Signposts Review

Signposts Review

Signposts are places in the text where a good reader will stop, ask a question, and make an inference. Let's see what we remember...

Multiple Choice

Michael is the greatest basketball player to ever play the game. After winning three champions Michael is seemingly at the top of his career and everyone expects he will win his fourth consecutive MVP award. Yesterday, Michael called a press conference and suddenly announced his retirement.

Which signpost?

• Words of the Wiser

• Memory Moment

• Contrasts & Contradictions

• Aha Moment

Multiple Choice

Professor Burris has spent his whole career trying to solve a complex equation. On a recent walk along the beach, the solution suddenly came to him. He rushed home to put his findings down on paper.

Which signpost?

• Words of the Wiser

• Memory Moment

• Contrasts & Contradictions

• Aha Moment

Multiple Choice

Kacey was nervous about her upcoming swim meet. She had been practicing for months and her coach said she was the favorite to win the gold medal. After dinner, her father drove her to get ice cream. As they sat at the counter, looking out the window. Kacey’s father told his daughter, “All you can do is try your best. Don’t let one race define who you are.”

Which signpost?

• Words of the Wiser

• Memory Moment

• Contrasts & Contradictions

• Aha Moment

Identifying the signpost is the first step!

• Now, look at the underlined part in each story segment.

• Can you identify the key question, and make an inference about an answer?

Multiple Choice

Missy didn’t know what to do. Her best friend Penny had stolen the science test answer key off of Mr. Phillip’s desk. Missy was conflicted: should she keep it a secret? Or should she tell the teacher and risk losing her best friend?

• Why does this keep happening? (AA)

• How might this change things? (AHA)

• Why is the character doing that? (CC)

• What does this question make me wonder? (TQ)

The signpost in this text is Tough Questions.

"Should she keep it a secret? Or should she tell the teacher and risk losing her best friend?"

When we notice Missy asking these tough questions, we should STOP and ASK OURSELVES: What does this question make me wonder?

Let's do that now.

Open Ended

"Should she keep it a secret? Or should she tell the teacher and risk losing her best friend?"

What does this question make YOU wonder? Make an inference.

Multiple Choice

Let's try another.

Michelangelo stared up at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Something didn’t seem quite right. As the sun moved through the stained-glass window, he suddenly saw what was wrong! Yes, he thought, a slight smile forming on his face. Michelangelo grabbed his brush and set to work.

• Why does this keep happening? (AA)

• How might this change things? (AHA)

• Why is the character doing that? (CC)

• What does this question make me wonder? (TQ)

The signpost in this text is Aha Moment.

"As the sun moved through the stained-glass window, he suddenly saw what was wrong! Yes, he thought, a slight smile forming on his face."

When we notice Michelangelo has realized something, we should STOP and ASK OURSELVES: How might this change things?

Let's do that now.

Open Ended

"As the sun moved through the stained-glass window, he suddenly saw what was wrong! Yes, he thought, a slight smile forming on his face."

How might this change things? Make an inference.

Your Turn.

For each of the following story segments, do the following:

1. Identify the signpost.

2. Ask the key question.

3. Make an inference.

Feel free to use your ELA Notebook to help!

Multiple Choice

Michelle had spent all week trying to tie her shoes. Each time she failed to get the knot to hold and her laces would quickly become untangled. After hours of practice, Michelle realized what she had been doing wrong. She grabbed her laces and focused for one more try.

• Why is this memory important? (MM)

• How might this change things? (AHA)

• Why is the character doing that? (CC)

• What is the life lesson, and how might it affect the character? (WW)

• Why does this keep happening? (AA)

Open Ended

"After hours of practice, Michelle realized what she had been doing wrong. She grabbed her laces and focused for one more try."

How might this change things for Michelle? Make an inference.

Multiple Choice

With only thirty seconds left, the coach called for the team’s final timeout. The gym fell quiet as the home team trailed by two points. This would be their last chance to win the championship. “Focus,” said the coach. “Trust in your preparation and anything is possible.” The whistle blew and the players resumed their positions.

• Why is this memory important? (MM)

• How might this change things? (AHA)

• Why is the character doing that? (CC)

• What is the life lesson, and how might it affect the character? (WW)

• Why does this keep happening? (AA)

Open Ended

"With only thirty seconds left, the coach called for the team’s final timeout. The gym fell quiet as the home team trailed by two points. This would be their last chance to win the championship. “Focus,” said the coach. “Trust in your preparation and anything is possible.” The whistle blew and the players resumed their positions."

What is the life lesson? How might it affect the players? Make an inference.

Multiple Choice

Lucy closed her eyes and remembered what this house was like before her grandmother passed away: warm and cozy, jazz music playing from the radio, and the smell of delicious cookies rising steadily in the oven. She opened her eyes and stepped through the front door, looking around at the empty walls. This was home now, she told herself.

• Why is this memory important? (MM)

• How might this change things? (AHA)

• Why is the character doing that? (CC)

• What is the life lesson, and how might it affect the character? (WW)

• Why does this keep happening? (AA)

Open Ended

"Lucy closed her eyes and remembered what this house was like before her grandmother passed away: warm and cozy, jazz music playing from the radio, and the smell of delicious cookies rising steadily in the oven. She opened her eyes and stepped through the front door, looking around at the empty walls. This was home now, she told herself."

Why is this memory important for Lucy? Make an inference.

Multiple Choice

"What they don’t understand about birthdays and what they never tell you is that when you’re eleven, you’re also ten, and nine, and eight, and seven, and six, and five, and four, and three, and two, and one. And when you wake up on your eleventh birthday you expect to feel eleven, but you don’t. You open your eyes and everything’s just like yesterday, only it’s today. And you don’t feel eleven at all. You feel like you’re still ten. And you are—underneath the year that makes you eleven."

• Why is this memory important? (MM)

• How might this change things? (AHA)

• Why is the character doing that? (CC)

• What is the life lesson, and how might it affect the character? (WW)

• Why does this keep happening? (AA)

Open Ended

"What they don’t understand about birthdays and what they never tell you is that when you’re eleven, you’re also ten, and nine, and eight, and seven, and six, and five, and four, and three, and two, and one. And when you wake up on your eleventh birthday you expect to feel eleven, but you don’t. You open your eyes and everything’s just like yesterday, only it’s today. And you don’t feel eleven at all. You feel like you’re still ten. And you are—underneath the year that makes you eleven."

The narrator repeats "eleven" several times in this excerpt. Why does this keep happening? Make an inference.