4. Series Reading: Cross Genre Clubs

There are many reasons to have students read series books. Children‘s comprehension is shepherded when they come across characters and settings, again and again, book after book across a series. This supported learning naturally occurring in series reading is also aligned with the Common Core Standards. The introduction of a single book in a series will open the door for readers to feel set-up to read all the books in the series. The work, too, allows readers to step into the more complicated work of following characters across multiple books, much like the thinking they will encounter when they follow characters across multiple chapters once reading multichapter books.

Groups of three to four readers, or clubs, will play an essential role in helping readers to use their thinking and jotting to talk more to other readers about similar tiles of books in a series. The option of leaving readers in partnerships is an alternative given teachers’ comfort levels with classroom management to support larger groupings. Either way, readers will pull from previously learned strategies and integrate what they know about characters into and across series books.

The first concept, Readers figure out how a series flows, by seeing patterns and predicting what will happen, asks readers to learn to look for patterns, and how the series will go. They will tune into predictable character traits having read one book and then another and another. Readers will continue to jot on post-its and/or in notebooks to show their thinking, based on reader and teacher need. Readers will tune into how the character acts; their troubles, changes and feelings and ask “Why is this part important to the story and/or series?”. Teachers will want to keep one eye on readers’ comprehension within the series and the other eye on the level of talk within the club. Allow for just as many conferences and small group meetings to demonstrate and teach conversation as comprehension. The CCSS Speaking and Listening standards for second grade are woven throughout the unit only if a teacher is keen enough to observe readers during the talk opportunities with the standards in mind and teach into what is happening in those conversation moments.

The next concept, Readers of series expect surprise, asks readers to use their knowledge of patterns to see the surprises or unexpected parts within in a series. This work will nudge readers to form opinions as to why they believe the unexpected portions are part of the story. They may also hear and consider alternative points of view from other members in their club. Readers will use their post-its to jot about those unexpected, “out-of-character” times and see that these parts create opportunities to know their characters even better. Readers will learn to extend their thinking and ask, “Why did he/she act this way…I think it’s because…”. Teachers will showcase that this kind of jotting and thinking allows readers to think deeply about characters and support future readings in the series. Readers will begin to create big ideas about their characters, their stories and their series with text evidence in their writing and conversation.

The third concept, Readers expand ideas by thinking across different series and use conversation with others to further grow thinking, props readers up for comparison and contrast work. Readers will use the reading and thinking from one series to compare and contrast the reading and thinking from a different series. Throughout this concept, readers are given a choice as to how to organize the work of the club, supported and demonstrated through mini-lesson, anchor charts and small group instruction. Clubs will also move beyond “in the text” thinking to think about how their reading and thinking applies to the world at large. Readers will learn to say, “This author’s message is…because…” or “This book or series is teaching the lesson of….because…”.

The last concept, Series book readers find ways to learn more about the topics in their series and share what they’ve learned, will show readers how to let their fictional reading lead them to learn about topics from informational reading and fit that learning back into the fictional story. Readers will learn to search out the topics within their series stories and then question and research around those topics, in order to learn more. Readers will be encouraged to use informational text from books, magazines, websites or digital media. Extending this research and learning through homework is an optional course, but may allow readers to spend more time uncovering information to help them understand their series more deeply. Nearing the end of the study, readers will carve time to teach each other what they have learned around the topics under research and clubs will meet up with other clubs to learn about a series different from their own reading. This will be a celebration in sharing all the strategies that readers have learned across their reading of series books.

What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?

UDL is a research-based framework that focuses on proactive design and delivery of curriculum, instruction and assessment. UDL provides opportunities for every student to learn and show what they know, with high expectations for all learners.

Each student learns in a unique manner so a one-size-fits-all approach is not effective. UDL principles create options for how instruction is presented, how students express their ideas, and how teachers can engage students in their learning. (NY DOE)

UDL
Universal Design for Learning

1. How do readers figure out how a chapter book (or longer text) flows by connecting ideas and seeing patterns?
2. How do readers figure out how a series flows, by seeing patterns and predicting what will happen?
3. How do readers expand ideas by thinking across different series and use conversation with others to further grow thinking?
4. How do readers of series expect surprises?
5. How do series book readers find ways to learn more about the topics in their series and share what they’ve learned?

Alter this unit based on students’ needs, resources available, and your teaching style. Add and subtract according to what works for you and your students.

Concept I: Readers figure out how a chapter book (or longer text) flow by connecting ideas and seeing patterns.

Session 1 Readers hold onto their thinking as they read each chapter by jotting and keeping track of character’s actions, traits, and problems.

Session 2 Readers notice patterns in their book and ask themselves, “Why is this important?”

Session 3 Readers reflect on their chapter book by thinking about the BIG IDEAS (characters, problem, solution, and message).

Concept II: Readers figure out how a series flows, by seeing patterns and predicting what will happen

Session 4 Readers bring all that they know about the series to each new title to notice patterns and new information.

Session 5 Readers know series books are predictable and think about why the pattern is happening, by asking “Why is this pattern important?”

Session 6 Readers make theories as to why events are happening by noticing a character’s troubles, changes, or big feelings and answering, “why is this happening?”.

Session 7 Readers make theories by saying and jotting, “I think this part (character trouble, changes, feelings) means that ……will……..because….”

Session 8 Readers look over their post-its before meeting with clubs to decide what is important to talk about.

Session 9 Readers think about how different books in a series go together by asking questions.

Concept III: Readers expand ideas by thinking across different series and use conversation with others to further grow thinking.

Session 10 Readers read a chunk of text and ask, “What do I know about my character so far?”.

Session 11 Readers, when surprised by their characters, sort out their thinking with others through conversation.

Session 12 Readers look out for, find and think about the why these unpredictable parts in series are different.

Session 13 Readers reflect on the series book they’ve read and ask, “What was this series really about?” Or “What is the author trying to teach me?”

Concept IV: Readers of series expect surprises.

Session 14 Readers think across series to find patterns, by asking, “What is the same or what its different?”.

Session 15 Readers have choices for comparing and contrasting series books and make decisions with others.

Session 16 Readers come up with new theories as they study characters from book to book to book within a series.

Session 17 Readers see how their theories or ideas from their series books matter to the real world by thinking about how the lesson or message matters to their life.

Concept V: Series book readers find ways to learn more about the topics in their series and share what they’ve learned.

Session 15 Readers say, “I want to learn about that” having read about topics in their series that interest them”.

Session 16 Readers can research and learn about topics on their own or with others related to their series book reading.

Session 17 Readers reread back and forth between series books and informational books to see how their understanding changes after learning about a topic.

Session 18 Readers decide if they can answer a question quickly or if they will need more time and resources to learn more about their topic.

Session 19 Readers use all the information they’ve learned to teach others and to talk smart about their topics

Session 20 Celebration: Readers celebrate all they have learned about series reading by sharing their learning with others.