6 th Grade Informational Text

Okay. Before fall break, we were talking about short story that was entitled All Summer in Day. Do you remember that? Well we're going to discuss that today. We're going to talk about it. And after we do that, I'm going to give you piece of informational text about planet, you can probably guess what planet it's going to be about, because it's parallel to our story, and you're going to read, do close read on that informational text, okay? We've talked about close reads before. Do you remember when we read The Bracelet, and we had the informational text on Pearl Harbor, and you had to do close read on that, which is different than just reading it normally. Okay? So you're going to do close read on the informational text on Venus sky show. Right? After you do your close read, we're going to discuss it then you're going to-- I'm going to put you in groups and you're going to work together to come up with the central theme or the central idea of both the short story as well as the informational text. Okay? You're going to have to come to consensus. Not only give me what you think the central idea is, but also using supporting details. Okay? Details from the text to support what you think the central idea of your piece is. Okay. Now someone tell me some facts from All Summer in Day. What are some facts that you remember from the story? Who can give me fact? Ellie. It was about little girl who lived on Venus, and it had been raining for seven years and she was hoping that the sun would come out. Okay. What is some more information? What is another fact from All Summer in Day? Bria. Another fact from All Summer in Day was, there was girl named Margot and she used to live on Earth, but her family moved to Venus and she told her classmates that the sun was going to come out every seven years. Okay, all right. What else? So have Margot, have that it rains for seven years, and the sun is going to come out eventually. What are some other information, factual information from the text Zack? Her classmates locked her in the closet at the same time when the sun actually did come out and she didn't get to see the sun. She did not get to see the sun. Why would her classmates lock her in the closet? Blake. They didn't believe her that he said that was sun. They didn't believe her that the sun was going to come out. Okay. They didn't believe her so they took her and just threw her in closet. What did the author say about the student's reaction after they put her in the closet? Ray Bradbury made it specific for us because he wanted us to know how those kids felt as they were walking away. Who remembers that part? Jake, do you remember that part? Yeah. What did the author say? They felt bad because she was right and she wanted to see the sun. Right, but want to know what happens right after they walk away from the closet. Not after the sun came out. They threw her in the closet and they walked away. What was their reaction? The teacher came in the room, and they all were silent and pretended that Margot wasn't gone. Okay. I'm looking for something else. Lydia. Right when the sun came out they all went out to play, and they were kind of surprised that it came out. Okay. I'm looking for something else. Do you remember Sarah? They forgot about her when she was in the closet. They did forget about her. Do you remember the part where the author specifically says they were 'snickering and giggling'? They were feeling happy because they didn't have to deal with Margot anymore. They were feeling happy because they didn't have to deal with her anymore. What do you think about the whole incident of them putting her in the closet; why? She said the sun was going to come out. Okay. We know that much but why else? Dig deeper. Connor. She probably--they probably thought she was crazy and they didn't believe her and they wanted her to be punished guess. Okay. They wanted to punish her because she was different perhaps. Jernica. Well, was thinking about it, and they did doubt her lot because they didn't believe her, but she had already seen the sun so maybe they were little jealous, and they didn't want to be wrong. Perhaps. Jealousy, doubt, fear. Okay. When things are different from us, when people say things that we don't believe, okay? Yes sir. Well, they kind of thought that she was the one-- she was the student that was kind of the odd ball or what because she believe that the sun would come out, and they've never seen it so they didn't believe her. So they're like, "Well, we're just going to put you in the closet because you're weird." We're just going to put you in the closet and get rid of you because you're different. Not such good thing to do Now, how does this story end? How does Ray Bradbury conclude this story? Aidan. He ends the story as they open the door, the people who locked Margot in the closet, they just let her out and it says that she walks out, and that's when the story ends. Why? Were you looking for something else? Were you wanting to turn the page and read something else? Why in the world would Ray Bradbury do that to you? Kamo. He wanted to make us think of an inference. He wanted to make you infer perhaps. What do you think happened next? Perhaps create your own ending to the story. Does anybody know that word that he left you on, there's word. At the end of the story, he left you what is called? In suspense. In suspense, something else. He left us hanging? He left you hanging. Okay, have you ever heard of cliffhangers and good movies that you watch? That's what he did to kind of force your brain to make an inference, to keep the story going. Now, want you to keep in mind everything that we've just talked about. Because now want you to shift your gears because you're going to read an article about, guess what planet? Venus. You're so smart. All