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Conversations about New Literacies in K-12 Classrooms
SUNY ONEONTA
MAY 14, 2004

Morning Session

Building Content Knowledge with Software and Internet Technologies

Julie Coiro and Belinha De Abreu

Explore ideas for using software and Internet technologies that enhance research-based effective instructional models in new ways.  Come prepared to interact with others as you (a) construct an electronic concept map, (b) respond to an electronic anticipation guide format and (c) explore student postings about current events or literature on a current discussion board. Each instructional strategy takes on new meaning within the informational spaces of new technologies.  Reflect with your colleagues on how each may be used to engage students in active reading and thinking strategies across the content areas. 

Activity 1: Constructing An Electronic Concept Map
For this activity, select either the Presidential Election Thematic Unit Vocabulary or the Plains Indians Textbook Vocabulary and use Inspiration to create a two level concept map.  Work with your partners to develop a map that reflects your team's collaborative understanding of these concepts.  As you construct this concept map, consider:
  1. How do these types of activities enhance the literacy learning experience for my students?
  2. How might engaging in this electronic construction process prepare students to access, organize and synthesize content information they read within networked environments?

Inspiration Software as a
Strategic Literacy Tool


 

 We'll be completing the Vocabulary Concept Web during our sesssion together. 

Below, you'll find an example of a Vocabulary Concept Web activity as well as other applications for using Inspiration's outlining and graphics tools to support reading and writing development. 

You may also be interested in an Inspiration Basics Tutorial or Inspiration's website that provides several examples of what can be created with the software as well as a link to download a free 30-day trial.


Mapping Out Thematic Units with Inspiration
Presidential Election: Activity 1 






Responding to Content Area Texts with Inspiration
Plains Indians: Textboook Activity 1
This vocabulary activity should be completed prior to students reading the chapter to find out how much they know about the important concepts that will be introduced in this chapter.  The purpose at this point is to generate active student discussion with the terms they will encounter and to work collaboratively to sort and link the terms in some way.  It is OK if the resulting "web" is not completely accurate, AS LONG AS students then return to the same web after reading to reconstruct their idea web to more accurately reflect the way the terms are used in the textbook chapter.  This type of activity works best when students complete it with at least one partner; the more people in a group, however, the more difficult this task becomes (as all students are expected to come to a consensus before creating their ultimate idea web).  If students are not familiar with a term, they are asked to make an educated guess what other terms it may be related to.  Again, after reading, they can go back and "fix" their web.  Plains Indians (textbook chapter)



For other examples, see Making Connections conference grid.  


Activity 2: Exploring and Responding to An Electronic Anticipation Guide

How does this traditional reading tool help develop strong readers?
An anticipation guide is a series of statements, usually between five and ten, to which students must respond individually before reading a certain text.  The statements are designed in such a way as to activate thought about particular events, ideas, plots or issues that will be introduced in the text about to be read.  Having students engage in these thoughts before reading prepares them to read as more active participants.  They get a sense of the major ideas they will encounter in the text, and they have an opportunity to reflect and respond to these ideas individually before being influenced by the group. (Read more at Julie's Suite101 article.) 

For this activity, you'll have an opportunity to explore an electronic version of an anticipation guide created for the novel My Side of the Mountain.  Notice there are activities designed for students before, during and after reading.  With your group, discussion the utility of such a guide in a classroom:
  • How does such a guide support the development of a readers' background knowledge?
  • How might this activity foster content area connections between text, self, author and world issues?
  • How might this activity support both less skilled readers and those seeking more challenging information?
Other examples to explore later:


Activity 3: Exploring Student Postings in Electronic Discussions

Discussion boards for older students facilitate the exchange of ideas amidst the context of personal experiences, current events and social issues that can be tied into content area discussions and online projects.
Book raps use email to circulate discussion points about a topic or book, stimulate classroom activities, and provide opportunities for teachers and students to share responses and ideas with other schools.


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