Anchor Charts for Making Meaning

Three anchor charts used for making meaning.

The TIP (term, information, picture) anchor chart is used for student friendly understanding of new vocabulary and  visualizing  interesting words.  Add words to this anchor chart with each read aloud used in your classroom.  Soon students' word consciousness will raise and they will be bringing words to you for the TIP chart.

The Five Finger Retell is a quick turn and talk activity for students to construct meaning from a literacy text.  This form of retell works well for the 'Read to Self' and 'Read to Someone' portions of the Daily 5.

For an informational text, use the thumb for the main idea and the fingers for details that support the main idea.  

Click or Clunk intervention from Intervention Central  is a self monitoring strategy.  Students are not always aware of when meaning breaks down.  Click or clunk raises this awareness and gives students strategies when meaning does break down. After students read a paragraph or page, ask students to retell what they have just read (who and what). If they are able to retell, students say "click."  If not able to retell, students say "clunk."  Each "clunk" is an opportunity for modeling and practicing a comprehension strategy at the word or meaning level.

Thoughts and suggestions are appreciated.