Learning Menus: Take One

Give options and you'll be amazed.

Students working as editors adding Text and Graphic Features to enhance understanding.

Week 3. This week we were working in Text Features and Graphic Sources. I wanted my students to realize how important they are, and specially how they can use them to draw meaning from them. This seem the perfect opportunity to introduce them to a Learning Menu.

I am a fan of learning menus, it helps us (me and them) be organized, students know what are their tasks ahead, all the instructions are there (no need to repeat them endlessly) and best of all they have options! Most importantly, they foster ownership, responsibility and endurance.

Learning Menu: Text Features & Graphic Sources

Text Features and Graphic Sources Menu

Learning menus let students choose while fostering ownership and endurance.

This menu was designed to help students construct meaning about the importance of Text Features and Graphic Source in Non Fiction texts. It takes them from a simple matching activity, to being the editors and creating their own features, to explaining how those features help their understanding while reading. For Friday, they have to choose either to create a book from a handout, make a slideshow presentation or write their own article.

Surprise Time

I'm always amazed by my students. This was the first time we attempted this kind of activity with the new class, and I was happily surprised. They were engaged, worked hard, even after the original timeframe and showed me their understanding. Be the Editor was a success, specially because students gave feedback to their peers in respectful productive ways. (Emoji for likes, Bubbles for comments.) Also, tweaking the Scavenger Hunt so they'll have to write their thinking about the features took the activity to another level.

Friday choices surprised me the most, half of the class chose to make a book, half the slide show and only one team decide to write. One class period proved insufficient for the tasks, I gave an extension for the slideshows and the writers. Next time I will have the students start ahead of time and consider a longer timeframe. However, I am very happy students persevered with their tasks.

#differentiation #readingfun #learningmenus #textandgraphicfeatures #readersforlife