Thursday, January 28, 2010

Reading Strategies, Using Prior Knowledge Part 2

Yesterday's class focused on Using Prior Knowledge to help students read and understand their SSR book.  Today in Reading Workshop, we will look at how this skill appears when reading nonfiction.

Good readers constantly try to make sense out of what they read by seeing how it fits with what they already know. As you are reading, think of connections to the text from your experiences and background knowledge.

This article is from MSNBC/Washington Post.

This winter's extreme weather — with heavy snowfall in some places and unusually low temperatures — is in fact a sign of how climate change disrupts long-standing patterns, according to a new report by the National Wildlife Federation.


Read the entire article here.

As you are reading, list facts/information that you know that enables you to comprehend this article.

37 comments:

Ian L. said...

One thing that helped me understand this article is that in the winter it is cold and that is why there is snow. Another thing is that I knew what a pattern was so that helped me understand when they said that it disrupts long standing patterns. One other thing is to know what that article is about you would have to know what climate change is and I do know what that means and it means that the temperature is changing and making the climate different. One more thing that helped me understand that is that the National Wildlife Federation is a group that helps wildlife.

Eric D. said...

One thing that helped me understand that article is that the article is talking about harsh snowstorms hitting states and that it would be harder to travel in the snow and that people are having fun sledding. Another thing that helped me understand this article was that the weather would cancel lots of jobs and schools.

shawnW22 said...

1)That it is cold in the winter
2)That it is wild life
3)That the animals are geting cold
4)That some animals are dead from the coldnes
5)That it is snowy in the winter

Josh J. said...

Some prior knowledge I have that helped me understand the article is I know that winter is cold but sometimes it can be warm as in climate change. So when I read about climate change I understand what they mean.

I also know what global warming is where all the gas that comes from cars and other machines makes the climate warmer so I can understand when they are talking about the people who are worried about global warming.

Hadley said...

Some knowledge that I have that helped me comprehend the article Report: Harsh winter a sign of climate change is:
* I already know that winter is a cold season, so I can understand when MSNBC describes the extreme conditions.

*I know that climate is a fancy term for weather which helps me understand what MSNBC is talking about.

*I have prior knowledge about 2009 being a warm year, so I can believe MSNBC when they are talking about 2010 being really cold.

*In Public doubts, I know what "Global Warming" means, so I can understand why most Americans are concerned about it.

R.j B. said...

I think that it is trying to tell us that this year we have had the most amount of snowfall than we have had in almost two or three years.So here are some ways that helped me understand this article "Report: Harsh winter a sign of climate change"


1.)I know that we have heavy snowfall in some places and unusually low temperatures.


2.)I know that it's very hard for any of us to grasp how this larger warming trend is we're still having wintry weather.


3.) This showed me that we have a lot of snowfall this year People use skis and snow shoes on the National Mall
People use skis and snow shoes on the National Mall near the U.S. Capitol in Washington on December 20, after a ferocious snow storm blanketed much of the eastern U.S.

Hannah C said...

As I was reading this article, you had to have prior knowledge to understand the topic. Some of my prior knowledge was:

-I knew before I read what the National Wildlife Federation was. It is a group that helps save wildlife.
-You had to know what the weather was because that is what the whole article is about.
-I knew where the Great Lakes were and it talks a lot about the climate and weather up there.
- You also to know a lot about how the climate works and that in winter, it gets cold.
-You had to know what global warming was in order to understand the last part of the article.

MakaylaK22 said...

Some knowledge that helped me understand Harsh Winters is
1.I knew what National Wildlife Federation that is helps save wildlife.
2.I knew winter is very,very cold.
3. I knew that some places can get extremely cold.
4.I knew that it can snow heavy in places.

cassie said...

Here are some things that I used for this article called Harsh winter a sign of climate change

1)It is always cold in the winter
2)It is always some times snowing
3)My dog would die in the cold because he is tiny.
4)You can get barred in the snow because it can snow to much and you can go out side and die.
5)You can freeze from being out side if the tempter is under 0degress.
6)The coldness can freeze water and you can skate on it.

MicahL22 said...

I am reading the article "Harsh winter a sign of climate change". We are supposed to write a comment about Prior knowledge. Prior knowledge is when you can take something that you are reading and use what you already know and hook it up with what you are reading so that it makes more sense.

The following list are facts that help me understand this article:

1. Winter with heavy snow fall. I know how cold it gets and how much snow there was.
2. The climate. This article is mainly about climate, and I know what climate is so I know what the article is mainly about. The climate is the temperature around us the atmosphere around us.
3. The National Wildlife Federation. I what that is so I know what is happening. The National Wildlife Federation is the protection of animals.

codye22 said...

The things that helps me understand it more is the information like

1)It is snowy in the winter.
2)It is cold outside.
3)Some animals are dead from the coldness.
4)You can maybe die outside if you stay out to long.
5)the coldness can freeze water and it makes ice.

Madison H. said...

