Mrs. Short's 3rd grade class recently completed a unit of study on expository texts using the story "Every Vote Counts." Before reading the text, students worked in pairs to define what an expository text is and identify the key features of this literary genre. Conversations rich in vocabulary terms such as captions, headings and sidebars took place among the class. The lesson then transitioned to the story vocabulary that would be used in the text.
Students discussed the vocabulary terms with partners and developed sentences to share with the class that contained the story vocabulary. Discussions quickly turned to connect the text to the election process of our government. To increase the understanding of the story vocabulary and the main idea of the text, the class participated in a vote for a class pet. The candidates were a fish, hamster, or snake. Which pet do you think won?
All of the prereading activities the students participated in help to build and activate prior knowledge. This critical step in the reading process promotes a better understanding of the text, gives the student purpose for the reading, and increases comprehension. Keep up the great work boys and girls!
