After Reading Activities
Word Groups- Word Groups is an after reading activity that will help students a) identify the topic, theme, or subject of a poem and b) identify the mood of a poem. Word Groups is most effective in groups of three and in its later stages, as a class. This activity uses the graphic organizer plainly titled "Word Groups" to solicit students to categorize the vocabulary of a poem into groups based on thematic similarities. The threshold for which words are either put or not put into a category is totally determined by the student(s) and should not be concretely defined. For example, students may choose to put the words 'Gun,' 'Violence,' and 'Death' into the same category despite these words meaning very different things. One should not put too much energy into ensuring that the words are categorized appropriately, being sure mainly that that students are making the connections between the words used in a text and their own views and feelings surrounding the theme of a chosen category.
To execute this activity, have students get into groups of two or three. After having read the poem and passing out the activity sheet, ask students to begin underlining words in the poem that they believe are significant in communicating the poem's message and meaning. Encourage students to underline as many words as they can, not limiting them to only adjectives and adverbs. After students have underlined their words, ask students to start classifying these words into different groups. Usually three different groups is sufficient. Students will eventually assign the name or category of each group once the group has been given a{?} character. If students are having a difficult time starting, tell them to find three words they have underlined that are all different from one another. These three words will then go into three different boxes, respectively. Students will gain momentum once they begin categorizing. Encourage students to negotiate with their group as to which words deserve to go in which boxes.
Once students have grouped all of their underlined words from the poem, give students the important task of naming each group. Students can name their group with a single word, a phrase, or a sentence (if they are having trouble). The naming of the groups will give assessment insight into into how the students are interpreting the vocabulary of the poem. Ask students to share out the name and contents of their groups.
After students have completed the "Word Group" handout, they will begin to interpret their work, and in the process, their own feelings surrounding the content of their work. This next component of the activity does not require a handout but is generally most effective if done in a journal, or at least on a separate piece of paper that will be turned in. Ask students the following questions: What do your Word Groups tell you about the topic of the poem? What types of words or groups stand out to you as a reader? How do you feel about the words or groups you have categorized? What experience do you have surrounding the words used in this poem?
These questions are designed to help students become more conscientious about their own feelings regarding the poem's subject. Furthermore, helping students make connections between the poem and their own feelings/ experiences surrounding the topic of the poem will make them become more effective at interpreting a poem's mood.
This activity can also be brought back to being class centered after students have responded in their journals. Leading a discussion on what words were chosen, how they were grouped, and the reasoning behind the naming of each group is an effective way to not only check for understanding but also to validate the experiences of the students.
Silent Conversation – Silent conversation is an activity that involves the entire class and is designed to spark conversation as well as give voice to students who usually tend to stay silent during discussion. To execute this activity, one sheet of lined paper is required. This piece of paper will be passed around the class silently, with each student adding a comment or question about a text they are reflecting on. The end product will be a collection of statements, connections, opinions and feelings that can be used to spark a rich classroom discussion. It is most effective if the desks are aligned in a circle or square, essentially creating a single layered perimeter. This is done to ensure momentum as well as symbolize equal value of voice among all students.
Silent Conversation begins only after students have finished interpreting a poem by means of the reading strategies and activities previously listed in the unit. As facilitator, ask students to make one important comment about the text they just read. The specificity of the students' comments is up to the teacher, as struggling students may perform better if asked to respond to a specific questions such as, "What do you think the poem is about?" or "What can we learn from this poem?" Likewise, keeping responses unbound can also result in rich commentary if students have gained a comprehensive understanding of the text and, secondly, feel compelled to have their opinions heard. At any rate, remind students that this exercise is confidential, as teachers do not necessarily have to read back the comments from the beginning, or the correct order for that matter.
When executed properly, under the right classroom climate, students will share deep feelings evoked from a text that can then be used to establish relevancy and a connection to the world around them. Because this is not an activity that has a 'right' or 'wrong' answer, student work should be assessed based on participation and the thoughtfulness of their comment.
Comments: