Literacy Toolbox – Joey Carlson

Vocabulary

1. Frayer Model

https://docs.google.com/document/d/13MSmorY3uknAj3HONFJSu3CxxZ-

Q781eJBXEtsgU-fo/edit

This vocabulary strategy tests students to come up with the definition of the term, the

characteristics, and examples and non-examples of the term. The Frayer Model exceeds

well in how the strategy incorporates thinking and prior learning to come up with

examples. I picked the Frayer Model as with History some terms can be complex and

breaking down these words can help students remember the terms a way lot easier, as

well as expand their vocabulary when thinking of examples. I find the Frayer Model best

served in a unit where terms might need extra understanding, and going in depth with

these terms can help suit students well with their understanding of them.

2. KIM

Reading Strategy Article.pdf (pg. 14-15)

A very popular vocabulary strategy, the KIM represents a way to understand vocabulary

terms with a visual included. KIM stands for key term, information, and memory.

Making the student have the definition as well as a visual indicator of what the term is

to help memorize the term. I find this strategy helpful mainly because of the use of a

visual. Visuals are one of the best ways for memorizing something, and having the

student incorporate something they can remember, helps a lot more for some difficult
 terms. History has a lot of information and terms that can tricky to remember, and

having an indicator to help remember can go a long way with students. This strategy

with other vocabulary strategies can be used for students to incorporate in terms, as I

would be giving them different strategies they can use and what fits their style the most.

3. Vocabulary Knowledge Scale (VKS)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TcsuYDrBBHxz3OAjSdjwQH86l_vWfEzy/edit

The VKS strategy is a great in getting information on the class’s understanding of the

terms for the week. This vocabulary strategy incorporates the student’s knowledge of

each of terms listed whether they have an established, acquainted, or unknown

understanding of a term. With the information from the class, I can use the terms in my

lesson plan to help have students know the terms a lot more efficiently. This strategy is

great to know, as it can make for more effective lesson plans with the incorporation of

terms students are unfamiliar with. I like the VKS strategy a lot, as it makes me

understand where the class is at the terms, and which terms I should be focusing on

giving more depth on.

4. https://www.vocabulary.com/

I find this website quite useful for defining words is how in depth the site goes in with

the definition, and the examples and meaning. This site is a better alternative than

google searching a word, as you get a lot more of the word than google. The amount of

context and meanings the site gives out, I find quite useful if students need to define a
 difficult word. With my testing of other vocabulary sites, I found this one simplistic and

straight to the point, which makes it a useful site to implement for students to use.

5. https://describingwords.io/

This website incorporates an array of descriptors to use with a sample noun. By placing

in the word “balloon” the website would give out a list of adjectives as well as different

ways of describing the word. With the plentiful amount of words being handed out to

the student, and can provide the student new words to use in their language. I like this

website a lot, as it provides new ways of describing words, as well as helping the person

if they are struggling in having their writing with detail. This website can be used in my

classroom for students to use assignment with on key noun terms that they can describe

differently.

Comprehension

1. Reciprocal Teaching

https://docs.google.com/document/d/

1KTzZnaVzY5C_9aKKI1TY5fU6sIuaBhWzcoqjvA9coQ8/edit

Reciprocal Teaching is a great strategy for students to grasp and evaluate the text that

was read. This strategy puts students into roles in a reading that is assigned, and then

discuss the reading with the role that is assigned. I also like this strategy as it

incorporates other students and makes for other students to connect and discuss with
 one another. We used this strategy early in the class, and it was great to analyze the text

and clear out any misunderstandings with the readings. For history, there is plenty of

documents that can be used for lessons, and students will get a better understanding

out of the reading with a discussion with their peers.

2. KWL Chart

https://drive.google.com/file/d/11p7AuzLCirNVr9mW97sTxlJnFvBZmttu/view

The KWL chart is a great strategy for videos and readings in a classroom. This strategy is

individual and is tasked for students to identify what they know, what they want to

know, and what they learned after the video/reading. I like this strategy as it shows the

teacher what they got out of the video/reading and what they already knew about the

subject. I find this strategy great for History in a textbook chapter, or a documentary.

Makes the student think back upon what they read/watch which makes the student

remember about the subject clearer and stronger.

3. Interactive Read/Think Aloud

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Y4DBuK4d9iOn6k389d2pi1hAe-ygPgMz/edit

Interactive Read/Think Aloud is a great strategy for reading with the whole classroom,

and dissecting the text that is being read upon. This strategy is great for difficult texts for

a student to grasp upon, which having the whole class participate and understand the

text is what I find great on this strategy. This checklist of the strategy has a lot of

variance on how to handle this strategy. Making the teacher do many different ways in

incorporating this strategy in the best of their ability. I find this strategy great to be used
 while reading primary sources, as it can be hard to grasp the information for many

students, as the text can read and leave right out of their brain.

4. Get the Gist

https://drive.google.com/file/d/18e5jVOxXq_1TLtHkZqDUxBYQQvJhYTQO/view

Get the Gist strategy I find is great for sourcing. The example shown on page two of the

PDF displays an ideal plan for what the students should do with their reading. With a

primary source document the students can use sourcing strategies, and get what the

document is about and why it is important. I find this strategy great to use in my

classroom, as it provides a nice format for the reading/document and easy to look back

at their notes for when trying to remember what the reading was about. Overall, a great

strategy in identifying key elements of the reading.

