Metacognition Strategy for Small Group

Welcome Back!  I hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing break!  I sure did!!!  This week,  I know you spent lots of time getting your kiddos back into the swing of being back at school. (I spent time getting myself back into the swing of being back too!) 

On the blog, I wanted to bring back an oldie but a goodie!  Metacognition!  U know I love it!  As you know, explicit instruction is crucial for young readers.  Modeling your thinking is just one way you can address metacognition during your literacy block.  In the past, we have used our Think Bubbles & Reading Salad. 

Check out this video all about Metacognition for a quick refresher! 

I came across a new Strategy that I know it will be super powerful in small groups!  Here is how to get started! 

In large group, read a text and point out what parts of the text triggered your thinking.  (Recording those thoughts in a think bubble would beneficial for them to refer back to.) This is your explicit modeling time!

Such as:

Aha moments

Questions

Connections

Inferences

Small Group Metacognition Strategy

Guess my Thoughts!!!! 

I love this activity and so will your kiddos!  It is a perfect activity to reinforce your large group modeling. Guess my Thoughts fits perfectly into small group and  to centers.  Simply choose a text and record your thinking as you read a section on sticky notes. (This would be great for one of our F & P books.  Then use it in your small group or copy the section being used for centers.) 

• Show the students your sticky notes first and read your thoughts in no specific order.   
• Allow them to then read the text and guess what parts of the text triggered your thoughts.  (I would copy the page and label where Post its may occur.)
• Pass out small posts its, one with a smile, star and square.  Ask students to place their post its in front of them matching where they occur in the text.   
• Be sure that they pin point what part of the text they think triggered your thinking. 
• Allow students to choose one of the sticky notes and write how they feel about your words.  Do they agree or disagree and why?
  

  This sheet will work beautifully for a center work activity! Just click the image to download a copy!

Hope this is helpful!