This is a list facts I used to comprehend this article about Harsh Winter:

1.Winter can be destructive
2.Charts are showing how the climates are changing over time
3.Intense snowstorms can be harmful
4.Moisture is water
5.Updates on the charts are helpful to determined how much the climate has changed over the years.
6.Water freezing is dangerous and can be harmful

marissah22 said...

Tmperatures is in fact a sign of how climate change why It's very hard for any of us to grasp how this larger warming trend . Why is happening when we're still having wintry weather The study charts how climate change is linked to more heavy precipitation, including intense snowstorms like the one that blanketed the D.C. It happend in 2007

Alysha P. said...

The things that my mom want me to be successful.

1)She hopes and dreams that i go to college.

2)The challenges that are a head of me are to get on honor roll

3)My parents want to see me accomplish is to be a doctor

4)The picture a better life for me by going to be successful

5)My mom sees my life half full

6)My mom hope's i will be a doctor or a lawyer in my future

Karly said...

As I was reading this article I figured out things that make the sentence less complicated for example:
1.Winter's extreme weather makes me think of a blizzard snow storm.
2.heavy snowfall makes me think of snow covering the ground and still snowing.
3.low temperatures makes me think of freezing cold.
4.long-standing patterns I know it has to repeat because it is a pattern like orange,blue,orange,blue.
5.National Wildlife Federation well it has to be a park with wildlife creatures and things like that.

That is how i break things down and you if you try you can do it too!

Nathan .N. said...

I had to read the report Harsh Winter a Sign of Climate Change on the web site http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35118098/ns/us_news-washington_post/.

Here are somethings that helped me understand it:

1)This winter's extreme weather, I know that the winter is bad, harsh and cold to help me understand it better.

2)With heavy snowfall, I know that the snow is coming down in big storms that come down hard.

3)Unusually low temperatures, I know that the temperatures are low and usually we have good weather.

4)Climate change is happening, I know that globule worming is happening more and more every day.

Hannah Hop said...

We were talking about Prior Knowledge in the Reading Workshop today. The Prior Knowledge that I know and understand from reading the article is listed below:

1) I know that the National Wildlife Federation is a group of people who work together to save wildlife.

2) I know that intense snowstorms involving heavy participation is bad for the climate.

3) I know what the talk about when they say a lot about the snow and heavy participation, because we had some of it here.

4) I know what they are talking about when they say the Great Lakes because we learned about them and they sometimes talk about it on the News.

5) I understand a little about climate change and global warming because I watch the News and sometimes my grandparents and parents talk about it.

This is some of the Prior Knowledge that I had while reading the article.

Shaylee said...

Today we had to read an article called Harsh Winter a Sign of Climate Change. We have to write about prior knowledge, prior knowledge is things in the article that help you understand it better.

1. I know what National Wildlife Federation is. The National Wildlife Federation is a program that helps animals.

2. I know what a Climate change is. A climate change is when you climate changes over the years.

3. Frozen water is vary dangerous especially when its not froze all the way.

4. I know what a snowstorm is. A snowstorm is when a whole lot of snow comes and blankets the ground.

Tyler B. said...

Today we had to read an article called " Harsh winter a sign of climate change". We have to write about prior knowledge, prior knowledge is what in a article or book makes you get it.

1. Winter can be dangerous.

2. Frozen water can be harmful.

3. Study charts are showing global warming.

4. cold weather can be harmful to people.

5.The climate is changing over the years.

6. Many animals die by getting really cold & hungry.

Destiny said...

As I read
Harsh Winter a sign of Climate I thought of some prior knowledge. Here are a few things I thought of.


1) The picture gave me a head start on knowing what it would be about.

2) Another thing is when they say harsh weather it reminds me of car crashes.

3)When they say heavy snow balls it reminds me of ice storms.

Theses are a few things.

Codyk said...

I am reading Harsh winter a sign of climate change. We are supposed to write about prior knowledge. Prior knowledge is take something that you are reading and use to what you know.

1.The winter weather with heavy snow fall. I know this because there is a lot of snow falling.

2.Low temperatures. I know this because it is cold out.

3.Climate changes. I know this because the temperatures are increasing and decreasing.

Branden M said...

Today I read a article called "Harsh Winter a sign of Climate Change". I am going to tell you how I understood the article.

1.I know what a heavy snow fall looks like.

2. I know how dangerous frozen rain can be.

3. I have seen frozen rain.

Brandon C. said...

As I read Harsh Winter a Sign of Climate Change I used my prior knowledge to picture some of the things. Here is a list of the things that I used prior knowledge to see and examples of what I saw.

1)"This winter's extreme weather — with heavy snowfall", I read this and pictured the BAD snowstorm that I had last winter.

2)"Heavy precipitation, including intense snowstorms", I know what they are talking about because last winter there was hail that knocked the windows out of cars.

3)"unusually low temperatures", I know what low temperatures feel like because last winter it was so cold that my dad's truck tires were made out of ice.

Garrett said...

