3b. Deepen and enrich student's understanding through content area literacy strategies, verbalization of thought, and application of subject matter.
There are so many concepts that need to be covered throughout the school year, and integration is key. As a part of our prescribed writing program, my mentor and I are have our students use nonfiction texts to write their own expository essays. Each week we follow the same pattern in order to establish a clear routine. We read an article, create a defining in context map, fill out a flee map, and ultimately each student writes their own essay. My mentor and I modeled this process for several weeks, and now, the students are completing this process nearly independently. I have had the pleasure of watching their grammar, spelling, and writing skills blossom throughout this process. The factual information they are gaining from these articles makes this activity that much more meaningful.