1. What You Talking About WILISS?
(Ways to Integrate Literacy Into
Social Studies)
Jody Holleman
Kelly Holleman
Anna Thompson
Ashe County Middle School
A Presentation for the North Carolina Middle School Association
March 5, 2012

2. Learning Targets
 I will be able to describe one summarizing
strategy that I will integrate into my social studies
curriculum.
 I will be able to utilize appropriate reading
strategies with a variety of text to incorporate
literacy in my content area.
 I will be able to infuse technology in my social
studies classroom to enrich literacy and content
lessons.

3. Probable Passage
This pre-reading strategy helps students
activate prior knowledge, make predictions
about the text, understand story/narrative
structure, interact with new vocabulary, and
improve overall comprehension.

4. Probable Passage
1.Choose 10-15 words and phrases from the text. The words should reflect the
characters, setting, problem, and outcomes. Include some words that will probably be unknown to
the students. Your word choices can either guide students toward a correct prediction, or they may
be somewhat misleading.
2. Divide your class into groups of 3 or 4 and provide a Probable Passage template for students to
record their ideas. The template should include the following sections:
characters, setting, problem, outcomes, and unknown words. Space should also be provided for a
“gist,” or prediction statement, and a “to discover” section where students can record what they
hope to find out while reading.
3. Students should work with their group to sort all of the words and phrases into the appropriate
section on their templates.
4. After words and phrases are sorted, students should write the “gist” statement and the “to
discover” questions.
5. Have each group share their gist statements and questions with the class. Discuss similarities
and differences among various groups. Ask students to explain how they made the decision to put
various phrases where they did and how they arrived at their gist statements.
6. Read the text.
7. After reading, compare the Probable Passage templates with the actual text. Discuss how some
words or phrases may have been misleading. Also, ask students what words and phrases might
have made their predictions more accurate. Discuss context clues for unknown words.

5. Probable Passage Template
SAMPLE ACTIVITY: “Where Home Used to
Be”
Words for students to sort:
 nursing the sick
 feeding the hungry
 glorious revolution of '76
 patriots fighting for their hearthstones
 whole days in hiding
 Yankees
 hid everything
 desertion
 infirmary
 hospital
 struck him pretty badly with a bayonet
 burned and torn into strings
 fiends incarnate
 impudent
 Sherman's Hell-hounds

6. Probable Passage Examples

7. Probable Passage Examples

8. Why Summarize?
 Summarization yields some of the greatest leaps
in comprehension and long term retention of
information
 Affords a formative assessment opportunity by
allowing the teacher to see whether a child can
restate the key elements of a lesson or unit of
study
 Students are able to monitor their own learning
through personal reflection

9. Summarizing Strategies
 Somebody – Wanted – But – So
3–2–1
 Pyramid Summary
 Cloze Activity
 Bull’s Eye
 One Sentence Summary

10. Somebody-Wanted-But-So
Somebody-Wanted-But-So is a strategy that
helps students understand the elements of
conflict and resolution. Either during reading
or after reading, students complete a chart that
identifies a character, the character’s goal or
motivation, problems the character
encounters, and how the character resolves (or
fails to resolve) those problems. The strategy
helps students recognize cause - effect
relationships and find main ideas.

11. Somebody-Wanted-But-So
Somebody Wanted But So
Large population A two house The small They reached the
states Congress with both population states Great Compromise:
the number of objected and wanted Congress would
representatives in each state to have a have two houses,
both houses based single vote in the one with
on population. Congress. representation based
on population and
the other with each
state having two
votes.

12. 3–2–1
 The 3-2-1 strategy requires students to summarize key
ideas from the text and encourages them to think
independently. First, students write about three things
they discovered. Next, they write about two things they
found interesting. Last, they write one question they
still have. This strategy can be used while reading a
variety of texts to actively and meaningfully engage
students with the text
Zygouris-Coe, V., Wiggins, M.B., & Smith, L.H.
(2004). Engaging students with text: The 3-2-1
strategy. The Reading Teacher, 58(4), 381–384.

13. 3–2–1
 Another way to use this  3 – List and describe three
strategy is a bit simpler. important advantages that
Teachers can identify the helped the Continental
main bits of information Army win the
they want their students to Revolutionary War.
remember. They can ask
students to find the 2 – Name two important
information in a 3 – 2 – 1 leaders who helped the
format. Students who are American cause.
reading about the
Revolutionary War could 1 – Describe one battle
complete the following that helped decide the
activity. outcome of the war.

14. Pyramid Summary
 A pyramid summary is a (Topic)
_______
versatile strategy that (2 Words to describe the topic)
can be adapted to meet __________________
any need and can be (3 Actions involved with the topic)
used in any curricular ___________________________
area. It has no (An analogy to show a corresponding relationship)
determined size or ________________________________________
format other than its (4 Historical figures involved with the topic)
pyramid shape. The ______________________________________________
teacher can also use
(A one-sentence summary stating a main idea of the topic)
different prompts for __________________________________________________
each line.

