3 Mini Lesson with Graphic Organizers

Mini-Lesson using a KWL Chart 

Objective:  Students will be able to use a KWL chart to record, question, and investigate a social studies reading passage.

CCStandard: Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

 

Material:  KWL Chart

reading passage on Vietnam War written by a survivor of the demilitarized zone

Reading journal

Students will record what they already know about the Vietnam War in the first column.

In the second column, they will record pre-questions they have and what they want to learn.

In the third column, they will record what they learned after reading the passage.

 

Note:  I will have students also focus on connecting self-to-text since the passage is the memory of a girl who was 12 at the time of the war.  The girls and her younger brother were separated from their mother.  They were in the north and their mom was in the south.  The story tells of their journey to escape the northern soldiers and run to the demilitarized zone to freedom in the south.

Assignment:  Students will journal what they would do if a war broke out in Texas and they were here in Rockwall while their mom was in Austin.  What would they do to get to their mom.

 

 

Mini-Lesson Using Timeline Graphic Organizer 

Objective:  Students will be able to use a Timeline Organizer to record important historical dates from an expository text on the Civil War.

CCStandard:  Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution. 

Material: 

Pictures from a magazine or internet, manila paper, colored pencils

Timeline Organizer

Expository Text of the Civil War 

Note:  Students will record important Battles throughout the Civil War and the impact those events had on the war, the people and the country. 

Assignment:  Student will draw a picture or make a collage that represents the a spot of the timeline of the Civil War.

 

Mini-Lesson Using “What’s the Main Idea” Graphic Organizer 

Objective:  Students will be able to analyze the main idea of a science expository text.   They will also be able to give supporting detail to the main idea. 

CCStandard:  Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. 

Material:  Main Idea Graphic Organizer

Expository Text regarding science observatories

 

Note:  Students will read about The University of Texas McDonald Observatory from the STEMS lessons.  They will use the organizer to record data on why it was important to place the McDonald Observatory in the West Texas area and why it is a famous observatory.

 

Assignment:  Student will use the internet to learn more about the McDonald Observatory.  They will create a KWL Chart to use while exploring the website. http://mcdonaldobservatory.org/