TWA Strategy

Focus of Lesson: Nonfiction comprehension

Grade Level/Subject: 3rd Grade/ELA
Common Core State Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.2 Determine the
main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main
idea.
Student Learning Objective:

I can read to understand a nonfiction text.

I can recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.

Materials Needed

TWA bookmarks (see attachments)

Lined paper

Writing utensils

Green and pink highlighters

Nonfiction articles (see attachments)

Lesson Outline:

In a small group the teacher will explain, Today we will be using the reading
strategy TWA. TWA stands for Think before reading, think While reading, and
think After reading.

Hand out student bookmarks (see attachments).

Say, Reflecting on our reading before, during, and after will aide our
comprehension or understanding of the text. Lets start thinking before we

read. Before we read we think about the authors purpose for writing the
selection, what we already know about the topic or our background
knowledge, and want we want to know about the selection.

Hand out nonfiction articles. As a group discuss authors purpose, background

knowledge, and what the students want to know about the selection.

Say, Now that we have set a purpose for reading we are ready to begin
reading. While we read we will work on adjusting our reading speed, linking
our background knowledge, and we will reread when necessary.

Pass out green and pink highlighters. While reading students will use different
colored highlighters. Green will be used to highlight important details and
pink will be used to cross off/highlight unimportant information. The green
highlighted information will be used to summarize the passage after reading.

As a group read the passage aloud. In the first paragraph highlight important
details in green and cross out unimportant ideas in pink (see attachments for
an example).

The students will then independently highlight important details in green and
unimportant details in pink. Afterwards, review student findings.

After reading the article in entirety say, We have now read the selection and
we are to discuss what we have read. We will discuss the main idea,
summarize the text, and talk about what we have learned.

The students will be given time to write down a written summary. The
students will take turns reading aloud his or her summary. Together the

students will determine the main idea of the selection. Lastly, the teacher will
ask the students to share one new thing he or she has learned.
Extensions/Differentiation
Group A- The students will use the article, Haiti and Chile: two earthquakes,
two very different outcomes to complete the TWA activities.
Group O- The students will use the article, Vesuvius Erupts! to complete the
TWA activities.

Group B- The students will use the article, Can Animals Help us Detect Natural
Disasters? to complete the TWA activities.

Assessment- Formative- Teacher observation will be used as a formative

assessment to determine if the students can recount the key details to explain
how they support the main idea. The teacher will observe which details the
students highlight as green (important) and pink (unimportant). The teacher
will also listen to the students summaries to determine if the student can
explain how the important details work together when summarizing the
selection.

TeacherNotes/Reflection
Iwasimpressedwithmystudentsabilitytohighlightimportantideasingreen
andunimportantdetailsinpink.Ilearnedthatthestudentsshouldbeinstructedtoread
throughthearticlesatleasttwicebeforehighlighting.Inoticedthestudentsfirststarted
highlightinginformationduringourfirstread.Iquicklyaddressedthisissueandhadthe
studentswaituntiltheentirearticlehadbeenreadthrough.Also,Isuggesthavingthe

studentscomparehisorherworkwithoneanother.Adiscussionbetweenclassmates
helpedclarifyafewofmystudentsquestions.