Captain Connections!

This week in SLASH we had a special guest.
Captain Connections!

Captain Connections is an expert when it comes to connecting what we read to our past experiences.

There are three types of connections we can make when we are reading: text to text, text to self, and text to world. The descriptions are listed below. Making connections helps with reading comprehension and it makes the story more enjoyable.

 Here are a few prompts to help you think of a connection to text. 

If you're asked to make a connection and you can't think of one, you can always start with,

"If that happened to me, I would..."

or something along those lines.

We learned about citing text when answering text-based questions, right? Well, you can use the same method for writing about text connections! Here is a variation on the R.A.C.E. method we discussed earlier. 

 The RA part of your answer can come from one of the Super Connection Starters above. 

Here's an example of a thorough written connection. You can click on it to enlarge the text.

For a printable version of our Captain Connections notebook pages, click here. 

Teachers, for the complete PowerPoint lesson, visit my TpT store!

Remember to make super connections when you are reading for an assignment or for pleasure!

It's Super!

Pippi Connections - Chapter 2

One connection I made to Chapter 2 is when Pippi is being a Thing-Finder, because I like finding things too. On page 27, Pippi says a Thing-Finder is “someone who hunts for things, naturally.” She also says, “the whole world is full of things, and somebody has to look for them.” Like Pippi, I like hunting for things because it’s fun and you never know what you might find. - Andrew


I related to Pippi when she got into a fight with the bullies and said "you are cowards." At my school in Wisconsin there was always one boy in particular who would bully everyone, including me. He tried to act like he was tough but I knew he wasn't. I thought he was a coward because was he was scared to get told on so he would threaten kids. He would threaten them by saying he would punch them or beat them up. - Vivian


A connection I made in chapter two is how Annika and Tommy enjoy going to Pippi's house. This is similar to going to a friend's house, which I also enjoy. The texts states on page 24, " 'I knew, even while I was sleeping, that something exciting was going to happen today, but I didn't remember what it was'..." This explains Tommy is excited about going to Pippi's house. - Ember

Excellent connections, students! I love the way you used a quote directly from the text to support your response. Keep it up! 

We've Got Connections... Pippi Connections

Well, Chapter One of Pippi Longstocking started with a bang! We're enjoying this silly book already!

Neighbors?

Pets?

Friendship?
Pancakes?

Parents?

Monkeys wearing little hats?

Bedtime?

We can definitely relate to the characters and events in Pippi Longstocking! While reading we made a ton of connections. Check out our TEXT CONNECTIONS brainstorm from class today (click to enlarge)...

...and that's only Chapter One!

When we read we make connections to the setting, events, and characters.

 

Here are a few student connections to Chapter One: Pippi Moves into Villa Villekula. 

One of the connections I made is when Pippi wanted to make pancakes for Tommy and Annika. In the story it says, "She took three eggs and threw them up in the air. One fell down on her head and broke so that the yolk ran into her eyes, but the others  she caught skillfully in a bowl, where they smashed to pieces." This reminded me of the first time I tried to make eggs, it was really hard. This event also reminds me how much I like pancakes. - Melissa

A connection that I made with a character is Pippi's optimism.  I also like to think everything is going to work out in the end just like Pippi did with how she believes her dad would come back one day and was living on an island. I think she has a crazy idea about the island having cannibals and that doesn't seem very promising for her dad, but I think she is optimistic anyway.  

- Donovan

A connection that I made between Pippi and I is that we both would rather have caramel candy over cod liver oil. As it states on page 1, "No one to tell her to take cod liver oil, when she would much prefer caramel candy." We also both have longed for a horse. In the first paragraph of page 14 it says, "She had always longed for a horse, and now she has one, living on her front porch." Finally, we also both live in a very old house. In the first sentence of the whole book, it states, "In the garden, there was a very old house, and in that house lived Pippi Longstocking." - Lauren

One of the connections I made with the first chapter of Pippi Longstocking is about going to bed. On the first page it says "that was of course very nice because there was no one to tell her to go to bed just when she was having the most fun." The connection that I make with that is that my parents always tell me to go to bed right when I am having the most fun.  - Erik

Nice job kids!

I can't wait to hear what connections you make with Chapter Two!

Captain Connections!

This week in language arts we had a special guest. Captain Connections!

Captain Connections is an expert when it comes to connecting what we read to our past experiences.

There are three types of connections we can make when we are reading: text to text, text to self, and text to world. The descriptions are listed below. Making connections helps with reading comprehension and it makes the story more enjoyable

 Here are a few prompts to help you think of a connection to text. 

If you're asked to make a connection and you can't think of one, you can always start with,

"If that happened to me, I would..."

or something along those lines.

 

We learned about citing text when answering text-based questions, right? Well, you can use the same method for writing about text connections! Here is a variation on the R.A.C.E. method we discussed earlier. 

 The RA part of your answer can come from one of the Super Connection Starters above. 

Here's an example of a thorough written connection. You can click on it to enlarge the text.

In class this week, we read a passage from Henry Huggins, by Beverly Cleary.

Then students were asked to make a connection and write about it!

 

Here are three student connections I'd like to share with you:

According to this passage, Henry Huggins led a mostly normal life until something surprising happened one day. In paragraph three, Henry "thought he would eat the ice cream cone, get on the bus, drop his dime in the slot, and ride home. That is not what happened." I felt like Henry when I found out that I had brain cancer six months ago. Life was normal until POW! Everything changed in an instant.  - By Makenzie

In the text Henry thought, "I wish something exciting would happen." Nothing has ever happened to me like this because my life is always full of adventure.  However, if I were Henry, I would find a way to make my life exciting.    - By Oracle

I can relate to the text about Henry Huggins in my own life.  In the passage it says, "Every Wednesday Henry rode downtown on the bus to go swimming at the Y.M.C.A".  This reminded me of when I lived in Hawaii and after school,  I would go to swim practice.  The passage brought back memories of the long swims and really long days.  The good part is that I became a really good swimmer.                -  By Hayden

 

Excellent work kids! Three different connections to the same text!

For a printable version of our Captain Connections notebook pages, click here. 

For the complete PowerPoint lesson, visit my TpT store!

Remember to make super connections when you are reading for an assignment or for pleasure!

It's Super!