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2. Work Time

A. Determining the Main Idea of “Tackling the Trash”

Expeditionary Learning Teacher and Student Actions The teacher distributes “Tackling the Trash” and the Determining the Main Idea and Key Details task card. The teacher explains that the text tells the story of Chad Pregracke. Students are encouraged to think how they might include ideas for this text in their VoiceThread. Students read and teacher circulates, giving support when needed. As students begin working on their main idea statements, the teacher asks questions to individuals, small groups, and the class about what is helping them determine the main idea and what the text is about. Students share their main idea statements with a partner. Selected students share main idea with whole class.

AIR Additional Supports This text will be too challenging for most ELLs to read cold and figure out main ideas and details. Besides the text complexity, it is not that obvious what the main ideas are because the text is more of a narrative about activities related to cleaning the river from trash. Use the new activities that follow to help all ELLs read and understand the text: Previewing the Text (AIR new activity 1 for Determining the Main Idea) Enhancing Background Knowledge (AIR new activity 2 for Determining the Main Idea) Acquiring and Using Vocabulary (AIR new activity 3 for Determining the Main Idea) Minilesson on Context Clues (AIR new activity 4 for Determining the Main Idea) Reading for Main Ideas and Details (AIR new activity 5 for Determining the Main Idea) Use student charts that accompany these activities to provide students with opportunities to see the questions and record responses. Examples are provided below. After students comprehend the text, have them share their ideas with a partner. ELLs who are in entering and emerging stages of proficiency would ideally be partnered with a bilingual classmate.