Mini-Lesson

Make Connections

Mini-Lesson: Grades 4-6

Objective: Students will make text-to-self connections.

1. Start a discussion about making connections while reading. Explain that good readers find ways to connect what happens in a story with their own experiences. It is important for students to keep in mind that they don't need to have experienced exactly what they are reading about to make a text-to-self connection.

2. Pass out the timeforkids.com news story, Serena Williams Bounces Back. Point out that even though most students aren't professional tennis players, it's still possible for them to make connections with the story. Read aloud the headline and subhead. Then model making a text-to-self connection. For example: Even though I'm not a professional tennis player, I can still find a connection with Serena Williams's experience. In fifth grade, I was one of the best players on my soccer team, but then I injured my ankle. For six games in a row, I didn't score a single goal. When I finally did score a goal, I felt so relieved. Thinking about that experience helps me understand how Serena Williams must have felt. As students read the rest of the article, challenge them to come up with at least two text-to-self connections.

3. Have students share their connections. Encourage them to distinguish between those that help them to understand a story better and those that do not. For example, it does not help to point out that their name starts with the letter S just like Serena Williams's. The goal is to come up with more meaningful connections.