Teacher's Resource - Nelson Education

WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS“Social interaction patterns canenhance the development ofstrategies for reading. Students’prior levels of knowledge andmotivation determine how muchlearning will occur, and thecontent of learning depends onthe quantity and quality of socialinteractions around learningtopics.”—Louise Wilkinson andElaine SillimanBEFOREOral LanguageTALK ABOUT ITInform the class that, in his inaugural address on January 21, 1960,while being sworn in as President of the United States, John F. Kennedysaid, “My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do foryou—ask what you can do for your country.” Ask students to explainwhat they think Kennedy meant by this statement and why he mighthave issued this challenge. Then have small groups of students discussanswers to the Talk About It question on SB page 21, “Is the worldhere to help you, or are you here to help the world?”Prior KnowledgeMAKING PREDICTIONSHave students read the title of the selection and ask if it soundsfamiliar, and if anyone can give the part that is missing (to raise achild). Ask students to explain what this full quotation, usually citedas an African proverb, might mean. Have partners use the proverb topredict what the theme of the selection might be, and explain how itfits with the theme of this unit, global citizenship. Have small groupsof students explain and compare their predictions.DURINGReading “It Takes a Village”MAKING CONNECTIONSHave students review the information on SB page 2. You canprovide students with sticky notes to mark places where they make aconnection or respond to the text in the ways described on SB page 2.OR For those students who need more support, use a guidedreading approach.DI GUIDED READING1. Read aloud the first poem, “Who Made a Mess?” on SB page 21.Ask:• How would you answer the overall question in the poem—whois responsible for all these threats to the environment? (we allare, to some extent; it also suggests that probably nobody willadmit to it)• What image or line in the poem did you make the strongestconnection to, and why? (“who tossed that junk in the river,”because we live close to a river and people are always dumpinggarbage down the riverbank)• How does your connection help you respond to or understandthe poem? (helps me relate to the theme; helps me visualize howpollution really does cause a mess)• In your judgment, are the last four lines of the poemeffective? Why? (yes: he’s saying that somebody needs to takeresponsibility for ruining the environment; by asking questionshe is hinting that nobody will own up to these problems)NELIt Takes a Village33