A. Literacy Connections and Applications / C. Comprehension: Understanding and Responding to Texts · Understanding and Responding to TextsMaking Connections and Sharing My Thoughts and Feelings
C2.5 C3.6 A3.2 A1.2About 40 minutes
Learning goals- I can make text-to-self, text-to-text and text-to-world connections.
- I can explain how a connection helps me understand a text better.
- I can share my thoughts and feelings about ideas in a text, with reasons.
- I can talk about ideas like diversity, inclusion, accessibility and belonging.
Words to know
connection
A link between what you read and something else you know.
text-to-self
A connection between the text and your own life.
text-to-text
A connection between the text and another text you have read, heard or watched.
text-to-world
A connection between the text and something happening in the world or your community.
diversity
Having many different kinds of people, with different backgrounds, languages, abilities and ways of living.
inclusion
Making sure everyone is welcomed and can take part.
accessibility
Making places, things and activities usable by everyone, including people with disabilities.
identity
Who you are: your name, family, culture, language, likes and more.
Remember from Grade 2
In Grade 2 you made connections to your own life, other texts and the world, and you shared your opinions with reasons.
In Grade 3 you will explain how a connection helps you understand, and you will share deeper thoughts and feelings about big ideas: diversity, inclusion, accessibility and belonging.
Hook: Has that ever happened to you?
Have you ever read a story and thought, "That happened to me!"? That feeling is a connection. Connections help you understand characters' feelings, because you have felt them too. Let's read a story.
Read: Everyone Plays
Noor loved soccer more than anything. When her family moved to a new town, she couldn't wait to see her new school's field.
But on the first day, Noor sat at the edge of the playground. The field was down a steep, grassy hill, and Noor uses a wheelchair. There was no path. She watched the other kids run and shout. She felt like she was on the outside of a window, looking in.
A boy named Sam rolled a soccer ball up to her. "Want to be our goalie at recess? We can play up here on the blacktop."
Noor grinned. She stopped every shot but one.
The next week, Sam and Noor wrote a letter to the principal. They asked for a paved path down to the field so that everyone could get there. By spring, the path was built. On the first warm day, Noor rolled down to the field with her whole team.
"Now," she said, "everyone plays."
Three kinds of connections
- Text-to-self: This reminds me of when I... (your life)
- Text-to-text: This reminds me of another book/movie/show where...
- Text-to-world: This reminds me of something in my community or the world...
A strong connection does more than say "I have a dog too!" It explains how the connection helps you understand the text better.
Worked exampleLet's make strong connections
Make one of each kind of connection to Everyone Plays.
- Text-to-self: When I started at a new school, I didn't know anyone and felt left out at recess. This helps me understand how lonely Noor felt watching from the edge.
- Text-to-text: This reminds me of a story where a girl who couldn't run fast found a different way to help her team. This helps me understand that there is more than one way to be part of a team.
- Text-to-world: Our library has a ramp and an automatic door button. This helps me understand why the paved path mattered so much: without it, Noor couldn't get to the field at all.
- Notice: each connection ends with how it helps me understand.
Strong connections link the text to my life, other texts and the world, and explain how they help me understand.
Big ideas in texts
Many texts make us think about big ideas:
- Diversity: people are different in many ways: culture, language, family, abilities, looks, beliefs. Differences make a community richer.
- Inclusion: making sure everyone is welcomed and can take part. Sam included Noor.
- Accessibility: making places and activities usable by everyone. The paved path made the field accessible.
- Belonging: the feeling of being an important part of a group. At the end, Noor belongs to the team.
When you share your thoughts and feelings, use I think... because... and I feel... because...
Worked exampleLet's respond with thoughts and feelings
How did you feel when Noor sat at the edge of the playground? What do you think about what Sam did?
- Feeling: I felt sad and a little bit frustrated, because Noor wanted to play and it wasn't fair that she couldn't get to the field.
- Evidence: The text says She felt like she was on the outside of a window, looking in. That shows she felt left out.
- Thought: I think Sam was a good friend because he found a way to include Noor right away, and then he helped fix the real problem.
- Bigger idea: I think every school should check that all kids can get everywhere. Inclusion means changing things, not just being nice.
A good response names a feeling or opinion, gives a reason and evidence from the text, and connects to a bigger idea.
Read: My Two Words for Grandma
At school, I call her my grandma. At home, I call her Lola. That is the word for grandmother in Tagalog. My family comes from the Philippines, and we speak Tagalog at home.
Lola makes rice for breakfast and tells stories about the island where she grew up. Sometimes kids at school ask why I bring rice in my lunch. I tell them it's my favourite. I am Filipino and I am Canadian. I have two words for Grandma, and I love them both.
Worked exampleLet's think about identity and belonging
What does the narrator tell us about who they are? How does the narrator feel about it?
- Identity clues: the narrator speaks Tagalog at home, has a family from the Philippines, eats rice for breakfast, and is Filipino and Canadian.
- Feelings: I love them both and it's my favourite. The narrator feels proud.
- Connection: I also speak a different language at home (or: My grandma has a special name too).
