community

Using Short Texts to “Warm-up” Reading Muscles & Build Community

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

Last spring, when the world did an abrupt pivot and teachers and parents were suddenly teaching on screens from home, we offered a series of blog posts.  We suggested using short texts that could be found “right at our fingertips” to create access and interest to keep children reading.   Please find all the posts below:

“WARM UP” THOSE READING MUSCLES

Now it is August.  The hoped-for, regular, back-to-school, normal that we are used to is clearly not going to happen.  Instead, we are faced with a lot of uncertainty and a myriad of education models.  Whether you are teaching remotely, face-to-face, or in a hybrid model, you will be meeting children who have not been in a classroom in more than 5 months.  While we hope that each of them had a rich reading life all summer, we will be facing a wide variety of experiences and skills.

Short texts offer a way to ease back into reading in a comfortable, low-stakes way because they are easy to read and discuss in one sitting.  Short texts are great to use with students across grade levels and content areas because they:

  • Create conversation starters that can positively impact whole group, small group and one-to-one learning

  • Increase reading volume by reading widely (lots of topics) and deeply (read a lot about one topic)

  • Help students read the world around them, not just what they find in books

Short texts give us reasons to read, write, talk, and think because they entertain, inform, and often inspire us.   Here’s what we mean.

Entertain -- brings us joy 

Inform -- teaches us new information and/or renews our thinking about ideas and topics 

Inspire -- motivates us to read, write and share more

BUILDING COMMUNITY

When we ask a group of students to read the same short text, whether they are face-to-face in the same room or interacting online, it gives them a common experience and a way to build community and positive relationships.  Here are some examples of short texts your students might enjoy!

ELEMENTARY

Picture books are wonderful short texts! Check out these resources about friendship, community and being an upstander! Click the links below to order copies!

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My Friend is Sad by Mo Willems

  • Use the text as reader’s theater.

  • Examine the thought and speech bubbles and the use of punctuation.

The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig

  • Read the story aloud and discuss their friendship.

  • Discuss the problem in this story and how it is resolved.

Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev 

  • Discuss how it feels to be excluded.

  • Discuss how it feels to be included.

  • Use this book as a springboard to creating a classroom community where all feel included.

Giraffe Problems by Jory John

  • Read this story aloud or listen and watch it using this link.

  • Discuss the giraffe’s perspective compared to the other animals.

  • Make a list of ways we can be a good friend to others.

The Power of One by Trudy Ludwig

  • Talk about different ways to be an upstander.

  • Think about and discuss, What is an “act of kindness”?

  • Make a list of different acts of kindness that we can do for one another each day.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Excerpts of novels, picture books, podcasts and short stories are great to use when curating short texts.  Reading short texts often leads to reading longer texts, especially when students’ interests have been piqued or they connect with authors.  Check out these resources about friendship, community and being an upstander!

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Two Naomis by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

  • Read an excerpt from the book.

  • Read and/or write a review about the book.

  • Listen to the podcast with Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich.

  • Read the entire book together or offer it to students who may want to read it independently.

  • In addition, check out 50 Must Read Middle School Friendship Stories curated by Book Riot for more ideas!

Weslandia by Paul Fleischman

  • Discuss what it means to accept [and show acceptance of] others.

  • Talk about ways we can ensure that everyone in our learning community feels accepted and welcome.

One by Kathryn Otoshi

  • This book, often thought of as a book to read with younger students, is an amazing story to spark discussion with older students.

    • Share and discuss the definition of upstander.

    • Discuss what it means to be an upstander.

    • Investigate websites committed to anti-bullying work.  Here’s one example.

Dear Bully: Seven Authors Tell Their Stories by Dawn Metcalf

  • Read aloud and discuss one story or give students an opportunity to read several stories from this anthology.

  • Find and share quotes related to being an upstander such as, “If not now, then when?  If not me, then who?” [Hilell].

Dictionary of a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z by Irene Latham

  • Explore this book and the many words, definitions, ideas, and illustrations across several days.

  • Give students an opportunity to talk about how they can apply each word to create a better, more accepting, world.

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Choose a short text that you feel will grab your readers’ interests such as a short magazine article or a top ten list. Look for an engaging and “easy” text.  This experience should be fun, more like dipping your toe into a nice warm bath than plunging into an ice cold lake.  Find a way to make it available to your readers.  Consider print copies or post it in a place where your students can either read it online or print it for themselves.  Before reading, ask students:

  • What do you notice about this piece?  

