Teaching Strategies-- Building the Foundation

Main Idea & Word Match

Write 2-3 related main ideas from a passage or unit of study and several supporting vocabulary words for each. Students sort vocabulary words and match them to the appropriate main idea.

Main Idea & Picture Match

Write 2-3 related main ideas from a passage or unit of study and find or draw several supporting pictures for each. Students sort pictures and match them to the main idea.

Generate ideas that fit into each of the three categories in the table below. Students use this table to organize the cause and effect relationships.

Match It

Generate a list of cause and effect relationships and organize them into two columns. Students match the causes with their corresponding effects.

T-Chart

Lead a class discussion, and allow students to brainstorm examples of cause and effect relationships. Record responses on chart paper. Fill in an example “effect.” Students should generate potential causes. Record responses. Fill in an example “cause.” Students should generate potential effects. Record responses. Display chart in the classroom where students can refer to it as needed.

(Sample Format)

Signal Words

Display a word bank of cause and effect signal words/phrases. Explain that these are clue words that help identify cause and effect relationships. Choose a passage from a science text and project it so the class can read it together. Students start by reading the text and looking for the words independently. Next, the teacher should read the passage out loud and stop when a signal word is located. Discuss the cause and effect relationship identified. Make a two-column chart and record the example.

Find It

Choose a reading passage that offers multiple examples of cause and effect relationships. Project the passage on the front board using a document camera or a prepared overhead transparency. Read the passage once through out loud. Read the passage out loud again as the students listen specifically for cause and effect relationships. Read the passage a third time and ask the students to stop you by raising a hand when you read a cause and effect relationship. Students should come up to the board and identify the cause and effect relationship by underlining the cause and circling the effect.* Continue through the passage until all cause and effect relationships have been identified.

*Students can write directly on the front board with a dry erase marker or on the overhead projector using an overhead marker.

If…Then Statements

Facilitate a whole group discussion during which students practice writing “If…then” statements. Write an “If” statement as an example on your front board. Students brainstorm as many possibilities as they can think of to complete the sentence. Record responses. Repeat with examples as needed. Write a “then” statement example on the front board. Students brainstorm as many possibilities as they can think of to complete the sentence. Record student responses. Repeat with examples as needed. Students should record completed sentences in science journals. This method demonstrates how a single cause can have many effects as well as a single effect may have many causes.

Completed statement example:

If I drop a raw egg on the floor………………..then it will break open.

Character Traits

(Sample Format)

Narrative Writing in Nonfiction

Generate a word bank of science terms from a unit of study. Students use the vocabulary to write a narrative story. Students should be careful to use the science terms in context but the intent of the assignment is to inspire a creative story that is centered around the concepts being learned.

Idioms

As students broaden their use of figurative language in this customized lesson for the motion unit, idioms should be defined and explained.

H-Map

This graphic organizer provides a visual representation of the similarities and differences of two objects. Students draw a large H in their journals. Characteristics that are unique to each individual object are listed down the vertical strikes of the H, whereas characteristics that the objects have in common are listed across the horizontal strike of the H.

Venn Diagram

A Venn Diagram is a type of diagram that uses circles to compare objects. Venn Diagrams help us sort objects into groups and make it easy to see how things are alike and how they are different. Students draw two large overlapping circles. Characteristics that the objects have in common are listed in the overlapping section of the circles, and characteristics that are unique to each individual object are listed in the outside sections of the circles.

Similarities and Differences

Generate a list of paired words from your unit of study. Students work in pairs to identify one similarity and one difference for each pair.

Name Me Five…

Generate four to six categories that can be applied to a unit of study. Students list five original examples for each category using words or pictures as appropriate.

Sort the Groups

Generate a list of words associated with a unit of study, and then make some category labels for these words. Copy the list and distribute so the students can cut out and manipulate the words. Students work with a partner to categorize the words into labeled groups. Students glue the words onto construction paper when completed and add original examples using words or pictures as appropriate.

Categorizing Objects T-chart

Generate a list of objects and two category headings. Students use a t-chart to place the objects into the correct group.

ABC Grid

Students brainstorm words or pictures of objects associated with a topic that start with each letter of the alphabet.