Who isn't hooked on their smart phones these days? Our students are communicating with text messages now more than ever! Let's use it to our advantage! I created this product to bring a high interest, relevant and real-world language activity to my students. These short text message conversations allow my students (who are often struggling readers) to read confidently and use these relatable situations to practice a variety of language skills, like making inferences, interpreting context clues, and finding the main idea. They also spur great conversations!
How I use this resource
We read the text messages one at a time and discuss them using the questions included below the iPhone graphics or informal conversation topics.
The questions provided require students to read (and possibly re-read) carefully for details, use critical thinking and apply observations (such as the time of day and names of the parties involved). Students are asked to make predictions, draw conclusions, make inferences, analyze emotions, describe mood, use context clues to decipher words, interpret feelings, explain figurative language, tell the main idea, justify their answers, cite proof from the text, and the like. A whole range of language skills are applied through this simple activity.
This resource is also useful for discussing the “dos and don’ts” of conversations (when communication verbally OR through texting). Topics like repairing conversations, showing sympathy, showing support, and expressing disappointment can easily be tackled using these cards.
About this resource
This resource includes:
► 48 cards featuring a smart phone graphic
► 36 cards featuring text message conversations along with 4-7 questions per conversation
► 6 cards featuring blank phone screens for you or your students to write on (in case there are specific scenarios you want to address or in case you want to challenge students to write their own conversations)
► 6 wild cards to use when you the whole set of cards as a game (described below)
► Instructions for use (with options) and a make-your-own-jean-pocket to hold the cards.
► This activity is Common Core Standards aligned for grades 4-8. Standards are listed on the last pages of this download.
Be sure to check out the preview to see much more!
If you enjoy this activity, here are some related activities using text messages/cell phones and making inferences that you may also enjoy:
✱ Cell phone Role Play Activity Freebie
✱ Cell phone Role Play Activity Part 2
✱ Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions with Text Messages
✱ Distance Learning Articulation Text Messages
✱ Inferences and WHO Questions Boom Cards™
Thanks for stopping by!
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