A couple Fridays ago, I was privileged to teach the Notice and Note signpost (Beers & Probst, 2013) of Tough Questions for the first time. This lesson's goal was to have students to stop, notice, and note when they are reading and the main character asks themselves a hard life question, or when they ask a hard life question to someone close to them.
The Class
I was teaching a class of 25 third graders in a diverse Title I school. The class was made up primarily of boys, and had two reading groups considered to be below grade level, one on-grade level group, and two above-grade level groups. I had taught other lessons with this teacher, and this was my third signpost I had taught them.
The Book Review
I modeled this signpost using the text, The Numberlys by William Joyce and Christina Ellis. The semi-wordless picture book is about a group of friends who live in a world of only numbers. Not content with this world, they decide to do something to change it! I totally loved this book, because the theme of daring to be different and to “be the change you seek in the world” resonated with me, and will inspire children of all ages.
Reflections
I thought the lesson went well, and the students walked away with an understanding of the signpost. Here are some specifics of what I would replay (do again), and what I would change the next time I teach this lesson:
Your Turn: Are there any great “read alouds” you use to teach this signpost? How would you have done the lesson differently?
The Class
I was teaching a class of 25 third graders in a diverse Title I school. The class was made up primarily of boys, and had two reading groups considered to be below grade level, one on-grade level group, and two above-grade level groups. I had taught other lessons with this teacher, and this was my third signpost I had taught them.
The Book Review
I modeled this signpost using the text, The Numberlys by William Joyce and Christina Ellis. The semi-wordless picture book is about a group of friends who live in a world of only numbers. Not content with this world, they decide to do something to change it! I totally loved this book, because the theme of daring to be different and to “be the change you seek in the world” resonated with me, and will inspire children of all ages.
Reflections
I thought the lesson went well, and the students walked away with an understanding of the signpost. Here are some specifics of what I would replay (do again), and what I would change the next time I teach this lesson:
- Replay- The Book Choice: Again, I loved this story, and not only was it just an awesome tale for the elementary grades especially, the two tough questions it presented generated a great deal of conversation and responses from the kids which was perfect for this signpost.
- Change- Random selection of partners: In order to get students constructing knowledge, I should have been more intentional with my groupings. Perhaps partnering reluctant readers with readers who were stronger perhaps?
- Replay- Preprinted Response Post-It notes: I have fallen in love with this way for students to stop and jot as they engage with a text they are reading. I print questions (this time, the essential question they need to ask when they encounter a tough question) on Post- It notes, and then place them strategically in the text. When Ss come to them, they read what the note is requiring of them, and they respond. I then collect the Post- It notes or have them share what they wrote to get an idea of what they are thinking while they read. This technique was great for whole group, but also for guided reading. A template is available for free at the end of this post.
- Replay- Charting their thinking: I know that Beers and Probst do not necessarily recommend this, but I am ecstatic about anchor charts that capture the students thinking for us to refer back to in the future. I had them place their Post-It notes on an anchor T-chart designed for the Tough Questions signpost. (See anchor chart above)
Your Turn: Are there any great “read alouds” you use to teach this signpost? How would you have done the lesson differently?
postitnotes.toughquestions.docx |