Can’t We All Just Get Along? Unifying Informational and Literary Texts Valerie Mickish and Kaneshia Robinson Gwinnett County Public Schools

Why is there a need to create a union between informational and literary texts? Literary Text O ELCC8RL1: Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. Informational Text O ELACC8RI1: Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Close Reading Douglas Fisher

Selecting Short, Worthy Passages O When introducing a strategy, use short texts to promote rereading. O Excerpts from extended texts can also be a focus of strategy work. O Students take notes on confusing parts as they read, paying specific attention to new or confusing vocabulary. Text Complexity: Raising Rigor in Reading. Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and Dianne Lapp. pgs

How can we incorporate think-alouds into our classroom instruction? “As apprentices, students need to have thinking made visible.” (Fisher, Frey, and Lapp, 2012) O Modeling O “Untitled” by Dan Argent O Think Aloud and Shared Reading O Independent Practice O Read the 2 nd half of “Untitled.” O Perform shared readings with annotations.

“Untitled” -Dan Argent My full name is Marlowe-8210-K, but everyone calls me Karl. I live in an apartment with my brother Jay in one of the shabbier parts of the city. My apartment is pretty small, just the two rooms and a shower cubby, but that’s all we can afford these days. Our societal utility score is low, almost zero, and if things don’t take a turn for the better soon, I’ll be the last of our clone-line born into this world. 65 Fresh Mentor Texts and Lessons for Teaching Literature. Harvey “Smokey” Daniels and Nancy Steineke. pg. 32

How can an informational text support the understanding of a literary text? O Modeling O “Clone and Cloning” article O Annotations and text-based conversation questions O Sentence Frames

“Clone and Cloning” A clone is a cell, group of cells, or organism produced by asexual reproduction that contains genetic information identical to that of the parent cell or organism. Asexual reproduction is the process by which a single parent cell divides to produce two new daughter cells.

How can an informational text support the understanding of a literary text? O Independent Practice O Read the first two paragraphs of the next section, “The History of Cloning.” O Develop conversation questions and record them in your Writer’s Notebook. O Discuss with the group using textual evidence.

How can informational texts support conversations? Sentence Frames O I agree that_____ (a point that needs emphasizing) because so many people believe that_____. O Although I concede that _____, I still insist that______. O Although I don’t agree that, I do recognize that______. O The evidence shows that_____. O My own view, however, is that _____. Text Complexity: Raising Rigor in Reading. Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and Dianne Lapp. pgs

How do students use evidence from an article to build an argument? O Identify Preparation Partners. 75 Texts and Lessons for Content-Area Reading. Harvey “Smokey” Daniels and Nancy Steineke. pgs

How do students use evidence from an article to build an argument? O With your Preparation Partner, use textual evidence to develop an argument on the half sheet. O Review Argument Rating Scale. O Now, present your argument to your Argument Partner. O Preparation Partners- Identify the weakest point of your argument partner’s claim. O Prepare refutation of your Argument Partner’s claim. 75 Texts and Lessons for Content-Area Reading. Harvey “Smokey” Daniels and Nancy Steineke. pgs

How can a rereading of a literary text help a student better understand the author’s theme? O Scan the Three Level Study Guide statements. O Reread “Untitled.” O Complete the Three Level Study Guide as you read. O Share with your table group what you’ve learned from the rereading after exploring the informational texts.

So, yes… O Informational and literary texts can get along when used to support student understanding of both.

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