READER'S WORKSHOP MINI LESSONS

Reader's Workshop: Determining Importance

Deciding what's important is a skill that's necessary to have in life.  When packing for a trip, planning a party, choosing details for a story, or reading to learn/enjoy, determining importance comes into play throughout the day!  In this unit, students begin by learning/noticing that we decide importance throughout our day.  We transfer this knowledge to reading and participate in lessons that help us understand the difference between main ideas and supporting details.  The unit focuses on both fiction and nonfiction texts.  Students learn about the differences and similarities in both by focusing on how each is organized.  A big part of the unit is determining author's purpose.

As you read through the minilessons you'll notice that there aren't many book-specific lessons.  Instead, I try to focus on getting the main bones/structure of the Determining Importance process down, and then the knowledge we have about Determining Importance can be applied to any book we are reading independently, in partnerships, or in small groups throughout the year.

• Reading Strategies Scope and Sequence: 

• Reading Strategies Posters: 

• Determining Importance Mini Lessons  

• Show and Share Recording Sheet