Polar Opposites

By
David Bollish

Basic Principals
This is a simple strategy for character
development

It allows students to evaluate characters,

events and ideas

Clear display of critical thinking and

reasoning using contextual references

Allows for some creativity and individuality

Steps to
implementation
1) Find reading passage or article

2) Allow students time to complete the reading

3) Explain the continuum and how students

should evaluate the prompts and then
represent their choices on the scale

Steps to
Implementation
4) Give students the Polar Opposite
framework and allow them to work through
the critical thinking process
Tip- preface the reading with focusing on a single
character

5) Allow students to bring their thoughts

back to whole group discussion
Tip- I would ask students to defend their
thinking and choices using the text clues

Universal Example

Content Specific
Example

Extension
This strategy could be extended by asking
students to complete the framework and
then create/find/use polar or exact
opposites of the evidence to create a new
character, or perspective.

Example:
A student believes a candidate is
conservative, the extension would include
finding evidence to support that they are
progressive in some areas.

Example KWL

Focus: KWL
What do I know, what do I wonder, what did I
learn. This strategy allows students to skim or
work through new or already learned material to
identify what their strengths and weaknesses
within the material are.

Next, the KWL strategy is also quick and self

explanatory. This being said it lends its self to
being suitable for all abilities of readers and is
easily used as an anticipatory set or review type
of task.

Example: Quick Writes

What do you know about dividing fractions?
What did you learn today?
What is the easiest part about the quadratic
equation?

Describe two parte of a cell.

Focus: Quick Write

The focus of quick writes is to provide an easy
low stress format for students to describe what
they know. It works to redirect, regain, set
expectation, assess, or focus students.

This method allows students an easy transition

from reading, note taking, discussion into critical
thinking which allows them to gain, transition, or
reflect their thoughts.

Application: Quick Writes

Anticipatory sets
Quick Breaks
Refreshers
Exit Tickets
Review
Pop Quiz / low stake formative assessment

Example: 5WSW
While reading, attempt to find answers to 5WSW
Who?
In Text

What?
In Text

When?
In Text

Where?
In Text

Why?
In Text

So What?
Critical Thinking

Focus: 5WSW
The focus of this strategy is get students motivated to
acquire information while reading.

The focused intent of reading for specific domains

such as who, what, and when allows students to be
intentional in their quest through content. Also, the
final critical thinking portion allows students to then
use their reading ability to think about cause and
affect, importance and realities of the situation.

Finally the so what also forces them to form an opinion

on academic or intellectual material and the other
ws allow them to intelligently defend their ideas.

Example Double Entry

Journal

Focus: Double Entry

Journal
These strategy truly allows students to enhance
and practice their reading skills as it requires
them to both skim the content and read for
details.

Students start by skimming and then include

what they predict the text will discuss.

Secondly, after their predictions, the students

must read the text for details and important or
key factors.

Application: Double Entry

Journal
I am looking forward to using Double Entry
Journal as a study tool for my students as well as
a pretest tool.
Students please begin by describing or predicting
what you know about this topic.
Now please use your notes or the text to find
specific details on each item.

Example Possible
Sentences

Possible Sentences
Possible sentences is designed to engage
students by drawing on their inferences and
previous knowledge as well as their own
experiences to use new vocabulary to create
new sentences.

This allows students to critically thinking and

access both previous and new information in a
text.

Finally, students using new terms in their own

possible sentences forces terms to become
instantly applicable and relevant to them
increasing their engagement and retention.

Example: Reciprocal
Teaching
In your groups defend why your candidate is the
most qualified and egalitarian selection as our
new president.
Group 1: Donald Trump
Group 2: Bernie Sanders
Group 3: Hillary Clinton
Group 4: Ben Carson

Focus: Reciprocal Teaching

The key steps of reciprocal teaching are; predict,
ask questions, clarify, summarize.

These steps allow for students to use contextual

clues that are in the text, inferences, and critical
thought.

Reciprocal teaching allows students to divide

and conquer as well as interact with their peers
and work collaboratively with the instructor.

ELVES
Excite
Listen
Visualize
Extend
Savor

ELVES in the Class

Elves is most effective when teachers remember
to take the time to work through the process.
Elves requires time and preparation to
implement as well as perform.

This being said an effective ELVES lesson may

have more an impact on students as it applies to
the emotion and critical thinking aspects of
students brains.

Focus Areas: ELVES

In order to pull students and engage them in the
content the excitement must be genuine, an
emotional connection; since of wonder, immediate
feeling of success based on prior knowledge,
energizing and fun application of the material.

Likewise while the listening, visualizing and

extension of the content afterwards is important
the second most critical part of the strategy is
savoring the material. This requires truly allowing
time for student to digest, reflect, absorb the
information.

Example: Inquiry Charts

Inquiry Charts
These charts are a fantastic way to synthesize
and visualize the learning process.

Not only does this strategy allow students to

demonstrate what they already know, but it also
allows them to graph and chart what they are
learning.
It very clearly illustrates and highlights the growth
process as students add information to the chart.

Inquiry Charts
In addition to being a quality form of note taking
during lessons, these inquiry charts also serve
as positive study guides or assessments.
According to our text, Content Area Literacy by
Bean, Readence, and Baldwin setting students
up for success includes assessing them in the
same format that that are being instructed in.

Example: Discussion Web

Discussion Web
Discussion web is a clear and easy format to
visualize and organize reading material.

This may be a diverse tool for all levels and ages

and serve as guided reading, critical thinking,
skill development.

Key positive is its ability to organize and connect

concepts, steps, or thoughts.

Application: Discussion
Web
Discussion webs may be used to guide reading
or conversation.
For example: you may have students create a
discussion web based on a passage, lesson or
video clip to organize their thoughts.
Also, one could allow students to create a
discussion web to guide a conversation, speech, or
presentation.