Then I went to hear Chris Lehman and Kate Roberts at NCTE. And I was reminded, as I was often at the convention, that I need to SLOW DOWN. I have somehow pressured myself with a teaching pace this year that I know is not good for kids. So, in December, I am taking lots of time to help kids fall in love with nonfiction reading and to think about the kinds of writing that might go along with that. Kate mentioned a yearlong study of notetaking and that idea was so freeing for me. I am going to spend reading workshop minilesson time, writing workshop time and content time, really discovering all that nonfiction reading and writing has to offer. A study on writing around nonfiction (notetaking and more without any finished product) will be part of this month's work.
Some goals for the month include:
-falling in love with nonfiction as a genre
-noticing different ways that authors approach nonfiction writing
-finding nonfiction authors and series to love
-developing tastes as nonfiction readers
-playing with notetaking with nonfiction--taking notes on thinking
-trying out various notetaking techniques and discovering how/when it makes sense to use them
-discovering nonfiction beyond text (websites, videos, slideshows, etc.)
-finding topics of interest (new and old)
-how we approach assigned reading differently from choice reading
As part of this study, I have decided to read aloud/think aloud a book from a series I love. I love the Scientists in the Field series and I recently purchased The Mighty Mars Rovers: The Incredible Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity (Scientists in the Field Series)
by Elizabeth Rusch. I know almost nothing about the Mars Rovers but loved that this was the topic of a new book in this series. So, I've decided to read aloud this book over the next week or two, without having really looked at it much at all. I want my students to see my true thinking when reading a book that is interesting to me (a little) --one that I have very little background knowledge with. This is a longer book so I am thinking my thinking, my notetaking, my questions, the resources I look to for more information will be authentic. This will be just one piece of our week but one that will be interesting for all of us, I think. This is also a longer nonfiction book so I am thinking the whole idea of stamina with a topic will come up---reading beyond short articles for more information. This is probably not the best place to start with my reading on a new topic. So I may pull up some articles --Wonderopolis has a few related articles that might help. (I'm also revisiting Chris Lehman's new book ENERGIZE RESEARCH READING AND WRITING--it is good to revisit it after I heard him speak at the convention.)Another part of this week will be exploring lots of nonfiction books--getting their hands on books that have been sitting on the classroom shelves. I am hoping by the end of the week, they have discovered the genius of Steve Jenkins and Nic Bishop. I am hoping that a few kids have fallen in love with the Face to Face series. I am hoping that we build some baskets around certain topics of interest.
This week is all about rediscovering nonfiction as readers. I don't think it will be hard--there is lots of great nonfiction to fall in love with. I just need to give kids time to dig in with some minilesson support along the way.
Below are some tweets from Chris and Kate's session. Lots to think about.
Kellee Moye 
Cindy Minnich
Mentor text show how the author teaches. More options - but now about how to use those notes purposefully in writing.@iChrisLehman #ncte12
Franki Sibberson
Am anxious to revisit Energize Research Reading and Writing by @iChrisLehman after hearing session at #ncte12.
Am loving this idea on unit of notetaking outside of research project/units. So smart. Great way to end #ncte12. @iChrisLehman@teachkate
Probably the most important skill my kids needs as notetakers, is to make a choice. @teachkate #ncte12
RT @budtheteacher: "Do better things, not things better" says@skajder I like it. #reportsfromcyberspace #ncte12
Across the ages, people have tracked their thinking and learning in notebooks. @teachkate #ncte12
Think about doing a study of note taking in a unit outside of the research unit. Think about a yearlong study. @teachkate #ncte12
If they've not taken notes before, they are not going to be very good at it. @teachkate #ncte12
When am I going to teach my kids to be strong note taking in the midst of all of this? @teachkate #ncte12
I like the idea of one person in mind when thinking about audience for research. @ichrislehman #ncte12
What does your audience (individual person) need to know, or what is audience interested in knowing about the topic.@ichrislehman #ncte12
It's important that a writer has a particular person in mind when thinking about audience. @ichrislehman #ncte12
We have to help our kids deal with the texts they have for research. What's my first text (highly readable)? @ichrislehman#ncte12
When we hand kids resources, we take away part of the process. #ncte12 @iChrisLehman
We could just hand kids sources. Instead, we can think about how sources guide us. #ncte12 @iChrisLehman
You start with what you know and help yourself finds slants or angles--what you want to work on. #ncte12 @iChrisLehman
Instead of writing to PROVE that he read, let's have writing to teach. @ichrislehman #ncte12
Right now, kids are taking notes from text. Instead, take notes from your learning. @ichrislehman #ncte12
We're handing a lot us. Instead, let's start where research actually starts. @ichrislehman #ncte12
We are trying to humanize research. Research can be as wonderful as it should be. #ncte12 @iChrisLehman
Franki--Thanks for this post! I'm looking forward to digging in to Energize Research Reading and Writing by @iChrisLehman...and am wowed that I got to sit a few seats over from him at dinner that night with you guys! Want to do a Twitter or Skype book study with his book? I have lots to learn! Thanks for sharing so much of your learning! I'm also excited about reading and reflecting on everyone's #NCTE12 posts! Thanks for rounding them up, oh great rounder-upper. :)
ReplyDeleteI too am thinking about nonfiction this month. When I look at my class shelfari collection, nonfiction is not represented very much which is not honoring the Common Core or what I know is best. Today the turtle lady is visiting and we are going to see where that takes us with turtles and/or seasons changing and how animals adapt. I'm looking at some thinking from Lucy Calkins for reading and writing workshop ideas in her ebooks. You might want to check those out too for fourth grade.
ReplyDeleteLove this thinking. I'm planning on a non-fiction unit in January when we get back from break. Will be following how it goes in your room and looking to you for advice. :)
ReplyDeleteI just returned from a workshop at TC that focused on nonfiction and also blogged about http://tmsteach.blogspot.com/2012/11/notes-from-tc-part-1-increasing-our.html. Right now I am really thinking about ways to up the nonfiction reading my kids do. Your book was wonderful in this regard, Franki - a great resource.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to hear more about how this goes - I'm thinking once you get them started, they won't want to stop. That's definitely how my fourth graders felt last year. Two longer books that they LOVED were Cheryl Bardoe's MAMMOTHS AND MASTODONS:TITANS OF THE ICE AGE and AIN'T NOTHING BUT A MAN: MY QUEST TO FIND THE REAL JOHN HENRY. There was also one about tornadoes by National Geographic. Totally random subjects, but all three have really cool primary sources and textual tools, not to mention great voice. You might want to look for them.
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