Today my students will build on their work from yesterday. They will choose another version of Cinderella, read it, identify the key details of the narrative, record these details on a story map, and also have the opportunity to pair share their findings. The Common Core State Standards calls for students to read and comprehend literature by the end of their grade level. One way I achieve this is by providing my students with rich and authentic literature that provides entertaining story lines but that also challenges them. The titles they are reading today range from a lexile level of 350 and 760L. As second graders they need this variety.
Tomorrow the students will be comparing and contrasting two versions of Cinderella. They will use the information gathered on their story map organizers to do so. Thus, it is very important the students take careful notes about the key details so that they are ready to compare and contrast. It will be up to them to determine how many of the key details they compare and contrast. This lesson helps me to accomplish this task as well. To have them read books and compare and contrast in the same sitting is unmanageable. That is why I am chunking the concept of compare and contrast over three days. I am letting the students know that is the main reason why they reading two versions of Cinderella. I am being explicit about that.
As students read independently, they will be needing to ask themselves questions about the key details of the narrative. These details include: characters, setting, problem, solution, author, and the way that magic happens in the story. I decided which details to look given the genre we are reading.
Students will have chance to share with each other the key details of their stories. In sharing the students get a chance to practice the vocabulary they are learning.
I will be reviewing the word "version," giving students sentence frames to share the elements of their narrative, and briefly reviewing the changes I made to the graphic organizer. I will be reading with a small group to give them support with their reading and attention issues. In this way I am differentiating the instruction. I am looking for students to be focused on reading their text, on sharing the elements of the narratively answering in complete sentences. Also, I am looking for them to complete their story map graphic organizer as they reference their selection for the appropriate information.
I start with my students on the rug. I share the objective. I explain to them they will be selecting another version of Cinderella and the process in choosing will be like it was yesterday. I review the word version. I will regroup the class back on the rug to make sure everyone chose a book. With my group, I will be reading the version of Yeh-shen since I have multiple copies of it and I do want these students to read a version at their independent reading level. I will still provide guidance.
I have placed plenty of titles on each table for each student to have a choice. I am giving them the time to choose because I want my students to take ownership of the process. I intentionally give them 7 minutes to choose. I have a clock which I use all the time and it helps so much to keep them on track. As they choose, I walk around, eavesdrop on their choosing process and give encouragement. Today, I am choosing the version of Cinderella for my group. It is titled Yeh-Shen. It is a Cinderella story from China. It is a leveled reader with a lexile level at 360. I am choosing for my group because I want them to practice independent reading with success.
It is important to set expectations at the beginning of the lesson and to keep repeating them. I make sure my students know how long I expect them to read. I let those students know who will be working with me to stay seated on the carpet. The other students will have a choice to either read at their tables and/or seat in the other rug. The length of the Cinderella stories will keep everyone busy reading for the allotted time of 20 minutes. For those who happen to finish early I have asked them to reread.
I will bring my students back to the carpet. I will pair them up with their rug partner. I will give them the following list of questions to ask of one another? I will walk around and listen in to their conversations. I am looking for them to answer in complete sentences.
These are the questions they are asking.
1. What is your setting like in your version of Cinderella?
2. Who are the characters in your version of Cinderella?
3. Describe Cinderella: What does she like? What type of person is she?
4. How does magic happen?
5. What is the problem? How is it solved?
Students work on completing their story map. They will use pictures, words, and sentences to complete the story map. I am walking around looking for them to refer back to their books to obtain the appropriate information either from the illustrations or the text. I am offering assistance to anybody who needs it. I am giving praise as well.