A group of Havel
Elementary students recently learned the importance of dissecting what you
read.
Students donned lab
coats and went to work as forensic analysts to learn how different text
features in nonfiction literature are important to getting the most of what you
read.
“The
students had a blast becoming surgeons and learning about different text
features,” teacher Benjamin Pado said. “It was awesome to see the enjoyment in their
faces, and the smiles as they performed surgery on patients.”
Borrowing white shirts from mom and dad, the students set to
study how 12 different text features common in nonfiction books.
The mini medical professionals operated on several patients
to see how with a little minor surgery, they can help others become better for
readers.
For instance: Susan was a 38-year-old reader with a unique
ailment: she could not understand the meaning of some of the words she read.
The remedy – the transplant Susan needed was a glossary.
In another example: Jaden Jones, 72, said he cannot identify
where something is located in the world. A simple surgery – insert a map into
his reading library.
“After every patient was taken care of,
students had to fill out a post-op report on the patients they visited,” Pado
said. “The post-op report focused on why we needed the text feature. Students
had to explain the importance of each text feature, and how the patient can use
it.”
Pado said he
wanted third graders to learn the importance of different features in
non-fiction text they might otherwise skip over in reading.
“The
reason why I chose to do this unit with all my third graders is to help them
understand that text features enhance understanding of what they are reading,”
Pado said. “Often, students skip certain text features when they are reading,
and missing important information that could enhance their learning.”