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A SHORT TEXT SET AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: CHOOSE A TOPIC & RUN WITH IT

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

One way to create a short text set is to explore a particular topic.  We recommend picking something you, or your students (or both!), are particularly interested in.  Once you start looking for resources, you will be surprised by how many things there are to find.  By using short texts, you can expose your students to a variety of text types all in the name of learning about something fascinating.

Elizabeth is a birder and she spends most of the Spring in Central Park being amazed by the migrating warblers.  In the winter she has been known to be on the lookout for Snowy Owls.  Once she walked a long way on a beach in Eastern Long Island with some friends toward something that looked like a bleach bottle and eventually, as she got closer, discovered it was actually a Snowy Owl snoozing on a log.   You may have read about or seen the post last year when a Snowy Owl was spotted in Central Park.  It was the first one recorded in NYC in 130 years!

When students and teachers inquire about a topic, then spend time curating resources to fuel that curiosity or interest, there’s a good chance that new knowledge and understanding about that topic will grow. In addition, reading, writing and talking volume will increase too.

If you liked our Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Field Guides we think you’ll appreciate this connection we’re making to a topic that we enjoy —> OWLS! It’s so much fun to take a topic and text you love and expanding it into a short text set.

TRY THIS

Step 1

We start this text set with the NYTimes article about the first Snowy Owl to be seen in Central Park in 130 years.  This could be read independently by upper elementary children and read aloud to younger ones.  What’s fun about this NYTimes Article about Snowy Owls is that there are other short texts tucked all across the article including photos and captions that showcase the snowy owl’s adventures.  Dive into the article and consider:

  • Orienting students to the features of a news article

    • Byline

    • Date

    • Structure of a news article 

  • Asking some questions that could get students talking about the article and about snowy owls

    • What is this article about?  Why is it being written?  Who is the intended audience?

    • Is there a photo, caption, graphic, or link to other information that helps you read, interpret and comprehend the text?  

    • What important details (data, facts, information) are shared in the article?

Step 2

Talk to students about some vocabulary words associated with birds, specifically the Snowy Owl.  Some to consider are:

  • Migration and migratory

  • Nocturnal versus diurnal

  • Mammal

  • Wing, wing span, flight, and range

Take a look at a map of the Snowy Owl’s range.  Here’s a Snowy Owl Range Map which is a nice example with lots of great bird information.  You could use this resource to:

  • Define range

  • Teach students about map features

FURTHER STEPS

After digging into all of these sources, you and your students might want to learn more about Snowy Owls.  There are some great resources to explore such as:

And now that everyone knows a bit more about Snowy Owls, maybe you explore some beautiful picture books that explore different types of owls.  Start by reading both of these books aloud, noting that one is fiction and the other is nonfiction.  Create a two-column anchor chart or give students a chance to draw a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the two short texts.   Ask:

  • What are the differences between fiction and non-fiction?

  • How did Jane Yolan build suspense in Owl Moon?

Owl Moon

Note: The owl in Owl Moon, by Jane Yolan, is a Great Horned Owl.

GOING DEEP & WIDE

Looking for more titles and short text types that add to and expand your text set?  Check out these titles: 

Owl Books

STAY TUNED!

More about short texts and short text sets coming soon!

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Launching into Summer Writing

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: LAUNCHING INTO SUMMER WRITING

For the past ten weeks, we have offered a series called Short Texts at Your Fingertips.  One or two times each week, we provided teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. The ideas we have shared were easily integrated into any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. For some, summer is already in full swing.  For others, summer is just a few short weeks or days away.  Regardless of when your school year ends, it’s important that students of all ages keep reading and writing across the summer months.  Last week we wrote about the WHY and HOW to create voluminous readers this summer!  You can read that post here.  This week we wrap up this series with the WHY and HOW to create voluminous writers this summer! A big THANK YOU to my friend and colleague for being such a great thinking partner and writing partner!

SUMMER WRITING

There is always lots of talk about summer reading.  Children take home books and reading lists.  Writing often gets a line or two at the bottom of the book list (e.g. “Don’t forget to write.”)   We would argue that writing needs equal attention.  Encoding is just as important as decoding and picking up a pencil can be just as easy as reading that short text.  Just as readers need daily practice, writers also need time and motivation to write.  There are lots of ways to incorporate writing into your summer plans. While some children can (and will) write and write and write, all children can create some short texts.   One of the most important ways to encourage writing is to make sure your young writer has ample materials and some great inspiration.  Read on for ideas!

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TRY THIS!

