Non-Fiction Reading

The Common Core State Standards have a huge focus on Informational Text. In an effort to emphasize strategies for reading non-fiction text, I have implemented some new activities in Social Studies.

The first student-led activity is called "Keep it or Junk It?" The kids read and re-read a text with a focus question in mind. During the second reading, they circle key words that they would need to answer the focus question. Groups then work together to come up with a list of key words. They write those words on a piece of construction paper. Each group chooses two members to lead the classroom discussion. From there, the class either will keep, junk or cloud a word based on classroom discussion.