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CRISS
Strategy #1 “Sticky Note Discussions”
Sticky-note discussions (page 35) work
effectively when students are working in
cooperative groups. As students read, or
after they have read a selection, ask
them to use sticky-notes to mark the
places they want to ask questions about
or discuss. These might be parts they
are concerned about before taking a
test, sections they found interesting,
or parts where the vocabulary or
expectations are unclear. This strategy
helps to make the reader accountable for
engaging more deeply with the text, and
it provides time for students to talk
and discuss the contents of their
stickies. This ultimately helps you the
teacher uncover any misconceptions or
oversimplifications regarding your
lesson and allows all students to
construct meaning, not just the
classroom “star” who always volunteers
the answers.
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CRISS
Strategy #2 “Think- Pair-Share”
Think-Pair-Share (page 34) is a
discussion strategy that can be used as
a pre-reading activity, as a
problem-solving strategy, as a break in
a lecture, or as a follow-up activity.
The teacher begins by suggesting a topic
or asking a question. Students “think”
quietly and write down what they know or
have learned about a particular topic.
After students have written down their
thoughts, have them “pair” with another
student or with a small group of
students and share their ideas. Conclude
with a whole-class “share” discussion.
Students could generate their own
questions or topics and use them within
co-operative groups or with the whole
class. Use Think-Pair-Share in place of
brainstorming or use the strategy to
prepare students for a writing
assignment. The strategy also works well
to help develop character maps or when
responding to opinion/proof notes. The
strategy helps keep discussions from
getting “off target” with lively
students.
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CRISS
Strategy #3 “Two-Column Notes”
Readers use a variety of two-column
notes (page 82). These include (1)
main idea-detail notes, (2)
opinion-proof, (3)
hypothesis-proof, (4)
problem-solution, and (5)
process notes.
Two-column notes can take a variety of
forms depending upon the subject area,
instructional goals and the nature of
the text. The main idea-detail
format works most effectively with the
expository selections when the material
is fairly well written and when the goal
is for students to learn the information
in the order presented in the selection.
Directions might include making a
transparency of the reading
selection so that you can demonstrate
how to underline key points as you and
your students discover how the author
develops main ideas and details.
Photocopy the selection so that
students can underline and make marginal
notes as you model. Next,
use the authors’ clues to create two
columns—the left side of your
transparency/paper should read “MAIN
IDEAS” and the right side of your
transparency/paper should read “DETAIL
NOTES.” Model for your students
how you would sort out the information
making sure to include essential
vocabulary in the left
hand column. In the right
hand column, record information that
elaborates on main points. Also,
make sure to show how to use the notes
for self-testing and
for reviewing information by
covering the right hand column and
making questions out of the main ideas
and vocabulary. Remember, this is an
excellent strategy for remembering
formulas, experiments, and equations…not
just literature. Two-column notes can
also be adapted to situations demanding
higher levels of thinking. These include
adaptations for developing opinions and
persuasive papers, for analyzing
problems, and for strengthening process
skills in science and math.
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CRISS
Strategy #4 “Capsule Vocabulary”
We
all know that vocabulary is truly
learned when it can be used naturally in
speaking, listening and writing. Capsule
vocabulary (page 152) employs four
steps: talking, listening, writing, and
reading.
Procedure:
1)
Select from 8 to 10 words that relate to
a single topic or concept. Write these
words on the board.
2)
Begin
discussing the topic with the class. In
your model discussion, include the
words.
3)
Divide students into pairs. These paired
partners hold a conversation using as
many of the vocabulary words as they
can. Encourage students to use complete
sentences that make “sense.” Each
student keeps track of the vocabulary
words his or her partner uses.
4)
Each
student then writes a summary or brief
paper on the topic being addressed that
day using the vocabulary words modeled
by you, the teacher.
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CRISS
Strategy #5 One-Sentence Summaries
* If
you have taken CRISS training, turn to
page 71 in your manual, otherwise follow
along below!
