Inquiry in a Classroom Informational Text and Questioning By Stacy Price

Research Question What strategies can I teach my 5 th grade students that will help them to read informational text and comprehend through written response questions. What strategies can I teach my 5 th grade students that will help them to read informational text and comprehend through written response questions.

Comprehension Skills create mental pictures create mental pictures use background knowledge use background knowledge ask questions ask questions make inferences make inferences determine the most important ideas or themes determine the most important ideas or themes determine the meaning of unfamiliar words determine the meaning of unfamiliar words synthesis information synthesis information

Informational Literacy Features Found in science, social studies, as well as other textbooks, newspapers, and magazines. Found in science, social studies, as well as other textbooks, newspapers, and magazines. Diagrams, charts, graphs, captions Diagrams, charts, graphs, captions Has index, table of contents, headings Has index, table of contents, headings Special vocabulary bold faced or italicized Special vocabulary bold faced or italicized Has a particular text structure Has a particular text structure

Sample Lesson for Informational Text Scavenger Hunt Scavenger Hunt –Have students use an informational reading source (magazine, newspaper, textbook) to hunt for chapter headings, glossary, index, illustrations to develop comprehension of the text. –Students will gain an understanding of the purpose of informational text.

Research Design Week 1 Week 1 –Conduct a pretest using a selection of informational text written response –Take note of student who use comprehension strategies Week 2 Week 2 –Teach specific comprehension strategy based on initial observations –Practice the strategy through informal interviewing and discussion Week 3 Week 3 –Teach a second comprehension strategy based on initial observation –Practice the strategy through informal interviewing and discussion –Discussion of type of informational text Week 4 Week 4 –Teach a third comprehension strategy based on initial observation –Practice use of strategy Week 5 Week 5 –Give a post test –Observe use of strategies –Have students answer a survey in regards to how they felt the strategies helped them

Stats from Pre-test Pre-test was a couple sentences about the solar system and a chart explaining the diameters of the planets. Pre-test was a couple sentences about the solar system and a chart explaining the diameters of the planets. Fifty-nine students took the mini-test. Of those 49% got both questions correct, 35% got one correct, and 15% got neither one correct. Fifty-nine students took the mini-test. Of those 49% got both questions correct, 35% got one correct, and 15% got neither one correct.

Inquiry Shift Inferential Questions Through my practice in the classroom, students struggled with not the reading of informational text but the answering of inferential questions. Through my practice in the classroom, students struggled with not the reading of informational text but the answering of inferential questions. Students also refuse to go back in the text to find answers or concepts to help them. Students also refuse to go back in the text to find answers or concepts to help them.

Simple Questions Too often, the questioning process has been reduced to an oversimplified search for prepackaged answers. Too often, the questioning process has been reduced to an oversimplified search for prepackaged answers. Questions are intended to provoke thought and inspire reflection, but all too often the process is short circuited by the simple answer, the quick truth. Questions are intended to provoke thought and inspire reflection, but all too often the process is short circuited by the simple answer, the quick truth.

What Does Inference Mean? Making predictions or generalizations through deductive or inductive reasoning. Making predictions or generalizations through deductive or inductive reasoning. –Deductive reasoning: start with a general statement and explain how specific details relate to it. –Inductive reasoning: investigate specific details in search of an underlying, unifying principle.

Sample Lesson Provide a selection of informational reading. Provide a selection of informational reading. Ask questions Ask questions –build on prior knowledge –develop the main idea –infer

Sample Text

Sample Questions Where do we get the lumber we use for making buildings, paper and furniture? (prior knowledge) Where do we get the lumber we use for making buildings, paper and furniture? (prior knowledge) How do some logging companies replace the trees they cut? (prior knowledge, infer) How do some logging companies replace the trees they cut? (prior knowledge, infer) How does clear-cutting affect a forest? (main idea) How does clear-cutting affect a forest? (main idea) How might the views of a person who catches fish for a living and a person who builds homes for a living differ? (infer) How might the views of a person who catches fish for a living and a person who builds homes for a living differ? (infer)

Conclusion As we talked about and practiced the strategies, students needed to be using, their scores on these types of questions improved. As we talked about and practiced the strategies, students needed to be using, their scores on these types of questions improved. Having students write questions was also a neat way to have them explore the different types of questions. Having students write questions was also a neat way to have them explore the different types of questions. Strong questioning skills fuel and steer the inventive process required to “cook up” something new. Without such skills, we and our students are prisoners of conventional wisdom and the trend or bandwagon of the day. Strong questioning skills fuel and steer the inventive process required to “cook up” something new. Without such skills, we and our students are prisoners of conventional wisdom and the trend or bandwagon of the day.

Where do I go? Increase the availability and exposure of informational text within my classroom. Increase the availability and exposure of informational text within my classroom. Continue to use instructional strategies for comprehension of reading. Continue to use instructional strategies for comprehension of reading. Continue to point out key features of informational text. Continue to point out key features of informational text. Continue to challenge my students with questions that are beyond rote memory and telling of the text. Continue to challenge my students with questions that are beyond rote memory and telling of the text.

Resources rategies/Info%20Text/infotext.htm rategies/Info%20Text/infotext.htm rategies/Info%20Text/infotext.htm rategies/Info%20Text/infotext.htm