• Choose routines that support skills in questioning, inferring, and connecting 
• Use of text sets to help students build background knowledge and connections 
• Weave in hands-on, nature-based learning experiences to bring text-based learning to life (planting, gardening) 

Comprehension & meaning making 

Throughout the year, we continued to ground our practice in a few thinking routines: CSI, See/Think/Wonder, and Explode an Image. These routines were chosen to support language development and building background knowledge. They also provided opportunities for students to make connections. In addition, the use of text sets with similar themes proved to be supportive for learners in finding text to text connections. Finally, by engaging in land-based learning in the garden, students were able to make meaning from text to world. 

Spring RFRA results

Spring reading assessment results showed an improvement in fluency, decoding, and some comprehension skills. In particular: 

Questioning: in the area of questioning, 30% more students reached proficiency by Spring. 

Connecting: in the area of connecting, 20% more students reached proficiency by Spring. 

Inferencing: in the area of inferencing, 15% more students reached proficiency by Spring.  

While there was improvement in our focus areas of connecting, questioning, and inferencing, we noticed there could be further growth in making connections. We wondered why the growth wasn’t as significant as we had expected. Our hunch is that perhaps students need more experience in building background knowledge through hands-on learning, connection to Land/Place, as well as carefully curated text sets. We will continue to use strategies such as Explode an Image/Text and a variety of picture and text sets to grow this area of learning.