Paired Text Novel Study With The One and Only Ivan
My students need 15 copies each of The One and Only Ivan and Gorillas to improve comprehension using paired text. They also need the novel on CD for our listening center.
Many of the children in my class have spent their short careers in education struggling to keep up. They have often missed out on the joy and satisfaction of reading a good book. My overall goal for my students is for them to discover the power of literacy.
I work at a Title 1 school in a rural part of my state.
I have 22 students in my culturally diverse fourth grade classroom. Almost half of the students are part of the special education program. In addition, several students speak English as a second language. Many of the students came to fourth grade significantly below grade level. In the past, they have struggled to reach mandated reading benchmarks. I have partnered with the special education teacher and the reading specialist to find interesting and engaging ways to meet the students’ needs. As a result, we have seen significant academic improvement, but there is still more work to be done.
My Project
The students will use the literary text, The One and Only Ivan, and the informational text, Gorillas, during small groups. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate will be used as the anchor text. The main character is a gorilla by the name of Ivan who is forced to live in captivity. It is a beautiful story that will capture the student’s attention as they root for Ivan’s freedom. As students read, they will practice important comprehension skills such as analyzing character, setting, and plot. They will also work on comparing points of view, making inferences, summarizing, and answering text dependent questions. The students will use the nonfiction book Gorillas by Seymour Simon to build background about these amazing animals. Understanding how gorillas behave in their natural habitats will help them to better comprehend the main character thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Giving the students the chance to read The One and Only Ivan and Gorillas will give them the opportunity to immerse themselves in high quality texts.
The Common Core State Standards calls for a balance of literary and informational texts. Therefore, taking advantage of opportunities to pair these two genres is always beneficial for students. More importantly, this paired text novel study will help my students move closer to appreciating the power and joy of reading.
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