We are learning how to use Prior knowledge. We have to write a comment about prior knowledge on a MSNBC report on harsh winter weather.

1.I know what they are talking about when they say disconnect it made me think of disconnecting a game system.

2.When they said The Great Lakes that made me think of a big lake.

3.I know what freezing is because I use prior knowledge,it is when water is hard and made me think of when the roads had ice all over them in winter.

Nash C. said...

Today we read an article called Harsh Winter A Sign Of Climate Change. Here is a list of information I used to understand the article.
1. Global Warming is caused by greenhouse gas emission
2. Global Warming is melting the ice caps
3. Climate change is when the temperature changes
4. Heavy snowfall usually means no school

Kennedy said...

Today in the Reading Workshop we have to use prior knowledge to get what we are reading.

1. When it is cold it snows.

2. When climate changes the temperature changes.

3. When the temperature rises it gets hot out.

4. A pattern is something that repeats.

5. Extreme is something that is over the top.

Kasi R. said...

When reading the MSNBC report we had to have prior knowledge to figure it out.

1.I knew winter weather can be dangerous if it freezes.

2.I had to know climate change is about Global warming and how it changes.

3.I know that the winter weather has changed over the years.

4.The different snow levels can help you know bad it is.

Hannah Hart. said...

As we are learning about Prior Knowledge, we read an article about harsh winter signs and this is some prior knowledge that I had for it,

1.Cold weather sometimes means freezing.

2.Climate change is Global Warming.

3.Extreme weather can be very dangerous.

4.Heavy snow fall can mean that people can't get to work or school.

Jacob A said...

Today while I read MSNBC report about the harsh winter I used some prior knowledge to help me understand better.

1. Winter can be harmful.
2. It can be very cold.
3. Heavy snowfall can be dangerous.
4. I know that freezing where moisture gets to cold and turns to a solid.
5. Heavy snowfall could mean a blizzard.

Beth E. said...

We are learning about prior knowledge in the Reading Workshop today. Here are some of the things that help me to understand a MSNBC report on harsh weather.
1. When it said moisture I know that means water.
2. I know that Carbon Dioxide is a gas in the air that is the plant's air.
3. Climate change is when the weather changes.
4. Global warming is were the planet is getting hotter.
5. Participate means that you join in to something. An example is you join in on the conversation.
6. Priority means that you have to do it.
7. I know that extreme weather is weather that is worst that usual.
8. I know that a federation is a group of people.

Katie H said...

Today in class we read an MSNBC report on the harsh winter weather they are having in Washington D.C. We have to use prior knowledge.

1.I knew that the winter weather their having is very cold when the temperature drops, it can also freese

2.The patterens of winter weather would include snow and very cold freeseing

3.I know weather changes over the years

Jacob P. said...

Today while I read the MSNBC Report: Harsh Winter a sign of climate change,I used some prior knowledge. Here are some ways I used it.
1)As I read and its allies in Congress I knew from playing so many Medal of Honor games, what Allies meant.
2)Also as I was reading on I saw carbon dioxideI remember going to science class, talking about plants and how we need Oxygen and plants need Carbon Dioxide.
3)The second is reduce, I remember talking also in science about how we need to Recycle, Reuse and reduce.
4)On again down the line, I read urgency. I remember dad yelling at me to get his walky because it urgent. So I knew it meant really important.
5)

Justin P. said...

Today, Mr. McGuire told us to list our prior knowledge on winter weather. This is my list:

1. I know that many people don't even care about climate change.

2. I knew how bad winter weather can be.

3. I knew what will happen to the Earth if we don't do something about climate change.

4. I already knew that 2009 tied as the second warmest year on record.

5. I knew that global warming was listed at a low priority.

6. I knew that people don't care about the Earth as much as they used to.

Bethany K. said...

We are learning how to use prior knowledge on a MSNBC report on harsh weather. Her are sometthings I know:

1. While the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report loat week in 2009 tied as the second-warmest year on record.

2.57% of prople said global warming "is happening".

3.50% of people said they were "very" or "somewhat" worried about global warming.

Destiny P said...

Today we have to make a list of Prior Knowledge

1. That climate change is about the temperature
2.I know that Wednesday is a day of the week
3.I know that they are talking about the Great Lakes region
4.I know that when they are talking about when the lakes freezing
5. I know that when they were talking about unusually low temperatures means that not conmen
6. I know when they talk about winter's extreme weather means winter us the worse part of the year .

JimmyC. said...

When I read the MSNBC Report:Harsh Winter A Sign Of Climate Change.

1)With the huge amount of snowfall it makes it hard for the public to beleive that we are having Global Warming.
2)The Great Lakes region is going to get more snow.
3)The current recession has a bigger priority on the nations mind.
4)Washington D.C has unusually low temps. this years winter.

Savannah M. said...

This is a list of facts I use to comprehend this article about harsh winter.

* Winter can be harmful to homes and even people.
* Coldness can make water freeze.
* Coldness can also make you die because of hypothermia.
* Winter can keep kids from going to school.