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Synopsis • My Brother Sam is Dead is told from the point of view of Sam’s younger Brother, Tim Meeker. The Meeker family operates a Connecticut tavern when the Revolutionary War breaks out. Sam, a student at Yale, enlist in the Continental army. His father , a Tory, opposes his son’s decision. This conflict causes Sam to Leave home. Tim, therefore, must take over the responsibility of doing Sam’s chores. Occasionally Sam comes home but not see his father, with whom he is still at odds. • When Tim & Mr. Meeker return from a trip to New York state to sell their cattle, thieves ambush them. Mr. Meeker is kidnapped & killed, leaving Tim and his mother alone. Sam returns home and, this time, tries to rescue his mother’s cows from being taken to feed the colonial army. Some of the authorities do not believe his story about the theft of cattle. He is therefore court-martialed & shot.
Strategy 1 “Book Talk” • A strategy for discussing books, either before they are read to “Hook” students to read, or after students have read a book to get them to think critically about what they have read. Book talks can be either “teacher directed” or the student directed”.
Strategy 2 “Column Notes” reading for cause & effect • A strategy for applied reading: Students would use it as a note-taking guide for their book reading • Students list main ideas or headings will be listed in the left column, and details or explanations for each would be written in the right column. • Students list key vocabulary in the left column and definitions, examples, or sentences in the right.
Strategy 3 “Think-Aloud” Reflective Questioning • This metacognitive awareness (being able to think about one's own thinking) is a crucial component of learning, because it enables learners to assess their level of comprehension and adjust their strategies for greater success. Several studies have shown that students who verbalize their reading strategies and thoughts while reading score significantly higher on comprehension tests. • The intent behind the think-aloud lessons was to help students develop the ability to monitor their reading comprehension and employ strategies to guide or facilitate understanding. • Think-Alouds require a reader to stop periodically, reflect on how a text is being processed and understood, and relate orally what reading strategies are being employed. • The think-aloud is a technique in which students verbalize their thoughts as they read and thus bring into the open the strategies they are using to understand a text.
