Literacy Mark Davis NECAP Reading Preparation 8 2008-09-25 1. How do our prior experience impact our learning? 2. What types of characteristics define a text? W = Help the students know Where the unit is going and What is expected (prior knowledge, interests) ~ H = Hook all students and Hold their interest? ~ E = Equip students, help them Experience the key ideas and Explore the issues ~ R = Provide opportunities to Rethink and Revise their understandings and work ~ E = Allow students to Evaluate their work and its implications ~ T = Be Tailored (personalized) to the different needs, interests and abilities of learners ~ O = Be Organized to maximize initial and sustained engagement as well as effective learning. Understanding by Design Professional Workbook (p. 14), by J. McTighe and G. Wiggins, 2004, Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Copyright©2005 ASCD

how to make connections between what they read and the essential questions.
ways to make meaningful connections through peer support (social constructivism).
collect textual evidence to gain a greater understanding of the plot.
make predictions about text events before and during reading.
use evidence from a text to form questions and verify predictions.
respond to questions and discussion with relevant and focused comments.

textual evidence is an important part of increasing comprehension,
varies forms of texts have characteristics we can define and explore,
characteristics in a text help us to define our feelings about the story.

NECAP GSE 11-12 (W 8.3, 14.4) and (R 13, 14.4)

NCTE and IRA Standards

Standard 3 - Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features.
Standard 11 - Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.

The instructor will provide a handout with test from the NECAP Released Items for Grade 11. Students will participate through the following:

Students will read the text and annotate information that they consider important.
The instructor will review with the group what they annotate and why it is either essential or ancillary.
Students will be asked to write a constructed response defined in the Released Item handout in the space provide. (typing is not permitted, per testing format)
After student is finished, the instructor will review with written statements of students and ask for feedback.
Students will then receive model copies of the four levels of proficiency (1-lowest, 4-exception).
Instructor and students will review what they believe are the qualities of a strong response.
Students will write a brief reflection on the strengths and weaknesses of their written material.

The instructor will take notes about the responses of students which will later be translated into participation points.

All student work will be assessed against the Task Completion Rubric for a grade.

W: The activity prepares students for the October NECAP Reading assessment.

H: Students are reminded that a score of 3 or 4 on the reading (and writing) NECAP assessments excuses them from the Senior mid-term. Seniors will also be excused if they failed during junior year.

E: The practice of engaging and reviewing model essays supports literacy and test-taking skills.

R: Discussion allows students to collaborate on success and build new ideas for support.

E: Self-evaluation will allow them to reflect on how they did and how they will improve.

T: All students are differentiated already through this class placement.

O: Engagement is encouraged through the discussion activities following active tasks.