Creating and Using Text SetsElementary

What is a Text Set? A text set is a collection of related

texts organized around a topic or line of inquiry.

A text set includes information in many modalities, including print, audio, visual.

Examples could be podcasts, news footage, photographs, drawings, artifacts, sculptures, and paintings, including primary sources.

Text Sets and the Iowa Core The CCSS focus on building student ability to

read and understand grade-level complex text and express that understanding clearly through writing and speaking.

The Standards emphasize the role of close engagement with text in students building knowledge about the world.

A coherent sequence of texts around a clear topic or line of inquiry will support students in building vocabulary and background knowledge.

Text sets are one tool for educators in planning units of instruction to help students meet the demands of the CCSS.

Shifts Building knowledge through content-rich

nonfiction and informational texts Reading and writing grounded in

evidence from the text Regular practice with complex text and

its academic vocabulary

Where does using multiple texts appear in the Standards?Reading: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

R.CCR.7: Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.

R.CCR.9: Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take

Writing: Research to Build and Present Knowledge

W.CCR.7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

W.CCR.8: Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.

Speaking and Listening: Comprehension and Collaboration

SL.CCR.2: Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

What are your ideas?

Why use text sets?

And, what challenges might teachers face in your district with using multiple texts?

Elementary: Across Genres / Integrated approach

Middle Grades: Across Genres /Team Approach

High School: Across Genres

Why create a text set? To capture interests and cultivate

engagement To prompt inquiry To read for multiple perspectives To build prior knowledge To encourage student writing: Text sets

as mentor texts To differentiate instruction To support vocabulary development

Constructing a text set requires considering three criteria: 1. A variety based on text complexity

considerations. 2. Various cultural perspectives may be

appropriate for some concepts.3. Differences that offer various

approaches to the “big idea” or conceptual understanding that unifies the conceptual text set.

Donham, J. (2013). Text Sets, Deep Learning, and the Common Core. School Library Monthly, 29(6), 5-7.

Conceptual Understanding A concept is an abstract idea. A concept has complexity in that it may

have multiple dimensions or attributes. A concept transfers across time and

place. A concept is learned through inferential

and inductive thinking.

Linda Crafton (1991) wrote “when readers read texts that are conceptually related in some way, they are engaged in an exploration of cognitive and linguistic ties.”

Steps to Creating Text Sets

Step One: Identify the Anchor Text and Formulate a Line of Inquiry for the Set Determine the standards that you want to

teach. Identify an anchor text and formulate an

overall line of inquiry for the set. This can happen in either order. An educator may first identify an anchor text, from which they formulate a line of inquiry for the set OR an educator may choose to first identify a topic for a unit of study and then seek out an anchor text around which to build the set.

Step One continued

The most important part of step one is that the anchor text be a grade-level complex text that meets the complexity demands of the Standards and is worthy of the time and attention of students. Without a rich anchor text, it is difficult to create a worthwhile text set.

How Many Texts?

The number of texts in a set can vary depending on purpose and resource availability around a given topic.

What is important is that the texts in the set are connected meaningfully to each other to deepen student understanding of the anchor text.

Step Two: Use Databases to Research Texts around the Topic

Once you have identified the anchor text and line of inquiry for your set, you can use a variety of databases to search for texts.

Step Three: Evaluate Texts for Inclusion in the Set Does the text contribute to the students building

a body of knowledge connected meaningfully to the anchor text?

Is the text worthy of student time and attention? Does the text contribute to a range and balance

of text types and formats in the overall set? Do the text complexity measures of the text

place it in the grade band of the anchor text? A range of texts spanning the band will support student-knowledge-building over the course of the unit.

Step Four: Refine, Finalize, and Produce Text Set Continue to refine your selections until

you are satisfied that you have a range and balance of texts that support student engagement with the line of inquiry.

Examples of Text Sets

Strong vs. Weak

Examples:Text set on Dying and Old Age The Sad Book - Michael RosenBadger’s Parting Gifts - Susan VarleyI’ll Always Love You - Hans WilhelmThe Tenth Good Thing about Barney - Judith ViorstToby - Margaret WildGrandpa - John BurninghamGrandma’s Bill - Martin WaddellMary and Her Grandmother - Bettina Egger & Sita JuckerLove You Forever - Robert MunschJanet’s Last Book - Allan AhlbergI Never Knew Your Name - Sherry GarlandBonesy and Isabel - Michael J. RosenGrandad Bill’s Song - Jane YolenThe Accident - Carol CarrickEverett Anderson’s Goodbye - Lucille CliftonNight Noises - Mem FoxWilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge - Mem FoxThe Sunsets of Miss Olivia Wiggins - Lester LaminackFaithful Elephants - Yukio TsuchiyaRemembering: The Story of a Soldier - Virginia MayoJenny Angel - Margaret WildOld Pig - Margaret WildThe Very Best of Friends - Margaret WildUp in Heaven - Emma Chichester ClarkGoodbye Mog - Judith Kerr Goodbye Pappa - Una Leavy & Jennifer Eachus

Examples:Text set on BullyingWilly the Wimp - Anthony BrowneWilly the Champ - Anthony BrowneTyrone the Horrible - Hans WilhelmTyrone the Dirty Rotten Cheat - Hans WilhelmTyrone and the Swamp Gang - Hans WilhelmTrouble with The Tucker Twins - Rose Impey & Maureen GavaniChrysanthemum - Kevin HenkesBully - David HughesThree Cheers for Errol - Babette ColeHurrah for Ethelyn - Babette ColeFrog and the Stranger - Max VelthuijsSnail Started It - Katja ReiderA Pig is Moving In - Claudia FriesRingo the Flamingo - Neil GriffithsYou Are Special - Max LucadoBelinda the Ballerina - Amy YoungI Hate Roland Roberts - Martina SelwayAlison and the Bully Monster - Jac Jones

Examples:Text set on Family Relationships, Friendship and SharingDon’t Let Go! - Jeanne Willis & Tony RossTadpole’s Promise - Jeanne Willis & Tony RossMole and the Baby Bird - Marjorie Newman illus Patrick BensonThe Visitors Who Came to Stay - Anthony BrowneGorilla - Anthony BrowneThe Tunnel - Anthony BrowneOne Big Family - Ifeoma OnyefuluEmeka’s Gift - Ifeoma OnyefuluJust Like Us - Hiawyn OramI’ll Take you to Mrs Cole - Nigel GrayAllison - Allen SayGrandfather’s Journey - Allen SayTell Me Again About the Night I Was Born - Jamie Lee CurtisKoala Lou - Mem FoxThe Rainbow Fish - Marcus PfisterMy Best Friend - Pat HutchinsWillie and Hugh - Anthony BrowneNed and the Joybaloo - Hiawyn Oram & Satoshi KitamuraThis is Our House - Michael Rosen Aldo - John BurninghamThe Night Shimmy - Gwen Strauss & Anthony BrowneA Cool Kid Like Me - Hans WilheimJohn Browne, Rose and the Midnight Cat - Jenny WagnerBlack Dog - Pamela AllenJess was the Brave One - Jean Little