Draw a vertical line down the middle of your paper. Label the left side “Line from the Text.” Label the right side “Connections.” Fill in the chart as you read.
1. Listen as your teacher reads the first page of the story. In the left column, write down the page number and a few words to indicate a key point. In the right column, make a note about your reaction to the section.
2. As you read, keep filling in the chart. In the Connections column, make connections to your own experience or to other things that have occurred in the story. For example, in the right column, write down the page number and a short comment about how the text in italics connects to the story that the narrator tells in the regular style print. Try to include a couple of comments per page.
If you found it difficult to make connections to or within the story, try to answer the Guided Reading Questions. Stop and think about the questions and answers. Try to make a connection to these points in the story.
Share your responses with a partner. Discuss how connecting your life to the text and connecting parts of the story helped your reading.