One-Sentence summaries instill active
student participation and provide
excellent feedback for the teacher.
These brief recap writings indicate the
level of understanding of concepts.
These condensed summaries work best
after students have had some writing
experience with your content area.
Students can write summaries on a 3 by 5
note card to reinforce brevity. Other
examples might include reducing
paragraph summaries to one sentence;
one-sentence summaries about films;
listing 3 or 4 concepts and having
students combine the concepts into a
brief paragraph or a one-sentence
summary. Also, one-sentence summaries
can be used at the beginning of class to
predict what students already know about
a topic, film or lecture as well as a
recap activity at the end of class or a
project. Have fun with this activity!
Let me know how it goes!
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CRISS
Strategy #6 Explanation and Process
Writing
If you have had CRISS training turn to
page 121 in your training manual.
Otherwise, keep on reading! (Let me know
how it goes! Sandy Baird)
When students write explanations of
ideas and concepts, they discover
whether or not they really understand a
concept. Moreover writing is a powerful
tool to help students identify,
sequence, and use the steps in a
process. This is particularly true in
process-oriented content areas such as
math, science, technology, and
vocational education. Since writing is
the last acquisition in the development
of adequate reading skills, it is
imperative that attention be dedicated
to this process. The more the student
writes, the more comfortable the student
gets with the writing process. Many
readers can read with comprehension just
fine, but fail to organize their
thoughts well on paper. The only cure
for this is practice. The writing
process then becomes expected and less
painful for readers who have struggled
with both reading and writing in the
past. Keep your writing expectations
high, and take time to review the
writing process protocol that you expect
from your students. Here are a few
helpful hints:
Talk about the importance of writing
complete explanations so that someone
who doesn’t understand anything about
the topic can carry out the task.
Begin by having the students write the
steps involved in a simple process like
tying shoe laces or buttoning a button.
Have the students read out loud the
process they have written, while you
follow their directions. Make sure you
don’t do anything that is not written in
their directions. In most cases, they
will leave out critical steps like,
“pick up one lace with the right hand
and the other lace with the left…” In
other words, start on a small scale and
then expand into your curriculum.
Next, pick out a familiar process within
your content, such as adding two decimal
numbers or getting ready to use certain
software in the computer. As a whole
class, write an explanation. Have
students check the explanation by
carrying out the task.
Since WASL has become a part of our
lives, use appropriate WASL prompts in
your content area to help students gain
familiarity not only with the writing
process, but the format of the test.
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CRISS
Strategy #7 Assessment
Since
assessment is heavily on our minds this
last few weeks of the year, I believe a
good chapter in your CRISS manual to
refer to would be Chapter 10,
Assessment, page 159. This chapter
deals with both student and teacher
issues regarding tests. CRISS
strategies used for test preparation
include: two-column notes, semantic and
concept mapping, and ongoing journals to
help predict possible test questions.
When students have an active part in the
planning process, they learn more and
also realize that testing is not
something “done” to them. Tests then
become learning experiences and
therefore their notes, maps and journals
become useful tools.
Students must also become
evaluators/monitors of their own work.
Keeping a class portfolio exemplifies
this. Students can then choose their
best notes, maps, writings, tests and
projects to keep and reflect upon at
grading time. Writing and conferring are
critical for self-reflection. Teachers
who have their students keep portfolios
of work periodically ask students to
choose samples of their best or least
effective work and write about their
particular choices.
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Teacher
Self-Check
Lastly, sometimes both teachers and
students need to be reminded to use
CRISS strategies before testing.
Possible self-questioning for both might
include:
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What strategies do you use to help
get ready for a reading assignment?
( notes, maps, timelines, one
sentence summaries, etc.)
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What do you do to remember
information from your reading?
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Why is it important to organize
information from your reading?
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How do you organize information?
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How do you learn course information?
** If
you model CRISS strategies in class,
kids will use them to self-question,
organize information and review for
tests. You are their model. They do as
you do!!
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