Kate

Bowski

WholeBrainTeaching.com

Third Grade Reading Power Pix

Developed by Kate Bowski

Design & idea created by Chris Biffle

For more information, visit

Whole Brain Teaching

Third Grade Reading Power Pix

This document highlights 22 topics specific to 3rd grade Reading as defined by the Common Core State Standards. Based on an idea conceived by Chris Biffle, founder of Whole Brain Teaching, these pictures can be used to actively teach students the core concepts of a 3rd grade reading program. Each Power Pix references the standards in which the word is addressed: Reading: Literature (RL) and Reading: Informational Text (RI).

Using Power Pix and Whole Brain Teaching methods, learning becomes multi-modal, thereby solidifying the concepts in students’ brains. When used as a teaching tool, the Power Pix help the teacher with gestures and definitions to attach to each concept. Whether printed out or projected on a screen, these Power Pix give the students a visual reference for all major Reading concepts. When posted in the room, the Power Pix become an interactive resource for students to use as a review tool. Imagine filling every spare moment of classroom time by having students review with each other content specific topics. Now that’s maximizing instruction!

The following slide shows how to use each pix.

Common Core StandardReading: Literature (RL)Reading: Informational Text (RI)

Question and Answer for the topic

Grade Level

Concept Word – colors represent syllables to help students with pronunciation

Picture representing the key word of the standard

Gesture

The blue background on these slides identifies them as part of the Language Arts concepts. Math concepts have a red background.

Sample Power Pix Lesson

Each WBT lesson follows a format.1. Question – tell students the question and they repeat2. Answer – give the answer with a gesture. 3. Expand – use examples to scaffold instruction about concept4. Evaluate – quick assessment to guide instruction5. Critical Thinking – students begin to internalize the concept

Question: What does it mean to compare?Answer: To compare means to tell how things are similar.  Teaching Suggestions:Use Coach B’s Common Core Ebook, “What is comparing?” to introduce the idea of comparing.Move students away from pictures and ask them to find similarities between given people, places, or things.Using stories read in class, compare characters, settings, and plots. 

Sample Power Pix Lesson (con’t.)

Q/T (Quick Test):Comparing is telling how things are alike.The gesture for comparing is wiggling our fingers.Is this a comparison? A hand has five fingers and a foot has five toes.Is this a comparison? Birds have feathers but fish don’t have feathers.Is this a comparison? Chairs have four legs and desks have four legs.

 Critical Thinking:

Use Coach B’s “What is Comparing?” Ebook to generate student written sentences using sentence frames. For example:

Think about all the cars you have seen. Write sentences comparing them.

Cars have many similarities. First, they all have _________. Second, each one has _______. Third, all cars have ______. Finally, _____.

Tie comparing into your curriculum:Rocks and minerals are similar because ____________________.Addition and multiplication are similar because _______________.Causes of the Civil War and the American Revolution can be compared.

For example, _______________________. 

Gesture: Hold left hand palm up. “Write” on it with right index finger.

Question: What is an author?Answer: A person who writes a text.

Third Grade

RL 3.6

Gesture: Put both hands out to your sides. Swing one hand overhead and down onto your other hand.

Question: What is cause and effect?Answer: When one event makes another happen.

Third Grade

RI 3.3, 3.8

Gesture: Draw a circle on open palm. (moral/lesson) Point to head. (teaches)

Question: What is a central message?Answer: The lesson or moral the story teaches.

Third Grade

RL 3.2

Gesture: Using two fingers on each hand, walk your fingers through the air, as if they were charactersrunning around in a story. Then make talking motion with hand, point to head, churn arms like a steam train.

Question: What is a character trait?Answer: The type of person a character is based on what they say, think, or do.

Third Grade

RL 3.3

Gesture: Clasp hands together.

Question: What does it mean to compare?Answer: To tell how things are alike.

Third Grade

RL 3.9RI 3.9

Gesture: With hands flat and open next to each other, close them as if you were closing a book.

Question: What is a conclusion?Answer: A final outcome. It brings something to an end.

Third Grade

RL 3.5

Gesture: Bump fists together then move them apart.

Question: What does it mean to contrast?Answer: To tell how things are different.

Third Grade

RL 3.9RI 3.9

Gesture: Move hands down front of body 3 times as if showing layers. (facts) Put hands in air as if holding something above head. (support)

Question: What is a detail?Answer: Details are facts or ideas that support the main idea.

Third Grade

RI 3.2, 3.9

Gesture: Wave finger in air as if saying “no”. Open hands like a book.

Question: What is fiction?Answer: Fiction is a made up story.

Third Grade

RL 3.2

Gesture: Make talking gesture by mouth, shake hand (like a salt shaker), use finger like writing.

Question: What is figurative language?Answer: Words or phrases that add spice to our writing.

Third Grade

RL 3.4

Gesture: Point to head. “Write” on hand with finger. Close hands together as if closing a book.

Question: What is an inference?Answer: When I put together what I know with what the author writes to draw a conclusion. Third

GradeRL 3.3

Gesture: Hold palm up and draw a circle with your finger around your palm.

Question: What is a main idea?Answer: The big idea of the whole story or paragraph.

Third Grade

RI 3.2

Gesture: Clasp hands together. (compare) Shake finger (no). Hold out one palm and then the other. (like or as)

Question: What is a metaphor?Answer: A metaphor is a comparison of two things without using like or as.

Third Grade

RL 3.4

likeas

Gesture: Hold hands open as if reading a book then make talking gesture with hand.

Question: What is a narrator?Answer: Someone who tells a story.

Third Grade

RL 3.6

Gesture: Open hands like a book. Move hands 3 times down front of body as if showing layers.

Question: What is nonfiction?Answer: Nonfiction is a text full of facts and information.

Third Grade

RI 3.2

Gesture: Point to watch on arm (time) and circle hands in front of you with palms flat (place)

Question: What is setting?Answer: The time or place where a story takes place.

Third Grade

RL 3.9

Gesture: Move hand left, middle, and right across body.

Question:What is plot?Answer: The events in the beginning, middle and end of a story.

Third Grade

RL 3.9

Gesture: Put hands up to eyes like holding binoculars.

Question: What is perspective?Answer: A way of looking at things.

Third Grade

RL 3.6RI 3.6

Gesture: Hold hands out to side and shrug shoulders. Pound fist on open palm as if hammering.

Question: What is a problem?Answer: A question or conflict characters work through.

Third Grade

RL 3.5

Gesture: Hold up 1, 2, then 3 fingers.

Question: What is a sequence?Answer: An order in which things happen.

Third Grade

RL3.3RI 3.3, 3.8

Gesture: Clasp hands together. (compare) Hold out one palm and then the other. (like or as)

Question: What is a simile?Answer: A simile is a comparison of two things using like or as.

Third Grade

RL 3.4

likeas

Gesture: Pretend to take a picture, draw a box, make fists and open them wide one at a time for “bold words”.

Question: What is a text feature?Answer: Things like photos, maps, or bold words that help me understand a text.

Third Grade

RI 3.5