Learning from Informational Texts

1. The teacher will tell students that they will be learning about what readers do at the end of a book. They ask themselves ‘What have I learned about this topic? Do I know more about the topic now?’ Then, readers go back to their books to look at all the information that was provided/learned.

2. The teacher should pull out an informational text that the students have read previously. It should be a book that all students are very familiar with. The teacher will briefly review the story, especially if it’s been a while since the students have read the book. The teacher will then ask students, ‘What have we learned about this topic? How has this book helped us become more familiar with this topic?’ The teacher will then ask students to help come up with 4 or more things to make sure we learned as much as we can. 

* Teachers should model their thinking here. It is important for the teacher to point out that sometimes as readers, we forget a few details and that’s why you should look back at the text, or even reread the book altogether*
 
3. After this, the teacher should do a walkthrough of the book, recalling details in the story. Then, go back and reread the story with students.
4. After rereading the story with students, the teacher should explain to students that they should remember even more! Have students get with a partner and tell each other what they learned about the topic from reading the book. As students are working with their partners on the carpet, the teacher should walk around and coach students, encouraging them to include details they missed the first time. Give students 3-5 minutes. Bring students back together as a whole group and discuss some of the things that you heard from partners.
5. Students should pull out a book from their independent reading books that they have already read before during read-to self time. Have students think to themselves, ‘what have I learned from this topic? Has this book made me smarter?’ Have students think of at least 4 things they’ve learned. Encourage students to look back at the pages in the book and reread, finding more things that they’ve learned.
6. Students should be sent to a designated reading spot to read books on their levels for at least 20 minutes. Before sending them off to read independently, the teacher will remind students that after they finish reading a book they should ask themselves, ‘What have I learned about this topic? Am I smarter about the topic now?’
7. Once students have read for at least 20 minutes independently, students should get with a partner to read. They should practice the same thing after reading a book together. The teacher should go around during this time, listening to each partnership and make note of who is able to do this and who can not. Students should be given 5-10 minutes to work with their partner.
8.After reading time, students should return back to the carpet as a whole and the teacher will share all the great things noticed while they were reading. Students should be given the opportunity to share what book or books they read with their partner, and what they learned about the topic.

Pull students to work in small group with teacher if they need more support.

Challenge students who have mastered the concept by allowing them to work alone, complete the assignment electronically, or assist a classmate.

The students will be assessed during the mini-lesson through questioning, and if they are able to share the things learned about the topic of the book. They will also be assessed through whether or not they are able to do this during independent and partner reading.