Maci Majors

04/11/16

Teaching Reading: Mini Lesson Format (Calkins, 2001)

Targeted Literacy Strategy or Skill: Evaluate infographics by looking for the authors perspective
and compare it with their own thinking and ideas.
Grade level: 4th and up
Objective: The students will be able to determine what the author thinks is important and counter the
message with their own opinions.
Common Core State Standard/ PASS Standard:
RI.4.8 Informational Text
Explain how an author uses images to support particular points in a text.
Prior knowledge: (What students already know)
Ask questions of the text
Observations/Rationale: (Before Lesson) What did you notice in your students work that let you
know this lesson was necessary? (This will be an approximation this semester.)
I noticed the students were not distinguishing the authors opinion from their own.

Materials Needed
Lesson from (Name your source including page number): Intermediate Lesson 20, evaluating
infographics. Pgs 193-202
Mentor Text: Infographic Dogs and Cats: Pets and Beyond
Materials: ipads, document camera, and different infographics
Student Groups (whole/small group/partners): whole group and partners
Mini Lesson Format:
Connect (AKA~ Anticipatory Set, Engagement/Pre-reading):
Good morning class! We are now going to build off of Georgias lesson. Today we are going to
think about the author and ask ourselves these questions: What does the author of this text think?
How do we know? How does that differ from what we think? We need to be able to distinguish
what is actually in the text from our own thoughts and opinions.

Teach (Model/Explain)
Does anyone know what an infographic is? (take some student responses) Infographics are a
really visual way to present a variety of information about a topic. Let me show you. (put
infographic: Dogs and Cats: Pets and Beyond on the document camera) You can see that the
infographic is very colorful and has a ton of information and facts. With infographics, there is so
much to look at! So it may take some time to fully read. This infographic is very organized

because each little text box is numbered so we have a path to follow visually. While we read this
infographic, I am going to be thinking about the important information and ideas presented. I also
need to be thinking about how this information is presented because I want to determine the
authors thinking about this topic. Infographics usually have a message and its important to figure
out what it is. When I first looked at this infographic I was shocked. The title on the website says
When Dogs and Cats go beyond Being Pets. Right away, I was thinking about all those pet
owners who dress up their animals, spoiling them and treating them like real humans! Now lets
look at the introduction paragraph at the top. (read paragraph) It is giving a lot of facts and history,
but look at this line right here: Its no surprise how much these furry companions make a positive
difference in both our daily lives and our world. Lets turn and talk to our elbow partners, can you
tell what the authors thoughts are about dogs and cats? Do you think this infographic is going to
talk about any negatives of having a pet? Are there any downsides to having a pet? (let students
share some of their answers)

Active Engagement (AKA~ Check for Understanding: students try it out, teacher observes):
Lets see if the author talks about any of the downsides to pet ownership or if the writer just
chooses positive things to say. When we read we want to make sure we understand exactly what
the authors point of view is. Take a few minutes and read over these first few paragraphs. (give
them a few a minutes to read) Now lets turn and talk with a neighbor. What else can we tell about
this authors point of view? What specific part of the text supports it? (I will go around the room,
listening in on student conversations) (I will then get the class attention, and we have a class
discussion over the infographic!)

Link (AKA~ Closing the Lesson [with accountability for the skill/process])
Next time you see an infographic, you will be able to read it and find the authors point of view
and message, but will also be able to distinguish your own opinion from the authors. You now
know how to identify what the author is thinking by referring to specific parts or examples in the
texts to support their thinking.