Step 1

If you are looking for some strategic ways to support summer writing, here are some possible pathways:

  • Read about authors and their writing process. Here are a few to get you started:

    • Reading Rockets has lots of videos of amazing authors talking about their work

  • Often some new writing materials to help motivate -- a new notepad or notebook and some beautiful new pens often helps, a lot. See below for more thoughts about this!

  • Correspondence is a great motivator.  A teacher or relative makes a great pen pal.  The correspondence can take place via text, email or mail.   

Step 2

Help students make a plan for summer writing.  Ask:

  • How many days each week will you write? 

  • How many minutes will you spend writing each time you write? 

Ask students what they want to write about.  Do they want to write:

  • Fiction or nonfiction?

  • Notebook entries

  • Poems

  • Letters or postcards or texts

Step 3

Ask students to identify different places to write.  Create a short list of places that might be a perfect place to write, such as:

  • The kitchen table

  • At the computer

  • At the park on a bench

  • Under a favorite tree

  • On the airplane or train

  • On the sidewalk with chalk

  • Anywhere and everywhere as long as there is paper and a writing utensil

Step 4

One of the keys to writing voluminously is to have writing supplies on hand.  Some supplies that promote writing:

  • Paper (lots of it)

    • Unlined (aka copy paper)

    • Lined

    • Construction paper, card stock, etc.

  • Pencils and pens (adults have their favorite writing instruments, encourage your writers to explore different tools)

  • Crayons, markers, paint (many authors need to draw first to “rehearse” their stories and other authors want to illustrate their words)

  • A stapler (and a staple remover) for making books

  • One or more notebooks (for catching all those great ideas and for taking places so there is always somewhere to write)

  • A computer (for those who want to write with a keyboard)

Step 5

Keep reading!  Writers get inspiration from other writers.  Use a loved author as a mentor and try to write in the same style.  Or write a sequel to a favorite story and another in the series.  Here are some other ideas to spark some writing!

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Step 6

Get some other ideas from our other blog posts.  Each one of them can inspire some writing.

Step 7

Get the writing out into the world.  Writers need to “publish” their work and have it read.  Some ideas:

  • Send a piece to a relative or friend

  • Post it on social media

  • Make an author’s video and send it to others to watch

  • Host a virtual (or real) book signing

  • Write a letter and send it off 

FOR MORE  RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Articles

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. One or two times each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: ARTICLES

Articles are a perfect short text.  Found in newspapers (the old-fashioned ones still found in driveways and at newsstands and now also online), in magazines and on websites, they are easy to find and easy to share.  While we all want to be careful about how much of current events we share with children, there are lots of fascinating articles to share with any age group.  Sports stories are often the hook needed to get a reluctant reader interested.  And, if you read about a game you watched or attended, you bring lots of background knowledge to your reading.  We are particular fans of the quirky human interest story: the armored truck with the faulty door that spills thousands of dollars in cash all over the highway or the message in the bottle that washes up a 100 years after it was dropped into the ocean on the other side of the world.  There really is an article for everyone.

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TRY THIS!

Step 1

Find an article you want to share.  There are lots of places to find articles.  One excellent source is your local newspaper.  It is a great source of information about your town or neighborhood and is likely to be filled with issues and events of interest to your young readers.  Local papers usually have online platforms, making it easy to share the article or get a printer-friendly copy in readers’ hands. In addition, there are many online sites to peruse so take a look at the resource list provided below.  

First, select a subject matter that will interest readers.  Consider a:

  • Current event

  • Human interest story

  • Sporting event

  • Historical event (old newspapers also have fascinating articles)

Next, ask yourself, will you and your students read the article:

  • All together?

  • Partially together and partially on their own?

  • On their own?

Step 2

Discuss the article.  There are many ways to guide the discussion such as:

  • Look at the features of the article and talk about their importance. 

    • Headline -- What is this article about?

    • Byline -- Who wrote this article?  Can you figure out their job at the publication?

    • The “Lead” --  How does this article begin?  What’s the pithy sentence or two right at the top to catch readers’ attention?

    • Photograph / Image -- What do you see?  Is there a caption?  If so, what does it teach you?

    • Quotes -- What are some one-liners from the article worth noting?

  • To keep the conversation going, considering asking:

    • What are some facts from this article?

    • Do you have any connections or new ideas based on your reading?

    • What are your opinions about this article?

    • What other questions do you have about what you read? 

Step 3

Ask students to brainstorm a list of interesting topics that they may want to learn more about (such as animals, space, rainforest).  Then, invite students to go on an article hunt and find 1-2 articles related to any of the topics that were generated.  Ask students to share the articles with their peers.  This can lead to high interest, voluminous reading filled with texts curated by students for students.  For more on ways to curate texts to inspire voluminous reading, check out this blog post.

