Reading Notebooks - Persuasive Techniques

Today we are studying for our persuasive techniques quiz tomorrow.  After they have taken notes during the week, I like to have the kids study from their notes by creating a study guide that they can then also study from at home.  They glue these into their notebooks just after their persuasive technique notes.  Here is what it looked like in their Reading Notebooks.

Persuasive techniques study guide

The left side is a flip chart foldable where they can write their notes inside.  We covered bandwagon, testimonial, glittering generalities, overgeneralizations, emotional appeal, expert opinion/statistical evidence, and repetition.  The right side are paragraphs using each type of technique.  They use their notes to analyze each paragraph and determine which technique is being used.  Unfortunately it is not the best picture, but you get the idea.  I have the entire power point presentation and all of the notebook handouts for the persuasive techniques materials here if you are interested in all of the notes and handouts.

Group Discussion Poster

This is my S.H.A.R.E poster describing what I want the kids to do when they discuss.  Whenever the kids get together in groups or pairs for book discussions, review, or to just partner share, I like to remind them about what that looks like.  I use this slide and I have it as a poster on the wall.

Group Discussions:  S.H.A.R.E

Figurative Language Learning Menu

So, I have been thinking about reintroducing the learning menu to my 6th grade class.  I am trying a small scale menu for figurative language next week based on Bloom's.  The higher the level of activities they choose, the more points they will receive.  I will report back on how it goes...

figurative language learning menu

If you would like to download a free copy of the learning menu, click here and let me know what you think!

Making Inferences

This week we took notes on making inferences in our reading notebooks.  After taking notes, we practiced using an advance organizer that included some short paragraphs and a Far Side comic by Gary Larson.  His stuff is so timeless.

The kids love using these to make inferences.  And it is such a great way to introduce other things like irony. If you want to download the activity worksheet you can get it here for free.

New Blooms

I was inspired by a blog recently.  Dragonflies in First had these great Blooms posters that I so wanted to use, but they have since revised Blooms so I had to make my own.  Hers are still better in my opinion, but I did my best.

Sticky Notes are a beautiful thing.

I have around 95 kids that I see everyday for Reading.  They have composition books that they do all of their novel study work in.  Each group of 30 or so kids is reading a different book.  My conundrum: How do I correct comprehension questions from 3 different books and 95 kids every week?  Here is my new solution.

Each table of 4 must discuss and agree on all answers which are then transferred to sticky notes that represent each group (this requires 8 colors of sticky notes!).  I then quickly go down the line and score each group's and note which questions they need to reconsider the answer for with red whiteboard marker. A super time saver.  They can then be left up until the quiz and students can read over each other's answers to get more supporting details or better justifications for answers.

I am now inspired to find the many uses for sticky notes in the classroom.

Drawing Conclusions through Character Traits

All of my groups have been working on Drawing Conclusions about characters in their books.  I found this great list that they have all taped into their notebooks, so whenever they are at a loss for how to describe a character, they can refer to the list.  It is from readwritethink.org and the kids really find it helpful.

They have used it for writing descriptions, posters, summaries, and sharing their analysis about characters in literature discussions.