What Are You Talking About?

Pop Quiz! Check your reading skills in the following passage and tell me what it’s about:

The procedure is actually quite simple. First you arrange things into different groups. Of course, one pile may be sufficient depending on how much there is to do. If you have to go elsewhere due to lack of facilities, that is the next step, otherwise you are pretty well set. It is important not to overdo things. That is, it is better to do too few things at once than too many. In the short run, this may not seem important but complications can easily arise. A mistake can be expensive as well. At first, the whole procedure will seem complicated. Soon, however, it will become just another facet of life. After the procedure is completed one arranges the materials into different groups again. Then they can be put into their appropriate places. Eventually, they will be used once more and the whole cycle will then have to be repeated. However, that is part of life.

Quick! What is the passage about?

Without context, it’s pretty hard to tell, isn’t it?

One of the more difficult parts of teaching Social Studies is the kids’ lack of background knowledge.

Now -- disclaimer! Kids will NOT have the kinds of background that you-the-college-educated-adult has. OF COURSE NOT!  They’re kids!

So how can we help them build some background knowledge -- while acknowledging that it won’t be as much as we wish it was?

I have a strategy! Let’s try a Predict-o-Gram!

What is it? It’s a way of giving kids a chance to build some (not college-levels) background knowledge.

1. How do I do this?
1. Before class, choose a few terms that are central to the understanding of the upcoming text. They do not have to be “vocabulary” words in the traditional sense. They can be familiar words mixed with new-vocab to give students a good starting place.
2. Read an intro paragraph to the students.
3. Give the students the pre-selected terms from the text
4. Ask them (in pairs) to use what they heard/read in the first paragraph AND the terms you share to predict what the text will be about.
5. Have them write one prediction and one question they will have about the text.
6. After they read, go back and revisit their predictions and questions. Have them add to  or fix their predictive sentence and answer their own question.

2. How do I keep my kids on task?
1. Keep it short. Select your text judiciously. Use something that has a useful (not so “hooky”) first paragraph.
2. Select your terms judiciously too. Mix some unfamiliar vocab with some familiar terms.

3. Why should I try this one?
1. It uses the “Explore” from the 5 Es in a useful and short way.
2. It helps kids build background knowledge for the text they are about to read. It gives them context for the text.
3. It gives kids a purpose for reading.

4. What could go wrong?
1. You could choose words that aren’t part of the central idea. Make sure they are related to the main idea.
2. You could choose words that are too difficult or too easy and the kids give up. Make sure to give a good mix of terms.
3. Your kids might get the impression that they have to use all the terms in the prediction sentence. They don’t. They just have to get a “gist” of the text.
4. You could forget to use it again in wrap-up.

I predict this will be about….	One question I have is …..
Now I know …	To answer myself, ….

Let’s try it!

Here’s my Predict-o-Gram words:

Can you predict what the passage is about using what you read in the first paragraph and these terms?

Terms: Women, suffrage, vote, amendment, ratified, wages, arrested.

Here’s the first paragraph.

Victory for Woman Suffrage

In the early 20th century, Carrie Chapman Catt and the National American Woman Suffrage Association lobbied at every level of government while Alice Paul and the National Woman’s Party lobbied and took part in other forms of civil disobedience.  They were attacked, arrested, imprisoned, and force-fed.  Support for woman suffrage grew.

Can you see how with those terms and a first paragraph, kids will now have a little background knowledge before you talk about the passage of the 19th amendment? They won’t have TONS, but they’re not starting a cold read, either.

What do you think about a Predict-O-Gram to help develop background knowledge? It should be short and sweet -- no wasted time. Five minutes, tops.

Have you used it? Or have questions? As always, email me at newmantr@pcsb.org