AVID and National Geographic are partnering for the 2022–2023 school year to develop critical reading lessons. This partnership will allow AVID to provide highly engaging and rigorous content through disciplinary literacy—an emphasis on the shared ways of reading, writing, speaking, and thinking within a particular content area or academic field.
In this critical reading lesson, students will examine the interactive text “Who Takes Care of Our Forests?,” which focuses on career and technical education, college and career readiness, social studies, and STEM, using a Read Like a Content Expert strategy to develop a KWLA Chart. This lesson uses the WICOR® (Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, Reading) methodology, as well as strategies from AVID’s curriculum library, and is designed for a variety of learning environments.
Learning Objectives
- Students will create and utilize four-column notes to track and record thinking.
- Students will collaboratively read and explore the text from the perspective of a scientist.
- Students will use four-column notes to apply learning from the text.
What You’ll Need
- National Geographic interactive content:
- AVID Elementary Weekly lesson
- Additional resources can be found on the AVID Elementary Weekly website by subscription only.
Activate
Establish a purpose for reading, build background knowledge, and set students up for success.
Plan for reading by thinking through or having students respond to the following questions and identify how the chosen text fits within the broader context of your instructional unit so that students are making connections to their prior knowledge:
- What previously taught content and/or prior knowledge is connected to the new text?
- What technology skills and knowledge will students need to access the text and complete the academic task?
This text meets the following features of an ideal text:
- This text is rigorous because it provides an opportunity for students to experience productive struggle.
- Engagement with this text fosters inquiry and curiosity.
Allow students an opportunity to set up their notes and record the Essential Question before engaging in the learning. Students will be using a KWLA (Part 1) in this lesson.
Engage
Build vocabulary and engage in purposeful rereads. Vocabulary development can happen at any point in the reading process.
Students will build vocabulary using a Vocabulary Awareness Chart, looking at both academic and content-area words. They will process information in a first and second read of the text and engage in a purposeful reread using a Read Like a Content Expert strategy.
Extend
Reading tasks should be directly connected to what students will do with the text after they have read and understand it.
Students will use the text to develop the Apply academic thinking skill. They will extend beyond the text by completing a KWLA (Part 2).
*Explore the sample lesson and contact AVID Care by phone at (833) 284-3227 or by email at [email protected] for more information about AVID Weekly® and AVID Elementary Weekly.