5. 5-4-3-2-1

https://drive.google.com/file/d/170a6w-if8bkpUOGnKZUTrGMjzNjlaII3/view

The 5-4-3-2-1 strategy is great for summarization of the reading for students. I like the

flexibility of this strategy as I could incorporate one of the formats this strategy is giving

out, or include more. It is a great strategy for students to answer questions upon the

reading they have read and summarize the text as well as vocabulary and facts they got

out of it. A great strategy to use in a textbook section or article, as the extra parts can be

incorporated for the other formats.

 Writing

1. Quick Writes

https://theliteracyloft.com/2018/07/how-to-integrate-writing-across-content-areas/

The Quick Writes strategy is a great tool to use after an end of a chapter or about the

video. It makes for students to quickly write a paragraph without thinking of the logistics

when it comes to writing, like its grammar. We did this strategy in this class one day,

and it was good to write something quickly and improve on fast thinking skills as well as

quick decision making when writing something in a short amount of time. Quick writes

could also be used as an exit slip if need be, or just a quick intro write for the class.

There are many ways to use this tool, making it one of my favorites.

2. Image Response

https://angiekratzer.com/10-ways-to-use-writing-to-reinforce-and-assess-any-content/

The Image Response strategy finds itself powerful in writing about an image, and going

into further detail upon a singular image. In Social Studies there are a lot of powerful

images in history that could be excelled on if students give further thought in them.

History provides a lot of messages in their images, as well as different meanings. While

the class may be sharing their idea on the image, there may be students shocked to see

a different answer from another student. This strategy develops skills into finding the

meaning and going into further depth of something, which is a great skill for students to

build upon on.

3. Comic Strip

https://angiekratzer.com/10-ways-to-use-writing-to-reinforce-and-assess-any-content/
 The Comic Strip can be used as an activity to create a political cartoon, or a comic strip

of an event or era in history. There are many ways to go with the strategy, making it

very flexible for students. I really like activities that are flexible for students, giving them

many choices to do the assignment or activity. This strategy is great for Social Studies,

and can be used as an assignment or quick activity for the day.

4. Model

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/content-area-literacy-writing/

Not every strategy has to be used for an assignment or activity, as the Model strategy

can be used as a lesson. I take a lot out of what my parents say and do, which is

modeling. This is the same for teachers, as they give key details as well as how they

write is a great model to look for help. Not every student applies modeling in their

writing, which it can be helpful for every student to be aware of the opportunity. I like

modeling as it improves the teacher in what they should write, as well as see their

students improve on their writing.

5. Write in Class

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/content-area-literacy-writing/

With writing becoming possibly less common with technology being incorporated

heavily in schools, writing should still be implements and used. This strategy is a no-

brainer as giving feedback has helped me greatly in this class, and it helps a lot of

students on what they need to improve on. These writes in class can be a nice idea in

where the student is in their writing as well as what they should look out for in their

writing. Rather than just the teacher being the one for feedback, students can also peer
review and give their own feedback as well. Can be great to use for an upcoming paper

in the class.

Study/Organization

1. Consistent Routine

https://blog.brookespublishing.com/15-tips-on-organization-study-skills-time-

management-for-students-with-executive-function-issues/

Having students understand how the organization of the classroom is, can make for

students be organized themselves. What I am getting here is that having a routine is

extremely helpful for students to keep on top of their work in the class. Like having

homework due two days after it is assigned, and the Friday’s usually being for

quizzes or test days. I like routines as it makes everything simpler and less confusing,

which will result in higher achievement from students.

2. Show students what to study and how to study it

https://blog.brookespublishing.com/15-tips-on-organization-study-skills-time-

management-for-students-with-executive-function-issues/

Now this strategy seems like a no-brainer as it gives tips and tricks on what they

should know and take out. This strategy is more lecture focused, and I know I will

have to teach in a lecture structure, but it does not have to be every day. Mixing it

up makes for the class to be engaged, and having an interesting lecture with visuals

can make for an easier time to remember parts of the lecture. This strategy is

basically saying “this will be on the quiz” where all the students would write it down.

It also can mean a lot of things, and one example is a geographical map and telling
 the students what to look for and tips for remembering where things are. A strategy

I remember from this was when remembering where the 5 great lakes are, and my

teacher gave the tip by using SHO ME. Where the first letter correlates for the great

lake. Making Superior, Hudson, and then Ontario on top, and Michigan and Eerie on

the bottom as well in that order.

3. Cornell Notes

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1AjYvzdB4AheTIRNIi1ls0PDAAZyf8qvk

A popular study strategy that I find great for students to get accustomed to. In my

Senior year, I was TAing my 9th World History teacher, and they incorporated Cornell

notes really well with using students notebook while listening to his lecture. It

showed me a good study strategy from when the students look back at their notes,

as it makes it easy to remember something as well find it in your notes. It may be a

hassle for some students to endure, but the overall end point of the notes make it

worthwhile.

4. Story Map 1

https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/

1xyH2CyVwJT4fMOL_IINZ6nRMzVMfFBShqF8FwYcd8Zk/edit

I find Story Map 1 a great study strategy to remember a unit or topic. It provides the

beginning, middle and end, where the student can get creative of what to do with

this strategy. It makes for students to grasp a part of the topic or section quickly by

looking where they are needing that information. Whether it was from early in the

section or later. This strategy having a lot of work around between, makes it
 interesting for the student as well as helping them develop better studying and note

taking skills by using information they can process easily and effectively.

5. Class Planner/Schedule

This organizational strategy is a must have in any classroom. As it provides

information of what they are learning for the day, as well as what is upcoming or

due. It gives students organized on what to expect as well as what to do for the

upcoming days, which helps almost all students keep on top of things. Whether the

schedule is presented on a white board in the classroom, or on a PowerPoint slide of

what is upcoming for the day, it helps students tremendously on staying on track.