right, now while you're reading this, want you to annotate as you read. What do mean by annotate as you read? Bria. What you mean is you want us to like point out the facts, or stuff that we don't know, and kind of circle it and you want us to kind of think over what it's talking about or try to figure out what it's trying to say. Very good, very well said. Janelle, you have something to add? And also like taking notes. Things that you think maybe important for you to know throughout the passage, and you're also write down questions that you may have. Very good. When you annotate as you do close read, this is skill that you will definitely use in your upper grades, high school and especially college. So as you read the text, if you come across word that you're unfamiliar with, circle it, underline it, draw an arrow to it or if you come across phrase that you're unfamiliar with. Something that you think is very important. Questions that you may have, you're going to annotate as you read. Now this piece of text is front and back. want you to do close read on this piece of text right now. Do you have any questions? All right, let's take look at this. Now, the Venus sky show. Is this nonfiction or is this fiction? This article is nonfiction. It is nonfiction. How do you know that? Because it provides information. It provides information. Okay. How else do you know if when you're reading something if it's nonfiction or if it's fiction? Connor. Maybe they have exact quotes. Exact quotes, okay. Dialog perhaps. Bria. Well, sometimes when you read fiction story there's usually about fairy tales and dragons and princesses, but when you read nonfiction, it really gives you more information and stuff. Nonfiction is really sometimes stuff that really happens in life. There is one thing you can look at on here right away that will let you know this is nonfiction. What do you think that is? Nina. The date. Very good. Very good, Nina. Now let's look at just the first paragraph of this. Now this incident really occurred as you found out as you read through this text. The rare event will be visible in the late afternoon on Tuesday in the Western hemisphere or Wednesday morning in the Eastern hemisphere. Now this was written on June 4, 2012. Now, in front of you, you have half sheet of paper that has the different hemispheres on it. want you to label that Western, Eastern, Northern and Southern hemispheres. If you need help from your neighbor you may ask them for help. want you to label that for me right now. Now Venus would've been visible, the transit of Venus would've been visible to us because we're in which hemisphere? We're where? The Western. The Western hemisphere. Okay. Now, go back to the text. "It is show you likely have never seen before and will never see again. It is called the transit of Venus. Transit means to pass through or across. During Venus's upcoming transit, the planet will appear to be little black dot drifting slowly across the face of the sun. It's spectacle that won't happen again for another 105 years. Is there anyone in here that watched this phenomenon? One, two. Very good. Okay. lot of people didn't know about this. It was very, very important though to some people and especially scientists. The event is so unique that museums and schools around the world are holding Venus viewing parties for those who want to see the sun with temporary beauty mark. Even the astronauts aboard the International Space Station are planning to watch the event. "'Anything silhouetted on the sun it looks interesting,' says Anthony Cook, an astronomer at the Griffin Observatory in Los Angeles, California. "Seeing Venus is extremely rare." Yes ma'am. wanted to ask what does silhouetted mean. What does silhouetted mean? What do you think silhouette means? Nina. Silhouette means like shadow of something. Does that help Lydia? Very nice. Tell your peer thank you. Thank you. Now what have sat on your desk are few text dependent questions. If you don't have text dependent question sheet, raise your hand and I'll give you one. Now what you're going to do--I'm going to put you in groups of four and everyone will get chip and these are not talking chips this time. They serve as another purpose for us. The chip that you'll get will determine the job that you're going to do for your group. All right? But what want you to do right now before put you in groups, want you to draw line under number five. Just straight across the page. Now when you look at these text dependent questions, why are they called text dependent? Why are the questions called text dependent Sarah? They're called text dependent questions because you can find the answers in the text. You find the answers in the text. Not something that we think up that's just great idea or something that sounds good as the answer, you go back to the text and find your information. Now you're going to be doing questions one through five. What differences exist between the short story and the article? What is the central idea of the short story? What is the significance of this article? Why is it so significant? What does the author mean when he uses the words 'rare' and 'observatory' in this particular text? We've already identified the hemispheres and if we had watched Venus transit the sun, which day would we have seen it? Now, you're going to get chip. If you will get red chip, you're going to be the group leader. Now the group leader has very important job. Group leader, your job is to make sure that your group is on task. Make sure that the questions that are being answered, the information is coming from the text. Making sure that everyone is participating like they should. Now, if you come to question and your group member cannot answer it or you can see that he or she is struggling, help them out. Okay? That's okay. You can help them out.