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Title: A Field Guide to Your Community

Authors: Sara Murphy, Traci Dibble

Year of publication: 2018

Summary:

This book provides information about a community. Touches concepts of what makes a community, the role each individual plays to support it and the interrelationship with other members. This book also intends to motivate students to think critically as it presents opportunities to decide about the areas that are a need for a community and differentiate them from the wants individuals can have. At the same time, it shows the different jobs in the community and discusses salaries versus the activities a person can do in such a job.

Reasoning about book selection

When it comes to selecting a mentor text, it is important to be mindful about it. In this case it is important to keep in mind the objectives of the unit, just as Cappello & Walker (2014, p. 25) pointed out. For example, the end project that students needed to complete, required for them to have an understanding of community and the different aspects that form it. Students are expected to select a job in the community and learn the responsibility from it in order to be able to defend their position at the end of the project. While the book does not provide specific details of the job, it does provide the expectations for how the variety of positions in the community work.

Since students have to complete a document describing their job and the importance of it in the community, the text supports examples of the preparation and responsibilities that it has. While the wording might be overwhelming, the text follows the advice from  Cappello & Walker (2014, p. 25) where it supports the words with images and graphics that make it easier to understand and maintain engagement.

At the same time, the text uses students' background knowledge in the examples that it presents  (Cappello & Walker 2014, p. 25) , in order to connect with students and enrich the learning. For example, one of the debate questions is about the importance of firefighters, which is a job all students know since it is introduced in previous grade levels, as well as it is a role that is well liked among elementary students.

One can also see that with the example of the firefighter, the author’s intention goes beyond the usual talk about how cool a firefighter is, instead, the author uses it to create awareness of the relationship between jobs’ responsibilities and payments. (Cappello & Walker 2014, p. 25)

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According to the American Reading Company (2024), the Lexile level is 575L for A Field Guide to Your Community, when correlating it to Fountas & Pinnell, the reading level is O. Following the Reading Level Conversion Chart from Action Potential Learning (2017), this is a level that could be considered an appropriate independent reading level text for second, third and fourth graders that are at grade level in their reading skills. Ideally, this book is planned to be read in an interactive whole group read-aloud to encourage group discussions.

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The text is informational, in other words it is non-fiction. When analyzing the text using the Text Complexity: Qualitative Measures Rubric INFORMATIONAL TEXT, we can understand that the authors talk about community and how it is formed but they do not provide specific information about the purpose of the books, although it is easily identified.

Considering that this text was created to inform students in second and third grade, the organization allows one to find the connection between the main idea and details from the text, in a simple way to follow. On the other hand, the text features become complex, as they are relevant to help students read and understand the text. Which creates a balance with the use of graphics, that while they are not fully necessary, they offer clarification and enrich the text.

Since this text is used in a bilingual classroom environment, it is appreciated for the simplicity of the language that is explicit and straight forward. This also goes to the vocabulary, that while it offers students the opportunity to increase their repertoire, it is not overly complicated and as well as the sentences that use simple structures.

The text uses popular knowledge to build new concepts, where they connect literacy information with mathematics (with the use of graphs and money) and social studies standards. They also enrich the text information making use of resources from other sites.

Taking all this into consideration, it is important to notice that the text is aimed to be Tier 1 and the level of complexity is for students in that grade level. This kind of text might be too complicated for students that are below grade level. In this case, students can be paired with others that can provide them support.

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Text Complexity-Qualitative Measures - Rubric and questions

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This book provides vast information about the community, what it does and the responsibilities individuals and entities have. Thanks to the visuals, one can say that one of the benefits from this text is that it is easy to navigate. One of the things that can be highlighted from this text is that it uses prior knowledge that students have and connects it with new ideas (Buehl, 2017, p. 5). Another benefit from this text is that students can determine the importance of the information because it scaffolds the different ideas from the most simple one to the complex. This can also be counterproductive because while proficient students will be able to thrive with this text, students that underperform, will struggle to comprehend if they read it independently. (Buehl, 2017, p. 5)

While this text might seem overwhelming at first. It is important to mention that it is not meant to be read all at once. Students are expected to read a portion at the time, where they can identify the main idea of the section, this way they can have a better understanding of the events that are occurring in the text. (Buehl, 2017, p. 5). As noticed, this text can be use to teach main idea and details, something that falls short is to implement reading strategies that students can use to support the reading comprehension, particularly when it comes to students that are working in decoding, in this case, it makes students focus on reading the words, rather than understanding the information.  (Buehl, 2017, p. 5).

Since reading comprehension might be one of the biggest challenges of this book, one of the solutions that can be used is to differentiate the lesson, for students who are struggling with the text, the educator can emphasize in the skills students know or can use to their advantage. One of the tools students could use is the visuals in the text, let them see what they observe, share what they know and what they can interpret. (Buehl, 2017, p. 7). Another tool can be to interpret key words, introduce them to students and connect it to the text this way, students can create an interpretation of the text. (Buehl, 2017, p. 9).

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Mini set -  Rural, Suburban, and Urban with Annie & Moby. 

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Mini set -  Rural, Suburban, and Urban with Annie & Moby. 

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Summary

The text narrates the living of a child who lives in a suburban area. This child has not had too much interaction with the different communities that can exist, urban and rural. The child does have friends who live in other environments. Through the living of the friends the child can have a better understanding of the rural and urban community.

Supplemental text reasoning of selection

During this unit, students are learning about the community. In order to understand how their community works, it is ideal that they understand how other communities work, too. This allows space to deepen into the interrelationship between communities and become more mindful of the different environments that other people live in. While the core text covers information about the different communities, the video can help activate background knowledge and work as an opportunity for all students to have a better understanding the purpose of the text.

