Professional Learning Goals

• Developed integrated language plans based on non-fiction texts which could be used as part of a larger Social Studies inquiry plan
• Designed, developed and infused digital learning experiences that utilize technology into lessons
• Piloted these lessons and adapted them to meet the needs of the Grade 4, 5 and 6 students
• Collaborated with colleagues to choose rich texts which connected to the big ideas conveyed within the SSHG curriculum
• Developed anchor charts with students around the reading signposts
• Provoked a questioning stance using images and/or primary and secondary source documents/artifacts which connected to the chosen mentor texts and big ideas of the SSHG curriculum
• Developed formative assessment tools to assess student thinking
• Read and discussed Reading Nonfiction: Notice and Note Stances, Signposts, and Strategies and Notice and Note: Strategies for Close Reading by Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst

Activities and Resources

• The Grade 4, 4/5  and 5/6 classes each took slightly different approaches. Language plans were developed based on social studies nonfiction texts which could be used as part of a larger inquiry plan.
• The Grade 4 teachers planned on using Fisher and Frey’s Progression of Text-Dependent Questions with the goal of guiding students (in a general way) through this progression
• Designed, developed and infused digital learning experiences that utilized technology (See Grade 4 and 5/6 Folders and the use of Google Apps, etc.)
• Collaborated with colleagues to choose rich texts which connect to the big ideas conveyed within the SSHG curriculum
• Developed anchor charts with students around the reading signposts
• Provoked a questioning stance using images and/or primary and secondary source documents/artifacts which connect to big ideas of the SSHG curriculum
• Developed formative assessment tools to assess student thinking before, during, and after reading
• Teachers read and discussed Reading Nonfiction: Notice and Note Stances, Signposts, and Strategies and Notice and Note: Strategies for Close Reading by Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst
• Teachers accessed the Heinemann website for free forms and organizers

Unexpected Challenges

• Sharing occurred throughout the project, both at the school level (sharing in colleagues classrooms, hallways, staff meetings) and at the board level (with a presentation at our board’s Literacy Conference). Teachers communicated via First Class Conference, email and text. In our proposal, our intention was to use Twitter and the #ReadingNFRyersonPS to share our work with other teachers, and although there have been a few tweets to the site, we found that most of the participants in the project were hesitant to use this mode of sharing, and so it was abandoned.
• For our Grade 5 and 6 outline of activities, our original plan was to present a 5-Day Language Block, however, in practice, there are a number of pieces to fit together before the students are able to use the signposts to help provide perspective and understanding of the texts they read in social studies. As a result, we decided to share a unit outline, showing what steps and texts we used to introduce the nonfiction signposts, and then where we took things as we moved into social studies (this is outlined in the attached file titled “Residential Schools”).
• The Grade 4 teachers first introduced the non-fiction signposts using texts related to Ancient Civilizations. A next steps plan of teaching was then developed using a 5-day format (See reflections and challenges below).

Personal Reflections – Debevc and Hough (Grade 5/6 teachers)

When we initially started this unit, we really thought that the topic of residential schools would be straightforward. When we started looking at the resources available, we quickly realized that we needed to focus on providing the historical context in which the residential schools came into being, while at the same time being sensitive to the emotional complexities and the impact that the schools have had on past, present, and future generations of First Nations peoples. What we also had to balance was the level to which some of the texts were written, and our desire to paint an accurate picture, while at the same time, presenting it at a level that our 10- and 11-year-old students could understand. Topics such as sexual abuse were present in some of the texts, but we were cautious to ensure that this was not the focus of any of our classroom discussions.

As a resource, Reading NonFiction: Notice and Note enabled the students to delve deeper into first-hand accounts and newspaper articles, providing meaning in details that they might have missed otherwise. Having used the signposts for fiction the previous year, made the transition into non-fiction signposts fairly seamless. We would highly recommend starting with the fiction signposts and moving into the non-fiction signposts once the students are already comfortable.

Personal Reflections – Stewart, Vanderveen, Snow, Bere (TOSA, Grade 4/5  and 4 teachers)

We really saw the benefits of using an integrated approach of teaching social studies and language together. We observed benefits in terms of teaching time and also in terms of student comprehension of social studies readings. At times, we found it challenging with a teacher being located at a different school. We also found it challenging organizing a larger group with several split grade classes.

Text selection was sometimes challenging, especially when introducing the signposts. At first, teachers used the text selections and lesson examples from the Notice and Note Nonfiction book to teach the big three questions. Then the teachers selected social studies texts for lessons, looking for obvious signpost examples. It took time for the group to decide on texts or excerpts of texts that they would use to introduce the non-fiction signposts. Our goal was to select texts that addressed the big ideas of the Ontario SSHG curriculum and which could be used to highlight the non-fiction reading signposts.

We found that teaching the three big questions was very valuable. We used these throughout the year and they gave the students a focus for their thinking when reading many different texts in many different subjects. They annotated their texts and then discussed what they noticed around the big questions. Reading with a purpose really helped the students engage with the texts.

The teacher in our group who moved schools, found that later in the year, after she taught the fiction signposts, the students responded more positively to using the non-fiction reading signposts. They were able to embrace them and use them to start discussions and comment on their observations, predictions, inferences and connections. She wondered if having a firm hold of the fiction signposts better prepared the students for understanding and using the non-fiction signposts.

The split Grade 4 and 5 teacher found it challenging because half of her class had already done the signposts last year. The other half were totally new to the signposts. She found that having a firm basis with the fiction signposts really helped many of her students engage with the non-fiction signposts. She found that the students readily caught on and happily participated in lessons related to the three big questions. They found the Powtoon videos especially helpful and engaging.  Her Grade 4s, who had not been taught the fiction signposts last year, were generally reluctant to question non-fiction. To them, it was a fact and that was the end of that! The Grade 5s were more ready to accept that non-fiction could have a point of view or perspective that should be considered.  As a split Grade 4 and 5 teacher, using the same articles as the other Grade 4 and 5/6 teachers didn’t always work. As a result, a unique selection of texts was sometimes used.

Overall, we saw many benefits to this integrated approach. Despite the challenges, the group felt positive that they would continue this work next year depending on their work assignments.

Enhancing Student Learning and Development

• Students developed independent reading skills  (Understand Author’s Purpose, Draw Conclusions, Use Context Clues, Identify Details, etc.)
• Students developed generalizable strategies for independent reading of non-fiction texts
• Students read non-fiction text for deeper understanding
• Students developed a greater understanding of the bigger ideas of the SSHG curriculum
• Students developed knowledge of non-fiction text organization and structures
• Students developed a greater background knowledge of SSHG topics in the Revised Social Studies Curriculum
• Students used a modified version of the Project Zero Thinking Continuua for self-assessment. The teachers conferenced with students using the same continua.
• The “agree” or “same answer” sign (borrowed from Math Talks) was found that to be effective during discussions
• The book’s anchor charts were super helpful for students
• We found that using Google Apps allowed students to demonstrate their learning in different ways (Google Read and Write, Google Forms with file insert)

Sharing

• Presented at school staff meeting
• Presented at our board’s Literacy Conference
• Lessons posted to OTF site (see Resources section)

Project Evaluation

• Teachers assessed students’ comprehension of non-fiction before, during and after project through annotation and discussion and found improvements in engagement and overall comprehension
• Ongoing formative assessments were developed (See Google Folders)
• Student thinking was documented in a variety of ways to show progress over time (e.g., pictures, video, responses)
• Teachers assessed students’ understanding of the big ideas of SSHG at the beginning, middle (during) and end of the inquiry using Google Apps