Making Connections Lesson
(Abstract to Concrete Lesson)
The Making Connections ReadWriteThink lesson that I taught
was to better equip students to relate the text to self, world, and other
texts. We created a graphic organizer brochure. Each inside panel corresponded
to each of the above. There were three questions for each connection
(text-to-self, text-to-world, and text-to-text) that students could ask
themselves to connect the text to either self, world, or other texts.
Student 1 said that he only learned a little bit about
making connections between the text and self, world, and another text. He said
that if they would have applied these questions to other stories, he would have
a better grasp for each connection. I also asked him how he learned best by
choosing from Gardner’s Eight Multiple Intelligences. He told me that his
intelligences were bodily kinesthetic, interpersonal, and naturalistic. He also
said that he wished that there were more lessons that involved
bodily-kinesthetic activities. Then I asked if he felt if he was a successful
student, he responded that he was sort of a successful student. This is because
he does not try hard enough and he knows that he needs to pay more attention in
class.
Student 2 said that this graphic organizer helped her have a
more concrete understanding of making connections between the text and self,
world, and other texts. She said that she does need more practice relating the
text to herself because she may not have experiences that relate to the text
that is being read. Like Student 1, she also wishes that she could use these
questions to practice making connections with other texts so that making
connections will become more concrete to her. She answers that she learned best
spatially, naturalistically, mathematically/logically, and interpersonally.
This less was good for her because I taught to spatial and intrapersonal
learners. She believes herself to be a successful student because when she does
an activity, the information sticks in her brain and she feels that school just
comes natural to her.
Student 2 Artifacts: Making Connections Graphic Organizer
