The Big Book of Literacy Tasks, Grades K-8
75 Balanced Literacy Activities Students Do (Not You!)
Nancy Akhavan
- California State University, Fresno, USA
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eBook
ISBN:
9781544321905
Available from
January 0001
Paperback
ISBN:
9781506389639
Available from
January 0001
Description
The Comprehensive Handbook for Scaffolding Students’ Literacy Growth
Our readers and writers must “do the doing” if they are to succeed. In The Big Book of Literacy Tasks, Nancy Akhavan offers an instructional plan designed to yield independent effort and engagement. 75 tasks in beautiful full-color two-pagers ensure gradual release by moving more swiftly from the “I do” teacher phase to the “you do,” when students benefit from the healthy amount of struggle that is the hallmark of learning. (And spoiler alert: you kick the habit of hovering, over-explaining, and rescuing!)
Backed by research and thoughtfully arranged to make day-to-day planning easier, this groundbreaking book provides:
- Reading and writing tasks organized into 3 sections—everyday skills, weekly practices, and sometime engagements requiring greater complexity
- Mini-lessons that are essential— whether you use a reading program, a workshop approach, or are just transitioning to Balanced Literacy
- Colorful teaching charts allowing you to quickly grasp the high points of each lesson
- A clear task structure for introducing and managing the stages as you move students toward independent practice
- Mid-task “Watch Fors” and “Work Arounds” showing how to coach without risking helicopter teaching
- Amazing scaffolding tips for meeting the needs of a range of learners
- Sample student work that offers valuable insights on how to use the tasks as formative assessments
Practical and engaging, The Big Book of Literacy Tasks gives you a clear framework for “working the minds” of your students, helping them forge their own path to becoming better readers and writers.
Contents
Acknowledgments
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Introduction
Section One: Everyday Tasks for Reading, Writing, and Thinking
- 1. A New Spin on Who, What, Why, When, and Where
- 2. Making Predictions to Help Comprehension
- 3. Journal Writing After Reading
- 4. Make a Connection to the World When Reading a Text Independently
- 5. Quoting an Important Idea in a Nonfi ction Text
- 6. Name Character Motives and Actions
- 7. Name Rising Plot
- 8. Name Plot Resolution
- 9. Tell the Text
- 10. Dig Deeper Into the Text
- 11. Guided Comprehension Talks
- 12. Elaborate and Clarify Meaning
- 13. Setting Routines for Independent Reading
- 14. Fixing Up When Attention Wanders
- 15. Communicating Your Heads-Up Ball Approach
- 16. Answering a Text-Dependent Question
- 17. Tell Why (You Think, Believe, Remember, Know) With Why Messages
- 18. Make a Bold Statement About a Text
- 19. Extend Thinking When Discussing a Text
- 20. One-Liners for Nonfi ction Texts
- 21. Crystal Ball Predictions
- 22. Yesterday’s News
- 23. Annotate Text
- 24. Sentence Strip Statements
- 25. Write Questions About Reading
- 26. Super Cool Three Steps to Describe an Experience
- 27. Getting Kids to Write: Wonderful Concentration
- 28. Sketch to Write
- 29. Getting Help From Another Writer: Write Dialogue in Narratives and Quotes in Reports
- 30. Getting Help From Another Writer: Write a Hook
- 31. The Right Amount of Details, The Right Amount of Clarity
- 32. Thinking Small to Write Well
- 33. Writing a Jot About What Was Read
- 34. Works Too Long and Never Gets Any Writing Done
- 35. Dialogue Journals
Section Two: Weekly Tasks for Reading, Writing, and Thinking
- 36. A nalyze for Author’s Purpose With a Text That Is a Little Too Hard for Students to Read on Their Own
- 37. Create a Structured Outline of a Text
- 38. Collecting Research and Organizing Notes for Writing
- 39. Plot Summary Snapshots
- 40. Writing Information in a New Format
- 41. Stay on Point in Writing
- 42. Productive Use of the Author’s Chair
- 43. Write a Short Research Report
- 44. Write an All About Text
- 45. Your Students Have a Voice: Writing an Opinion Text
- 46. Arguing the Solution to a Problematic Situation
- 47. Writing the Recipe for Success: How-to Texts
- 48. Writing Explanations, Be Like an Encyclopedia
