Megan Lovero 02/21/17

Teaching Reading: Mini Lesson Format (Calkins, 2001)

Targeted Literacy Strategy or Skill: Knowing When You Know and Knowing When You Dont
Know, Monitoring Comprehension
Grade level: 6th

Objective: The students will be able to answer questions they have about the text with one hundred
percent certainty by finding the answers within the text there are reading, and will be able to identify
whether or not they truly understand the text.

Common Core State Standard/ PASS Standard: 6.3.R.7 Students will analyze texts and ideas within
and between texts and provide textual evidence to support their inferences. 6.4. R.3 Students will use
context clues to determine or clarify the meaning of words or distinguish among multiple-meaning words.
http://sde.ok.gov/sde/sites/ok.gov.sde/files/documents/files/6th%20Grade%20ELA_0.pdf

Prior knowledge: (What students already know)

Students have previously been able to make inferences based on information in texts, and have practiced
coding using text codes displayed on an anchor chart in the classroom.

Observations/Rationale: (Before Lesson) What did you notice in your students work that let you
know this lesson was necessary? (This will be an approximation this semester.)

Students struggled with using text to support their answers and inferences during our interactive read
alouds.

Materials Needed
Lesson from (Name your source including page number) STW p.81
Mentor Text: Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
Materials: Sticky Notes, Writing Utensil, the mentor text (Google Previewer)
Student Groups (whole/small group/partners):
Mini Lesson Format:
Connect (AKA~ Anticipatory Set, Engagement/Pre-reading):

Sometimes when we read new texts it can be tempting to just fly past the information we do not
understand, but this habit can cause us to miss the purpose of the pieces of literature we read. One
way we can tackle this problem is using sticky notes to review later. If we place sticky notes on
information we do not understand we can return to those spots when we find the answers in
within the text we are reading.

Teach (Model/Explain)

Let me show you what I mean by using Azar Nafisis book Lolita in Tehran

(Pull up preview of Lolita in Tehran on Google Previews, and give class time to look at the
 cover.)

When I first looked at the piece of literature I initially had a question, Where exactly is Tehran,
based on the images in the picture I could make an educated guess it was located somewhere in
the middle east, but I do not know that for sure so I am going to place a sticky not that say Huh?
On the title page. (Begin reading Part 1 paragraph one and two to the class. Stop when she says
Republic of Iran) At the bottom of paragraph two you will notice that the Author answers my
question in the text, and now I know with 100% certainty this story takes place in Iran. Now I can
replace my Huh? sticky not with a sticky note with a light bulb that will show the text answered my
question.

Active Engagement (AKA~ Check for Understanding: students try it out, teacher observes):
Using the Huh? Sticky notes gives us a visual reminder of the questions we have, and allows us
the ability to easily return whenever we find the answers within the text. Please take a few minutes
to read the rest of part 1 and mark them with a Huh? Sticky note whenever you do not know
exactly what is happening. When you are finished, place your sticky note on the word or phrase.
(Walk around to check and see everyone has placed their sticky notes) Okay, What are some of
the question you all had while reading? (Listen to responses, and ask, did anyone find the
answer to their questions in part 1? Give class time to turn and talk to their shoulder partner.
What are some questions that you were able to answer from within the text? (Give class time to
respond.) If you were not able to find the answer to your question within part 1 it is likely the
author will reveal the answer in a later chapter, and you will have to continue reading to
understand.

Link (AKA~ Closing the Lesson [with accountability for the skill/process])
Now when you read from a text and you do not understand what you are reading do not simply
graze over it but instead mark it with a sticky note so you can go back to it whenever you find the
answer later within what you are reading. This is an excellent strategy to use for a variety of texts,
and keeps you accountable to look for the answers to your questions. As a reader you will be
confident that you know what you know, but also gives you the ability to ask questions when you
discover you dont know. So the next time you are reading a text try using sticky notes to mark
when you do not know the answers and return to them when find the answer to your question in
the text.