Directed Reading Thinking Activity for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by: J. K. Rowling

Purpose of the Strategy

This strategy is used to help students understand the author's message through their own schema and prior knowledge. Through the teacher's questioning, the students are able to develop their own reading and thinking processes, and become excited about the novel and what Rowling has written.

Directions: Steps 1, 2, and 3:

Predicting: Making hypotheses from small portions of the text

Reading: Students read the text to verify the accuracy of the predictions

Proving: Students read back through the text and point out how they were able to verify their predictions Use this strategy before the students read Chapter 14 (starting on page 228), "Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback." It is only about 14 pages long so it is possible to read the chapter to the class without taking up too much time. Have the students keep their books closed and begin reading the chapter. Read the title and ask them what they think the chapter might be about. Record their predictions on the board so that everyone can see them. When you get to the first break in the chapter text (page 231, about three pages in, ending with Hermione saying "So what on earth's Hagrid up to?") ask the students what they think Hagrid is up to. Question their responses. Ask them why they think what they do. Make sure you record their responses on the board. Continue reading the chapter. After about two more pages, at the bottom of page 232, stop reading after Harry says "‘Well, that's something,' Harry muttered to the others. ‘Hagrid, can we have a window open? I'm boiling.'" "‘Can't, Harry, sorry,' said Hagrid. Harry noticed him glance at the fire. Harry looked at it, too." At this point have the students predict why Hagrid looking at the fire might be important. Ask them what they think might be there. Why was Hagrid's house so hot? Why couldn't the window be opened? On page 235, about three pages later there is another chapter text break that ends with Malfoy seeing the dragon. Stop there and ask the students to predict what Malfoy will do. Will he run and tell right away? Will he use it to blackmail Harry and Hagrid? Will he use it to get Hagrid fired? What else might happen if Malfoy knows about the illegal dragon? On page 236, about a page later, stop when Hagrid says "I–I know I can't keep him forever, but I can't jus' dump him, I can't." Ask the students what they think should be done with the dragon. Will Hagrid keep him? What would happen to his wooden house? What can Harry and his friends do to help? Can anything be done? After reading Charlie's letter and the following two paragraphs on pages 237 and 238, ask the students what they think will happen when Harry and his friends try to use the invisibility cloak to get rid of Norbert. Will they be successful? What about Malfoy? Remember to record all of the predictions on the board so that everyone can see them. Finish reading the rest of the chapter. At the end you could have the student make a few wrap-up predictions about what might happen in the next chapter since the invisibility cloak was left at the top of the tower. Now go through the predictions written on the board and correct them as a class. Ask the students why they predicted what they did. Have them go through the text and read the portions that made them think the way they did, thus proving their predictions.

Assessment

This strategy allows the teacher to see how well students comprehend the novel. It also allows the teacher to see how actively the students search for meaning in the novel and how involved they get when reading. It stimulates students' imaginations and allows them to express themselves and their ideas. After doing this DRTA strategy together as a class, have the students do the same thing for Chapter 15 "The Forbidden Forest," in small groups of four. Have them write out their predictions as they read the chapter, correct them, and then go back and "prove" why their predictions could have been correct.

Diana Anderson, Brigham Young University 2000