Kate+Roberts+Workshop+April+9,+2012

So much was learned from Kate Roberts with her workshop on NonFiction 101 and NonFiction2 (Varsity)

These are the categories or strategies that you should see your students in:
 * **Kids need to have GOOD HABITS**
 * 1) They should be expecting to learn as they read
 * 2) They should actually read text "eyes on print"
 * 3) They should be writing/note taking/ post-it as they read


 * **Kids should be HOLDING on to INFORMATION**
 * 1) retell often as we learn or read
 * 2) notetaking skills


 * **Read NonFiction CLOSELY**
 * 1) notetaking
 * 2) envisioning
 * 3) fluency (higher level reader)


 * **Have ideas about NonFiction - (How to find the Main Idea)**
 * 1) "What is the bumper sticker? or tweet?
 * 2) "Can you find a pop-out sentence?"
 * 3) Advise students to check the first and last lines for ideas being stated (paragraph structure)

In Main Idea - (Kate says this is getting the student into "IDEA LAND" rather than retelling or giving interesting details)

Introduce Box and Bullets

try Bullets to Box (Sometimes students can find the details then make a generalization about them)

______________ is/ are __________________ (this is simplisitic, but helps students to start forming ideas) topic trait

Students can also add QUALIFIERS with their ideas (HOW, WHEN, WHY...)
 * Once this is established....you can move into WORD CHOICE for the trait...loking for a MORE EXACT WORD for the trait.


 * **Critical Thinking**
 * 1) interpretation
 * 2) author's purpose
 * 3) bias/ credibility
 * 4) cross text work