Annotating Literary Elements

Can I use Annotating Literary Elements with younger students?

Annotating Literary Elements is designed for children who have acquired basic reading and writing skills (students must be able to write down original, sentence-level thoughts). Age-appropriate concepts included in ALE are taught to younger students (K-2) in our Pinwheels and Wand programs. Early and repeated exposure to key literary elements promotes an appreciation for these concepts, and deepens comprehension skills in growing readers and writers. 

For educators of younger students, ALE can be used as a resource to inspire modified and simplified lessons with young readers, using skill-appropriate literature and picture books. 

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Will Annotating Literary Elements help my student who struggles?

Yes. Annotating Literary Elements helps students who struggle with abstract thinking. Students must be explicitly taught how to analyze text. This product provides literature samples and recommendations for practice, but the strategies can be utilized with any text throughout the school year and for years to come! Use literature that your student can read accurately, identifying and practicing the strategies and concepts taught within ALE. Lessons can also be used with literature that is read aloud to the student to advance their vocabulary and comprehension skills. Learning story structure, poetic language, and the elements of writer’s style greatly increases students’ understanding and appreciation for the text they read, regardless of the text level.

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Do I need any other materials to teach with Annotating Literary Elements?

To complete the lessons in this product, the following materials are needed, in addition to general school or office supplies:

• Mr. Wuffles by David Wiesner (available in libraries, bookstores, or online)
• Short story “Sweet Potato Pie” by Eugenia Collier (available online in the public domain)

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Can I use Annotating Literary Elements with other programs?

Yes. These concepts are designed to deepen analytical thinking and general appreciation for text. The concepts should be repeated, as they are applied to other literary works, because mastery of deep comprehension skills is obtained over time. As students interact with a variety of materials, each literary piece advances the student’s analytical thinking expressed in the writing activities.