Mrs. Russell's Room

Common Core Chat: Shift 1: Balancing Literary & Informational Texts

by

Shift 1:  PK-12 Balancing informational & Literary Texts

With each post, I want to take a look at each of the Common Core Shifts and highlight what I think are the most important takeaways.

So, this first shift is pretty simple.  Basically, in the elementary classroom, students should read 50% informational text and 50% literary text.  As the students get older, that will change, but a balanced approach to exposure should give students the opportunity to learn from both types of text within the same unit of study.

In Kindergarten and First, we often teach in units, and that helps us to cover both types of text.  I taught third for years before coming back down to first and in the intermediate grades, teaching in units went the way of the dinosaur with the increased emphasis on testing. In the intermediate grades, it would really be a great idea to teach the science and social studies basal text during the reading block, and then pair specific literary texts that support what is being taught during the reading block at a different time during the day.  I like to do novel studies when I teach science or social studies through the reading block.  My spelling had to be pulled from the reading basal text, but I would draw my vocabulary from the context of the reading I was doing that week.

One thing that I took away from looking into this shift is that:

Informational text includes both narrative and expository structures.
In our state, we would tell the students that there were two types of text.  Fiction and non-fiction. We would study typical genres within both, but, for the purposes of common core, there are places in the new breakdown–literary and informational, where you could have a book cover both topics, such as journal entries or biographies.  For the purposes of common core, kindergarten and first grade students need to have access to biographies, journal entries, essays, newspaper and magazine articles, and even things like schedules and menus!  These genres are now encouraged for students in lower elementary.  And they are 50% of our reading! WOW!  Informational text always been part of a K or 1st grade classroom, but I’d argue that it wouldn’t be at that level–or to that kind of specificity. It’s a whole new world!
*Appendix B in the Common Core* gives a list of both informational and literary text to stretch the children–we’ll be getting into that in a later post on text complexity–but to give you an idea of what the expectations are with regard to informational text…

One suggested informational text to expose first grade students to is the book Fire! Fire! by Gail Gibbons.
 
This book is lexiled at 590.  That’s within the mid range of the 2-3 text complexity band.  AR has this book leveled at a 3.5.  Appendix B suggests that after listening to the book Fire! Fire!, students should ask questions about how firefighters respond to a fire and answer using key details from the text. [RI.1.1] This is not your Momma’s first grade reading plan!Key to this new approach or ‘shift’ will be scaffolding…and common core offers no answers for that…only a list of skills and objectives that should be mastered.

As a result of my reading on this topic and then my need for a unit for Fire Safety week, I incorporated this shift into the unit I wrote on Fire! Fire!

Common Core Aligned Close Reading Lessons: Fire! Fire!
See this unit on TPT by clicking HERE.

Another blogger pal of mine…Marie over at The Hands-On Teacher has a great post on informational text as well! 🙂  It would be a great read on this topic! 🙂  Super insightful stuff!  Go on over and check her out! 🙂

The Hands-On Teacher
Thoughts on Informational Text from  ‘The Hands on Teacher in First’

So, now that we’ve started this dialogue…what should a balanced literacy unit look like if we purchase it from TPT?  What should it contain if we were writing it?  Let’s discuss! 🙂

    • Reader Interactions

    Newsletter

    subscribe for email updates!

    Comments

    1. Tammy Klinger says

      I think that is probably the beauty of the common core. They do not specifically "tell" you "how" you need to teach the standard. They give examples and lead you in the right direction, but as far as specifically saying "this is how it should be taught, or this is what your kids need to do to master this" they do not. Because each child and each group of students are different the opportunities for teaching are up to the teacher…therefore I'm not sure there is a specific "unit" that can be made or bought at TpT or even by a big name company to get our kiddos to the levels they need to be.
      Just my thoughts…
      Tammy
      First Grade @ Storybook Cafe
      dtklinger@gmail.com

    2. Tamara says

      Thanks for your comments, Tammy. I am not advocating a 'lightning in a bottle' approach to creating resources, but in the interest of time and a desire for collaborative effort from people who are still in the classroom and understand the difficulties, many educators across the country are looking to the internet–to sites like TPT & TN in conjunction with the standards to help them provide lessons over the course of a year to bring students to mastery of each of those standards. I agree that basal texts probably will not be the end all be all of teaching–I think most primary teachers feel the same way, which is why there is so much sharing going on between primary teachers on line. So in light of this new wave of resources available to us to help students achieve mastery…my question was about what would or could those resources look like throughout the course of the year in a general sense. What could I look for in September, that would look different in March?

