Group Doodle...

Howdy do to you!!

      Today is Thursday, March 31, 2011.  I hope it is apparent to you by now that you have a guest teacher here for me today.  Treat her better than you treat me.  You know the drill and you know what is expected of you. 

      Since it's TRIBES week, there has been a different energizer every day of the week.  Today's energizer is a little different than before.  You are going to do it in your tribes at your desks.  Here are the rules...

The paper you need is in the middle of your community circle on the floor. 

      So, now that you know the rules let's talk about what you are going to group doodle about.  I want you to GROUP DOODLE anything you know or remember about story elements.  ANYTHING!!  Give me examples from your books.  Write words.  Draw pictures.  I don't care.  I want to see your understanding of  story elements. 

      After your Group doodle is finished here are the things you will be doing in order to be on task:
1.) Any book club work that you need to do to finish.  (READ, BEYOND THE BOOK, DIALOGUE JOURNALING)
2.) Continue any of the MINI INQUIRIES we started together when I showed you my thinking in The Alchemyst.
3.) You may grab a Social Studies book, GENERATE INQUIRY QUESTIONS, and research them in your Social Studies books.  (USE YOUR DIALOGUE JOURNALS)

Have fun reading and thinking. 

Yours Truly,
C

I hear and I forget.
I see and I remember.
I do and I understand.
Do your best and forget the rest!

    

BLAST FROM THE PAST: Text Codes...

Hey there damas y caballeros,

      So...  I'm reading The Alchemyst.  During the exposition, as Michael Scott is giving information about the antagonist, he also drops a little history.  It piqued my interest and also spurred me to do a MINI INQUIRY on some of the things he ties into the story.  I used text codes and tracks in my thinking to find my way back to the text.  It connects thought to text. 

By using text coding we are able to capture our thinking QUICKLY so that we can go back and think about it in depth later.  HUH?  What do you mean "in depth" Mr. C?  Well, pay attention during the minilesson today and let's find out together.  Some time in the near future you will be conducting a MINI INQUIRY of your own.  Have fun reading and thinking. 

Here is a KEY to help you remember some important text codes:
L = This code stands for information we learned while reading. 
? or Q = These codes are to tell us we have a question.  The question may be about what we are reading or may take us Beyond the Book. 
! = This code is when something we read causes us to be surprised or grabs our interest.  (WOW! In a lot of cases this code may go along with the L code.)
R or C = These are out connection codes.  We use these when the text reminds us of something or is connected to text, media, real world experiences, or to ourself. 
?? = This is the CONFUSION code.  When we don't understand something from the text this is the code that let's us know the spot that caused the confusion. 

Look at what is circled in green.

Look at what is circled in green.

These codes will be very important as we continue on out INQUIRY adventure.

Sincerely,

C

I can... Raise my awareness of thoughts as they permeate consciousness within context in order to hold, retain, organize, and apply them in a precise, effective delivery. (hold your thinking until it will be needed later where its effectiveness will be unleashed.)