The Making Meaning program is a K-8 reading curriculum that combines comprehension strategies with social-emotional learning. It uses fiction and nonfiction trade books to build students' vocabulary and experience with complex texts. The program includes teacher manuals, trade books, and grade-specific materials. It teaches comprehension strategies like visualizing and questioning directly, and informally teaches making connections. It also teaches social skills like giving reasons, listening to others, and contributing to group work. The program is designed to enhance existing literacy programs and is used in several states. Research shows it improves comprehension and aligns with state standards.

1. 1K I A N A P A Y N E
K A I T L I N C O W E L L
MAKING MEANING

2. WHAT IS MAKING MEANING
• The Making Meaning program
is a classroom-tested K–8
reading curriculum that
intentionally combines
comprehension strategies with
social and emotional learning
to create an environment in
which students learn to
collaborate, agree and
disagree respectfully, and take
responsibility for their own
learning. Carefully selected
nonfiction and fiction read-
aloud trade books provide a
rich, rewarding experience as
students experience
increasingly complex texts and
build their vocabulary.
2

3. WHAT’S INCLUDED
• The program consists of a
Teacher’s Manual, 11–29
trade books, program
orientation materials, and
additional grade-level-
specific components in
each grade-level package.
3

4. 4

5. 5

6. 6

7. WHAT’S TAUGHT
• Strategies taught directly:
• Visualizing
• Wondering/Questioning
• Making inferences
• Understanding text
structure
• Determining important
ideas
• Synthesizing
• Strategy taught Informally:
• Making
connections/Using
schema
• Examples of social skills:
• Giving reasons to support
thoughts and opinions
• Talking and listening to one
another
• Using prompts to add to
another person’s thinking
• Asking clarifying questions
• Reaching agreement
• Discussing opinions
respectfully
• Confirming that they
understood another person
• Including one another
• Contributing to group work
• Giving and receiving
feedback
7

8. IMPLEMENTATION
• The Making Meaning
program is designed to
serve as the comprehension
component of a literacy
program. Teachers can use
it to replace or enhance the
comprehension component
of other programs
• Making Meaning is used in
schools throughout a
handful of states including
California, Michigan, North
Carolina, Florida, New York,
and others.
• Adaptable Program Features
• Class meetings help to build and sustain
the reading community.
• Assessments help teachers make
informed decisions about instruction. In
kindergarten and grade 1, informal
assessments evaluate the needs of the
whole class. In grades 2–8, more formal
assessments are used.
• The program uses “best practices” in
comprehension instruction for English
Language Learners (ELL).
• Professional development can help
teachers develop techniques that
enhance their students’ ability to make
sense of text.
• A support kit for school principals
provides tools and support for effective
leadership and program
implementation.
8

9. 9

10. RESEARCH
• Classroom evaluations
show that it works, and
the program’s
comprehension
strategies align with
state standards.
• http://www.collaborati
veclassroom.org/resear
ch-making-meaning
10

11. 11

12. SAMPLE LESSON
12

13. 13

14. FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR SUCCESS STORIES
• http://www.collaborativeclassroom.org/success-
stories/making-meaning
14

15. REFERENCES
• http://www.collaborativeclassroom.org/making-
meaning
15