GLAD STRATEGIES
Focus and Motivation / Input / Guided Oral Practice / Reading and Writing
Graphic Organizer Chart / Mind Map
Inquiry Chart / Sentence Patterning Charts / Process Grid
Cognitive Content Dictionary / Comparative Input Chart / Expert Groups
Picture File Cards
Exploration Report / Story Map
Team Tasks
Learning Logs
Interactive Journal
NAME OF STRATEGY: Inquiry Chart (Focus & Motivation)
What:A strategy used to help focus students at the beginning of a unit. Similar to KWL but more purposeful and is kept up whole unit and constantly revisited and edited.
Why? Assesses prior knowledge and sets purpose for learning. Easily adapted to all content areas. Helps with vocabulary and grammar and the processing information as you edit it all during the unit. Kids need the opportunities to talk about what they know and are learning in small scaffolded situations. Can be used at the end of the unit to review prior to a test. Students can add to the questions and answers as they go through the unit. Always make additions in a different color of ink to show editing.
Steps: Create a poster with two questions… What do you know about______? And What do you want to learn about _____? Sit with students and have them come up with the answers and questions for each category, using their exact words and also writing who asked or shared the information so you can refer to it later.
Notes/Sketch
NAME OF STRATEGY: Cognitive Content Dictionary (Focus & Motivation)
What?A Word Study that asks students to predict the meaning of a chosen word then discuss it whole group. They find the meaning by the end of the class or day and then are able to use it in a sentence. This can be done daily with words that come from your units of study. Excellent for all units of study/subject areas.
Why? Activates prior knowledge. Sparks interest and sets purpose. Builds vocabulary skills in content areas of study. Involve students in metacognition. Uses key vocabulary terms to help internalize them and the concepts. Builds word study skills – root word – prefixes- suffixes-word origins-phonics and grammar rules. Used throughout the unit. Posters remain up all year, simply add the new word poster on top of the old. That way it serves as a resource all year.
Steps:Remember to color code each new word – Teacher chooses word from vocabulary list. 1) Writes it in “word” box – then take head counts – who has heard of this word/never heard of this word? 2) In table groups, kids put their heads together and make a prediction of what they think word means. Teacher writes down predictions exactly as stated. The team job is to try to find the actual meaning sometime during the day. 3) This word is now the signal word for the day – teach kids a synonym and an action to go with the word – every time you say it – they say the word, use the action and the synonym. Can be used to transition, get kids attention – repetition is the key. 4) Next day – or in the afternoon of same day – teacher takes ideas of real meaning and then reads and records the actual definition from the dictionary. 5) Teacher sketches something that will help them remember. 6) Teacher explains the word’s part of speech, its origins, roots, etc. 7) Kids (in teams) create a sentence using the word in a way that explains its meaning. Teacher puts a check mark in that column 8) One step further would be for primary kids to record in a picture dictionary so they keep an ongoing record of new vocabulary. Can extend this into a personal dictionary for the intermediate grades.
Kids can also be responsible for choosing new vocabulary words to study and class votes on them. They try to stump the class with the new words. “Stumpers”
Notes/Sketches
NAME OF STRATEGY: Graphic Organizer – Timeline (Input)
What?Typical way to help kids organize information – but instead uses lots of visuals and only key words
Why? Activates prior knowledge. Sparks interest and sets purpose. Builds vocabulary skills in content areas of study. Uses key vocabulary terms to help internalize them and the concepts.
Steps:Create a timeline on a long sheet of paper… with dates and long timeline arrow - ghost write words on the timeline – research and print pictures of the important events, people, etc. to match the dates… have tape strips ready to tape up onto timeline… Day 1: with kids in front of you, begin to talk about the timeline, adding pictures as you go to bring the topics alive to kids. Day 2: readdress timeline, this time some kids will have words on index cards and when they hear their word, they bring it up and put it on timeline with tape. Day 3: go through and tell stories about the main events/characters to help bring it even further to life. Leave up as resource for kids to use.
Notes/sketches:
NAME OF STRATEGY: Comparative Input Chart (input)
What?A variation of the pictorial – compares and contrasts two objects, animals, or people – a pictorial form of a Venn Diagram.
Why? Front loading of information at the beginning of a unit. Review as needed throughout the unit to reinforce information. This is the time to key in on important vocabulary and concepts from the EALRS/GLEs. Can be used in any content area. Teaches thinking skills in a fun way. Highly scaffolded activity.