- Big idea: People can belong to more than one culture at the same time. That is part of diversity in Canada.
The narrator is proud to be both Filipino and Canadian. The text shows that identity can include more than one language and culture.
Just for funWhy did the paper chain win the reading award?
Because every single link made a connection!
Everyone belongs
When you talk about texts with others, remember that people have different experiences. Listen with respect, and don't laugh at someone's connection. Your classmates' connections can teach you new things!
Hands-on activityConnection chain
You need: strips of paper, tape or a stapler, a pencil, a book or story you read this week.
- Read a story together (it can be Everyone Plays or your own book).
- On each paper strip, write one connection. Start with This reminds me of... and end with This helps me understand...
- Try to write one of each kind: self, text, world.
- Loop the strips together into a paper chain.
- Accessibility walk: With a grown-up, walk around your home, building or neighbourhood. Look for things that make places accessible (ramps, elevators, door buttons, braille signs, curb cuts, wide doors). Talk about one place that could be more accessible.
Your turn
1Name the three kinds of connections.
Text-to-self, text-to-text and text-to-world.
2Why couldn't Noor get to the soccer field at first?
The field was down a steep, grassy hill and there was no path, and Noor uses a wheelchair.
3How did Sam include Noor at recess?
He asked her to be the goalie and they played up on the blacktop where she could go.
4What did Sam and Noor do to fix the problem for good?
They wrote a letter to the principal asking for a paved path, and it was built by spring.
5What does She felt like she was on the outside of a window, looking in tell you about Noor's feelings?
She felt left out: she could see the fun, but she couldn't be part of it.
6What does Lola mean? What language is it?
Grandmother. It is Tagalog.
7Share how you felt at the end of Everyone Plays. Use I felt ___ because ___.
Example: I felt happy because Noor could finally play on the field with her whole team. (Any feeling with a reason from the text.)
More practice: warm-up
1This reminds me of when I lost my tooth. What kind of connection is this?
2What sport does Noor love?
3What does inclusion mean?
Making sure everyone is welcomed and can take part.
4Name one thing that makes a building accessible.
Any one: a ramp, an elevator, an automatic door button, braille signs, wide doors.
5What two cultures does the narrator of My Two Words for Grandma belong to?
More practice: on your own
1This story reminds me of the news about a new accessible playground in our city. What kind of connection is this? Finish it with This helps me understand...
Text-to-world. Example: This helps me understand that many communities are working to make play spaces open to everyone, like the path for Noor.
2Why is the title Everyone Plays a good title for the story?
Because the story is about making sure everyone, including Noor, can play on the field. Noor says it at the end.
3What is the difference between what Sam did at recess and what the paved path did?
At recess Sam found a way to include Noor that day. The path fixed the problem for good, so everyone could get to the field every day: that is accessibility.
4Why do some kids at school ask the narrator about the rice in their lunch? How does the narrator answer?
Because it may be different from their lunches. The narrator answers proudly: it's my favourite.
5Give your opinion: Should every school make sure all kids can reach every part of the playground? Give a reason.
Example: Yes, because every kid deserves to play, and it isn't fair if some kids are left out. (Any opinion with a clear reason.)
Challenge
1Compare Noor and the narrator of My Two Words for Grandma. How are their stories about belonging alike?
Both are about belonging. Noor wants to belong to the team and the playground; the narrator belongs to two cultures. Both show that differences are part of who someone is, and that everyone deserves to feel included.
2Noor uses a wheelchair, but the story is mostly about soccer and friendship. Why do you think the author wrote it that way?
To show that Noor is a whole person with interests and skills, not just her wheelchair. The problem was the missing path, not Noor. (Any thoughtful answer with a reason.)
3Think of a place you know (school, library, park, store). Describe one change that would make it more accessible or inclusive, and explain who it would help.
Example: Our park's water fountain is high. A lower one would help young kids and people who use wheelchairs. Look for a real place, a specific change and who it helps.
Quiz
1. This book reminds me of a movie I saw about a lost dog. What kind of connection is this?
2. What makes a connection strong?
3. Building a paved path so everyone can reach the field is an example of...
4. Which response gives a reason?
5. What does diversity mean?
6. In My Two Words for Grandma, how does the narrator feel about having two cultures?
What this lesson teaches: Grade 3 students identify connections between texts and their own lives, other texts and the world (C2.5), and describe personal thoughts and feelings about ideas such as diversity, inclusion and accessibility (C3.6). Reading about identity and belonging supports A3.2, and sharing their own voice supports A1.2.
How to help at home:
- After a story, ask: "Does this remind you of anything? How does that help you understand the character?"
- Encourage feeling words beyond happy/sad: frustrated, proud, left out, relieved, nervous.
- Read books that show many kinds of families, cultures and abilities, and talk about them naturally.
Common difficulties:
- Shallow connections ("I have a dog too"). Push with: "How does that help you understand the story?"
- Opinions without reasons. Use I think ___ because ___.
- When discussing disability, focus on barriers in places (no path, no ramp) rather than on what a person "can't do." This is how the story frames it.
Note: The stories in this lesson were written for this site.