How To "talk" to a novel

Have you ever experienced that feeling of loving a book so much that the characters become your friends and you are swept into their lives every time you turn a page? That is the feeling that I strive to create for my students whenever we read a class novel.  I want them to have a "conversation" with the characters as though they were sitting across the table from them. Some kids have never made that kind of connection with a book, but I believe that we can teach kids to notice the important "sign posts" that help them to connect to the story. 
Last week, my friend and colleague, Kristi shared information with our third grade team regarding a close reading strategy known as Notice and Note.  Notice and Note by authors Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst teaches kids to watch for 6 signposts that alert them to significant moments in the text and to question these moments through rereading and discussion. I love that these "signposts" can be used as a universal strategy with any text that you read. Here's how I use them in my classroom:

• Teach each sign post thoroughly at the start of the year
• Post the signposts in your room and refer to them frequently!
• Equip your kids with post it notes so that they can Notice and Note whenever they 

          spot a "sign post" in any story that they are reading.

• Remember to do your homework before reading with your kids. Read ahead and find the "signposts" in each chapter so that you are able to alert kids to the moments that are hidden in the text. 

Want to learn more about Notice and Note? Check out these links to learn more from the experts:
https://bit.ly/2fk3b7z - Watch Beers and Probst explain Notice and Note
https://bit.ly/2RgAp5R - Posters and other resources to use Notice and Note in your classroom

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