Anchor Chart: Books Follow Patterns

This anchor chart is made with a file folder and post it notes.  Tell students that our brains are like file folders.  Everything we know is stored in our brains. This is called our schema. There are things that we know.  We know that if we go to a grocery store, there is food.  We know that libraries contain books.  We know that a zoo has animals.  Fiction books contain patterns.  We know they contain; characters, setting (the problem is influenced by where the story took place and when; such as in the past / present/ or future), conflict (CLIMAX), resolution (not all stories have resolutions / pay attention to how the characters try to solve the problem) and author's message.  The post it notes can be taken off of the file folder and a student can identify part of a story, such as the characters, and put it back on the file folder.

Comprehension Check with Eggs

Comprehension Check With Eggs

Put questions into plastic eggs. Great manipulative! Questions:   What surprised you about this book?  What could be another title for this story?  What is the author's message?  What words helped you to visualize this story?  Was the main character flat  (stay the same) or round (change)?  What are some character traits of the main character?  What was the conflict of the story?  What connections can you make to your life?  What connections can you make to history or the world?  What is the resolution in the story? What is the setting? What is another problem the character could of had? 

Word Work With Wiki Sticks

Students practice  spelling words by making them with wiki sticks.  This can be done on paper or a plastic mat.  Next, students place a white sheet of paper over the wiki sticks and make a crayon rubbing.