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Reader Considerations Evaluation Guide - Rural, Suburban, and Urban with Annie & Moby  

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Reader Considerations Evaluation Guide - Rural, Suburban, and Urban with Annie & Moby  

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This text serves as a mirror for students by reflecting their cultural and linguistic identities. The protagonist's age, appearance, suburban environment, and use of simple vocabulary resonate with students, making the content relatable and understandable. By explaining key vocabulary, the text ensures accessibility, helping students connect with the material (Buehl, 2017). Furthermore, it supports students' interest in exploring their backgrounds and heritage by encouraging them to articulate their identities and ask meaningful questions to deepen their understanding.

As a window, the text introduces marginalized or often-overlooked cultural and linguistic histories in schools. It moves beyond traditional cultural markers such as values and traditions, offering perspectives on diverse responsibilities and experiences of children their age (Parker, 2022). This broadens students’ understanding of societal dynamics and encourages empathy by showcasing different ways of life.

The text’s visual and multimodal format enhances engagement, utilizing simple vocabulary and relatable imagery to draw students in (Buehl, 2017). It supports students’ abilities to access the text through visual comprehension, active listening, and collaborative discussions. This framework allows students to decode and interpret information effectively.

Analyzing and critiquing the text strengthens students' critical thinking, enabling them to link the material to unit activities and develop as global citizens (Gallagher et al., 2019). With limited background knowledge about diverse communities, students are encouraged to question assumptions about shared experiences, promoting curiosity and open-mindedness.

The text also connects to broader societal issues and community dynamics. It fosters awareness of how others’ experiences and practices influence and enrich the community. By engaging with this text, students are inspired to critique societal norms and consider actions that promote inclusion and understanding, bridging classroom learning with real-world issues.

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Mini set - Local and state governments with Annie & Moby

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Mini set - Local and state governments with Annie & Moby

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Summary

This multimodal text describes the roles of the local and state governments and how they relate to each other. It shares the different activities that both leaderships do to keep the community going, as well as the reasons for laws and regulations. The text also explains expectations for how leaders are selected.

Supplemental text reasoning of selection

One of the main reasons it is that it supports the core text that relates to the community. It supports new concepts that otherwise could be confusing or too complex for students. It also provides relevant information and can be comprehend from students in the different reading levels.

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Reader Considerations Evaluation Guide - Local and state governments with Annie & Moby. 

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Reader Considerations Evaluation Guide - Local and state governments with Annie & Moby. 

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This text serves as both a mirror and a window for students, reflecting their cultural and linguistic identities while introducing them to marginalized perspectives. It connects with students' daily lives by exploring community dynamics that influence their activities and foster meaningful associations. The text encourages students to find their voice, empowering them to recognize their impact on the community without losing their identity. It also expands their understanding of how their local and state governments function, addressing gaps in their knowledge.

The format of the text, including visual representations, engages students by offering relatable examples and enriching their comprehension. Differentiated lessons allow accessibility for students at varying performance levels, supporting their ability to decode, interpret, analyze, and critique the material. The text inspires critical thinking and promotes informed citizenship by linking content to unit activities and offering unique perspectives.

Given recent elections, students' interest in government-related topics is reflected in the text, making it relevant to their lives. It highlights governmental responsibilities, helping students connect school content to broader social issues. By understanding how elections work and the expectations placed on governments, students are inspired to take informed actions that support their communities and develop a deeper sense of social responsibility.

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Literacy Strategies - Rural, Suburban, and Urban with Annie & Moby.

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Literacy Strategies - Rural, Suburban, and Urban with Annie & Moby.

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Literacy Strategies - Local and state governments with Annie & Moby.

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Literacy Strategies - Local and state governments with Annie & Moby.

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References

Action Potential Learning. (2017). Reading Level Conversion Chart.

Buehl, D. (2017). Classroom strategies for interactive learning. Stenhouse Publishers.

Buehl, D. (2017). Developing readers in the academic disciplines. Stenhouse Publishers.

Cappello, M., & Walker, N. T. (2014). Choosing Visual Text. Shell Education, 23-35.

Dyches, J., Boyd, A. S., Baker, K., & Kaulfuss, A. (2023). Power tools: 30 critical  disciplinary literacy strategies for 6-12 classrooms. Myers Education Press.

Gallagher, J., Swalwell, K., & Bellows, E. (2019). “Pinning” with Pause: Supporting Teachers’ Critical Consumption on Sites of Curriculum Sharing. Social Education, 83(4), 217-224.

Lannin, A., Juergensen, R., Smith, C., Abdelnaby, H., Garderen, D. V., Folk, W., Palmer, T., & Pinkston, L. (2020). Multimodal text sets to use literature and engage all learners in the science classroom. Science Scope, 44(2), 20-28. https://doi.org/10.1080/08872376.2020.12291370

Parker, K. N. (2022). Literacy is liberation: Working toward justice through culturally relevant teaching. ASCD.

Rice, M. F., & Ortiz, K. R. (2021). Evaluating digital instructional materials for K-12 online and blended learning. TechTrends, 65(6), 977-992. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-021-00671-z

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Honor Statement without Generative AI Tools
o I affirm that I have not given or received any unauthorized help on this
assignment, including generative AI tools. This work is my own and reflects my
own thinking and writing

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Self-Reflection for the Disciplinary Literacy Strategy Portfolio Project

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Self-Reflection for the Disciplinary Literacy Strategy Portfolio Project

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Self-Reflection for the Disciplinary Literacy Strategy Portfolio Project.JPG