©Maiers,2007

What’s the

BIG Idea: Presented

ByAngela Maiers, 2007

©Maiers,2007

The BIG Idea is:

The part of a book, magazine, argument,

film, poem, text, etc… that articulates the authors message or ideas about the

underlying topic or theme which may or may not be explicitly stated.

©Maiers,2007

Why Does It Matter?• The author’s purpose for writing is…• The tone of this passage is? • The writer believes that… • Why did the author probably write this passage?• Which sentence helps convey the mood of the text?• Read the passage, which passage best describes the author’s purpose?• Which writer is most qualified to say . . .• The author thinks that . . . • The author is believable because…• The following assumptions about the author suggest…• The author uses sarcasm to….• The tone of this poem can best be described as…?• Why might the author recommend . . .• The purpose of this is to…?• What is this paragraph suggest that the authors’ believes that…?

©Maiers,2007

REdefining Reading

Teaching for BIG Ideas

©Maiers,2007

Reading is like a puzzle…

because GREAT READING is about putting

all the pieces of information together to see the whole BIG PICTURE!

©Maiers,2007

How Do Readers Put the “Pieces”Together?

1.

2.

3.

4.

©Maiers,2007

THE PUZZLE LESSON

1. Look Cover

2. Peek Inside-Get Ready

3. Sort and Group Pieces

4. Find and Think about the Whole

©Maiers,2007

©Maiers,2007

©Maiers,2007

©Maiers,2007

©Maiers,2007

Where Are Big Ideas Located?

©Maiers,2007

Fiction is like an apple….

Because you begin reading stories with one bite allthe way to the end until the “core” life topic is revealed.

©Maiers,2007

FICTION TOPICS(THEME):

Universal understandings authors write about in their story

growing up jealousy making friends success

fear siblings romance trickery

failure change overcoming injustice

power arrogance death superficial

love courage acceptance selfishness

being ordinary moving on family

relationships (beginning, ending, trials within) wealth

©Maiers,2007

Nonfiction is like an orange…

Because nonfiction is about reading and connectingThe sections to the writers whole idea about the topic.

Sec

tio

n T

op

ic

Sec

tio

n T

op

ic

©Maiers,2007

Big Idea Response

Peace"Based on The Eternal Spring of

Mr. Itoby Margaret Garrigue

"Darkness"Based on Return to Manzanarby Jeanne Watatsuki Houston

Written Response Character Book Marks

Themed Images

©Maiers,2007

Assessing Comprehension

KG-2:This information is really about…This story is really about…Can I say this is in my own words?

3-6Can I connect this to something I know?Can I state this in my own words?Can I explain this to someone else?Can I explain the big idea?What is this information is really about?What is this story is really about?

©Maiers,2007

THE POWER OF OUR TALK

Language is the essential condition of knowing; the

process by which all experience becomes

knowledge.Halliday, 1992