It is the beginning of our morning literacy block in my fourth-grade classroom. A bit of text is being projected onto the whiteboard screen for the students to see. As they come in and get settled, I notice some of them already reading it.
The text is a passage from a book I am reading at home. In this case it’s from Karen Foxlee’s wonderful book Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy.
Each student has their individual dry erase board ready at their desk. Without giving any information or suggestions, I quickly introduce what has become a familiar task. It goes something like this: “Boys and girls, I was reading Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy last night, and I came across an interesting word. I’d like you to write what you think the word means on your dry erase board.”
I wander around the room as students read from the screen and begin writing on their boards. As I wander, I am able to quietly help those who need some assistance. This usually consists of asking them questions such as “What seems to be happening in the passage?” “What would make sense?” or “What kind of word do you think it needs to be?” When everyone has written their definition, I direct the class to hold up their answers for me to see.
Most have answered that the word vacated means to leave, to get up, or to empty.
This leads to the most important part of this minilesson-strategy discussion: The students share how they figured out the word vacated, first by turning and talking and then as a whole group. Here are the strategies they reported.
Sentence Context: “It made sense because it seemed like the guards left their seats.”
Passage Context: “I read on and it said the museum seemed empty, so I figured that the guards left.”
Word Meaning: “I thought of the word vacancy like at a hotel. That means there is an empty room.”
Visualizing: “I was picturing what might be happening, and it seemed like the guards were picking up their things and leaving.” “But it seems weird that guards would be knitting.”
This type of minilesson takes only five minutes or so, but really packs a punch. This brief lesson accomplishes several things:
- I am able to share a bit of my reading life by talking about a book I am reading. (As you can imagine, I now have a long list of students who want to read this book.)
- We touch upon numerous strategies for defining a new word in an authentic context.
- By sharing out loud, the students learn strategies from each other.
- I can quickly assess who is able to define the word and who needs help.
- Sometimes I snap a picture with my iPad and use the photo as formative assessment.
- The students have a focus at the beginning of class as they enter.
- Everyone is able to participate.
- Using a dry erase board is somehow less threatening and a bit more fun.
I do this type of minilesson several times a week with different focuses. While I am doing my own reading at home, I try to read with my students in mind. I mark difficult or interesting words or phrases, great examples of descriptive writing, use of literary devices, places to use inferences, or whatever we are focusing on currently. The possibilities are absolutely endless.