Schema

Way back when {2011 to be exact}, I did this teeny post about "schema."  My lessons & blog posts have certainly evolved since then-praise Jesus!  I introduced schema to my firsties last week and they have been loving it!  We began with some discussion and compared the experiences of a gym shoe to the experiences of a high heel shoe.  We talked about how they see and do different things, much like we see and do different things and have different experiences in our lives.  This makes the concept of schema much easier for students to understand.

Next, I introduced some posters as a visual.  The one on the right is free and I found it here from "The Reading Mama."  On day 2, we reviewed schema and did some activation with our schema on bears.  Why bears?  Because I wanted a non-fiction book and it was the first one I grabbed! LOL! I gave each child a sticky note and had them write something they already "knew" about bears.  We read them aloud and placed them on the poster.  Then, we read the bear book and much to everyone's surprise, we learned some things that we didn't know prior! Bears eat fruit and run faster than people!!!  We talked about how our schema can evolve and change. Everyone got another sticky note after the reading and they got to write something new that they added to their schema.

On the third day, we used sticky notes again {fun!!} and made these schema booklets from "The Teaching Reef."  These were a hit with the kids!

I think I'll go back to the old lint roller analogy as a wrap-up!  What resources/fun things do you use to teach schema?

xo
Megan 

Schema

We have been working on "schema" the past week.  We hit it briefly earlier in the year, and are coming back to take a more in-depth look at it now.  I use this anchor chart that I made as a visual reference for the kids. 

Prior to reading a new book, particularly in reading group, we activate our schema.  We discuss what we know about a certain topic.  Sometimes, I will have students write on a sticky note something that they know about the topic.  We will place the sticky notes under "Schema" on a poster.  Then, after reading the book for several days, the students will write a new sticky note with something they learned from the book that they hadn't known about before.  We will place these sticky notes under "New Schema" on the same poster. 

To get kids' attention prior to reading, you can use a "schema roller."  Just use a lint roller for this. Roll it along each student's shirt, asking them to share one thing they know about a topic.  After reading (preferably the next day), have them share one NEW thing they have learned from the story.   Re-roll them with the lint roller.  Let them see that the old lint (old schema) is still on the lint roller and now there is new lint (new schema) to add to it. 


Another idea for teaching schema is to use two different shoes.  Discuss how each shoe has a different schema, because it's been different places.  IE: A high heel may have been to a party, and know a lot about parties, while a work boot may have been outside in the mud, and know a lot about the outside.