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 Treasure is a great story for students to connect to. The storyboard example below includes only one connection, but students will make three types of connections: text to text, text to world, and text to self.
TEXT TO SELF
Text: Isaac has a reoccurring dream where a voice tells him to go to the city and look for treasure.
Self: I once had a dream about finding treasure and becoming rich.
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 Treasure. Include a connection for text to text, text to world, and text to self.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Identify parts of The Treasure that you connect with.
- Parts from the The Treasure 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 Treasure is a great story for students to connect to. The storyboard example below includes only one connection, but students will make three types of connections: text to text, text to world, and text to self.
TEXT TO SELF
Text: Isaac has a reoccurring dream where a voice tells him to go to the city and look for treasure.
Self: I once had a dream about finding treasure and becoming rich.
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 Treasure. Include a connection for text to text, text to world, and text to self.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Identify parts of The Treasure that you connect with.
- Parts from the The Treasure 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 Treasure Making Connections Activity
How to Facilitate a Class Discussion About Text Connections
Encourage students to share their connections with the story by creating a safe space where every voice is valued. Use open-ended questions to prompt deeper thinking and help students relate the text to their lives, other stories, and the world.
Model making a text connection aloud
Demonstrate how to connect the story to yourself, another text, or the world by thinking out loud. Show students your process so they see how connections are made and why they're meaningful.
Invite students to share their connections in pairs or small groups
Pair up students or organize small groups for sharing. Allowing students to discuss their connections in a supportive setting builds confidence and helps them learn from each other.
Use sentence starters to support all learners
Provide sentence starters such as “This part reminds me of...”, or “I’ve read another book where...”. Scaffolding helps students who may struggle to express their ideas and encourages fuller participation.
Wrap up with a whole-class reflection
Gather the class together to share highlights from their discussions. Reflecting as a group reinforces the value of making connections and helps students appreciate different perspectives.
Frequently Asked Questions about The Treasure Making Connections Activity
What are text to text, text to self, and text to world connections in reading?
Text to text connections link a story to another book or text; text to self connects the story to your own life; text to world relates the story to real-world events or issues. These connections help students understand and engage with what they read.
How can I teach students to make connections with 'The Treasure' by Uri Shulevitz?
Have students identify parts of The Treasure that remind them of another book, their own experiences, or world events. Use a storyboard to show each type of connection—text to text, text to self, and text to world—with images and brief descriptions.
Why is making connections an important reading skill for elementary students?
Making connections deepens comprehension, encourages critical thinking, and helps students relate stories to their own lives and the wider world, making reading more meaningful and memorable.
What is a simple activity for practicing text connections in grade 2 or 3?
Ask students to create a storyboard showing one text to text, one text to self, and one text to world connection for a story like The Treasure. Let them use images and descriptions to explain each connection.
How do I help students distinguish between the three types of text connections?
Explain that text to text is about other stories, text to self is about their own experiences, and text to world relates to events or issues outside their lives. Provide examples and practice with familiar stories.
More Storyboard That Activities
Treasure, The
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