Steps: Follow the same procedures as the pictorial but choose two objects, animals, or characters that lend themselves to comparing/contrasting. Use ghost printing to create this and then bring alive in front of kids. Revisit the comparative to add words cards and review information. Consider extending the comparative by recording the key points and vocabulary on a Venn diagram. Use the comparative and /or Venn diagram as the graphic organizer for compare/contrast piece of writing.
Notes/Sketches
NAME OF STRATEGY: Sentence Patterning Chart (Farmer in the Dell)
(Guided Oral Practice)
What?A chart written on butcher paper, with categories for parts of speech. Sentences are created using this template and used throughout unit.
Why? Skill building, provides foundation for building complex sentences & learn parts of speech. Use as a resource for change, poems, etc. Can be easily transferred to reading, writing, poetry. Low anxiety environment in which to practice new vocabulary. Integrates content.
Steps:Color coded on large sheet of butcher paper. Differentiate for grade levels. At primary level, use just first 3 columns. Upper grades, use all 5 columns. Done with whole group, kids in front of you, but can also be done in small groups during reading for kids who need more scaffolding. Teacher models, providing key plural noun. Using 10-2, Kids brainstorm adjectives to go with it – then brainstorm verbs, … continue until all columns are filled. Refer students to resources in the room, such as pictorials, if necessary. Using the choices in all the columns choose 2 adjectives (upper grades) or 3 adjectives (primary) and one word from each of the other categories, using arrows to mark the parts of the sentence. Read several times together, using the song indicated above. Create several sentences this way, rewrite them on sentence strips or in a chant or poem – kid created – kids revisit during unit.
What it looks like…
Adjective (red)(describes noun) / Plural Noun (black)
(person, place, thing, idea) / Verb (green)
(action word – things you “do”) / Adverb (blue)
describes “how” sometimes ends in “ly” / Prepositional Phrase (orange)
answers “where?”
NAME OF STRATEGY: Picture File Cards (Guided Oral Practice)
What?Laminated cards with pictures from units of study. Since many students don’t have the prior knowledge needed to internalize concepts/ideas – these present a visual for them to grab onto.
Why?Many uses- can be used for sorting, group work, to activate PK, for Big Books, for Observation Charts, for a formative assessment, for stimulating discussion, for timelines, for read alouds
•helps link language to pictures and discussions promote language development
•scaffolds learning
•builds integration into other content areas
•develops higher level thinking – predicting, classifying, etc.
•high interest activities
Steps: Using internet graphics and photos, magazines and photos, build a collection of colored picture file cards, maybe 80 – 100 per unit – cut out and laminate – keep in ziplocs to organize – label bag
Notes/sketches:
NAME OF STRATEGY: Exploration Report
What? A type of inquiry chart
Why? Give indication of background knowledge. Provides students with the opportunity for increased team building. Scaffolds vocabulary and meaning for information
Steps: Use real photos, in color, if possible. Choose high interest photos. Use the exploration report as the first team task activity as an intro to the unit
Select 2-3 photos per team. Each team will then decide one photo to report on. Each team must then decide on an observation, a question and a prediction that they will report to the class. The teacher will then ask each team for their observation, their prediction and their questions, recording them in the team color. Used to determine background d knowledge. Teacher can revisit the report as the unit progressed and information is learned.
Notes/Sketches
NAME OF STRATEGY: Mind Maps (reading and writing)
What? Blank template for use by students to transfer information
Why? Helps kids learn to organize information and summarize
Steps:Once you have worked with expert groups and highlighted important information, now have them transfer the information onto a mind map so they can learn how to be succinct and how to synthesize/summarize information. Information can be organized with key words, adding very brief details. They will use these when they work on process grid. Model this explicitly with students. Note taking is a difficult skill for some.
Notes/sketches:
NAME OF STRATEGY: Process Grid (Reading and Writing)
What?A poster that is created which represents what the students are learning in the unit of study in a clear, organized manner. Used as a reference tool throughout unit.
Why? Helps kids learn to organize and categorize information. Aids in writing expository text. Teaches reading for information. This is a grid, with categories across the top and down the side. Students acquire information in a number of ways- prior knowledge, expert groups or teacher input. Builds confidence and comprehension when students can teacher others. Students use the developed process grid to write an individual essay. This should occur only after there has been time allowed for the team task practice time. Teacher models – then lets teams finish completing the chart.
