Sequencing of Events:

                 Students need to organize information while reading and writing. Putting information in order enables students to identify, track, understand and recall information for reading comprehension and to express themselves in writing. 

    Students need to use transitional words to indicate order. They need to recognize transitional words in text, verbally use transitional words in conversations, and write transitional words in their written pieces.   

Examples of transitional words include:                                 

first

then

after

next 

last 

Students learn sequencing of events through "HOW TO" and "RETELL".

Students need to understand the difference between FICTION TEXTS and NONFICTION TEXTS.

Fiction Texts are made up stories. They are not real. They are pretend. 

Fiction texts are written to "entertain" people.

Important things to know about fiction:

*Illustrations

*Sequencing of Events (beginning, middle, end)

*Story Elements:

Characters

Setting

Events/Problem

Conclusion/Solution 

Nonfiction Texts are real pieces of information that include facts that can be proven.

The purpse of nonfiction texts is to "inform" people and to give people information.

Nonfiction Texts include:

*photos

*table of contents

*subheading

*index

*glossary

*labels

*captions

*charts/diagrams

                                 "Wh" Question Words

Students need to identify "wh" words. They need to read and understand the meanings of "wh" words. Understanding "who" "where" "when" "what' and "why" enables students to determine important information within text that answers comprehension questions. It also enables students to include necessary information within their own writing pieces. 

                                                                                               Cause and Effect

Understanding cause and effect, helps students to take their understanding of "what" and "why" to a more complicated level.

It helps students to identify events and problems within the text: "what happened"?

It also helps students to determine the reasons for the events or/and problems: "why did it happen"?

Determining what happened and why did it happen  helps students to stop and think while reading and writing. It enables them to piece together information, increasing reading comprehension and meaning within their own pieces. It helps them to explain and develop information.

Stop and think

Ask yourself:

What happened?

Why did it happen?

INFERENCES:

Use explicit information combined with prior knowledge.

Explicit information: information that is right there in the text

Prior Knowledge: What you already know

Character's Feelings and Character's Traits