More Synthesizing

Today I had my first grade friends pair up and reread a book that we have read as a class in the last 2 months.  Then I had them record their thinking on a large piece of paper.  As they were working I went around and talked with them about how their thinking was evolving.  I used Debbie Miller's analogy of synthesizing: "throwing a rock into a pond: first there is the splash, and then the water ripples out, making little waves that get bigger and bigger."  After they finished recording the details from their story, they recorded the big idea/what the author wanted you to learn from the book.  Take a look...

detail from the story + detail from the story+ detail from the story = big idea/lesson