Step 4

Give students opportunities to write their own articles for their peers or for online publication submission.  Check out these two resources:

  • Time for Kids  - A great site which includes articles by grade level. 

  • Google has some free templates that students can use to create their own newspapers. 


FOR MORE  RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

  • DOGO News - A great site that one can search by topic.

  • Scholastic News  - A tried and true publication which is organized by grade level.

  • News For Kids  - Lots of interesting articles organized by date, with the most recent articles at the top.

  • KidsPost  - This the kids’ section of “The Washington Post”. 

  • Teaching Kids News - A site started by a parent and a teacher and geared for grades 2-8.

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Trivia

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. Twice each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: TRIVIA

Did you know that the singular form of trivia is trivium? Did you also know that in Latin trivia means “triple way” because long ago European students learned about three disciplines which included grammar, logic, and rhetoric.  Did you also know that the term trivia dates back to 1589 and has been references by many as insignificant pieces of information, The big question is whether you agree with Merriam-Webster’s definition that trivia is “unimportant facts, matters, or details” or if you believe trivia holds a significant place in our knowledge stream or if you believe that trivia is a fascinating and worthy pursuit.   Regardless, trivia is everywhere, it’s at your fingertips, and is one short text type that grows exponentially by the day.  

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TRY THIS!

Step 1

Think about where you can find trivia that will entertain, inform and inspire readers. 

  • Do you already know some trivia that you could share?

  • Do you have trivia books on your shelves?

  • Do you have magazines that include trivia?

  • Do you have online access where you can find trivia that piques interests?

  • There is often a page of “extra” facts (aka trivia) at the end of a nonfiction picture book.  

Step 2

Find trivia to share.  Things to consider:

  • Will you share trivia about one topic, such as sports or food, or multiple topics?

  • Will you ask students to find trivia to share?  Do you need to create shared agreements about what types of trivia are appropriate?

  • Will you share trivia as a regular routine at the beginning or end of the day [or class period] OR will you create a learning progression across a few days using trivia?

  • Once you’ve selected trivia to share, take a closer look and think about other reading, writing, and talking opportunities are tucked inside this short text. 

Sometimes trivia is set up in different formats.  Here are two examples:

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Step 3

Look for other reading, writing and talking opportunities using this short text type.  Here are some examples:

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Step 4

Look for other trivia that you find and read those too!  You could also consider:

  • Sharing a Fun Fact [trivium] during breakfast [families] or during a morning/class meeting [educators] each day.

  • Hosting a trivia day or night.

  • Asking students to do a mini-research project about a topic of interest and write trivia to share with others.

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

Books

Games & More

Online Resources

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Field Guides

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. Twice each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: FIELD GUIDES

Field guides are generally used to identify something in nature.  There are field guides available for endless subjects: birds, butterflies, trees, mushrooms, rocks and minerals- we could go on and on.  A field guide presents lots of  information and facts to help teach how to identify a particular species or type within a group.  Many of us have at least one field guide on our bookshelf and this is the perfect opportunity to dust it off and use it as a short text!  If you don’t have a field guide of your own, there are plenty of online resources to access.

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VIDEO 

If you’d like to see a short video on how to use field guides to entertain, inform, and inspire watch here.

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Take a look at your bookshelf.  Maybe there is a field guide waiting there.  If there is more than one, pick the one about the subject most interesting to you.   If you don’t have a physical field guide, find one online (see the resource list below).  Thumb through the guide and orient yourself to its structure and features.  Field guides are designed to be used as a quick reference (possibly in the field).   Decide which entry/entries  you want to look at more closely.   

Some things to consider:

  • How is this particular guidebook set-up?

    • Are there sections? 

    • Are the entries organized by type, by color, by region?

  • Look through the first part of the book.  This is usually where the structure of the book is explained and some important facts are provided.

  • Think about how you might use the guide if you were outside. 

    • Would you want to mark particular pages for easy reference?

  • Consider how this book is meant to be used.  

    • Does the author intend for it to be read cover to cover?

Step 2

Take a closer look at a specific entry in your field guide.

Here are two different examples:

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Here’s what we noticed:

  • The bird guide on the left uses bold headings to identify characteristics about a bird.  It includes a map and it is organized by color (see the oval on the top right).

  • The bird guide on the right shows similar species together on the same page.  Arrows show the most distinguishing marks.  On the opposing page there is information about each bird.

  • Both examples give distinguishing characteristics of the object featured.

  • Some guides have photographs, some use illustrations.

