+

Multigenre Reporting: “Raisins”

Dr. Joanne McKaySJVWP ISI 2012

2+Rationale

You will engage in an inquiry about “raisins” that explores culturally relevant content (Ladson-Billings, 1994), facilitates making intertextual connections (Spivey & King, 2004), connects reading and writing with visual and performing arts , and gives you the opportunity to demonstrate understanding through a variety of genre (Romano, 2000).

Culturally relevant teaching utilizes the backgrounds, knowledge, and experiences of the students to inform the teacher’s lessons and methodology.

CA CCSS beginning in grade 2, under the “Research to build and present knowledge” category: “Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., read a number of books on a single topic to produce a report; record science observations).” (CDE, 2011).

Joanne McKay, SJVWP ISI 2012

3+Whole Group: KWL Chart

What do you know about raisins? (K)

What do you want to learn about raisins? (W)

In small groups, address 5-6 questions generated. Read text sets, take notes, use your “investigative note taking chart” to answer questions and note other important facts.

Discuss findings with your group.

Write some things you learned on post-it notes, and attach to the “L” portion of the KWL chart.

Joanne McKay, SJVWP ISI 2012

4+Synthesize & Present InformationIn your group, present your information in an interesting way:

  Poetry

Simulated journal entry

Newspaper article

Letters

Cartoons

Lifeline or time line

Magazine advertisements

T-shirt logos

Facebook/my space page

Music: original or found, songs from a specific time period studied, or relevant to the person or topic studied

Drama: readers’ theatre, a skit, a film scene, a monologue

*The possibilities are limitless!

Joanne McKay, SJVWP ISI 2012

5+Multigenre Reporting 

Students research a topic and report it through writing in different genres. An alternative to a traditional research report as it allows the students to understand the information in different ways.

Joanne McKay, SJVWP ISI 2012

6+Getting Started: Generating questions and topics

-Students can conduct research on a famous person that interests them, past or present, living or dead (biography)

-Students can find out information based on a topic of study in science and social studies

-Teachers scaffold students in narrowing down topic for exploration

 Generate questions using KWL

Joanne McKay, SJVWP ISI 2012

7+Gathering Information

Students collect a variety of informational materials about their topic (make intertextual connections):

Textbooks

Trade books

Internet

Encyclopedias

Newspapers

Photographs

Other? 

Joanne McKay, SJVWP ISI 2012

8+ Note!

The teacher decides how many different genre are to be included in report, and create a rubric specific to your grade level and expectations. (See Common Core Standards)

It is necessary to provide students with experiences in reading & writing a variety of genre to build schema for different text structures. (As Deborah Dean noted, at least 6 model texts for each genre would be beneficial)

Joanne McKay, SJVWP ISI 2012

9+References

Krull, K. (2003). Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez. San Diego, CA: Harcourt, Inc.

Ladson-Billings, G. (1992). Culturally relevant teaching: the key to making multicultural education work. In C.A. Grant (Ed.), Research and multicultural education (pp. 106-121). London: Falmer Press.

Ogle, D. (1986). K-W-L: A teaching model that develops active reading of expository text. The Reading Teacher, 39, 564-571.

Perez, L. (2002). First Day in Grapes. NY: Lee & Low Books.

Read, Write, Think. (2004). K-W-L-S Chart. International Reading Association & National Council for Teachers of English.

Romano, T. (2000). Blending genre, altering style. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook.

Ryan, P. (2003). How do you raise a raisin? Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge. Spivey & King (2004). Readers as writers composing from sources. In Ruddell, R., Ruddell, M. & Singer, H. (Eds.) Theoretical models and processes of Reading, 6th ed. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

http://www.sunmaid.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raisin

http://www.calraisins.org/

http://www.users.muohio.edu/romanots/

Joanne McKay, SJVWP ISI 2012