2.+Mark+Twain+Observational+Layered+Book

//2.// //Mark Twain's Observational Layered Book//

** Name of Strategy: **** Mark Twain's ** ** Observational Layered Book **** – ** I chose this reading strategy lesson because I wanted to assess the reading strategies used for understanding the author Mark Twain’s life and works, such as observing the movie, note-taking during the movie, reading and summarizing an excerpt from one of Mark Twain’s works, and their understanding of sarcasm as well. I used this after reading strategy in all my 8th grade Language Arts class with accelerated, regular Language Arts, and inclusion (struggling readers). I used the Stephens and Brown book observational notebook utilizing strategy as a guide, but made the lesson my own. I also incorporated the Layered Book ideas we learned in Content Area Reading 465. This Observational Layered Book activity could be used in other courses as well where teachers want to assess students’ use of reading strategies for a specific content. I used Mark Twain as my content. Science, history, and even Math content could be assessed in this way.
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I feel this helps all level of readers. It lets them use the strategies and the knowledge they gained from these strategies to complete a project which cements the learning in their minds. It shows them how the material learned can be used and organized to show competence in a particular area. This lesson teaches students how to take notes, to organize them and their observations and then publish them into the layered book. This strategy is beneficial for kinesthetic and tactile learners because they are constructing and designing it. It allows them to be hands on and some of the Language Arts students I have really benefit from this type of learning.
 * Diverse learners: **

1. I explain to students they will be learning about the author Mark Twain. I tell them that they will watch a movie and gather notes on Twain’s life. They will also read an excerpt from __Huck Finn,__ they will pick one of Twain’s quotes they like and they will use their literature books to look up and define sarcasm. Lastly, they will make a Layered Book to organize and record their observations and notes. 2. I demonstrate how to make a layered book and how and where they will record the information. 3. We have a mini-lesson on summarizing and students do a worksheet on summarizing on a previous reading lesson on a non-fictional short story, “Running Brook of Horrors.” 4. I provide an observational experience for students by having them watch the Biography Channel’s presentation of Mark Twain’s life. 5. Students were required to watch this movie and take 15 notes about Mark Twain’s life and times and write down his pen name, all of which will be used to complete the Layered Book Project. 6. Next, students read an excerpt from __Huckleberry Finn__ and summarize this excerpt in 8 to 10 sentences at least. 7. Students are to look for a quote they like from a handout I provide that Twain is famous for. 8. Students are to read page 814 in their literature book and define sarcasm in their notes. 9. All the notes are to be organized in a Layered Book with tabs for Twain’s life and times; a summary of __Huck Finn__; and a Mark Twain quote and definition of sarcasm. 10. I handout the rubric for the project and we read it together. I stress to students that they should follow the rubric in order to be successful with this project. I think this project will be successful. Students must keep adequate notes on their observation of the movie. I am requiring 15 so that they must take notes during their observation of the movie on Mark Twain. Students have had an experience prior to this project which requires summarizing __Huck Finn;__ therefore, they should have very little problems summarizing the excerpt. Students should have all of the handouts including the rubric that I use to assess the projects and the handout of quotations to choose from. Some students may not be organized. I learned with the Big Dig project where they read and organized their notes in a Layered Book that some students will not pay attention to my exact directions. I even provided one book without the contents, but laid out the format, and still some didn’t do it properly. I will show them EXACTLY where to put their information and draw a diagram if I have to. The rubric is very much like a diagram in that it shows what each tab must have. I didn’t have one with the previous Layered Book Project and this could be why some did not have it laid out as well with the correct information inside.
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 * References (Bibliography Information & Cross reference the Resource Binder) : **

=McDougal Littell. (2002). Language of literature. //Twain biography pages// (p. 814). =  =**Stephens, E. C. & Brown J. E. (2005). A handbook of content literacy strategies: 125 practical reading and writing ideas. //Strategies for utilizing// (pp. 202-203). Norwood, MA: Christopher -Gordon**. = = = = = <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> = **<span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Tina's Own Development.( 2009). For After Reading Strategy. ** = = **<span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; color: rgb(233, 7, 7);">I LOVE How you're using multiple strategies and calling them your own! ** =

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">** USA Today. 2004. Excerpt of **** __Huckleberry Finn.__ Website: ** [|**http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/ excerpts/2004-09-28-huckleberry_x.htm**]

** (**All Cross Referenced in the E-portfolio Reading in the Content Area 465 Reading Strategies Resource Binder.)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Other Sources: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> · Biography Movie from Video Resource Center at LJHS Adams School Site. **
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> · Layered Book Foldable-Content Area Reading 465- per Darci Harland (2009).
 * Rubric for Mark Twain Layered Book After Reading Strategy