- 49. Inquiry for Smart Minds
- 50. Responding to Literature With Some Kick to It
Section Three: Sometime Tasks for Reading, Writing, and Thinking
- 51. Identify Theme in a Complex Text
- 52. Posing Questions for Easier Inquiry
- 53. Writing a Fable or Myth
- 54. Writing a Fairy Tale
- 55. Justifying an Answer With a Claim and Evidence
- 56. Use Known Info to Help Others Learn New Info
- 57. Connecting Ideas Between Texts
- 58. Identifying Real Facts From Made-Up Facts: Fallacious Reasoning
- 59. Brainstorming Multiple Valid Answers/Responses
- 60. Concept Mapping Between Big Ideas
- 61. Make Me Ponder: Questions That Get the Thinking Juices Flowing
- 62. Writing Compare and Contrast Response to Literature
- 63. Peer-to-Peer Analysis and Response
- 64. Critique a Functional Document or Text
- 65. Visible and Visual: Use Known Concepts and Vocabulary to Understand a Text
- 66. Summarize a Text That Is a Little Too Hard for Students to Read on Their Own
- 67. Student Think-Alouds
- 68. Separate Central Idea From a Big Idea
- 69. Writing in Different Genres or Multimedia to Engage and Persuade
- 70. Creative Debate
- 71. I Am a Reader
- 72. I Am a Writer
- 73. Look Up
- 74. Goodbye, Perfect Teacher
- 75. Teacher and Learner
References and Further Reading
References and Further Reading
Index
Index
Additional materials
Description
The Comprehensive Handbook for Scaffolding Students’ Literacy Growth
Our readers and writers must “do the doing” if they are to succeed. In The Big Book of Literacy Tasks, Nancy Akhavan offers an instructional plan designed to yield independent effort and engagement. 75 tasks in beautiful full-color two-pagers ensure gradual release by moving more swiftly from the “I do” teacher phase to the “you do,” when students benefit from the healthy amount of struggle that is the hallmark of learning. (And spoiler alert: you kick the habit of hovering, over-explaining, and rescuing!)
Backed by research and thoughtfully arranged to make day-to-day planning easier, this groundbreaking book provides:
- Reading and writing tasks organized into 3 sections—everyday skills, weekly practices, and sometime engagements requiring greater complexity
- Mini-lessons that are essential— whether you use a reading program, a workshop approach, or are just transitioning to Balanced Literacy
- Colorful teaching charts allowing you to quickly grasp the high points of each lesson
- A clear task structure for introducing and managing the stages as you move students toward independent practice
- Mid-task “Watch Fors” and “Work Arounds” showing how to coach without risking helicopter teaching
- Amazing scaffolding tips for meeting the needs of a range of learners
- Sample student work that offers valuable insights on how to use the tasks as formative assessments
Practical and engaging, The Big Book of Literacy Tasks gives you a clear framework for “working the minds” of your students, helping them forge their own path to becoming better readers and writers.
Contents
Acknowledgments
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Introduction
Section One: Everyday Tasks for Reading, Writing, and Thinking
- 1. A New Spin on Who, What, Why, When, and Where
- 2. Making Predictions to Help Comprehension
- 3. Journal Writing After Reading
- 4. Make a Connection to the World When Reading a Text Independently
- 5. Quoting an Important Idea in a Nonfi ction Text
- 6. Name Character Motives and Actions
- 7. Name Rising Plot
- 8. Name Plot Resolution
- 9. Tell the Text
- 10. Dig Deeper Into the Text
- 11. Guided Comprehension Talks
- 12. Elaborate and Clarify Meaning
- 13. Setting Routines for Independent Reading
- 14. Fixing Up When Attention Wanders
- 15. Communicating Your Heads-Up Ball Approach
- 16. Answering a Text-Dependent Question
- 17. Tell Why (You Think, Believe, Remember, Know) With Why Messages
- 18. Make a Bold Statement About a Text
- 19. Extend Thinking When Discussing a Text
- 20. One-Liners for Nonfi ction Texts
- 21. Crystal Ball Predictions
- 22. Yesterday’s News
- 23. Annotate Text
- 24. Sentence Strip Statements
- 25. Write Questions About Reading
- 26. Super Cool Three Steps to Describe an Experience
- 27. Getting Kids to Write: Wonderful Concentration
- 28. Sketch to Write
- 29. Getting Help From Another Writer: Write Dialogue in Narratives and Quotes in Reports