15. Prompts for Pyramid Summary
 Synonym for the topic
 An analogy between the topic and a more familiar subject
 Three details or facts about the topic
 Causes of the topic
 Effects of the topic
 Arguments for or against the topic
 Three moments in the history of the topic
 People involved in the topic
 A timeline of the history of the topic
 Actions (strong verbs) involved with the topic
 A book title or news headline that would be written about the topic
 Adjectives to describe the topic
 Personal opinion on the topic
 One question you have after studying the topic
 An acrostic describing the topic

16. Cloze Procedure
Cloze procedure is a technique in which words
are deleted from a passage according to a
word-count formula or various other criteria.
The passage is presented to students, who
insert words as they read to complete and
construct meaning from the text. It is used to
assess the extent of a student’s vocabulary and
knowledge of a subject and to encourage
students to think critically and analytically
about text and content.

17. Cloze Procedure
 Partial Sample
The year was 1787 and the United States had just defeated the British Army
to gain its independence. The new country was actually a group of states held together
loosely by the ______________________. This document created a weak central
government and left most of the power to the individual states. The Congress asked
each state to send delegates to ______________________ in the summer of 1787 in
order to make revisions to the document. In May, delegates from twelve of the thirteen
states met at the site where the Declaration of Independence was signed. Only
_________________________ did not send delegates.
Many famous Americans attended the meeting. _______________________
from Pennsylvania was the oldest delegate in attendance. He helped the others to work
on compromises when debate seemed endless. _________________________, leader
of the Continental Army, also attended. Two delegates who were important in writing
the Constitution were _________________________ from New York and
_________________________ from Virginia. The latter is actually known as the Father
of the Constitution because of his meticulous note-taking and desire for a stronger form
of government.

18. Bull’s Eye
 Bull’s Eye is just a unique name
for a circle map. Students draw a
large circle on their paper with a Sons of Liberty
small “target” circle in the center.
They then take “shots” at the
target by placing relevant
information on their map. This Characters
such as John members of
activity can be used as a pre- Hancock, Ja the Sons of
assessment to determine mes
Historical
Liberty and
students’ prior knowledge; it can Otis, Paul
Elements of
boys from
Johnny
be used after a short reading Revere, Dr.
Tremain
Boston
assignment or class discussion to Joseph participate in
Warren, Tho the Boston
help students recall information; mas Gage Tea Party
or, it can be used before a final and others
assessment to assist students in
recalling information that has been Paul Revere rode to
covered throughout a unit of study. warn the colonists at
Lexington and
Concord

19. One Sentence Summary
The One-Sentence Summary is a simple
strategy that allows students to condense
information presented in a reading. The
strategy encourages students to focus on
learning rather than on specific details. One-
Sentence Summary requires students to
synthesize information and identify important
learning.

20. One Sentence Summary
 Paragraph from “The Road to the First Flight” provided by The
National Park Service and copied from the website
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-newcentury/5089.
In 1878, the brothers’ father, Milton Wright, brought home a
rubber band powered toy helicopter. Designed by French
aeronautical experimenter Alphonse Pénaud, this toy did not simply
fall to the ground as expected. Rather it “flew across the room till it
struck the ceiling, where it fluttered awhile, and finally sank to the
floor.” Though the fragile toy soon broke, Wilbur and Orville never
forgot it. They even attempted to build their own toy helicopters. In
later years, Orville accredited this childhood toy as being the object
that sparked their interest in flight.
Summary: Wilbur and Orville Wright took their interest in flight from a
toy helicopter their father bought them while they were children.

21. Writing Activity – RAFT
A RAFT is a writing activity in which students
are given a Role, Audience, Format, and
Topic. Students may assume the persona of a
historical figure and write from an authentic
point of view. The RAFT is a creative way for
students to demonstrate their knowledge of
historical context and perspective.

22. RAFT
R You are a middle school student travelling across the state from
the mountains to the Outer Banks of North Carolina over a one
week period.
A Personal reflection to yourself
F A journal with daily entries
You will record your own personal reflections of the changes
T you notice in the geographic features of the area as well as
historic places and population patterns. (Tell about changes in
population density and rural vs. urban centers.)

