Individual copies of the following for each student:
Student charts
Conferring Checklist: Informational Reading
My Self-Evaluation Checklist: Informational Reading / Read-Aloud Texts:
  1. Cheetahs (True Books), Ann O. Squire
  2. The Moon Seems to Change (Let’s-Read-And-Find-Out Science), Franklyn M. Branley
  3. The Moon Book,Gail Gibbons
  4. The Moon (True Books), Elaine Landau
  5. Sun, Moon and Stars (Usborne Beginners), Stephanie Turnbull

Please read these notes before beginning this unit as they provide integral information
for completing this unit with success.
Unit Introduction:
This unit introduces students to the habits and skills necessary for reading informational texts, which they explore inpartnerships in Sessions 1-9. Then students read independently in Sessions 10-12 as they learn ways in which they can respond to informational texts and teach others about their topics. In Sessions 13-19, partnerships pursue topics of interest and celebrate at the end of the unit by teaching others about what they learned. Studentsread informational texts during class, but also continue to read other books at school and at home. They keep track of the books they are reading on their regular daily reading logs.
Resources and Materials:
  1. Use the following website to help you identify informational books that may be appropriate for the students in your class:
  2. Students will use sticky notes almost every day and should have easy access to them. You might put sticky notes on your supply list or indicate in your weekly parent notes that contributions for the classroom would be appreciated.
  3. Create permanent classroom anchor charts by adding new strategies as you go. If you choose to use a document camera to share the anchor charts from this unit, also create classroom anchor charts so students can refer to them later. Completed Anchor Chart is on the following page. Additionally, detailed anchor charts that correspond with each session are included in a size appropriate for students to cut out and glue or tape into their reader’s notebooks.
  4. Use the Conferring Checklist located at the end of this unit to informally assess your students.
Best Practice:
1.Maintaining a daily reading log for reading at school and reading at home is essential to promote continued reading growth. Continue to expect students to complete their daily reading logs throughout the year. Accountability occurs when reading logs and books being read are out on the table every day during reading time. Refer to students’ reading logs every day in conferences. Once or twice a month, encourage students to study their own reading logs in order to find patterns in their reading habits.
2.When you confer with readers, you will want to observe them as they read, compliment them on something that you notice they are doing as readers, and teach one new skill, strategy, or tip to help them grow as readers.
3.Partnerships are crucial to success in reading. Comprehension skyrockets when students talk about their books with others, even briefly. In partnerships, students have opportunities to build on others’ ideas and to express their own ideas clearly and persuasively.
4.Spend more than one day for a session as needed in your classroom. Remember that all teachers and classes are different, and you will want to make adjustments to the session, to the sequence of the sessions, and to the number of days you spend on a session as necessary.
Other:
5.A special thank you goes out to all authors of professional resources cited in this unit for their insights and ideas.

Ways Informational Readers Read with Power
  • Preview, predict, and tap my prior knowledge before I read:
Preview the title and headings from the Table of Contents.
“These sections seem to tell …”
Preview the heading, pictures, and text features in one section.
Predict what I think the section will be about.
“I think this section is mostly about ….”
Tap my prior knowledge.
“I already know …”
Read the section and think about what I learned.
“I learned that …”
Decide if it matched my prediction.
“It matched (or didn’t match) my prediction.”
  • Pause and paraphrase information by putting it in my own words.
  • Locate main idea sentences within paragraphs.
  • Support the main ideas with key details.
  • Determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary words from the text.
  • Recognize the structure of informational text:
Description tells the characteristics of something.
Sequence tells the order in which something happens.
Comparison tells how information presented are the same and different.
Cause and effect tells why something happens.
  • Teach others about a topic I am studying:
Include main ideas and key details with my palm and fingers.
Use an explaining voice (a teacher voice).
Point to the illustrations.
Use gestures.
  • Talk with others and listen to grow ideas:
“I wonder why …”
“This makes me think …”
“This makes me realize …”
“Maybe it’s because …”
“I used to think … but now I understand …
  • Study the pictures carefully to grow ideas:
“I notice …”
“I wonder …”
“I think …”
  • I summarize important information.
  • I compare how information on the same subtopic in various texts is presented.

Overview of Sessions – Teaching and Learning Points Aligned with the Common Core

Concept: Informational readers learn the skills and habits essential for informational reading.

CCSS: RI.3.1, RI.3.2, RI.3.3, RI.3.4, RI.3.5, RI.3.7, RI.3.8, SL.3.1, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d, LS.3.4a, LS.3.4d

Session 1: Readers preview, predict, and tap their prior knowledge before reading informational texts.

CCSS: RI.3.5, RI.3.7, SL.3.1, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d

Session 2: Readers pause and paraphrase information as they read.

CCSS: RI.3.1, RI.3.3, SL.3.1, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d

Session 3: Readers locate main idea sentences within paragraphs.

CCSS: RI.3.2, RI.3.3, SL.3.1, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d

Session 4: Readers support the main ideas with key details in informational text.

CCSS: RI.3.1, RI.3.3, SL.3.1, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d

Session 5: Readers determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary words from the text.

