Title – How to Outline: A Fashion-Forward Approach

By – Marcy Winograd

Primary Subject – Language Arts

Grade Level – 4-10

Topic: Outlining

Standard: Clarify an understanding of texts by creating outlines.

Goal: Students will learn how to outline a text by first outlining their clothing.

Specific Objectives: Using a color-coded method, students will outline the teacher’s attire, then their neighbor’s clothing, and finally a short section in their textbook. Outlines will include at least three main headings and their respective sub-headings.

Materials: green, orange, & red highlighters, crayons, or adhesive dots; textbooks

Anticipatory Set: The teacher says, "I never thought I would be a model, but I’ll give it a try." The teacher walks down the aisle as though modeling an outfit on a runway. "What do you notice about my clothing?" s/he asks.

Step-By-Step Approach:

(1) After students comment on the teacher’s outfit,
the teacher explains the class will organize the
observations in an outline that is color-coded:

Headings: Green

Sub-headings: Orange

Minor details under sub-headings: Red

(2) Modeling on an overhead, the teacher explains the
class will begin with one item of clothing,
perhaps a sweater or jacket the teacher is
wearing.

(3) The teacher reviews the Roman Numeral system:
(I, II, III, IV, etc.) and explains that her/his
sweater will be labeled Roman Numeral I. Each
main heading or Roman Numeral will be written in
the color green, so the teacher must use a green
vis-a-vis pen on the transparency.

(4) The teacher elicits from students details about
the sweater. Using the thumb to indent and an
orange vis-a-vis pen, s/he lists the details as A
and B, under Roman Numeral I.

Example:

1. Sweater (green pen)
   1. Wool (orange pen)
      
   2. Button-down (orange pen)

(5) Next, the teacher asks for descriptions of another
clothing item, perhaps her/his shirt. This time
more clarifying details are generated, so that the outline looks like this:

2. Shirt (green pen)
   1. One pocket (orange pen)
      1. On the left (red pen)
         
      2. Button on the top (red pen)
   2. Collar (orange pen)
      
      1. Small flap (red pen)
         
      2. Pointed (red pen)

(6) After modeling how to outline her/his clothing,
the teacher may ask, "Is there a model in the
crowd?" When a student volunteers, the teacher
invites the student up to the front so that the
rest of the class may outline the student’s
clothing.

(7) The teacher may help the class begin the outline,
but should let students complete it themselves.
Students should use green crayons, highlighters,
or dots to label main headings; orange crayons,
etc. to identify sub-headings, and red crayons,
etc. to label minor details under sub-headings.

(8) After students complete the outline, they may
turn to a neighbor sitting next to them and
outline his/her outfit.

(9) After completing those outlines, students
trade papers in cooperative groups to see if
they can identify the person whose clothes were
described in the outline.

(10) Finally, the teacher models the same process
to outline a few paragraphs from the textbook,
which may describe the life of an author or
steps in the writing process. A content-area
textbook (history or science) may also be used.

Independent Practice: Students outline another passage
in their textbook, labeling main ideas, subheadings, and minor details.

Closure: Students do a reflective quick-write: What did you learn about outlining your clothes? How did this help you outline a chapter in your textbook?

Assessment Based On Objective: (4,3,2,1 rubric,
3 meeting the standard of proficiency)

Students are assessed on how well they outlined their neighbor’s clothing and/or the information in the textbook

4 – All main ideas and details are accurately outlined,
using the appropriate color code and indentations

3- Most main ideas and details are accurately
outlined, using the appropriate color code and
indentations

2 – Some main ideas and details are accurately
outlined, using the appropriate color code and
indentations

1- Few, if any, main ideas and details are accurately
outlined, using the appropriate color code and
indentations

Adaptations: Only outline main ideas and subheadings,
not minor details.

Extensions: Provide students with a more complex text structure to outline.

Possible Connections to Other Subjects: Students may
color-code outline an outfit worn by a historical figure, then outline the history text.

E-Mail

Marcy Winograd

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