23. RAFT
Sample Audiences for
Sample RAFTS Writers
 You are Roger Williams. In a pamphlet to  Television news reporters
Puritans, explain the benefits of tolerance
and peace with natives.  Newspaper editors
 You are Samuel Adams (Boston
Massacre). Write a letter to John Hancock  Chambers of Commerce
explaining how propaganda helped in your
efforts to incite your fellow Bostonians’  Community figures
independence fervor.
 You are an Anti-Federalist newspaper  Corporations
editor speaking out against
ratification. Create a political cartoon in
 Journalists
opposition to the newly written  The public
Constitution.
 You are a Confederate soldier on the night  Local, state, or federal politicians
before the Battle of Gettysburg. Write a
letter to your mother explaining your  Social Leaders
hopes and fears for the battle.
 Historical figures

24. Novel Study
Why do I teach with historical fiction?
 Historical fiction makes a time period come to
life, providing background knowledge for those
students who may be lacking
 It allows the teacher to integrate other curriculum
 It strengthens students’ knowledge of historical content
including everyday details
 It presents complex issues in ways students are more
readily able to understand
 Novels written about similar topics present information
in multiple perspectives illustrating issues in a more
realistic way helping students more easily relate

25. Novel Study
Historical fiction you choose should:
 Present a well-told story that doesn't conflict with
historical context
 Portray characters realistically
 Present authentic settings
 Artfully weave historical facts into the story
 Avoid stereotypes and myths

26. Novel Study
Suggested Novel List
Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
American Revolution George Washington’s Socks by Elvira Woodruff
April Morning by Howard Fast
NightJohn by Gary Paulsen
Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
US Slavery
Soldier’s Heart by Gary Paulsen
Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt
Civil War
Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Karl Marx for Beginners by Ruis
Revolutions
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Under a War Torn Sky by LM Elliott
World War II Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli
Good Night, Mr. Tom by Michelle Magorian
Waiting for the Rain by Sheila Gordon- South Africa
Red Scarf Girl by Gary Paulsen - China
Late 20th Century Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan- India

27. Literature Circles
Literature Circles are . . . Literature Circles are not . . .
-Reader response centered -Teacher and text centered
-Part of a balanced literacy program -The entire reading curriculum
-Groups formed by book choice -Teacher-assigned groups formed
solely by ability
-Structured for student -Unstructured, uncontrolled "talk
independence, responsibility, and time" without accountability
ownership
-Guided primarily by student -Guided primarily by teacher- or
insights and questions curriculum-based questions
-Intended as a context in which to -Intended as a place to do skills
apply reading and writing skills work
-Flexible and fluid; never look the -Tied to a prescriptive "recipe"
same twice

28. Literature Circles
Tried and True Task Examples
Language Artful Artist Community Discussion Literary Vocabulary
Arts Connector Director Luminary Virtuoso
(Textual (Vocabulary)
Evidence)
Social Graphic Same Same Same Word Bank
Studies (Organizer) (Factual Wizard
Generator Details) (Vocabulary/
Id)
Waiting for the Rain: http://steeldragonslair.wikispaces.com/Waiting+for+the+Rain
A Girl Named Disaster: http://steeldragonslair.wikispaces.com/A+Girl+Named+Disaster

29. Discussion Boards
 Wikispaces vs. PBworks
 Purpose of discussion boards
An Internet forum, or discussion board, is an online discussion site where people can hold
conversations in the form of posted messages. They are similar to chat rooms, but messages are at
least temporarily archived. Also, depending on the access level of a user or the forum set-up, a
posted message might need to be approved by a moderator before it becomes visible. A single
conversation is called a "thread" and develops in an hierarchical or tree-like in structure: a forum
can contain a number of sub-forums, each of which may have several topics. Within a forum's
topic, each new discussion started is called a thread, and can be replied to by as many people as
you wish. On most forums, users do not have to log in to read existing messages, but have to be
members to respond.
 Why do I like discussion boards?
A Girl Named Disaster Group: http://steeldragonslair.wikispaces.com/message/list/A+Girl+Named+Disaster
Waiting for the Rain Group: http://steeldragonslair.wikispaces.com/message/list/Waiting+for+the+Rain

30. Blogs
A blog (short for web log) is a personal journal published on the Internet consisting of discrete
entries (posts) typically displayed in reverse chronological order so the most recent post appears
first. Blogs are usually the work of a single individual, occasionally of a small group, and often
are themes on a single subject.
Visitors (teachers, parents, or other students) may leave comments and even message each
other. As a form of social networking, it is this interactivity that distinguishes blogs from other
static websites. Many blogs provide commentary on a particular subject; other function as more
personal online diaries. A typical blog can combine text, images, and links to other sites and
other media related to its topic.
Reading Blog: http://steeldragonslair.wikispaces.com/Blog+Page
India Blog: http://steeldragonslair.wikispaces.com/India

31. Webquests
A Webquest, according to WebQuest.org, is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or
all the information that learners work with comes from the web. These can be created using
various programs, including a simple word processing document that includes links to websites.
Western African Folklore: http://steeldragonslair.wikispaces.com/Western+Africa
China: http://steeldragonslair.wikispaces.com/China

32. Summarizing Activity
 3 – Name three strategies you encountered
today about which you would like to learn
more.
 2 – Strategies covered today that you will
definitely use in your own classroom.
 1 – Suggestion for improving the presentation.

33. Contact Information
 jody.holleman@ashe.k12.nc.us
 kelly.holleman@ashe.k12.nc.us
 anna.thompson@ashe.k12.nc.us
 Ashe County Middle School
255 Northwest Lane
Warrensville, NC 29693
(336)384-3591