Step 3

Look for other reading, writing and talking opportunities using this short text type:

Reading  Ideas  

  • Compare entries in two different field guides (see above). How are they the same?  How are they different?

  • Look at  field guides about two different things (for example birds and mushrooms). What is included in both?  What features are particular to the thing being studied? 

  • Explore new vocabulary words.  Are there words you have never seen or heard before?  How can you find what they mean?

  • Learn how to use other text features including the Table of Contents, Index and Glossary.

Writing  Ideas  

  • Write your own field guide entry for the guide you have.  Use the features and structure of the guide to help you.

  • Write your own field guide about a subject you know well.

    • You could write about a habitat you know well (e.g., your bedroom, the kitchen).

    • You could write about a category of things (e.g., your stuffed animals, tools used to draw and write).

  • Use the field guide to add details to another piece of writing (e.g., include a more detailed description of what a character sees).

  • Start a “Life List” for the subject in the field guide (e.g., record your personal sightings).

 Talking  Ideas 

  • Consider who wrote this field guide?  How did the author prepare to write this book?  How is the preparation different than it would be to write a fiction picture book?

  • Compare the illustrations to a photograph.  What are the advantages to a photograph?  What can the illustration show that a photograph cannot?

  • Discuss who uses field guides and when?  

  • Compare field guides and think about what background knowledge a reader needs to use the guide.  Are different guides written for people with different background knowledge?

Step 4

Look for other field guides and explore those too!

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

To find a field guide about virtually anything, go online and type “free online field guide about_______”. Here are some examples you might enjoy.

To find more general information about field guides, check this out.

Check this out if you are interested in some fun, simple printable field guides for kids.

For more ideas about creating your own field guide, check this out.

CO-AUTHOR: ELIZABETH KEIM

Elizabeth Keim is a New York City based educator with more than 25 years of experience. She is currently an AIS Reading Teacher/Reading Recovery teacher for a school in Mamaroneck, New York. Previously she taught in District 2 in Manhattan,  serving as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, and library teacher. In each of these roles,  she knows that, "it is all about finding a text that truly captures a particular reader."  She has taught Undergraduate and Graduate level courses at  New York University and Bank Street College of Education, as well as workshops for teachers and parents.  An avid birder, Elizabeth enjoys her time in Central Park every spring and fall. Her most thrilling sightings to date are: A rare Kirtland's warbler and the tutti frutti colored Summer Tanager.

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Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Game Directions

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. Twice each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: GAME DIRECTIONS

If you are like us, we have favorite go-to games that get played over and over again and some games that we hardly take off the shelf.  Often, that’s because it’s easier to grab the game that we love and already know how to play versus new and unfamiliar ones. Card games, board games, dice games, puzzle games, cooperative games, and more...all include a short text in the form of a set of directions that create reading opportunities galore!   

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A messy, but game-filled, shelf filled with oodles of directions to read and enjoy!

VIDEO 

If you’d like to see a short video on how to use game directions to entertain, inform, and inspire watch.

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Take a look at your game shelves.  Grab any card, board, or dice game that sounds like fun and that you want to play.  If you don’t have any board or card games, you can look for games online and take a look at the resources below for some ideas. Once you find the game you want to play, pull out the directions and preview them.  Decide if you want to read the directions once all the way through or read them one section at a time.  Consider asking:

  • What do you notice about how the directions are set up?

  • Do the directions have headings or subheadings that help you navigate the text?

Dice, card and board games are great because they are easily transportable and can be played in many places.  We are tired of being inside, so we’re taking some of our games outside.

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Step 2

Take a closer look at the game directions. Here’s an example of some game directions we love.  

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Here’s what we noticed:

  • The directions are folded like a leaflet or flyer.

  • There are a few headings that help us orient to the game such as Object, Setup, Get Ready.

  • The game directions are listed in numbered steps.

  • There are colorful images that help demonstrate what the text is talking about.

This text is filled with reading, writing and talking opportunities.  For example, you could:

  • Play the game a few times and then read further to learn about Other Ways to Play.

  • Compare this 2-player version to the original Rubik’s Cube puzzle.

  • Visit the website of the Original Rubik’s Cube to learn about different types of Rubik’s Cubes and lots of hints, tips and challenges.

  • Read about and watch short clips on Speedcubing to learn about the world record holder for solving the Rubik’s Cube in the shortest amount of time. 

Step 3

Look for other reading, writing and talking opportunities using this short text type.

Reading  Ideas  

  • Depending on the difficulty of the game, reread or revisit the game directions as needed.  

  • Compare directions from one game to another.  How are they similar?  How are they different?

  • Pick a game -- one that you enjoy, one that is challenging, or one that has you intrigued -- research the history of the game.