    3. Anonymous says

      "Fire, Fire" looks like a good read for some of my ESE students. Thank you for the tip.
      Karen

      • Tamara says

        Exactly, Marie! 🙂 We've really got to think about what we are bringing to our kids…whether we are making it ourselves, getting it for free, or even purchasing it from another educator. This is a process, and we are all growing through it. As an educator…even with resources that I create myself for my own students…my thinking is that because of the fluidity of the way CC is laid out…the idea that 'if you can find the road' you'll get to Rome…could be tough through this first year and then after implementation and application, there will be another huge shift as we realize what the kids can and can't do…so we adjust to continue to meet the standards while making learning fun and engaging. Loved your post on informational text! 🙂 Good stuff for sure! 🙂

    5. Rachael says

      I think the scaffolding in September will look a lot different than in March. In September students will need practice with how to respond to literature, others responses (not just teacher asked questions), and how to connect with the texts. I know we are striving for complex texts, but in the beginning I think the text complexity will be a lot easier than those used in March. The lesson in September may contain explicit vocabulary instruction where in March the students explore the meaning of unknown vocabulary through the text. I find the 50/50 is not has hard to do has I thought it was going to be. The most difficult part is finding informational texts that the students can read independently.

      As far as my expectations for lessons I may find on TPT, here are my thoughts (or how I am gearing my prducts for now). My thoughts here are geared towards a thematic unit. Finding the text comes first, pair it would the appropriate standards in Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. Next, I would see what Science/Social studies could be incorporated into the lesson. When looking at texts maybe including both a literary and informational component to the unit. As far as what kinds of activities, that would be based on what I planned on teaching. I am curious to see what others expectations are for units they may purchase on TPT.

      • Tamara says

        I'm with you Rachael…I find that as I'm implementing things right now and seeing how the students are relating to the material…my practice is much more informed. I love your idea about explicit vocabulary instruction versus exploring the meaning of that vocabulary independently and through the text! Loved your post! 🙂 Thanks for sharing your insight! 🙂

    6. Karyn says

      Hi Tamara! I just found you through Marie's blog and I'm your newest follower. I really enjoyed reading this post. You've shared some great insights about the Common Core shifts and asked important questions about what units should cover/contain. I wish I had all the answers…but thanks for opening up the dialogue! I'm going to share your thoughts with my team tomorrow! :o)

      œKaryn
      A is for Apple B is for Blog
      Kideducator@comcast.net

    7. Tamara says

      Welcome, Karyn! 🙂 Marie is just wonderful! 🙂 I'm glad you found me through her! 🙂 I am now following your blog as well, and I look forward to hearing about all of your marvelous adventures this year! 🙂
      I think the dialogue is going to be worth everything as we move forward during a professionally challenging season for many of us across the country. Thanks so much for your comment! 😉

      • Tamara says

        Wow! Wonderful! 🙂 I will look forward to hearing from you as we move forward with the discussion! I think it will be really great! So glad you stopped by to say hello! 🙂

    10. Mrs. Wathen says

      Tamara,This is a great post to open up the discussion. Thanks for linking to Common Core's Appendix B. I think text complexity is what I was lacking until this year. Gail Gibbons is one of my favorite authors for informational texts and I was amazed at the number of books she has out. We did an author study in October and started with Fire, Fire, Spiders, Bats and I even found her Halloween book which I had never seen:)
      Thanks for sharing.
      Tammy
      The Resourceful Apple

    11. Tamara says

      I am a fan of Gail Gibbons myself…I've never heard of the Halloween book though! 🙂 I will have to check that out! 😉 Glad to have you join us! 🙂

    12. Daina Roberts says

      Very excellent points made in this posting Tamara! Common Core definitely yields itself to a whole different type of classroom than what teachers are normally used to! Thank goodness for TpT resources and collaboration with colleagues… otherwise, I'm not quite sure where I'd be!!! Scaffolding is certainly a HUGE component and I think that school districts are REALLY going to have to realize that and be sure to offer USEFUL professional development opportunities on that topic! 🙂