    • Title

    • Author

    • Illustrations,  images or graphic elements

    • Headings, subheadings

  • What do you already know about this topic?

  • What do you wonder?

Step 2

Read the text.  Decide if you want students to mark the text in some way to hold their thinking or if you want students to make that decision.  Consider sharing ways students could hold their thinking to note important or interesting information. Students could:

  • Take notes in a notebook or on a piece of paper.

  • Use sticky notes to capture their thinking.

  • Create margin notes and/or highlight words, sentences or sections. 

Step 3

Share your thinking with others.   Some ways to do this include:

  • Pose a question and have everyone answer it (on a post-it or via an online forum).  Provide time to read others' answers.

  • Ask readers to pose a question, then have readers answer someone else’s question.

  • If students noted their thinking in some way, ask them to pick 1-2 ideas to share with others.

Step 4

Look for other reading, writing and talking opportunities using this short text type.

Reading Ideas 

  • Present students with another short text similar to the first.  Compare them.

  • Present students with another piece that is on the same or similar topic, but is a different genre (e.g. both pieces are about penguins: one is an article and the second is a poem).  Compare the pieces.

Writing Ideas

  • Use the short text as a mentor text.  Writers write about a topic they know a great deal about using the same genre and style as the piece you read together. 

  • Make a top ten list. Be sure to share them with others.

Talking Ideas

  • Invite conversation about students’ reading lives. Ask:

    • Where do you like to read?

    • How long do you like to read?

    • What types of texts do you like most? Least?

Step 5

Invite students to share other things they have been reading.  Students could share book titles, but it could also mean that they talk about other text types and genres they particularly like (e.g. graphic novels or magazines or a reading website).

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (Benchmark, 2021).

Co-planning a Mini-Unit to Wrap Up the Year with JOY!

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with Shannon for the last few years. We share a common love of books and we are both self-proclaimed pen snobs — meaning we are both “pen-picky” and enjoy trying to convince one another that our favorite pen type is the best. Shannon is a continual learner — with an ongoing stream of inquiry. She’s a joy to co-plan with because she exudes happiness as she noodles ideas, thinks through wonderings, and creates ways to support her students — and her learning community — in collaborative, heart-felt ways.

A DISCLAIMER OF SORTS

A few shared agreements:

  • As I co-plan with teachers, I’m not going to spend much time, if any, editing the videos.  This means it might be clunky at times.  You might get a barking dog, tech glitches, or family interruptions.  I hope you’ll be able to relate. Thank you, in advance, for assuming best intentions and for your understanding. In addition, not everything we do together is recorded.

  • The ideas shared in these videos are NOT “the way” or “the right way” -- they are just one way to approach the work.  I hope you’ll spend some time actively studying the co-planning conversation. As you listen, take stock of the ASSETS that emerge from the conversation.  Think about:

    • What’s the WHY behind our work?  

    • What moves are we trying to make in service of students?

    • Name the implications for your work going forward.  What might you adopt or adapt to fit your setting, interests, and/or needs?

  • Focus on process versus end product.  The work will continue to unfold even if it’s not captured on video segments.  If you check back into our shared documents, you’ll notice changes because our work is dynamic, not static, and will evolve across time.

HERE’S WHAT WE ARE UP TO

  • Shannon’s students have settled into a learning from home routine and are launching into their 8th week. Each week brings about new celebrations and new challenges.  

  • Shannon wants her students to end the year with a mini-poetry unit, celebrating reading and writing!

THINGS WE ARE THINKING ABOUT NOW

  • How do the enduring practices we use in the classroom translate -- or not -- to remote/digital learning from home?

  • What’s the WHY behind this mini-poetry unit?

  • What’s going to get kiddos jazzed up about reading and writing poetry?

  • What end demonstrations or learning celebrations can we co-create with students to honor their work?

VIDEO

If you are interested in watching a coach and teacher co-plan — working as THINKING PARTNERS in response to the unique times we are currently experiencing — check out this video.

SOME REFLECTIONS

  • What poem types will be new/unfamiliar to students?  What poem types will feel like “old friends”?

  • Will students write poetry on paper or on the computer?  They have options so I’m wondering what they will choose?  

  • Will students illustrate some of the poems they write?

  • Is there a way to help students collect all of the poems they are reading and writing [a binder or folder] to keep them organized at home?  If so, maybe they could be used to inspire reading/re-reading poetry over the summer.