    • Who is it made by?

    • Has the company been around for a long time?

    • What other games do they make?

  • If the directions are written in more than one language, compare the sets of directions.

Writing  Ideas  

  • Rewrite some of the directions to your favorite game, making changes that you think would make the game even better.

  • Write, draw or redesign the game box or container.  What would you keep the same?  What would you change?  

  • Create your own game, including writing the directions.

  • Write a game review for your favorite or least favorite game.

Talking  Ideas 

  • Share the strategies you used to play the game.

  • Talk about your favorite types of games and explain why you like them.

  • Talk about your least favorite types of games and explain why you don’t like them.

  • Discuss the games you know how to play without any written directions such as 20 Questions, I Spy, The License Plate Game, and Hopscotch.  How did you learn to play them?

Step 4

Look for other images that you find and read those too! 

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

  • Check out some of the largest game companies for types of games, interesting facts, and different versions of the same game.

  • There are a lot of games online.  We suggest searching for the types of games that pique the interests and needs of the players.  Some criteria you can use as you search include:

    • Age Ranges [Ex. Ages 7 and up]

    • School [Ex. Preschool, Elementary]

    • Type [Ex. Card, Dice]

    • Number of Players [Ex. 2 Players]

    • Difficulty Level [Ex. Novice, Experienced, Expert]

    • Ratings [Ex. 1 Star, 2, Stars]

  • Other sites you might find helpful for online games include:

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Magazine Articles

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: MAGAZINE ARTICLES

It’s no surprise that waiting rooms are filled with tables and shelves filled with magazines for people to enjoy while they wait.  Whether your wait is long or short, magazine articles are a perfect fit because you can leaf through the pages and find an article that piques your interest.  Readers of all ages can be inspired by all that this short text type has to offer.  For many reasons, magazine articles are enticing because they can be:

  • Arranged and displayed to catch readers’ eyes

  • Considered a “guilty pleasure” or source for important information 

  • Easily transported and shared with others

  • Read from cover to cover or you can dip in and out of it and read what appeals to you

  • Read once or multiple times

VIDEO 

Take a look at this short video on how to use magazine articles to entertain, inform, and inspire.

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Take a look around your home to see if you have any magazines, old or new. Preview by looking at the front cover and then leafing through the pages.   Consider asking and answering some of these questions. 

  • What is the title of the magazine? 

  • When was this magazine published?

  • Is this a weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or annual magazine?

  • Is there a Table of Contents? 

  • What is the feature article?  Are there other articles being highlighted?  How do you know?

  • Is there an article that stands out that you’d like to read first?

If you don’t have access to magazines that are appropriate or appealing to students, you can look online for options, many which can be accessed for free right now.  For a few examples, check out:

Step 2

Choose an article to read.  Here are some things you can do before, during and after you read.

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Here’s an example:

For an example, we’ll use the Penguin Census, from the April 17, 2020 issue.  Time for Kids has graciously offered some free digital content for students, families and educators to use due to school closures.  

Here’s what we noticed:

  • There are some words that are in bold, marking their importance.

  • The cover image makes us wonder what the people are doing with/near the penguins.

  • There are captions below each image.

  • There are headings that divide up the article.

This text is filled with reading, writing and talking opportunities.  For example, you could:

  • Talk about the word, “census.” What does it mean?

  • Where is Snow Island, Antarctica?  Locate it on a map.

  • Read/research why it would be so important to count penguins.  

  • Read, write and talk about what krill has to do with this penguin study.

Step 3

Look for other reading, writing and talking opportunities using this short text type.

Reading  Ideas  

Writing  Ideas  

  • Research other animals that are counted [like the Chinstrap Penguin] and write about what, when, where, why, and how they are counted.

    • Some animals are counted annually.  There are Christmas bird counts when participants count all the birds in their yards on a particular day in December.

  • Draw pictures of favorite animals.

  • Make a list of fun facts about a favorite animal.

  • Pick a penguin type, or another animal, to write about.  You can write fiction, nonfiction, or narrative nonfiction.

Talking  Ideas 

  • Share any new ideas you’ve learned with others.

  • Talk about the pros and cons of using drone technology to study animals.

  • Share what you like or don’t like about zoos and aquariums.  What are the advantages and disadvantages for animals and humans?

  • Compare this “census” to the one currently being done in the United States.  How are the censuses similar and different?

Step 4

Look for other magazine articles that you find and read those too! 

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

In addition to the magaziness we’ve already shared, here are a few examples you might find helpful.  

Preschool

Elementary

Tweens & Teens

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (Benchmark, 2021)

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