Short texts create so many opportunities for students to read the world around them. Using short texts can support students when they are:

• Learning about new topics and ideas

• Working through issues or concerns — personal to them and/or impacting the world around them

• Engaging with different text types — including fiction, nonfiction, and narrative nonfiction

• Making sense of current events

Current events create opportunities for students to make sense of the world — locally, nationally and globally — on a daily basis. In addition, curating a SHORT TEXT SET gives students multiple texts and multiple entry points for making meaning.

Current Events Short Text Set [Kobe Bryant]

If your students are anything like my middle school son, Noah, the recent news of Kobe Bryant’s fatal helicopter accident was sad and confusing. Noah wanted to know a few things:

• Was the text message [which is a short text type too] from a friend who was sharing the news of the accident accurate?

• Did the news media outlet [his favorite sports app] share all of the details? Was there information missing? Would more details be shared and if so, when?

These inquiry questions led my son to want more—more reading, viewing, listening, comparing, sifting and sorting of information to better understand the full story. This event also gave him [and our family] an opportunity to pause—to celebrate Kobe Bryant’s life, career, and contributions.

If you are looking for ways to help your students process this current event, consider sharing some of these short texts with your students:

1. Newspaper Articles: Select some newspaper articles and resources for students to read, compare, and discuss.

2. Magazine: Sports Illustrated Kobe Bryant Special Retirement Tribute Issue

3. Short Film: Dear Basketball [2017]

4. Website: NBA Stats

There’s real beauty in students reading short texts and short text sets because it can lead to kiddos to reading more texts AND sometimes reading longer texts. Here are some examples of things kiddos might want to read in addition to the texts already mentioned. Click the links below to order copies!

Sometimes short text reading can lead to a desire to expand knowledge about the topic. For example, if your students are interested in reading more about basketball, the available texts are plentiful. A few examples include:

TRY THIS

1. Give students a chance to discuss what they know or think they know about Kobe Bryant and the recent news.

   Note: Create a safe space by explaining that fatal accidents can be scary and if anyone wants to disengage from the discussion, you respect their decision. In addition, explain that everyone responds to tragedy differently and in order to honor everyone’s individual process, respectful and thoughtful discussion and responses are expected.

2. Select a short text about Kobe Bryant to use for a shared reading experience. Give students a copy or display it so that students can see it. Read the short text together and create opportunities for students to share their thinking and ideas with others.

3. If there’s time and interest, give students an opportunity to read other texts in this short text set.

4. Give students time to process their thinking, wonderings, and emotions through writing or discussion.

EXTENDING THE LEARNING

If students want to continue learning, they can read more about Kobe Bryant’s life—past experiences and contributions. Students can also continue to follow current events that are shared through various mediums as the details of Kobe Bryant’s accident are reported.