1. The Reading/Writing Connection: A Cognitive Strategies Approach to Interpreting Informational Texts
The following is a tutorial demonstrating how you might approach a news event to teach students how to access cognitive strategies to understand and interpret informational/expository texts.
It is designed to use after students have been exposed to the cognitive strategies and have already practiced with a literary text.
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Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

2.
Show students the cover of People magazine and ask if they recognize the person in the photograph.
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

3. Tapping Prior Knowledge
I already know that…
This reminds me of...
This relates to...
Tapping Prior Knowledge: Remind students that tapping prior knowledge is like having a file cabinet inside our heads.
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

4. Ask them to fill in what they know about Steve Irwin (if they recognize him) on the K-W-L Chart. If they don’t recognize him and one of their classmates does, have students partner up and share what they know.

5. Ask students to fill in what they want to know about Steve Irwin on the K-W-L Chart5

6.
Then ask them to “read” the cover photo and a companion photo of Irwin in the article What do the photos “say” about Steve Irwin?
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

7. Forming Interpretations
What this means to me is...
I think this represents...
The idea I’m getting is...
Forming Interpretations: When we form interpretations, we make inferences (educated guesses) and draw conclusions about something. Have them form interpretations and write down their first impressions of Steve Irwin.
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

8. My first impression of Steve Irwin:
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

9. Steve Irwin’s Tragic Death
Making Predictions: Show students the magazine cover (“Steve Irwin’s Tragic Death”). Have them analyze the author’s craft by discussing the connotations of the word “tragic.” Ask those who don’t have much prior knowledge of Steve Irwin to make predictions about what they think happened based on the headline.
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

10. Making Predictions I’ll bet that... I think... If , then...
As students share, ask them to explain why they made the predictions they did.
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

11. Asking questions: Note that below the title there is a subtitle that ends in a question. Ask how many students have also asked this question?
A stingray barb through the heart kills the beloved Aussie adventurer, who leaves behind a wife and two children. How did this happen?
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

12. Asking Questions I wonder why... What if... How come...
What other questions do they have? Make a list on the W part of the K-W-L chart.
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

13. Visualizing I can picture... In my mind I see...
If this were a movie...
Visualizing: Read the opening paragraph of the article. Ask students to visualize the scene. What kind of day was it? Can they picture the setting? What mood was Irwin in?
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

14. Monitoring I got lost here because… I need to reread the part where…
I know I’m on the right
track because...
Monitoring: Note that another important cognitive strategy we use when we make meaning is monitoring. It can encourage us to move ahead when we know we’re on the right track or tell us to stop or slow down when we’re confused. Ask if there’s anything in this paragraph that might trip a person up. The expression “Not one to fritter away an idle moment” may come up.
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

15. Clarifying To understand better, I need to know more about…
Something that is still not
clear is…
I’m guessing that this means
____, but I need to...
Clarifying: When our monitor tells us we are confused, we often have to use clarifying to figure out what something means. We might look the word up in the dictionary, ask a friend, or try to look at the word in context to understand it. What are the connotations of “Not one to fritter away an idle moment”? What does this say about the kind of man Irwin is? (Note that the words “ever energetic” also help us to figure out the meaning of the phrase.)
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

16. Analyzing the Author’s Craft
A golden line for me is...
This word/phrase stands
out for me because...
I like how the author uses
___ to show...
Analyzing Author’s Craft: Read the second and third paragraphs (up to “That was it”). Ask students to visualize what happened. What helps them picture the event? Note how the author’s words “razor-sharp,” “plunged,” “barb,” and “piercing” help us to picture the even and play it in our minds like a movie. This is analyzing author’s craft.
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

17. Summarizing The basic gist is… The key information is…
In a nutshell, this says that…
Asking Questions and Summarizing: Ask students what questions they have about the event. Have them add these questions to the list they made earlier on their K-W-L.
Students may have questions about how the stingray’s barb managed to kill Irwin. Direct their attention to the sidebar at the end of the article and ask them to read it. Good readers are able to synthesize information and to summarize the basic gist or key ideas in their own words. Ask students to turn to a partner. One student should summarize the main ideas of the sidebar. The listener can add anything their partner missed.
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

18. Forming Interpretations
What this means to me is…
I think this represents...
The idea I’m getting is...
Forming Interpretations: Read paragraphs 4 and 5. Return to the author’s statement, “It was a tragic, yet not wholly unexpected end for the adventurer.” Ask students to turn to a partner and to interpret that statement. How can both things be true?
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

19. Making Connections This reminds me of... I experienced this once
when...
I can relate to this because...
Making Connections: Ask students if they can think of other examples of “adventurers” who also met tragic ends. Make a connection to an example of your own first. (Example: The climbers who died trying to reach Mt. Everest in Jon Krakauer’s “Into Thin Air”.) Have students volunteer examples.
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

