The Architecture of a Mini Lesson

1. The Architecture of a Mini Lesson The Building Blocks of Readers’ and Writers’ Workshop

2. Explicit Instruction for Teaching Reading Comprehension Direct explanation. The teacher explains to students why the strategy helps comprehension and when to apply the strategy. Modeling. The teacher models, or demonstrates, how to apply the strategy, usually by "thinking aloud" while reading the text that the students are using. Guided practice. The teacher guides and assists students as they learn how and when to apply the strategy. Supported Application. The teacher helps students practice the strategy until they can apply it independently. Independent Practice. Students apply the strategy independently during reading. Source: Florida Department of Education Fall 2009 Just Read Florida

3. explicit teaching = architecture of a mini lesson Structure of a Mini-Lesson Activating the Teacher’s Background Knowledge: This section contains information that we, the instructor, should be aware of and keep in mind as we provide information for our learners. Connection/Purpose/Essential Question: Provides students with the reason this lesson is being presented to them and why they need to pay attention and learn what is being taught. The connection often tells students what the teacher has noticed or observed in the classroom or with the students’ work that is being assessed in this classroom. The essential question can also be verbalized at this time. (The human brain likes to know why it is being asked to think, solve or reason the material that it is being given.) Teach: (I do.) The instructor explicitly tells the learner what is going to be taught and then models with a think aloud how to do the work. (The human brain likes the apprenticeship model. You show me; you do it with me; you watch me do it; then I do it on my own.) Guided Practice/Student Involvement: (We do.) Students practice what the teacher has taught and modeled with a partner or in a small group. The teacher moves about the room supervising, correcting misunderstandings and providing support and feedback before students go off to do the work independently. When students complete the task assigned by the teacher with his/her partner(s), work is shared with the large group so as to reinforce what has been taught. Application in Independent Work: (You do.) Teacher provides instructions and directions for how the student will use what has been taught and learned in the student’s work. Closing/Share: Students share their work as a means to celebrate what they have accomplished and to get feedback from their peers and teacher. This is a reinforcement of the lesson. Source: DCPS Riverdeep Learning Village

4. Connection/Purpose/Essential Question: Provides students with the reason this lesson is being presented to them and why they need to pay attention and learn what is being taught. The connection often tells students what the teacher has noticed or observed in the classroom or with the students’ work that is being assessed in this classroom. The essential question can also be verbalized at this time. (The human brain likes to know why it is being asked to think, solve or reason the material that it is being given.) Teach: (I do.) The instructor explicitly tells the learner what is going to be taught and then models with a think aloud how to do the work. (The human brain likes the apprenticeship model. You show me; you do it with me; you watch me do it; then I do it on my own.) Guided Practice/Student Involvement: (We do.) Students practice what the teacher has taught and modeled with a partner or in a small group. The teacher moves about the room supervising, correcting misunderstandings and providing support and feedback before students go off to do the work independently. When students complete the task assigned by the teacher with his/her partner(s), work is shared with the large group so as to reinforce what has been taught. Application in Independent Work: (You do.) Teacher provides instructions and directions for how the student will use what has been taught and learned in the student’s work.

5. 1) CONNECT = “ I Do” • Connect the focus of the lesson by activating students’ prior knowledge from either personal experience or from a previously taught skill/strategy using a Mini Lesson Chart; • Remind or introduce to students which standard & elements they are working on using a chart, sentence strip or Teaching/Learning Rubric, or introduce a new standard and element for today.

6. 2) TEACH: “I DO” TELLthe students what skill or strategy they will be learning today; MODEL what students will do with explicit, direct examples – or provide a model of what students will be expected to do. THINK ALOUD to show students what thought processes you use to understand the skill or strategy they are expected to do/know. DEVELOP a mini lesson or anchor chart for student reference throughout work-time.

7. 3) ACTIVELY INVOLVE STUDENTS: “WE DO” STUDENTS TURN AND TALKshoulder to shoulder or knee to knee to generate thinking and discussion of what is being taught (Shoulder Partners) while YOU LISTEN to their conversations, interacting when needed; Students may respond to the Turn & Talk orally, on sticky notes, in their journals; Briefly discuss students’ responses; Clear any misconceptions.

8. LINK: “YOU DO” Give clear, explicit directions for using the skill/strategy during the work-time assignment; Inform students of the criteria you will look for in their work when choosing 2-3 students to share during the closing; Students should be assigned tasks using authentic literature, not worksheets.

9. During the Mini Lesson: use text (authentic literature) for the read-aloud/ think-aloud and shared reading; EXPLICITLY teach and model the strategy or skill; only 1 strategy or skill should be introduced in a lesson; make connections between reading and writing develop community through conversation and sharing; be brief, concise and to the point – avoid introducing too much information; TELL – DON’T ASK.