Author's Study

mariabecht
Apr 16, 2017
2 min read

This past week my CT and I led the students on an author study of Robert Munsch! My CT picked this author because his books were fun and silly, therefor giving my students a break from the testing that have been facing. My CT began the author study by having the students do research on the author. I was not there that day (Monday), however this helped engaged the students and got them excited to read books by that author. The goal of this author's study was to help my students with comprehension, which is thinking about and responding to what is being reading according to Strategies That Work. It is the reasoning and prime motivator for engaging in reading according to Classrooms That Works.

After reading the two text, my students and I compared and contrasted them. I led the whole group instruction on this. To compare and contrast the stories we used a 3 column chart. Classrooms that Work states that this graphic organizer is very versatile and helps the students to see the similarities in the intersections and the differences on the sides. The objective below states what students will be doing. Differentiated Instructional Strategies states that clear instructional goals help students focus when they are stated in general terms. I reviewed the objective with my students and check for understanding by asking them if they could put it in their own words.

My students used this graphic organizer to plan their writing piece. Differentiated instructional Strategies states that students who spend time looking at similarities and difference between two topics and plot them deepen their understanding and ability to use the knowledge. My students' performance task (assessment) is below. The graphic organizer we did whole group helped them write. My ELE students needed this to assist them as language is barrier for them. The graphic organizer helps them see the ideas and lets student translate that to their writing pice. I created the anchor chart below with the students. Strategies That Work states that anchor charts provide a record of instruction and that they make thinking visible and concrete!