CCSS: RI.3.4, RI.3.5, SL.3.1, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d, LS.3.4a, LS.3.4d

Session 6-9: Readers recognize the structure of informational text (description, sequence, comparison, cause and effect).

CCSS: RI.3.3, RI.3.8, SL.3.1, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d

Session 10: Readers use graphic organizers to organize information from informational texts.

CCSS: RI.3.3, RI.3.8, SL.3.1, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d

Concept: Informational readers respond to texts and share the topics they are studying with others.

CCSS: RI.3.1, RI.3.3, RI.3.5, RI.3.7, SL.3.1, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d, SL.3.3, SL.3.4

Session 11: Readers teach others about the topic they are studying.

CCSS: RI.3.1, RI.3.3, RI.3.5, RI.3.7, SL.3.1, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d, SL.3.3, SL.3.3

Session 12: Readers talk with others and listen to grow ideas.

CCSS: RI.3.1, RI.3.2, RI.3.3, RI.3.7, SL.3.1, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d, SL.3.2, SL.3.4

Session 13: Readers study the pictures carefully to grow ideas.

CCSS: RI.3.7, SL.3.1, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d, SL.3.2

Concept: Informational readers pursue collaborative inquiries critically and analytically.

CCSS: RI.3.1, RI.3.2, RI.3.3, RI.3.5, RI.3.7, RI.3.8, RI.3.9, SL.3.1, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d,SL.3.4, SL.3.6

Session 14: Readers preview a collection of books on a topic of interest.

CCSS: RI.3.5, RI.3.7, RI.3.9, SL.3.1, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d

Session 15: Readers summarize the textas they study a subtopic of interest.

CCSS: RI.3.1, RI.3.2, RI.3.5, RI.3.7, SL.3.1, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d

Session 16: Readers study the pictures and text features as they study a subtopic of interest.

CCSS: RI.3.4, RI.3.5, RI.3.7, RI.3.9, SL.3.1, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d.

Session 17: Readers recognize the text structure as they study a subtopic of interest.

CCSS: RI.3.3, RI.3.8, RI.3.9, SL.3.1, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d

Session 18: Readers compare how information on the same subtopic in various texts is presented.

CCSS: RI.3.2, RI.3.3, RI.3.5, RI.3.7, RI.3.9, SL.3.1, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d

Session 19: Readers plan presentations about their topics to share with others.

CCSS: RI.3.2, RI.3.3, RI.3.5, RI.3.7, SL.3.1, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.1d

Session 20: Readers present information they have learned with others.

CCSS: RI.3.2, RI.3.3, RI.3.5, RI.3.7, SL.3.1, SL.3.1a, SL.3.1b, SL.3.1c, SL.3.3, SL.3.4. SL.3.6

Session 1
Concept / Informational readers learn the skills and habits essential for informational reading.
Teaching Point / Readers preview, predict, and tap their prior knowledge before reading informational texts.
References / Materials
  • Units of Study for Teaching Reading: A Curriculum for the Reading Workshop, Grades 3-5, Book 3: Determining Importance and Synthesizing, Lucy Calkins and Kathleen Tolan
  • A Curricular Plan for the Reading Workshop, Grade 3, 2011/2012, Lucy Calkins
/
  • Cheetahs (True Books), Ann O. Squire
  • Anchor chart:
Ways Informational Readers Read with Power
  • Text Features list
  • Chart paper for text feature anchor chart
  • Enlarged copy and/or copies for each student of student chart for Session 1 Preview, Predict, and Tap Prior Knowledge

Notes /
  • Provide informational texts to students during independent reading. If possible, have two copies of the same text, one for each partner. If not, have students read from the same book.
  • Have scissors and tape or glue on hand for student to adhere their student charts into their reader’s notebooks beginning with this session and throughout the unit. Distribute them to students as they leave the meeting area.
  • Begin an anchor chart that lists text features and their purpose during this session. Use the one provided as a resource.
  • Students work in partnerships during independent reading time and then two partnerships join together to share information learned during partnership share.

Connection / Readers, today we are going to begin a new unit of study where we will preview, predict, and tap our prior knowledge before we readinformational texts with our partners. One thing we are going to learn is that informational readers read with energy and power. We preview to see how the information is presented. We predict what the text is going to be about. We tap our prior knowledge to recall what we already know about the topic. In this way, we get ourselves ready to read and learn.
Demonstration/
Teaching /
  • Refer to the anchor chart Ways Informational Reader Read with Power and an enlarged copy of the student chart for Session 1 Preview, Predict, and Tap Prior Knowledge.
  • Demonstrate how you prepare to read the book Cheetahs in the following way:
Preview the title and headings from the Table to Contents. Explain the logic behind the Table of Contents (the headings help you understand how the book is organized) and explain what you think each chapter/section will be about.
Preview the heading, picture, and text features (caption, bold-faced word, fact box/sidebar) from the introduction to the first chapter, Many Worlds in One, on pages 6 and 7.
“This section probably tells about …”
Predict what you think these two pages will be about.
“I think this section is mostly about ___.”
Tap yourprior knowledge about this section.
“I already know …”
  • Demonstrate how you read with a wide-awake mind, connect new information to known information, and integrate information from the running text, the pictures, and the text features.
  • Check if the information matched your prediction:
“I learned that …”
“Does this fit with what I thought I knew?”
“It matched (or didn’t match) my prediction.”
Active Involvement /
  • Have students refer to the anchor chartWays Informational Readers Read with Power and prepare to read and learn from the second section of the book Cheetahs.
Preview the heading, pictures, and text features with the students. Explain that the information on page 10 is presented in the form of a fact box, even though it takes up the entire page.
Have studentspredict and tap their prior knowledge with their partners.
Have students listen as you read aloud.
Have students turn and share with their partners the information they learned from the words, pictures, and text features and decide whether it matched their predictions.
  • Have one or two student volunteers share what they learned with the rest of the class.

