EDR 627

Strat Chat #2

SECTION ONE

Strategy: Preview, Predict, Confirm, Summarize

Source: Yopp, Ruth Helen, Hallie Kay. Preview, Predict, Confirm: Thinking about Language and Content
of Informational Text. Vol. 58, No. 1 The Reading Teacher. September, 2004.

Purpose: to support childrens thinking about language and content of a text as they draw on
observations and background knowledge to generate and systematically sort words.

SECTION TWO

Students: Two classes of 5
th
grade students - whole group and small group with 25 students each time

SECTION THREE

Text Used: Teacher compilation article utilizing the following texts information:
History Alive! Student text, Lesson 13, pp 134 - 135, 2010, Teachers Curriculum Institute
Brewer, Paul. Revolutionary War 2009 Simon & Shuster Childrens Publishing Division

Artifacts: Battle Box: Primary Documents from the American Revolution
Child, Jeni. Allen, Dave. Revolutionary War: Battle Box. 2009 Brown Reference Group Ltd.

SECTION FOUR

Introduction/Activating Prior Knowledge
I introduced the primary documents to the students and activated their prior knowledge by reviewing what
we already knew about primary and secondary documents. Students discussed this with their tablemate.
I shared that the artifacts they would be looking at today were going to be primary documents. I again,
used this as a review activity for the students concerning the Revolutionary War. I talked about how each
of these items was from something we have already learned concerning the War and that these items will
give us just a little more insight into the events and people involved.

Model
I, first, broke them up into four groups of 5 students. I then introduced the strategy of Preview, Predict,
Confirm, Summarize with my students using the Declaration of Independence. I chose this because it is a
primary document and the students were familiar with it since we have been looking at all week in other
lessons. I explained that the purpose was to use their schema to come up with ONE WORD to describe
the artifact at their table. I also reminded them that no one else in their group could have the same word
they all could be different, that they needed to announce what word they were choosing, but that they
could also help each other out if one member was stumped on finding a word. I modeled three different
words using the Declaration of Independence, then asked for a couple more words from the kids to
complete the teacher model.

Transition to Independent Practice

After completing the first primary document together as whole class, I passed out one document to each
table group and they began labeling them with their sticky notes. Some of the artifacts included:
Cornwalliss note of surrender to Gen. Washington, a battle map of Bunker Hill, a painting of the Battle of
Yorktown, a drummer boys stick, a continental 1/3 dollar bill, a sheet of King Georges stamps enforced
during the stamp act, a letter from Washington to Benedict Arnold, a British pound, a continental army
recruiting poster, and a continental army division flag. I gave the students about 5 minutes with each
artifact and then we rotated them around the room. They viewed a total of 8 primary documents. Students
worked really well in their groups labeling and describing the artifacts.

Once each group had all their sticky notes done, I reminded the students to be using our group social skill
Checking for Understanding that we have been using throughout the year. I wanted them to focus on
that skill today because they would be doing a lot of compromising with categorizing and deciding which
words they were going to send up to the board. I then encouraged groups to categorize their sticky notes
into sections. A couple groups had a difficult time getting them into umbrella categories (they wanted to
have almost every word in its own category) but I think over all the did a great job of organizing the words.
After this was completed, I had the groups share their categories and find out how many other groups had
the same or something similar. Next, came their decisions of which word they thought everyone would
have, their most unique word that they thought no body would have, and their interesting word that made
them question or think beyond the artifact. The groups were so stoked about this and were super excited
when they were right about either the All of Unique categories.

Finally, we dove into the actual text to discover what exactly these primary documents were and what they
could tell us about the war and the people involved. The students had a copy of the article and I had a
copy as well on the Elmo. It was not a terribly long article so I read the first part with them and shared
some discoveries we found about the artifacts, then they read with their partners and found more
discoveries.

Lesson Wrap up

After reading with their partners, we came back one last time whole group and shared our discoveries on
what exactly the documents were. They were so stoked when their guesses had been right. Due to time
constraints, I had to wrap up the lesson right after that final discussion. Next time I do this lesson, I will
leave myself some time to have the students do more reflection on what the importance of primary
documents are. Perhaps have them share something they were able to personalize and really learn about
someone or something in a deeper way because of the artifact.

SECTION FIVE:

I will use ancedotal notes, observations, post-it notes and discussion to measure level of success.
SECTION SIX:

Reflection

I had been racking my brain to try and figure out a cool way to integrate these primary documents I had in
a meaningful way within instruction. I feel that this strategy did that in a powerful way for my kiddos! They
were SO involved and engaged with this. I loved how words and thoughtful discussion of what the artifact
could be was flowing throughout my room! It really allowed for meaningful group work as well since the
groups really couldnt do the activity without consensus and agreement throughout the entire process.
Kids responses to the primary documents were so neat: I cant believe they could make such fancy
handwriting with those quill pens! These guys had really good handwriting for being men I wonder why
we changed the shape of our dollar bills, I really like the way these look look Mrs. Bermingham! On their
money they have the thirteen colonies and their names linked together like their United! These stamps
look a lot like stamps we have today

Student Work:

Stage 1 Preview and Predict

Stage 2 Sorting and Categorizing












Stage 3 Share categories and words



NOTE: THIS IS MISSING SECTION SEVEN AND SECTION EIGHT!