Graffiti Boards
These boards are good for charting student thinking during a read aloud, topic lecture, video, close reading or presentations. Give small groups of students’ chart paper and explain that today they will have a chance to graffiti the paper. Each student in the group should be assigned a colored marker so that you can use the charts as formative assessment. Students can write, jot or sketch their thinking during the lesson.
Finding Text Evidence
Use colorful strips of acetate to guide our ELs to identify text evidence, key details, vocabulary context clues or a variety of text features. Each color is assigned a text dependent question. Students use the colored strip to mark the text that answers that question. Example: In a text about the Wright brothers, students use their blue strip to find text evidence that answers “Who piloted the first successful flight?” The strips can be cut in various sizes and shapes.
Challenge Authority Cards
and Listening. Example cards:
Write a question about the text and give peers two answers. One that is correct and one that might appear correct. Try to convince them that both are correct using evidence from the text. Have them prove you wrong by finding the correct answer using the same evidence.
Question the text:
Did the text authors make any errors?
Use any poor examples?
Have a biased perspective?
Leave out something essential?
Listen for a point that the teacher makes that you think you could debate. Debate the teacher, using supportive examples or evidence to prove your point.
How could you “fix” this experiment/game/situation (i.e. cheat) so that the outcome would be different?
This activity can be used to give ELs challenge activities to dig deeper into a text. Gives them scaffolds to access text through Reading, Writing, Speaking
Talking Chips
Use poker chips covered with graphic cues related to a variety of discussion strategies. Examples of graphic cues: relationships, compare/contrast, agree, disagree, universal theme, extension, equality or inequality, main idea, pattern, trends, different perspective, evidence. Students are encouraged to toss a relevant talking chip into a container when they have something to say.
