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. Tops and Bottoms 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 the story, Bear does not want to do any work and lets Hare do all the work planting the crops. He is upset when he finds out he has a harvest full of the useless parts of vegetables.
Text: The Little Red Hen is a fable where the Hen asks her friends if they will help her plant and harvest wheat. Each time she asks they all reply, "not I", so the Hen does it herself. Hen's hard work turns into a delicious loaf of baked bread. Her friends all want some, but Hen refuses because they did not help her in any way.
TEXT TO SELF
Text: In the story, Hare is a hard worker. He is determined to find a way to get food to feed his family. Bear is not a hard worker and loves to sleep.
Self: I am a very hard worker and I always help my dad with yard work. My sister is lazy and always wants to sleep.
TEXT TO WORLD
Text: When Hare is explaining his idea (trick) to Bear, he tells bear that they could become business partners.
World: In the news, I learned about brothers who were business partners in real estate. They just released a new book that they wrote together.
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 Tops and Bottoms. Include a connection for text to text, text to world, and text to self.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Identify parts of Tops and Bottoms that you connect with.
- Parts from the Tops and Bottoms 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. Tops and Bottoms 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 the story, Bear does not want to do any work and lets Hare do all the work planting the crops. He is upset when he finds out he has a harvest full of the useless parts of vegetables.
Text: The Little Red Hen is a fable where the Hen asks her friends if they will help her plant and harvest wheat. Each time she asks they all reply, "not I", so the Hen does it herself. Hen's hard work turns into a delicious loaf of baked bread. Her friends all want some, but Hen refuses because they did not help her in any way.
TEXT TO SELF
Text: In the story, Hare is a hard worker. He is determined to find a way to get food to feed his family. Bear is not a hard worker and loves to sleep.
Self: I am a very hard worker and I always help my dad with yard work. My sister is lazy and always wants to sleep.
TEXT TO WORLD
Text: When Hare is explaining his idea (trick) to Bear, he tells bear that they could become business partners.
World: In the news, I learned about brothers who were business partners in real estate. They just released a new book that they wrote together.
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 Tops and Bottoms. Include a connection for text to text, text to world, and text to self.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Identify parts of Tops and Bottoms that you connect with.
- Parts from the Tops and Bottoms 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 Tops and Bottoms Text Connections
Create a class anchor chart for text connections
Display an anchor chart in your classroom to help students remember the three types of text connections—text to self, text to text, and text to world. Use colorful headings, simple explanations, and examples from 'Tops and Bottoms' to make each connection type memorable.
Model making a text connection aloud
Think aloud as you read a passage from 'Tops and Bottoms,' sharing your own text connection with students. This shows students how to relate personally, compare with other texts, or connect to the world around them.
Guide students in brainstorming their own connections
Encourage students to jot down quick notes or draw pictures of connections that come to mind as they read. Prompt them with questions to spark ideas, like 'Does this remind you of another story?' or 'Have you experienced something similar?'
Facilitate a partner share activity
Pair students and have them share one connection they made with the text. This builds confidence and helps students learn from each other's perspectives.
Celebrate connections with a class display
Collect student connections and display them on a bulletin board or wall. Highlight a variety of connection types to reinforce learning and celebrate thoughtful reading.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tops and Bottoms Text Connections
What are text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world connections in reading?
Text-to-text connections relate a story to another book, text-to-self links it to your own life, and text-to-world connects it to events or issues in the world. These skills help students better understand what they read.
How can I teach students to make connections with 'Tops and Bottoms'?
Start by explaining each type of connection. Then, read 'Tops and Bottoms' together. Ask students to share stories from their lives (self), books they've read (text), or news/events (world) that remind them of the story. Encourage them to write or draw their connections.
What is an example of a text-to-text connection using 'Tops and Bottoms'?
A text-to-text connection for 'Tops and Bottoms' is comparing Bear and Hare's teamwork to 'The Little Red Hen,' where characters also decide whether or not to help with work and share the rewards.
Why are making connections important for 2nd and 3rd graders?
Making connections helps young students build comprehension, relate personally to stories, and deepen their understanding. It encourages critical thinking and empathy, making reading more meaningful and memorable.
What activities help students illustrate their text connections?
Have students create a storyboard: place scenes from 'Tops and Bottoms' on one side and their connections on the other. Ask them to draw or use images for each type of connection, then write a short description explaining the relationship.
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