OTHER LINKS & RESOURCES

Our DRAFTY, dynamic, in-motion, evolving plans: Julie & Shannon: Co-planning Mini-Poetry Unit

Small Group Plans:  Small Group Reading & Writing Lesson Plans to Adopt, Adapt or Improve [During Remote/Distance Learning]

Short Texts at Your Fingertips:  Poetry

If you want to learn more about Shannon’s classroom, check out her blog!

IDEAS TO CHEW ON

As most educators would agree, working from a distance is not the same as in-person experiences. In my work as a consultant, it’s not unusual for me to work across the miles with teachers. In fact, most of my consulting contracts include some form of this type of professional learning, particularly as we prepare for our work together in the classroom. Planning and working across the miles is how we often get a jump-start to our work together. The difference, of course, is the work we are typically planning is NOT from a distance. So, that is where we are trying to make a shift.

I’m in good company when I say we are all kind of tired of this by now. However, with so many unknowns about what school will — or should — look like in the fall, we are using this spring as a dress rehearsal of sorts. We are asking:

  • What’s working? What’s clunky?

  • Who are we reaching and supporting in ways that are making a difference?

  • Who are we concerned about? What don’t we know that we should know?

  • How will we stay connected and minimize the “distance” that separates us?

  • How will we create compelling, sophisticated learning experiences that take into account our foundational beliefs and practices in ways that nature and inspire students?

Two pieces I’ve recently written that might be of interest are:

Until next time — keep at it! You’ve got a whole crew of educators cheering you on because we know the spirit and camaraderie surrounds us all! Reach out if you’d like to chat about ways I might be of service and support your efforts!

From Ed Consultant to Teacher Mom: Reflection #2

Well, we’ve settled in. Kind of.

We’ve found a routine. Sort of.

It’s funny how just a few days can be filled with numerous learning lessons, even some lessons that you thought you already knew. Or, better yet, thought you knew them so well that they were regular ways of being. Surprise! New landscape, new challenges, new learning for everyone — especially me!

Teacher Mom in Action

I love lists — in that spirit, here’s my Top 5 List from the past few days:

  1. My boys are brothers. They used to be best friends. Time and age have pulled them apart a bit over the past 18 months. That’s been a natural part of their growth and development as individuals, I think. Now, as of this week, they are learning how to be friends again. This could become one of the hidden treasures tucked inside this awful pandemic.

  2. Learning is social. I believe this to my core. I have read the research and created action research for myself and those I serve that puts this foundational belief into practice. I’m now seeing firsthand how hard it can be for kiddos when they don’t have the social capital [the amazing stuff their peers bring to the table each day] they need and want in their living, breathing, learning space. Learning IS social. Kiddos not only want it, they need it!

  3. Books and stories bring out the best in us —especially when they touch our heads and our hearts. In an attempt to create a learning community for my two sons and me, we started reading Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech. In just a few days, we’ve each taken an important role in contributing to our collective learning by:

    • Sharing the role of guest reader for read aloud

    • Curating and sharing other short texts [website, video, article, infographic] that can help us learn new information about donkeys

    • Writing about our reading — our thoughts, wonderings, questions, feelings

  4. I thought that I’d only have time to teach and work with my own kids. Don’t get me wrong, it’s been time consuming and emotion consuming. But, what I’m learning is that what I do for myself is also very important. When I fuel myself, I can then add to the fuel for others. As a result, I’ve spent time digging back into my writing projects and plan to create a schedule for myself beginning next week. And, I’ve rediscovered my excitement about cooking again. I cook all of the time — it’s impossible to not cook for a family of 5 — but I’m inspired by getting organized around meal-planning and recipes, digging up some old favorites and trying new ones. And, kale chips, right out of the oven, makes everything better!

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5. Thinking partners matter. That’s true for kids and it’s true for adults. I am thankful for the colleagues and friends I’ve connected with this week. There are no rules around the content between thinking partners — thank goodness! Some highlights include text messages, emails, sharing Google docs, and video chats to co-plan online learning opportunities for kiddos, noodling drafty ideas about what really matters in schools, mom crews sharing ideas to support learning at home, and swapping soup recipes. Thankful for each of these experiences — a true lifeline during tricky times!

In other updates — my college freshman is unpacking. One bag per day because…why not? She decided she has 4-5 months to get it done so what’s the hurry!

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