20. Adopting an Alignment The character I most identify with is...
I really got into the story
when...
I can relate to this author
because...
Adopting an Alignment: Read paragraphs 6 (“As a result”) to 9 (“His family was everything to him.”). Note that we have been shown two sides of Irwin - the daredevil, reckless, showman and the “wildlife warrior,” conservationist and family man. When we read about a character, we often adopt an alignment with him or her. That is, we identify and find ourselves rooting for that character.
Ask students: Do you identify with Irwin or feel distant from him? If so, why? If not, why not?
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

21. Evaluating I like/don’t like ____ because... My opinion is ____
The most important
message is ____ because…
Evaluating: Part of whether we align ourselves with Irwin may depend on how we evaluate his actions. Do you think he was noble and courageous or foolhardy? Was he truly a wildlife warrior or just a stunt man? To decide where we stand, we must evaluate.
Ask students to turn to a partner and discuss this.
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

22. Reflecting and Relating
So, the big idea is...
A conclusion I’m drawing
is...
This is relevant to my life
because...
Reflecting and Relating: Finish the article - Paragraphs 10 (“And he was everything to him”) to 14. After we read a text, we often need to step back and ask question, So What? This leads us to reflect about the big idea or message of a text and relate it to our own lives. What is the big idea of this article?
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

23. Revising Meaning At first I thought , but now I…..
My latest thought about this
is...
I’m getting a different picture
here because...
Revising Meaning: Ask students to return to their first impressions of Steve Irwin. Sometimes when we read a text, we begin with preconceived notions about what we are reading or we form an opinion quickly and then something in the text causes us to revise our meaning. Ask students to write for two minutes to this question: Have your first impressions of Steve Irwin been confirmed by this article, or did it cause you to revise meaning?
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

24. Ask students to return to their K-W-L chart and to write down what they learned.

25. Letter: Students can write a sympathy letter to Mrs. Irwin or Bindi.
Metacognitive Log: Students can write a reflection on their perception of Steve Irwin as they read the article, review the cognitive strategies they used to interpret the text, and explain whether or not they revised their initial impression of him.
Letter: Students can write a sympathy letter to Mrs. Irwin or Bindi.
Persuasive Essay: Students can take a stand re: whether Steve Irwin was courageous or foolhardy in his role as “wildlife warrior.”
Writing Activity: Students could write to any of the following:
Metacognitive Log: Students can write a reflection on their perception of Steve Irwin as they read the article, review the cognitive strategies they used to interpret the text, and explain whether or not they revised their initial impression of him.
Letter: Students can write a sympathy letter to Mrs. Irwin or Bindi.
Persuasive Essay: Students can take stand re: whether Steve Irwin was courageous or foolhardy in his role as “wildlife warrior.”
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

26. Writing Prompt Steve Irwin: Heroic or Foolhardy?
Writing Situation
In the People magazine article “Wild by Nature,” the authors portray Steve Irwin as a “wildlife warrior” who has left an important legacy of wildlife conservation to his wife, Terri, and daughter, Bindi. Yet, they acknowledge that while he is beloved by many, others perceive him as reckless and foolhardy, someone who not only tempted fate but who put the lives of others in danger as well. Where do you stand? Do you perceive him as heroic or foolhardy, noble or crass, altruistic or in it for money and fame? Was his death tragic or inevitable?
Writing Directions:
Write a persuasive essay clearly stating your position about Steve Irwin, his cause, and his actions. Support your opinion with facts, reasons, details, and/or examples. Address the concerns of those who may not agree with you. Convince them that your point of view is best.
If students write to the persuasive essay prompt, note that they will have to evaluate, adopt an alignment, form interpretations, organize information, use author’s craft, monitor their progress, revise meaning as they go along, visualize their reader and anticipate their reader’s questions, predict counterarguments to their position, overcome opposing views with logical reasons, etc.
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

27. Key Traits
Ideas
Has a thesis statement that states your position about Steve Irwin
Defends chosen position with relevant facts, reasons, details, and/or examples from the text, personal experience, or knowledge of the world
Organization
Has an introduction (including a thesis statement), main body, and conclusion
Uses effective transitions to unify and connect ideas.
Acknowledges and addresses possible counter arguments the reader might have either in a separate paragraph or throughout the essay as they occur naturally while presenting evidence in support of the thesis statement
Voice
Writes with authority, using standard academic English
Shows the writer’s investment in and commitment to his/her argument
Word Choice
Uses precise, apt, and descriptive language to interpret the literary work
Sentence Fluency
Varies sentence structure and length to help the paper flow
Conventions
Correctly follows the conventions of written English
Note that the authors of the People magazine article use rich, descriptive language to paint their portrait of Irwin. Make your language equally vivid and compelling.
In other words they will tap cognitive strategies as may write just as they do when they read.
Booth Olson, The Reading/Writing Connection: Strategies for Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Classroom, Third Edition
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.