Activity Overview
| Text Connections | |
|---|---|
| Text to Text | Connection that reminds you of something in another book or story |
| Text to Self | Connection that reminds you of something in your life. |
| Text to World | Connection that reminds you of something happening in the world. |
Asking students to make connections to the text is one way to encourage active reading and improve reading comprehension. Text connections can also spark meaningful discussions about a novel and its themes and can act as precursors to some essays. For this activity, have students use three storyboard frames to connect The Adventures of Tom Sawyer to themselves, another text (or film), and the world around them. Ask them to explain the connection in the text box below each frame.
Example The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Text Connections
TEXT TO SELF
I felt like Tom did at Muff Potter’s trial when I told on one of the older kids in my neighborhood. I knew that he had egged the Browns’ mailbox, but I was afraid he would find out if I told them. I did it anyway, and Mr. Brown made him clean it up!
TEXT TO TEXT
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is similar to the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Tom and Ferris both skip school in favor of adventure. Their adventurous spirits get them into trouble but also make them likable and, in the end, bring them success and social approval.
TEXT TO WORLD
Tom Sawyer has a lot to do with social expectations. Our world today still has many rules for what makes a person “good” or “bad”. Tom and Huck seem “bad” because they disobey their elders, skip school, and play tricks on people; however, their hearts are in the right place. Many children today are punished or labeled “bad” simply because they have a lot of energy, even though they may be very kind-hearted people.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows connections you have made with The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Include a connection for text to text, text to world, and text to self.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Create an image for each connection using scenes, characters, items, and text boxes.
- Write a description of how the text relates to another text, the world, and you.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Text Connections | Student made and labeled all three text connections correctly. | Student made and labeled two text connections correctly. | Student made and labeled one text connection correctly. |
| Examples of Connections | All examples of connections support understanding of text. | Most examples of connections support understanding of text. | Most examples of connections do not support understanding of text or are difficult to understand. |
| Illustration of Examples | Ideas are well organized. Images clearly show the connections student made with the text. | Ideas are organized. Most images help to show the connections student made with the text. | Ideas are not well organized. Images are difficult to understand. |
Activity Overview
| Text Connections | |
|---|---|
| Text to Text | Connection that reminds you of something in another book or story |
| Text to Self | Connection that reminds you of something in your life. |
| Text to World | Connection that reminds you of something happening in the world. |
Asking students to make connections to the text is one way to encourage active reading and improve reading comprehension. Text connections can also spark meaningful discussions about a novel and its themes and can act as precursors to some essays. For this activity, have students use three storyboard frames to connect The Adventures of Tom Sawyer to themselves, another text (or film), and the world around them. Ask them to explain the connection in the text box below each frame.
Example The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Text Connections
TEXT TO SELF
I felt like Tom did at Muff Potter’s trial when I told on one of the older kids in my neighborhood. I knew that he had egged the Browns’ mailbox, but I was afraid he would find out if I told them. I did it anyway, and Mr. Brown made him clean it up!
TEXT TO TEXT
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is similar to the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Tom and Ferris both skip school in favor of adventure. Their adventurous spirits get them into trouble but also make them likable and, in the end, bring them success and social approval.
TEXT TO WORLD
Tom Sawyer has a lot to do with social expectations. Our world today still has many rules for what makes a person “good” or “bad”. Tom and Huck seem “bad” because they disobey their elders, skip school, and play tricks on people; however, their hearts are in the right place. Many children today are punished or labeled “bad” simply because they have a lot of energy, even though they may be very kind-hearted people.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows connections you have made with The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Include a connection for text to text, text to world, and text to self.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Create an image for each connection using scenes, characters, items, and text boxes.
- Write a description of how the text relates to another text, the world, and you.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Text Connections | Student made and labeled all three text connections correctly. | Student made and labeled two text connections correctly. | Student made and labeled one text connection correctly. |
| Examples of Connections | All examples of connections support understanding of text. | Most examples of connections support understanding of text. | Most examples of connections do not support understanding of text or are difficult to understand. |
| Illustration of Examples | Ideas are well organized. Images clearly show the connections student made with the text. | Ideas are organized. Most images help to show the connections student made with the text. | Ideas are not well organized. Images are difficult to understand. |
How Tos about Tom Sawyer Text Connections
Plan a class discussion using student text connections
Encourage students to share their text connections in small groups or as a class. Sharing helps students see different perspectives and deepens their understanding of the novel.
Set clear expectations for respectful listening
Remind students to listen respectfully and respond thoughtfully to peers' connections. This builds a positive classroom environment where everyone feels valued.
Connect student responses to themes in Tom Sawyer
Highlight how students’ connections relate to key themes, like friendship, honesty, or social expectations. This makes literary analysis more meaningful and accessible.
Invite students to ask follow-up questions
Encourage curiosity by inviting students to ask each other questions about their connections. Follow-up questions promote deeper thinking and discussion.
Reflect on new insights as a class
Wrap up by inviting students to share anything new they learned or thought about because of the discussion. Reflection reinforces the value of making text connections and listening to others.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tom Sawyer Text Connections
What are text connections in reading comprehension?
Text connections are links readers make between a story and their own experiences, other texts, or the world. Making these connections helps students understand and engage more deeply with what they read.
How do you teach students to make text to self, text to text, and text to world connections with Tom Sawyer?
Ask students to create three storyboard frames for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: one relating the story to their own life (text to self), one to another book or movie (text to text), and one to current events or society (text to world). Have them explain each connection in writing.
Why is making text connections important for middle school students?
Making text connections encourages active reading, boosts comprehension, and sparks discussion. It helps students relate literature to their lives and the world, making lessons more meaningful and memorable.
Can you give examples of text to self, text to text, and text to world connections for Tom Sawyer?
Sure! Text to self: Feeling nervous to tell the truth like Tom at Muff Potter’s trial. Text to text: Comparing Tom to Ferris Bueller because both skip school for adventure. Text to world: Noting how society judges kids for mischief, just like Tom and Huck.
What is a quick classroom activity for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer text connections?
Have students use three frames to draw or describe connections between Tom Sawyer and themselves, another story, and the world. This can be done individually and shared for class discussion.
More Storyboard That Activities
Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The
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