Jacob's Ladder Reading Comprehension Program
Grades 1-2
- 176 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About This Book
The Jacob's Ladder Reading Comprehension Program targets reading comprehension skills in high-ability learners by moving students through an inquiry process from basic understanding to critical analyses of texts, using a field-tested method developed by the Center for Gifted Education at William & Mary. Students in grades 1-2 will learn to comprehend and analyze any reading passage after completing the activities in Jacob's Ladder, Grades 1-2 (2nd ed.).
Geared for students in grades 1-2, this book, a revision of the Primary Level 2 book, includes stories and ladder tasks carefully selected for young children to develop oral communication and listening skills in addition to the other ladder goals. This book provides stories focused on picture analysis, read alouds, classics, and original works.
Optional Student Workbook Packs
In addition to this teacher's guide, companion student workbooks are available for Poetry and Picture Books and Short Stories (Parts 1 and 2). The student workbooks feature ample room for student responses and notes, make reviewing and providing feedback on student work easier than ever, provide students with an easy-to-use reference to use during discussions, and save time, as there is no need to reproduce student handouts.
Grades 1-2
Frequently asked questions
Information
Part I
Teachersā Guide to Jacobās Ladder Reading Comprehension Program
Introduction to Jacobās Ladder, Grades 1ā2 (2nd ed.)
A3: Consequences and Implications | B3: Generalizations | C3: Main Idea, Theme, or Concept | D3: Creative Synthesis | E3: Using Emotion | F3: Playing With Words | |||||
Students will be able to predict character actions and story outcomes and make realāworld forecasts. | Students will be able to make general statements about a reading and/or an idea within the reading, using data to support their statements. | Students will be able to identify a major idea or theme common throughout the text. | Students will create something new using what they have learned from the reading and their synopses. | Students will be able to analyze how emotion affects the passage and/ or the reader. | Students will be able to accurately apply figurative language and new vocabulary to newly created contexts. | |||||
A2: Cause and Effect | B2: Classifications | C2: Inference | D2: Summarizing | E2: Expressing Emotion | F2: Thinking About Words | |||||
Students will be able to identify and predict relationships between character behavior and story events and their effects upon other characters or events. | Students will be able to categorize different aspects of the text or identify and sort categories from a list of topics or details. | Students will be able to use textual clues to read between the lines and make judgments about specific textual events, ideas, or character analysis. | Students will be able to provide a synopsis of text sections. | Students will be able to articulate their feelings through a variety of media (e.g., song, art, poem, story, essay, speech). | Students will be able to analyze the use of words within the context as related to the theme of a text. | |||||
A1: Sequencing | B1: Details | C1: Literary Elements | D1: Paraphrasing | E1: Understanding Emotion | F1: Understanding Words | |||||
Students will be able to list, in order of importance or occurrence in the text, specific events or plot summaries. | Students will be able to list specific details or recall facts related to the text or generate a list of ideas about a specific topic or character. | Students will be able to identify and explain specific story elements, such as character, setting, or poetic device. | Students will be able to restate lines read using their own words. | Students will be able to explain how emotion and feeling are conveyed in a text and/or their personal experience. | Students will be able to identify and explain the meaning of figurative language or new vocabulary within the context of a story or poem. | |||||
Ladder A | Ladder B | Ladder C | Ladder D | Ladder E | Ladder F |
Ladder A: Focus on Implications and Consequences
- Ladder A, Rung 1, Sequencing: The lowest rung on the ladder, sequencing, requires students to organize a set of information in order, based on their reading (e.g., List the steps of a recipe in order).
- Ladder A, Rung 2, Cause and Effect: The middle rung, cause and effect, requires students to think about relationships and identify what causes certain effects and/or what effects were brought about because of certain causes (e.g., What causes a cake to rise in the oven? What effect does the addition of egg yolks have on a batter?).
- Ladder A, Rung 3, Consequences and Implications: The highest rung on Ladder A requires students to think about both short- and long-term events that may happen as a result of an effect they have identified (e.g., What are the short- and long-term consequences of baking at home?). Students learn to draw consequences and implications from the text for application in the real world.
Ladder B: Focus on Generalizations
- Ladder B, Rung 1, Details: The lowest rung on Ladder B, details, requires students to list examples or details from what they have read and/or to list examples they know from the real world or have read about (e.g., Make a list of types of transportation. Write as many as you can think of in 2 minutes).
- Ladder B, Rung 2, Classifications: The middle rung of Ladder B, classifications, focuses on studentsā ability to categorize examples and details based on characteristics (e.g., How might we categorize the modes of transportation you identified?). This activity builds studentsā skills in categorization and classification.
- Ladder B, Rung 3, Generalizations: The highest rung on Ladder B, generalizations, requires students to use the list and categories generated at Rungs 1 and 2 to develop 2ā3 general statements that apply to all of their examples (e.g., Write three statements about transportation).
Ladder C: Focus on Main Ideas, Themes, or Concepts
- Ladder C, Rung 1, Literary Elements: While working on the lowest rung of Ladder C, literary elements, students identify and/or describe the setting or situation in which the reading occurs. This rung also requires students to develop an understanding of a given character by identifying qualities he or she possesses and comparing these qualities to other characters they have encountered in their reading (e.g., In Goldilocks and the Three Bears, what is the situation in which Goldilocks finds herself? What qualities do you admire in Goldilocks? What qualities do you find problematic? How is she similar to or different from other fairy tale characters you have encountered?).
- Ladder C, Rung 2, Inference: The middle rung of Ladder C, inference, requires students to think through a situation in the text and come to a conclusion based on the information and clues provided (e.g., What evidence exists that Goldilocks ate the porridge? What inferences can you make about the bearsā subsequent action?).
- Ladder C, Rung 3, Main Idea, Theme, or Concept: The highest rung of Ladder C, main idea, theme, or concept, requires students to state the central idea or theme for a reading. This exercise necessitates that the students explain an idea from the reading that best states what the text means (e.g., How would you rename the fairy tale? Why? What is the over...
Table of contents
- Cover
- Half Title
- Title
- Copyright
- Table of Contents
- Part I: Teachersā Guide to Jacobās Ladder Reading Comprehension Program
- Part II: Readings and Student Ladder Sets
- Appendix A: Pre- and Postassessments, Rubric, and Discussion Checklist
- Appendix B: Classroom Diagnostic Forms
- About the Authors
- Common Core State Standards Alignment