Utilizing cognitive strategies in the curriculum Making the cognitive strategy authentic

Science – 3 rd Grade Unit: 8 Lesson: 3 Living things modify the environment

Yesterday at our school we had a guest speaker. He was a policeman who came to remind us about safety when walking to and from school. Because he spoke for an hour, our teacher modified our class schedule. She shortened our language arts time so we could get all the other subjects in.

The text tells us the teacher had to modify her class schedule. She shortened the time they studied language arts. She did this so they would have time for the other subjects. I know that if she shortened language arts, she changed the amount of time they spend doing it. So I tie together what I read and what I know to infer the meaning of modify. If you modify something, you change it. I think this because she had spent less time studying language arts. She changed the amount of time they spent working on it.

Living things modify their environment in order to meet their needs and survive. Think what you know about the animals you see above or others you have learned about. What inferences can you make about how they might modify their environment so they can survive? What are you thinking that made you say that?

Science – 3 rd Unit: 08 Lesson: 03 What the text saysWhat we know and think about what the text says We can conclude (tie together what text says and what we know about what the text says) Beavers are called engineers because they build dams. Use sticks, mud, rocks for materials. Can gnaw trees. Dam holds water behind it. Makes a deep water area. After dam is done, beavers make a lodge for family to live in. It has several doors to use for escape from predators.

Social Studies – 2 nd Unit: 4 Lesson: 2 Community – then and now

Social Studies – 2 nd Unit: 4 Lesson: 2 What we observe about communities then and now What we know and think about what we observe Tie these together and make inferences about why the changes came about

Social Studies Unit: 4 Lesson: 2 The lesson says: What are some ways people have changed the environment? Continue with: What do we know and think about these changes? Add: Tie together what we have learned about changes to the environment and what we think about it. What inferences can we make about how these changes have effected the environment? What has happened because of these changes?

Social Studies – 4 th Grade Unit: 1 Lesson: 3 Native Americans found themselves being conquered by Anglo Americans. The primary reason for this invasion was land. Native Americans were able to sustain themselves off the land. In exchange for the land that the Native Americans occupied and its natural resources, the government provided other land that would be off limits to new settlements.

What does the text tell us? What do we know and think about what the text tells us? What can we infer about how the reservations would change the lifestyle of the Native American?

Let’s Practice One of the Spaniards major goal was to convert the “heathen” Native Americans to Christianity. They built the early missions for the purpose of doing this. The Native Americans who lived there were forced to practice Christianity. As well, the friars and missionaries needed the Native Americans to live in the missions. They made them work rigid schedules all day long.

Determine the inference to make Think about what we want our students to understand about this time period. What are some points in the selection where students could infer to come to a deeper understanding of the text. Brainstorm ideas for making inferences, drawing conclusions, etc.

Your turn! Make it authentic Look at examples of something from your curriculum (a content lesson, a read aloud, a novel, etc) Determine points one can make inferences, draw conclusions, determine theme, etc. Consider points that are essential to deeper understanding of the concepts and theme. Develop the idea to model or share with your classroom teachers.