TEACHERS GO CRAZY WHEN KIDS MISS THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE “ANSWERS “RIGHT IN THE STORY”. SO, AFTER WEEKS OF TEDIOUS STRATEGY LESSONS, I DECIDED TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT THE QUESTIONS IN ANOTHER WAY.

FIRST, WE HAD TO IDENTIFY ALL THE QUESTIONS WHERE THE ANSWERS WERE RIGHT IN THE STORY. AFTER A BIT OF MODELING AND GUIDED PRACTICE, STUDENTS WERE SOON ABLE TO IDENTIFY MOST OF THEM. WE MADE A TEST OF IT —IDENTIFY ALL THE RITS QUESTIONS. THIS EXERCIZE, BESIDES CHANGING IT UP A BIT,
MADE THEM REALIZE THAT OUT OF 28 QUESTIONS, 14 HAD ANSWERS THAT WERE RIGHT IN THE STORY (MORE INCENTIVE TO PICK UP THOSE EXTRA POINTS). THEY ENJOYED BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY THEM TOO.

ON THE NEXT PRACTICE TEST, THEY GOT TWO SCORES. THE FIRST SCORE WAS ONLY FOR “RITS” QUESTIONS. THEN, WE GRADED THE WHOLE PRACTICE TEST.

I ASKED THEM TO GIVE ME THEIR RITS SCORE AND THEIR WHOLE SCORE. THE POORER READERS WERE ENCOURAGED BY THEIR ABILITY TO SCORE HIGHER ON THESE QUESTIONS. I ALSO GOT SOME INSIGHTS INTO WHY EVEN THE BETTER READERS GOT THESE WRONG.

ONE REASON WAS UNKNOWN WORDS. IN A HUMMINGBIRD ARTICLE, THE STUDENT DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE WORD “WHIR” MEANT THE VIBRATION OF THE WING AND MISTOOK IT FOR SOMETHING TO DO WITH FEATHERS. ANOTHER STUDENTS MADE A MISTAKE BY OVERTHINKING.

ANYWAY, IT WAS A FRUITFUL EXERCISE AND I WILL USE IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR.

IF YOU DECIDE TO USE THIS IDEA IN ONE OF YOUR BOOKS, PLEASE DROP ME A LINE. I WILL BE GLAD TO GIVE YOU MORE ANECTODAL STORIES.

MARIE