Literacy Strategies in Social StudiesCam Downing

South Iredell High School

What does this mean?

• There’s a bear in a plain brown wrapper doing flip flops around 78 handing out green stamps.

• The difficulty of your set could be increased if you do a jam followed by a peach.

Ask yourself these questions…

• Do I ever say anything in class that’s important enough for students to take notes on?

• Do I ever assign something to read such as a chapter in the text or a primary source?

• Do I think writing is an important enough skill that I require my students to engage in it from time to time?

• Do I teach my students HOW to take notes on the things I say?

• Do I teach my students HOW to read the things I assign?

• Do I teach my students HOW to write in Social Studies?

Keys to Comprehension

Activation of prior/background knowledge

Active engagement in the content

Metacognition

A Story

Key to Comprehension 1: Prior/Background Knowledge

Research says:

• The more Prior Knowledge that exists = more successful learning of new content

Research ALSO says:

• What ever is in your mind at the moment you encounter something new…

• Will be a key determinate of whether you “get” the new idea or not

KEEP IN MIND…PRIOR KNOWLEDGE IS SIMPLY KNOWLEDGE THAT EXISTS PRIOR TO INSTRUCTIONDuh – right???

It’s not what we WISH they know prior to instruction

BUT… what they DO know!

So, how can we make the connection from our content to something familiar to our students?

“Civil” “War”

• Which is the more important word in terms of our content?

• How could we activate “familiar” prior knowledge that our students may have to help them?

Key to Comprehension 2: Active Engagement

• What are students doing while they are encountering content?

• Passive vs. Active Learning

Key to Comprehension #3: Metacognition

• Did I get it?• How do I know if I got it?• What do I do if I didn’t get it?• Hmmmmm…. Sounds familiar,

right????

Thinking about Thinking

HOW ABOUT SOME STRATEGIES???

• Be aware of three things when utilizing strategies:• 1. What is the strategy meant to do?• 2. How does it work? (processes/procedures?)• 3. When or why would I use this strategy?• If I want my students to ________• Then I should use ___________ to accomplish that

Before Reading

• Clock buddies• ABC Brainstorm• Carousel Brainstorming/Graffiti• K-N-L Chart• Pattern Puzzles/Guides

During Reading

• Compare-Contrast Diagram

• History Frames• Event/story pyramid

• Inquiry Charts

• Opinion-Proof• Power Thinking• Problem/Solution• Foldables: 8.5 x 22

paper

After Reading

• Found Poems• Poems for Two

Voices• RAFT papers• Sum-it-up/Framed

Paragraph• Concentric Circle

Discussion/Kagan’s Inside-Outside Circle

Links to Resources

• http://www.readingquest.org/home.html• http://www.readwritethink.org/• http://

michigan.gov/documents/mde/SSWAC_225020_7.pdf• http://

literacy.purduecal.edu/STUDENT/ammessme/index.html

References

References

• Fisher, Douglas. 50 Instructional Routines to Develop Content Literacy. Boston: Pearson, 2011. Print.

• Instructional Strategies: Cooperative Learning, Summarizing. Digital image. Www.ncresa.org. Marzano Research, n.d. Web. <http://www.ncresa.org/docs/PLC_Secondary/Cooperative_Activity.pdf>.

• Jones, Raymond C. ReadingQuest | Reading Strategies for Social Studies. N.p., 26 Aug. 2012. Web. 08 Dec. 2013. <http://www.readingquest.org/home.html>.

• "Writing Across the Curriculum Social Studies." Michigan.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://michigan.gov/documents/mde/SSWAC_225020_7.pdf>.