Module 4: Assignment One

Part I: Apply From Text to Graphics and Back Again

Purpose:

To give participants an opportunity to practice applying the technique From Text to Graphics and Back Again to their own content material.

Materials:

Participants' Content Textbooks

Self-Selected Graphic Organizers (GO)

Instructions:

Apply From Text to Graphics and Back Again to a chapter from a content area textbook you use in your own classroom. Please note that you will be asked to spend one class period implementing a portion of From Text to Graphics and Back Again in your own class. As such, you need to select a chapter that fits with your upcoming lesson plans.

  1. Select a chapter from your textbook or from a reading assignment for applying From Text to Graphics and Back Again. 

  2. Preview the chapter, identify the main topics, and determine the organizational pattern of the reading.

  3. Create one graphic organizer that provides an overview or preview of the main topic. Remember that sometimes the simplest graphic organizers convey the most information. In other words, you do not need to load the graphic organizer with every detail from the chapter. Think "big picture" when creating this graphic organizer.

  4. Create three to four graphic organizers for different subtopics found in the chapter. For each of these graphic organizers, create two to three questions you can ask students in order to generate language about the content of the chapter.

  5. Create two blank graphic organizers that students can fill in themselves when reading a particular section of the text.

  6. Create a writing prompt for students based on one of the graphic organizers.

 

Note: Elementary teachers taking this course may need to modify Assignment 1, particularly primary teachers who have students who are not yet reading. Instead of applying the strategy to a chapter from a textbook, you can apply the strategy to a topic you cover in your classroom by creating a set of graphic organizers to introduce and teach the topic. Your GOs may include pictures and illustrations (rather than words) for depicting main points or pictures and illustrations may accompany the words. Furthermore, instead of creating a writing prompt and asking students to respond to it as a final activity in the process, primary teachers may want to create an alternate activity. For example, students can be asked to draw a picture or create a poster that illustrates the main points of the lesson, or students can be asked to collectively dictate a story based on the lesson as the teacher copies it onto chart paper.

Part II: Provide Feedback

 

Instructions:

  1. Exchange your application of From Text to Graphics and Back Again with your partner. Also include a copy of the chapter or the reading you used. You can electronically send it to your partner or exchange your application in any way you wish.

  2. Use the following guidelines for providing feedback to your partner about his/her application of From Text to Graphics and Back Again.

    Guidelines for Providing Feedback on Peer Application of From Text to Graphics and Back Again

     

          Do the graphic organizers fit the kind of information being conveyed?  For example, if the information from the textbook is chronological in nature, a semantic web or a cause and effect graphic organizer would not accurately illustrate this kind of information, whereas a timeline might be more appropriate.

    Are the graphic organizers clear and easy to read? Too much information on the graphic organizers? Too little information?  Make specific suggestions for improving the quality of the graphic organizers.

    Can the questions created to generate language be answered with the information provided on the graphic organizer? If not, point out which questions cannot be answered with information on the graphic organizers and make specific suggestions for improvement.

          Is the writing prompt clear and easy to read?  If not, make specific suggestions for improvement.

          Can the writing prompt be addressed with the information provided on the graphic organizers?  If not, make specific suggestions for improvement.

Part III:  Revise Lesson

Instructions:

After receiving feedback from your partner, revise your application of From Text to Graphics and Back Again as necessary and prepare to implement a portion of it in your own class.

Part IV:  Implement Lesson Using From Text to Graphics and Back Again

Instructions:

  1. Implement your From Text to Graphics and Back Again lesson in your own classroom. While you are encouraged to teach the entire chapter using From Text to Graphics and Back Again, you are not required to spend more than one class period implementing this technique for this particular activity.

  2. Review your application of From Text to Graphics and Back Again and estimate how much of the application you can reasonably cover in one class period. Implement this portion of the application in your class.

  3. Send the facilitator your application of From Text to Graphics and Back Again, along with a copy of the text or the reading.

Include the following:

One graphic organizer that provides an overview or preview of the main topic of the chapter.

Three to four graphic organizers that highlight different subtopics found in the chapter.

The questions you created for generating language regarding the content of the above-mentioned graphic organizers (two to three questions per graphic organizer).

Two blank graphic organizers intended for students to fill in.

One writing prompt.
 
 

Back

Assignment 2

Assignment 3