Steps:Once you have worked with expert groups and highlighted important information, now have them transfer the information onto a mind map so they can learn how to be succinct and how to synthesize/summarize information. Information can be organized with key words, adding very brief details. You model first section or two, filling in with the kids help, the information. Choose kids randomly to give you the info. Once you have modeled one row, have kids go back to seats and work together to fill in chart, using information kids have gathered in expert groups.
Notes/Sketches
NAME OF STRATEGY: Expert Groups (reading and writing)
What? Using varied level of teacher created text, (3-4 paragraphs) students are taught to read and summarize.
Why? Great example of differentiation. Demonstrates features of non-fiction text. Teaches reading for information. Promotes comprehension and communication of key concepts. Builds note taking skills and summarizing. Promotes academic discourse. Encourages cooperative group skills. Builds student accountability. Integration of reading into core subjects.
Steps:
- Group kids by ability into “expert groups”
- Prepare one paragraph text sheets (see sample) with room for drawing. You will create 4 – 5 different text sheets (one for each group you will meet with)
- Each small group meets with teacher – you read text together – teacher helping.
- You can say: it is important to be able to remember what you read and summarize it for others. A good way to do this is to sketch pictures to help you tell a story. Read the first sentence of the first paragraph. Let’s highlight words that were important to remember then sketch a picture that might help you remember what you read. Kids will then sketch.
- Together, highlight key words then do quick sketch – connecting text to picture with a line.
- Teacher uses picture cards to go along with each paragraph to scaffold learners (as needed)
- Information will eventually transfer to a mind map and they will do a “jigsaw” activity to teach their peers.
- Model this well – using think aloud to help identify key words
- Once students are experts – they will teach to peers
Notes/Sketches
NAME OF STRATEGY: Story Map (Reading and Writing)
What?Template that allows for students to organize, sequence and summarize.
Why? Teaches story elements. Promotes sequencing and comprehension. Can be used as a story planner during writer’s workshop. Can be used in conjunction with narrative input. Highly interactive. Scaffolds instruction when modeled effectively. Great for cooperative learning.
Steps:Choose a story with a clear problem and solution as a model. Read orally- section by section. Kids do “10 -2” and share with partner, talk about problems, solutions, etc. Kids orally share with teacher to fill in blanks on story map and teacher records. Once kids have gotten the hang of it, you can send them back to their teams to complete the story map or break it down even further and have them partner up. This is a great extension to the Narrative Strategy when possible. After students are proficient at filling in story maps, they can use story maps to plan their own stories.
Notes/Sketches
NAME OF STRATEGY: Team Tasks
What? Group assignments done by students
Why? Used in place of centers
- Allows teacher to pull flexible groups
- Use modeled strategies
- Provide scaffolding – teacher models, team task, then individuals work
Steps: Choose strategies that have been modeled and then write a list of extension activities around them. Assign the teams 3 tasks to begin with, then add more tasks as they begin to work better together and understand assignments. Students within teams should choose colored pens/pencils/markers to do their work in for individual evaluations.
Notes/Sketches
NAME OF STRATEGY: Learning Logs/Double Entry Journal (Reading & Writing)
What? Paper journals where students write daily about what they have learned and their thinking about it. Done with each unit of study. Paper is divided into two sections – one that is labeled Text and the other is labeled You.
Why? Increases metacognition; teacher uses it as an assessment tool to see who is learning concepts and who is struggling and might need review. Give students feedback. These are checked weekly.
Steps:Provide the journal – 5-8 sheets of paper stapled together. Kids can label them appropriately. Model what you want done in these journals. Kids label the two sections.
Notes/Sketches
NAME OF STRATEGY: Interactive Journals
What? A journal with spaces for students to engage in written dialogue with with their teacher about issues that are meaningful to them.
Why? Students are engaged in an activity and issue that is meaningful to them. It builds relationships bwt. Teacher and students. Models correct writing and spelling while corresponding. Students will begin to self correct on their own. Use throughout the year.
Steps:Provide journals for the kids to use. Divide the class up so that each student can write to the teacher and get a response once a week. Respond to 5-6 per day maybe – depending on numbers. Use a different color pen as the teacher. Students can write in the journal at any time but know they will only have it seen by the teacher once a week. You can assign them a day and time for them to write to you. You never correct the student writing/spelling – simply respond to their writing. Model correct spelling/grammar through your response.
Notes/Sketches
Taken From Project GLAD