Laura Jordan Instructional Challenge MI
Hocked gems financing him, our hero defied the scornful laughter. Think of it as an egg, not a table, he said. Then three sturdy sisters sought proof, forging over vast calmness, and sometimes over turbulent peaks and valleys, until at last welcome winged creatures appeared, signifying monumental success.
1. What are hocked gems?
I know from background knowledge that hocked means stolen. So hocked gems are stolen gems that are very valuable as they are financing him.
2. What should we think of as an egg and not a table?
We should like of them gem or treasure as an egg and not a table because an egg is small, delicate, and fragile and when tossed around or not taken care of can break and be ruined. A table is thought to be more strong and able to provide more support.
3. Who are the three sturdy sisters?
I think that the three sturdy sisters are not really sisters but three people or three groups of people who have worked to help steal these gems/jewels/treasure. They worked together and although they faced hardships (peaks and valleys) found success.
4. What kind of winged creatures appeared?
I think that maybe these people saw birds in the sky as a symbol of success. It could also be "angels" in that these people thought they were "in heaven" because of their riches and successes.
Reflection
When reading a passage like this to the children I think it is important to remind them of several things. I always remind my students to make movies in their minds as I read something so that they have an image of what I am reading. I also would want to make sure that the ideas of metaphors as well as vocabulary are touched upon. I would use cues such as "what does this word make you think of?" or "what comes to mind when you read this?". I think that allowing it to be open ended would allow many students the comfort of thinking outside of the box.
For ways in which I can help my students whose schemas and text do not match. I would work on visual imagery as well as vocabulary development. I would recommend using dictionaries and then taking those definitions and making them more child friendly. I think that in passages like this it is a great opportunity to let the children be creative and know that there is not a wrong answer.
I am a strong believer that all children, regardless of their age level should always be reading "just right" books. I also would never want to discourage a child from trying to read a book that is not on their level. I think it is important to have children read passages like this occasionally and even have them do a group writing project to share with the class. I think that doing something like this once a week for morning work or a challenge would allow the students to start making more connections.
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