- 30. Getting Help From Another Writer: Write a Hook
- 31. The Right Amount of Details, The Right Amount of Clarity
- 32. Thinking Small to Write Well
- 33. Writing a Jot About What Was Read
- 34. Works Too Long and Never Gets Any Writing Done
- 35. Dialogue Journals
Section Two: Weekly Tasks for Reading, Writing, and Thinking
- 36. A nalyze for Author’s Purpose With a Text That Is a Little Too Hard for Students to Read on Their Own
- 37. Create a Structured Outline of a Text
- 38. Collecting Research and Organizing Notes for Writing
- 39. Plot Summary Snapshots
- 40. Writing Information in a New Format
- 41. Stay on Point in Writing
- 42. Productive Use of the Author’s Chair
- 43. Write a Short Research Report
- 44. Write an All About Text
- 45. Your Students Have a Voice: Writing an Opinion Text
- 46. Arguing the Solution to a Problematic Situation
- 47. Writing the Recipe for Success: How-to Texts
- 48. Writing Explanations, Be Like an Encyclopedia
- 49. Inquiry for Smart Minds
- 50. Responding to Literature With Some Kick to It
Section Three: Sometime Tasks for Reading, Writing, and Thinking
- 51. Identify Theme in a Complex Text
- 52. Posing Questions for Easier Inquiry
- 53. Writing a Fable or Myth
- 54. Writing a Fairy Tale
- 55. Justifying an Answer With a Claim and Evidence
- 56. Use Known Info to Help Others Learn New Info
- 57. Connecting Ideas Between Texts
- 58. Identifying Real Facts From Made-Up Facts: Fallacious Reasoning
- 59. Brainstorming Multiple Valid Answers/Responses
- 60. Concept Mapping Between Big Ideas
- 61. Make Me Ponder: Questions That Get the Thinking Juices Flowing
- 62. Writing Compare and Contrast Response to Literature
- 63. Peer-to-Peer Analysis and Response
- 64. Critique a Functional Document or Text
- 65. Visible and Visual: Use Known Concepts and Vocabulary to Understand a Text
- 66. Summarize a Text That Is a Little Too Hard for Students to Read on Their Own
- 67. Student Think-Alouds
- 68. Separate Central Idea From a Big Idea
- 69. Writing in Different Genres or Multimedia to Engage and Persuade
- 70. Creative Debate
- 71. I Am a Reader
- 72. I Am a Writer
- 73. Look Up
- 74. Goodbye, Perfect Teacher
- 75. Teacher and Learner
References and Further Reading
References and Further Reading
Index
Index
Additional materials
The Big Book of Literacy Tasks, Grades K-8
75 Balanced Literacy Activities Students Do (Not You!)
February 2018 | 216 pages | Corwin
| Format | Published Date | ISBN | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paperback | 01/01/2025 | 9781506389639 | $40.95 |
| Lifetime | 01/01/2025 | 9781544321905 | $37.00 |
The Comprehensive Handbook for Scaffolding Students’ Literacy Growth
Our readers and writers must “do the doing” if they are to succeed. In The Big Book of Literacy Tasks, Nancy Akhavan offers an instructional plan designed to yield independent effort and engagement. 75 tasks in beautiful full-color two-pagers ensure gradual release by moving more swiftly from the “I do” teacher phase to the “you do,” when students benefit from the healthy amount of struggle that is the hallmark of learning. (And spoiler alert: you kick the habit of hovering, over-explaining, and rescuing!)
Backed by research and thoughtfully arranged to make day-to-day planning easier, this groundbreaking book provides:
- Reading and writing tasks organized into 3 sections—everyday skills, weekly practices, and sometime engagements requiring greater complexity
- Mini-lessons that are essential— whether you use a reading program, a workshop approach, or are just transitioning to Balanced Literacy
- Colorful teaching charts allowing you to quickly grasp the high points of each lesson
- A clear task structure for introducing and managing the stages as you move students toward independent practice
- Mid-task “Watch Fors” and “Work Arounds” showing how to coach without risking helicopter teaching
- Amazing scaffolding tips for meeting the needs of a range of learners
- Sample student work that offers valuable insights on how to use the tasks as formative assessments
Practical and engaging, The Big Book of Literacy Tasks gives you a clear framework for “working the minds” of your students, helping them forge their own path to becoming better readers and writers.
Table Of Contents:
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Section One: Everyday Tasks for Reading, Writing, and Thinking
- 1. A New Spin on Who, What, Why, When, and Where
- 2. Making Predictions to Help Comprehension
- 3. Journal Writing After Reading
- 4. Make a Connection to the World When Reading a Text Independently
- 5. Quoting an Important Idea in a Nonfi ction Text
- 6. Name Character Motives and Actions
- 7. Name Rising Plot
- 8. Name Plot Resolution
- 9. Tell the Text
- 10. Dig Deeper Into the Text
- 11. Guided Comprehension Talks
- 12. Elaborate and Clarify Meaning
- 13. Setting Routines for Independent Reading
- 14. Fixing Up When Attention Wanders
- 15. Communicating Your Heads-Up Ball Approach
- 16. Answering a Text-Dependent Question
- 17. Tell Why (You Think, Believe, Remember, Know) With Why Messages
- 18. Make a Bold Statement About a Text
- 19. Extend Thinking When Discussing a Text
- 20. One-Liners for Nonfi ction Texts
- 21. Crystal Ball Predictions
- 22. Yesterday’s News
- 23. Annotate Text
- 24. Sentence Strip Statements
- 25. Write Questions About Reading
- 26. Super Cool Three Steps to Describe an Experience
- 27. Getting Kids to Write: Wonderful Concentration
- 28. Sketch to Write
- 29. Getting Help From Another Writer: Write Dialogue in Narratives and Quotes in Reports
- 30. Getting Help From Another Writer: Write a Hook
- 31. The Right Amount of Details, The Right Amount of Clarity
- 32. Thinking Small to Write Well
- 33. Writing a Jot About What Was Read
- 34. Works Too Long and Never Gets Any Writing Done
- 35. Dialogue Journals
- Section Two: Weekly Tasks for Reading, Writing, and Thinking
- 36. A nalyze for Author’s Purpose With a Text That Is a Little Too Hard for Students to Read on Their Own
- 37. Create a Structured Outline of a Text
- 38. Collecting Research and Organizing Notes for Writing
- 39. Plot Summary Snapshots
- 40. Writing Information in a New Format
- 41. Stay on Point in Writing
- 42. Productive Use of the Author’s Chair
- 43. Write a Short Research Report
- 44. Write an All About Text
- 45. Your Students Have a Voice: Writing an Opinion Text
- 46. Arguing the Solution to a Problematic Situation
- 47. Writing the Recipe for Success: How-to Texts
- 48. Writing Explanations, Be Like an Encyclopedia
- 49. Inquiry for Smart Minds
- 50. Responding to Literature With Some Kick to It
- Section Three: Sometime Tasks for Reading, Writing, and Thinking
- 51. Identify Theme in a Complex Text
- 52. Posing Questions for Easier Inquiry
- 53. Writing a Fable or Myth
- 54. Writing a Fairy Tale
- 55. Justifying an Answer With a Claim and Evidence
- 56. Use Known Info to Help Others Learn New Info
- 57. Connecting Ideas Between Texts
- 58. Identifying Real Facts From Made-Up Facts: Fallacious Reasoning
- 59. Brainstorming Multiple Valid Answers/Responses
- 60. Concept Mapping Between Big Ideas
- 61. Make Me Ponder: Questions That Get the Thinking Juices Flowing
- 62. Writing Compare and Contrast Response to Literature
- 63. Peer-to-Peer Analysis and Response
- 64. Critique a Functional Document or Text
- 65. Visible and Visual: Use Known Concepts and Vocabulary to Understand a Text
- 66. Summarize a Text That Is a Little Too Hard for Students to Read on Their Own
- 67. Student Think-Alouds
- 68. Separate Central Idea From a Big Idea
- 69. Writing in Different Genres or Multimedia to Engage and Persuade
- 70. Creative Debate
- 71. I Am a Reader
- 72. I Am a Writer
- 73. Look Up
- 74. Goodbye, Perfect Teacher
- 75. Teacher and Learner
- References and Further Reading
- Index