The image is a vibrant promotional graphic for an informational text resource titled "St. Nicholas Day 5 INFORMATIONAL TEXT SETS PRINT & GO!" The top of the image features the title in large, playful, red and white lettering on a striped candy cane-colored background. Below are thumbnails of the text sets provided in the resource, showcasing various aspects of St. Nicholas Day, such as its evolution and its role in Christmas traditions. Key learning focuses are highlighted in bold, colorful fonts on the right side: "MAIN IDEA," "AUTHOR'S PURPOSE," "TEXT STRUCTURE," "INFERENCE," and "SUMMARY." The layout is festive with Christmas-themed decorations, including an illustration of St. Nicholas at the bottom left, suggesting an engaging and educational holiday-themed learning tool for students.
UncategorizedTeacher Guides

10 Differentiated Informational Texts to Blow Your Students Away this Winter, Grades 3-8!

Posted on by Ashly George

Using informational texts to innovate ways to engage students in the learning process is key, especially in the realm of English Language Arts (ELA). Two remarkable resources have emerged to captivate students’ interests: “Unraveling Krampus” for grades 6-8, and “Discovering St. Nicholas” for grades 3-5. Both resources not only delve into fascinating cultural lore but also reinforce core ELA skills such as identifying main ideas and text structure, discerning the author’s purpose, and expanding vocabulary.

Unraveling Krampus Informational Text Set for Grades 6-8

“Unraveling Krampus” is a treasure trove designed for upper middle school students, offering a rich exploration of the mythical figure Krampus. With this resource, teachers can provide a comprehensive ELA experience that weaves critical reading and analysis skills with the engaging lore surrounding Krampus.

Inside the Resource

  • Five Engaging Articles: Students are introduced to various text structures as they explore Krampus’ lore.
  • Comprehension Quizzes: Targeting central ideas and author’s purpose, these quizzes solidify understanding.
  • Google Slides Presentation: Fifteen slides designed to visually reinforce literacy skills.
  • Interactive Reading Experience: Annotation prompts encourage active reading and critical thinking.

Benefits and Ideal Users

This resource is perfect for educators and tutors who aim to enhance critical thinking and engage upper middle school students with captivating content. Informational texts often get a bad rep as being boring or disengaging, but this text set has high student interest; it’s a comprehensive package that saves time and elevates the teaching approach.

Discovering St. Nicholas Informational Text Set for Grades 3-5

For younger readers in grades 3-5, “Discovering St. Nicholas” presents a wonderful opportunity to improve literacy while learning about the historical and cultural aspects of St. Nicholas. What a better way to prepare for winter break than with an engaging informational text set ready to use?

Inside the Resource

  • Five Comprehensive Articles: Each one employs a different text structure, enriching students’ understanding of St. Nicholas.
  • Interactive Quizzes: Reinforce comprehension and critical literacy skills.
  • Visually Appealing Slides: Fifteen Google Slides perfect for engaging students and introducing literacy skills.
  • Interactive Reading: Promotes a deeper comprehension through annotation and engagement.

Benefits and Ideal Users

This resource serves as an excellent tool for middle school teachers, reading specialists, and homeschooling parents. It’s designed to boost literacy skills and provide cultural insight into the story of St. Nicholas.

Bridging the Gap Between Grades

Both resources serve a dual purpose: to educate and to fascinate. Whether it’s the shadowy tales of Krampus or the venerable narratives of St. Nicholas, students are drawn into a world that transcends the traditional boundaries of ELA. The structure of these resources allows for a scaffolded approach to skill development, ensuring that as students progress from elementary to middle school, they build upon a solid foundation of literacy skills.

Integrating Cultural Awareness

An added advantage of these resources is the way they incorporate cultural awareness into the ELA curriculum. By exploring the stories of Krampus and St. Nicholas, students gain insights into traditions and folklore that enhance their global understanding and empathy.

Customized Learning Experience

Each resource caters to its respective age group with tailored content that challenges and intrigues students. The progression from “Discovering St. Nicholas” to “Unraveling Krampus” is designed to be seamless, providing continuity in skill development while refreshing the thematic content to maintain student interest.

Conclusion

The “Unraveling Krampus” and “Discovering St. Nicholas” resources represent a fusion of literacy education with cultural exploration. They offer a fresh approach to teaching the main idea and central idea, text structure, author’s purpose, and vocabulary. These resources are not just about reading and comprehension; they are about experiencing the richness of language and the diversity of global narratives.

For those teaching grades 3-5, Discover St. Nicholas here, and for those with students in grades 6-8, explore the mystery of Unraveling Krampus here. Embark on this literary adventure and watch as your students’ understanding of literature deepens alongside their appreciation for the storied figures of Krampus and St. Nicholas.

Other winter ELA resources you may enjoy: Narrative Writing Unit 10 Picture Prompts Winter (toobookedup.com)