Retell

Retell is one of the questions on our state test that invokes the most fear into our third graders. The answer stems are LONG, and they tend to look very similar. Next week, to help my students with this, I am doing some retell practice. I created a story about "the bearded test writers" (we talk all year about how the bearded test writers LOVE to trick third graders into choosing the wrong answers!) and our class. The kids love personalized stories.

The chart is to help them organize their answers. They ask themselves three things for each choice--1. Is it in order? (the correct choices are always in beginning, middle, end order), 2. Is it true (does it contain any details that do not happen in the story?), and 3. Are the details important (some minor details are thrown in there...the details must be supporting, important details).

I'm hoping once the kids learn some tricks to navigate these questions, they won't seem as daunting!