Subject: ELA (English Language Arts)
Lesson Length: 30 - 45 mins
Topic: Text Evidence and Inferences
Grade Level: 4, 5, 6, 7
Standards / Framework:
Brief Description: Students will use the "I Used to Think/Now I Think" strategy to help them determine specific text evidence and infer information drawn from text. They will create a comic to demonstrate their understanding before and after reading.
Know Before You Start: This lesson uses the thinking strategy "I Used to Think/Now I Think." You will need to provide two passages for students to read.
Hook:
- Read and discuss a selected piece of text.
- Display the sample comic and use it to model how to analyze the material presented by using the protocol "I Used to Think/Now I Think."
- Ask students to share ideas or perceptions prior to reading the text.
- Then, ask students to discuss new things learned or ideas that were clarified from the reading.
Activity:
- Provide students with another selected text material.
- After reading the text independently, have students create a two-panel comic to demonstrate their thoughts before and after reading.
- Panel 1: I Used to Think
- Panel 2: Now I Think
Closure:
- Give students an opportunity to share their comics with others.
- Discuss how using the "I Used to Think/Now I Think" strategy can be used with all types of text materials to better understand the content.
Differentiation:
- Allow students to use the speech-to-text feature.
- Allow students to use the voiceover feature to read their comics aloud.
- Allow students to work in pairs or groups as needed.
- Adjust selected text based on students’ reading level or provide audio recording.
- Print out panels with headings for students to plan their writing.
Resources:
- Comic to print or display
- Teacher selected text/reading material
Starter Pack
Make a comic about the U.S. State Justice System
Make a comic about Elementary School
Make a comic about Middle School
Make a comic about the Old West
Make a comic about the Solar System
