Notice and Note (part two)

If you didn't catch part one of my Notice and Note "series" you can find it here and catch up!

Last post I discussed how I begin modeling what I call Notice and Note...thinking while reading.

After modeling my thinking aloud a few times I begin modeling how to note. I usually start with any grade level by using sticky notes.

Again there are many variations for this process, but I start simple.

For grades 3 and up I use my document camera to project the book. As I am reading it aloud I will stop occasionally and write my thoughts on my sticky note and place it on the page I was reading. I still make these notices aloud as before, but this time I write them down. Like the previous post it may be something I notice about the picture, the text, the way an author foreshadowed, etc. I try to simply write what I notice, but not discuss it in depth.

The students usually get pretty excited about this and want to share what they notice as well. It is up to you if you want to start involving them at this point or in the next read aloud.

After modeling my noting on the stickies I return to them once the book is done or I am at a stopping point I return to them and explain why I wrote what I did on the sticky notes (this will lead into how to have great discussions about books/articles in small groups later).

A few tips for some of your younger students:

For the "littles" that can write but yet have shorter attention spans you may want to have the sticky notes already placed through out the book, and model actually writing one or two at the end of the book.

For the "littles" that can't read or write yet you may want them to leave a sticky note (limited them to maybe three), draw a simple picture to represent a feeling, question, idea, etc. Example: A smiley face, because this made me feel happy or I like that the character did that. Or have them leave blank sticky notes (possibly cut the sticky notes in half), and leave them on a page. Then have discussions with them as to why they placed that sticky on that page.

At this point you can have them give it a try!

Here are some great examples of using sticky notes when reading, they differ a little from how I use them, but are great ideas and you may find them helpful! (click the picture to link to the blog post)

I choose not to use symbols on the sticky notes because I want them to write and explain.

Stay tuned for part three...What do we do with all these sticky notes!?!

On another note (get it..okay it's been a long day) we had our first day of pre-planning. I feel like it went pretty smoothly. It's different being on the presenting information side, but I'm adjusting!

Here are a few goodies I made to help welcome the teachers back!

My principal chose the theme "Can't wait to see you SHINE" because we have a lot of shiny new teachers, shiny new curriculum, and shiny new technology! Cute huh?!

And I decided to give the teachers these little goodies, with my extension for a quick reference.

(click here for If I Can Give You A Hand...printable from Skip to My Lou)

Notice and Note (part 1)

Many of you have asked how I teach my students, including the "littles", how to...what some may call "make tracks" as they read. There are many different things to call this technique, but what I finally boiled it down to was to Notice and Note.

Let me start off by saying I LOVE LOVE LOVE teaching my students how to Notice and Note. I have been to many different Professional Developments and read numerous books and articles, where they teach different ways and techniques. I learned from all of them. This is just my short (if short means a few blog posts), simple to me way of teaching my students. I know it can be more technical and require training...but due to numerous questions and emails I thought I would share my "version". Prior to the first lesson you may want to discuss what it means to notice things. *That was my disclaimer.

The very first introduction to Notice and Note is to MODEL!

It's pretty simple and most of us do this naturally as teachers any way.

When reading one of your first picture book read alouds or articles in class (for me it's usually one of my first day of school picture books)...NOTICE....and NOTICE aloud!

Yes...ask your usual predicting questions, etc. But then NOTICE...

Notice what and how the characters are talking.
For example: "I notice that (insert character's name) said that sadly...I wonder why she said it that way?"

Notice how the author bolded words, used a flashback, foreshadowed (even if you don't use the terms yet due to age...notice the concept without labeling it), the title, or even the cover of the book.

Notice the pictures with all age groups!

When noticing, I remind my students to not just notice the content, but the actual way something may be written, the words chosen (and why those words were chosen).

This gets your students to really begin thinking...and after all Reading is Thinking!

A few tips and thoughts:

• Don't over notice...in a short picture book keep it to three or so, otherwise reading it may take three times as long! 
• Eventually the students will start writing their noticing down on sticky notes or in the margins of articles (thus the Noting portion). 
• Continue to use the word notice for everything! I use it in all subject areas. Examples: What do you notice about this math problem? What do you notice in this diagram of the cell?
• Continue to model Noticing aloud for three or more picture books or articles before moving to the next part of Notice and Note. 
• Get a TON of sticky notes ready for the noting!