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. |
Making connections is a very important skill to acquire and perfect. The Fire Cat is a great story for students to connect to on many different levels. In this activity, students will be making text to text, text to self, and text to world connections. Students should choose which connection they want to make first and work to write a narrative for that. Once all three connections have been made, students can work on their illustrations.
TEXT TO TEXT
- Text: In this story, Pickles chases cats around because it is the only thing he can do.
- Text: In another Esther Averill book, The Hotel Cat, a cat moves into a hotel because he is really good at chasing mice.
TEXT TO SELF
- Text: Sometimes, Pickles was a bad cat. He would chase around other cats for fun.
- Self: My cat Hazel reminds me of Pickles because she is bad sometimes. She chases my other cats and loves to jump up onto our flat screen TV!
TEXT TO WORLD
- Text: Pickles was a stray cat, and Mrs. Goodkind went out of her way to feed him and offer him a place in her home which he decided was not a good fit for him.
- World: I read in a magazine about a lady who took care of stray cats. She took care of over 30 stray cats. She fed them and some even lived in her house!
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 Fire Cat. Include a connection for text to text, text to world, and text to self.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Identify parts of The Fire Cat that you connect with.
- Parts from the The Fire Cat go on the left side. The connections you make go on the right side.
- 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. |
Making connections is a very important skill to acquire and perfect. The Fire Cat is a great story for students to connect to on many different levels. In this activity, students will be making text to text, text to self, and text to world connections. Students should choose which connection they want to make first and work to write a narrative for that. Once all three connections have been made, students can work on their illustrations.
TEXT TO TEXT
- Text: In this story, Pickles chases cats around because it is the only thing he can do.
- Text: In another Esther Averill book, The Hotel Cat, a cat moves into a hotel because he is really good at chasing mice.
TEXT TO SELF
- Text: Sometimes, Pickles was a bad cat. He would chase around other cats for fun.
- Self: My cat Hazel reminds me of Pickles because she is bad sometimes. She chases my other cats and loves to jump up onto our flat screen TV!
TEXT TO WORLD
- Text: Pickles was a stray cat, and Mrs. Goodkind went out of her way to feed him and offer him a place in her home which he decided was not a good fit for him.
- World: I read in a magazine about a lady who took care of stray cats. She took care of over 30 stray cats. She fed them and some even lived in her house!
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 Fire Cat. Include a connection for text to text, text to world, and text to self.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Identify parts of The Fire Cat that you connect with.
- Parts from the The Fire Cat go on the left side. The connections you make go on the right side.
- 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 The Fire Cat Making Connections Activity
Use anchor charts to reinforce text connection strategies
Create a visual anchor chart in your classroom that shows examples of text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world connections. This helps students remember the strategies and refer back to them during independent or group reading activities.
Model making connections aloud during read-alouds
Think aloud as you read The Fire Cat, pausing to share your own connections with the text. This demonstrates the process and encourages students to make personal, meaningful links while reading.
Facilitate small group discussions for deeper connections
Divide your class into small groups and have each group discuss a specific type of connection. This encourages collaborative thinking and allows students to hear diverse perspectives, strengthening their comprehension skills.
Incorporate connection journals for ongoing practice
Provide students with personal journals to regularly record their text connections. Over time, this builds metacognitive awareness and helps track their growth as thoughtful readers.
Celebrate unique connections with a class showcase
Host a 'Connection Gallery Walk' where students display their storyboards or journal entries. This fosters pride in their work and lets them learn from each other's experiences and ideas.
Frequently Asked Questions about The Fire Cat Making Connections Activity
What is a text-to-self connection in 'The Fire Cat' activity?
A text-to-self connection in 'The Fire Cat' activity is when students relate events or characters from the book to their own personal experiences. For example, a student might connect Pickles chasing cats to their own pet's behavior, helping them better understand the story.
How do I help students make text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world connections with 'The Fire Cat'?
To help students make these connections, guide them to identify parts of the story that remind them of other books (text-to-text), their lives (text-to-self), or real-world events (text-to-world). Encourage them to write or draw their connections and discuss them as a class.
Why are making connections important in reading comprehension for grades 2-3?
Making connections helps young readers understand and remember stories better by linking new information to what they already know, making reading more meaningful and engaging.
What are some examples of text-to-world connections for 'The Fire Cat'?
Examples of text-to-world connections include relating Pickles being a stray to real situations where people help stray animals, such as shelters or community caregivers, fostering empathy and awareness in students.
How can I structure a quick lesson on making connections using 'The Fire Cat'?
Start by reading 'The Fire Cat' aloud. Introduce the three types of connections (text-to-text, self, world). Model examples, then let students create a storyboard or draw pictures for each type. Wrap up by sharing and discussing their connections together.
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