Link / So readers, today we learned how readers preview, predict, and tap their prior knowledge before they readinformational texts. Now it’s time for you to preview an informational text with your partner. (Distribute books to partnerships.) Read the title and headings from the Table of Contents. Turn to the first section andpreview, predict, and tap your prior knowledge. Pay close attention to the text features before you begin reading. Then read the section aloud to each other and check to see if the text matched your prediction. Talk about what you learned. Distribute student charts.
Reading and Conferring /
  • Conduct partnership conferences to make sure students are previewing, predicting, and tapping their prior knowledge before reading their informational texts.

Mid-Workshop
Teaching Point / Readers, as you read each section, you will often find that your initial predictions are very general. You would be right to predict that a heading that says, “Insect Legs” will provide information about insects’ legs. As you read, you might realize that the section is actually telling about how insects’ legs are different from the legs of other animals. Try to be precise when you talk with your partners about what you learned and how this information does or does not fit with your predictions.
Partnership Share /
  • Explain that each partnership will join another partnership and give each other preview of the texts they have been reading. To prepare, have them refer to the anchor chart and review their texts for a minute or two.
  • Have partnerships point out what they saw when they previewed their texts, share their predictions and whether they matched the text, and tell what they learned.

Teaching Share /
  • Identify and name various text features that occur in the texts that students are reading throughout this unit. Record the text features and their purpose on an ongoing anchor chart. Refer to the list of text features provided.
  • NOTE: Have students keep their informational books for use in Session 2.


Ways Informational Readers Read with Power
  • Preview, predict, and tap my prior knowledge before I read:
Preview the title and headings from the Table of Contents.
“These sections seem to tell …”
Preview the heading, pictures, and text features in one section.
“This section probably tells about …”
Predict what I think the section will be about.
“I think this section is mostly about …”
Tap my prior knowledge.
“I already know …”
Read and check if the information matched my prediction.
“I learned that …”
“Does this fit with what I thought I knew?”
“It matched (or didn’t match) my prediction.”
Preview, Predict, and Tap Prior Knowledge
Student Chart – Session 1

  • I can preview, predict, and tap my prior knowledge before reading in this way:
Preview the title and headings from the Table of Contents.
Preview the heading, pictures, and text features in one section.
“This section probably tells about …”
Predict what I think the section will be about.
“I think this section is mostly about …”
Tap my prior knowledge.
“I already know …”
Read and check if the information matched my prediction.
“I learned that …”
“Does this fit with what I thought I knew?”
“It matched (or didn’t match) my prediction.”
Text Features
  • A bar graph uses bars to show and compare information.
  • Bold print shows new or important words.
  • Bullets organize information in a list.
  • A caption is a sentence that tells about a picture.
  • A conclusion sums up the important information in a text and leaves the reader with some important ideas.
  • A cross section shows the inside of something.
  • A cutaway shows a part of the inside of something.
  • A cycle uses arrows to show something that happens over and over again.
  • A diagram is a labeled picture that shows the parts of something.
  • A fact box/sidebargives additional information about a topic.
  • A flow chart uses arrows or numbers to show a sequence.
  • A glossary lists new or important words and tells what they mean.
  • A heading tells what each section is about.
  • An index tells you what page to find information in a book. It is in alphabetical order.
  • Italic print shows new or important words.
  • An introduction captures the interest of the reader and presents the important ideas.
  • A label is a word that tells about a picture.
  • A magnification shows details in a close-up picture.
  • A map is a picture that shows the location of things or a place.
  • Parentheses are used to identify additional information in a sentence.
  • A pictograph uses pictures to show and compare information.
  • A pie graph is a graph in the shape of a circle that shows the parts of a whole.
  • A pronunciation guide tells you how to say a new word.
  • A sidebar gives additional information about a topic.
  • A size comparison compares that size of one thing to the size of another.
  • A subheading organizes information into smaller sections.
  • A T-chart lists information about two different things.
  • A table is a chart of information used to compare things.
  • A Table of Contents gives the heading and the beginning page number of each section in a book.
  • A timeline is a chart that shows events in order.
  • A Venn diagram shows how two things are alike and how they are different.