A K-W-H-L chart is a great way to scaffold prior knowledge. As class members begin their reading of Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse’s 1998 Newbery Medal winning verse novel, they chart what they already know about the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, what they want to find out, and how they plan on finding this new information. As readers progress through the novel, they record what they have learned and/or still want to know. 

Concepts

the dust bowl, reading comprehension strategies, the great depression

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Additional Tags

english language arts

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Instructional Ideas

• Create a poster-sized version of the chart, record initial responses, and update the chart as readers progress through the text

Classroom Considerations

• Part of a series of resources designed to accompany a reading of Out of the Dust

Pros

• The two-page resource includes a rationale for the activity and step-by-step directions
• A link to a model chart is provided in the Included Materials section below

Cons

• None