[LIT] building background knowledge

[Bill IVEY]

Hi!

In a free moment, I decided to click on a podcast by Kelly Gallagher at
Stenhouse.
http://www.stenhouse.com/gallagher.mp3
It's short, just under four minutes long, and it's about him reflecting on
the year, and how he wants to improve for next year. He wants to focus on
getting his kids to do a lot more reading and writing in the real world -
newspapers, magazines, speeches, etc. He also speaks of his students' lack
of background knowledge and how that affects their comprehension. 

One thing he talks about is bringing in an article of the week. Does
anyone do this?

What would be good ways of building background knowledge in our students?

Take care,
Bill Ivey
Stoneleigh-Burnham School