A. Literacy Connections and Applications / C. Comprehension: Understanding and Responding to Texts · Understanding and Responding to Texts

Making Connections and Sharing My Thoughts

C2.5 C3.6 A3.2 A1.2About 35 minutes

Learning goals

I can connect a text to my own life, to other texts and to the world.
I can share my thoughts and feelings about a text and give reasons.
I can talk about ideas like including everyone and making places accessible.

Words to know

connection
A link between what you read and something you know.

text-to-self
When a text reminds you of something in your own life.

text-to-text
When a text reminds you of another book, show or story.

text-to-world
When a text reminds you of something in your community or the world.

inclusion
Making sure everyone is welcome and can take part.

accessible
Easy for everyone to use or enter, including people with disabilities. A ramp makes a door accessible for a wheelchair.

diversity
Many different kinds of people, with different families, languages, cultures and abilities.

Reading is like a bridge

When you read, you build bridges between the text and you. These bridges are called connections. Connections help you understand characters and remember facts.

There are three kinds of connections:

Text-to-self: This reminds me of when I...
Text-to-text: This reminds me of another book (or show) where...
Text-to-world: This reminds me of something in my community or in the world...

Three kinds of connections are like three bridges from the text: to you, to other texts, and to the world.

Read-aloud: Room for Everyone

It was the first snowy recess of the year. Everyone ran to the hill to play King of the Castle.

Maya stayed by the door. Maya uses a wheelchair. Her wheels could roll on the paved path, but not up the snowy hill.

Jonah saw her. He felt a funny feeling in his tummy. It's not fair if Maya can't play, he thought.

Jonah ran back. "Maya, what game can we play together?"

Maya grinned. "How about Snow Detectives? We look for animal tracks along the path and draw them in our notebooks."

Soon five kids were on the path, looking for tracks. Priya found bird tracks. Sam found rabbit tracks. Maya found the most of all.

After recess, the class wrote a letter to the principal. Please clear a wider path around the yard, it said, so everyone can play.

Worked example

Let's make connections

Make one connection of each kind for Room for Everyone.

Text-to-self: "This reminds me of when I was new at my school and didn't know any games. A girl asked me to play, and I felt happy. I think Maya felt happy too when Jonah asked her."
Text-to-text: "This reminds me of The Squirrel and the Chickadee, because in both stories a character notices someone who needs help and kindly invites them in."
Text-to-world: "This reminds me of the ramp at our library. It helps people using wheelchairs or strollers get inside. Like the wider path, it makes a place accessible."
Check: does each connection help me understand the story better? Yes. The first helps me understand Maya's feelings. The last helps me understand why the class wrote a letter.

Good connections are not just "I have snow too!" They help you understand the characters or the ideas.

Sharing your thoughts and feelings

After reading, readers respond. They share what they think and feel and they give reasons. Use these sentence starters:

I felt ___ when ___ because ___.
I think ___ because ___.
I liked it when ___ because ___.
I wonder why ___.
If I were ___, I would ___.

There is no one right answer for a feeling! But you should be able to explain why, using the text.

A strong response = a thought or feeling + because + a reason from the text.

Worked example

Let's respond with reasons

What do you think about what Jonah did? How did the story make you feel?

Find the part: Jonah saw Maya by the door and ran back to ask her what game they could play together.
Think: Jonah noticed someone was left out and asked Maya instead of deciding for her.
Say it: "I think Jonah was a good friend because he noticed Maya couldn't get up the hill and asked her what she wanted to play."
Feeling: "I felt proud of the class at the end because they wrote a letter so that everyone can play, not just on one day."

A strong response gives a thought or feeling plus a reason from the story.

Everyone belongs

Stories can help us think about diversity (people are different in many ways), inclusion (everyone is welcome) and accessibility (everyone can get in and take part). When you read, ask: Who is in this story? Who is left out? How could everyone be included?

Just for fun

A not-so-helpful connection: "This story has a hill in it. I have seen a hill." Nice try! The best connections help you understand the characters or the ideas.

Hands-on activity

Connection chain

You need: strips of paper, tape or a stapler, crayons.

Read a favourite book with your grown-up (or use Room for Everyone).
For each connection you make, write or draw it on a strip. Use one colour for text-to-self, one for text-to-text and one for text-to-world.
Loop the strips together into a paper chain.
Accessibility walk: walk around your home, school or neighbourhood with your grown-up. Find one thing that helps everyone get in or take part (a ramp, an automatic door button, a lowered sink, a sign with pictures, braille on an elevator). Add it to your chain as a text-to-world connection.

Your turn

Why couldn't Maya play King of the Castle?

What game did Maya suggest?

Who found the most tracks?

What did the class ask the principal for?

Make a text-to-self connection to the story.

Finish: I felt ___ when ___ because ___.

More practice: warm-up

Name the three kinds of connections.

A story reminds you of a movie you watched. What kind of connection is that?

A story reminds you of your grandma's garden. What kind of connection is that?

What does accessible mean?

What season is it in Room for Everyone?

More practice: on your own

How did Jonah feel when he saw Maya by the door? How do you know?

Why is it important that Jonah asked Maya what to play, instead of choosing for her?

Make a text-to-world connection to the class letter.

Is "I like snow too" a strong connection? How could you make it stronger?

Give your opinion: Was Snow Detectives a good idea? Give a reason.

Challenge

The class could have just played Snow Detectives every day. Why did they write a letter too?

Think of one more way to make the schoolyard more welcoming for everyone. Explain.

How might the story be different if it were told by Maya?

Check your understanding

Quiz

"This book reminds me of my trip to the lake." What kind of connection is this?

"This story is like another book I read about a lost dog." What kind of connection is this?

Which is the strongest response?

What does inclusion mean?

Which thing makes a building more accessible?

Why did the class write to the principal?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Children make text-to-self, text-to-text and text-to-world connections that help them understand, and they express thoughts and feelings with reasons, including about diversity, inclusion and accessibility (C3.6). Exploring identity and belonging in texts supports A3.2; sharing opinions builds the child's own voice (A1.2).

How to help at home:

Ask: "Does this remind you of anything?" Then: "How does that help you understand the character?"
Model responses with because.
Notice accessibility features around town together (ramps, automatic door buttons, accessible parking, braille).

Common difficulties:

Surface connections ("I have a dog too"). Push gently: "How does that help you understand the story?"
Talking about disability. Use simple, respectful language: "Maya uses a wheelchair." Focus on what helps everyone take part. Answer questions honestly and simply.
Feelings without reasons. Use the sentence starter "I felt ___ when ___ because ___."