Small Group Lesson: Strategies for Finding Meaning in Figurative Language

Small Group Lesson: Strategies for Finding Meaning in Figurative Language from Ms. Scarborough on Vimeo.

Work Done Prior To This Lesson

The week prior to this lesson, students read “Go Fish” by Mary Stolz and were asked to determine the meaning of “swelling like a blowfish” in the context of the story and write out their response (work samples attached). Students who did not identify that the main character was “swelling like a blowfish” because he was proud were chosen for this figurative language strategies small group lesson. The students needing support in figurative language are reading at a variety of different levels from L to Q.

Lesson Objectives

Students will use textual clues to determine the meaning of idioms in short passages.  Students will discuss in group what they know about the idiom’s meaning and how they know it by referring to text clues. Students will identify and apply strategies that can be used to determine the meaning of unfamiliar figurative phrases in their future reading.

Common Core Standards

Reading: Literature - Craft and Structure:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.4

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language.

Language - Vocabulary Acquisition and Use:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.4

Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning word and phrases based on grade 3 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.4.a

Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.5

Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in word meanings.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.5.a

Distinguish the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in context (e.g., take steps).

What the Students Will Do

Students will read passages from three different pieces of short text and identify the meaning of the figurative language phrases by stating what they know (the meaning) and how they know it (text clues) from each piece. Students will discuss the strategies they used to look for meaning.

What the Teacher Will Do

I will name and notice the strategies the students are using to find meaning in figurative language phrases.  I will use the question stems:  “What do you know?” and “How do you know it?” to facilitate what the brain thinks and encourage students to articulate the strategies they are using.  This work will help students identify strategies that they can use in their independent reading.

Assessment of Small Group Meeting Student Needs

After the small group lesson I will write down the strategies the students developed collectively and independently along with my observations of their discussion and strategy work.  This assessment can be used for next steps.

Next Steps

Students will use the strategies developed to find meaning in figurative language in their “just right” books and in shared texts with the class.  I will plan on meeting with the same group of students during individual conferences to check in on the skill of identifying meaning in figurative language in their independent reading. I will also keep observation notes on their daily responding to literature classwork to identify students needing further support.

"Stepped-Up" Small Group Lesson: Details Inform Us About Characters

"Stepped-Up" Small Group: Details Inform Us About Characters from Ms. Scarborough on Vimeo.

We read closely to catch all the details to inform us about the characters. We ask ourselves what we know about the characters and why we know it.  This lesson is based on the Barnhouse and Vinton "stepped up" model on small group work that supports specific reading skills from the book, What Readers Really Do.

"Stepped-Up" Small Group Lesson: Using Text Clues to Find the Setting

"Stepped-Up" Small Group: Finding the Setting from Ms. Scarborough on Vimeo.

Knowing where the characters are helps us to envision the scene, so that we can follow the story and make us feel like we are right there with the characters.  This is important work that grounds us at the beginning of the story and helps us revise what we know about a character as we read on.  The students read three excerpts from Nate the Great, Amber Brown Sees Red and Judy Moody Was in a Mood.  We "stepped-up" our thinking each time and carried what we learned from each piece.  We went from finding the setting from one detail to using multiple details that led us to the setting as we revised what we knew.  The work of "stepped-up" lessons can be found in the book, What Readers Really Do by Dorothy Barnhouse and Vicky Vinton. 

Communication Cards Activity - Rules by Cynthia Lord

Rules Communication Cards Activity from Ms. Scarborough on Vimeo.

In the book Rules by Cynthia Lord, Jason had a disability that left him unable to speak.  He used a communication book with word cards to talk.  I asked my students to step into Jason's shoes to discover new insights by using communication cards to communicate for just five minutes.  Prior to the activity students' created communication cards they believed Jason should have had and they would need to carry a conversation. After the activity the kids reflected on the experience the following questions:  Catherine sometimes struggles to find the right words for Jason.  How did you feel when you were thinking of words for your cards?  Explain why you felt that way.  Describe at least two of the challenges you faced while using the cards to communicate.  When you were using the cards to communicate, which words did you need that you didn't have?  Do you think this activity helped you understand how it feels to be Jason?  Explain why or why not with at least two reasons.

Reflection Questions

  Discovering Themes in Because of Winn-Dixie

 

 

Themes in Because of Winn-Dixie from Ms. Scarborough on Vimeo.

A theme is a "big idea" in a story, often a moral or message that the author wants you to learn. Fiction books have many themes because everyone has their own interpretation of the message in the story.

We recorded important details and questions we had as we read Because of Winn-Dixie, and used those "knows" and "wonders" to develop our theme ideas. Strong theme ideas are backed up by many text examples and are shown in the actions of multiple characters in the story.

Some of the themes we found together are: friendship, loss, guilt, sadness, loneliness, helping others, and choices that you make. 

Themes are sometimes revealed through symbols, objects or ideas that represent something other than the literal meaning. One symbol that represented the theme of guilt was Gloria Dump's mistake tree. We discussed in the video how the bottles tied to the tree were a reminder of the things Gloria Dump had done wrong in her life. One student explained that the "ghosts" Gloria Dump refered to were the feelings of guilt she had inside that remained inside of her.

Up next, we will extend these one-word theme ideas into messages that Kate DiCamillo wants to teach us through her novel.

The Know and Wonder Reading Comprehension Strategy

Hi everyone! I’m excited to share with you the first in my series of video lessons: The Know and Wonder Reading Comprehension Strategy. Watch my class during a read aloud of Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo.

 

Know and Wonder Reading Strategy from Ms. Scarborough on Vimeo.

My students each have a copy of Because of Winn-Dixie to follow along as I read aloud. I stop at key moments and ask, “What do you know and wonder so far?” The kids turn and talk with a partner to brainstorm their “knows” and “wonders” and then we reconvene for whole-group discussion. I scribe what we know and wonder on the board and the kids keep track of “knows” and “wonders” in reading journals. You can see student reading journal examples above.

This strategy keeps kids rooted in the text by tagging important details (the “know”) and also encourages inferential thinking by asking questions (the “wonder”). It’s also a way the reader can monitor comprehension. Do I have wide gaps in my understanding? Am I following the problem and using what I know to understand the main character’s motivation? Is my wondering helping to deepen my understanding of big ideas and interpretation? It reminds kids what they should be thinking about when they are reading.

I try to help students distinguish between “thin” and “thick” types of wonders. During our group discussion, I give them prompts to elicit thick wonders, such as Why? or How? types of questions. Thick questions follow the story line or problem, and allow for interpretation. Thin questions leave little to discuss and can be found in the text readily.

Check in soon to see video lessons connecting the know and wonder strategy with big ideas and interpretations.

All my best, 
Ms. Scarborough