Activating Prior Knowledge

The kids played "The Caterpillar Game" and Chase made me smile when he landed on the spot where the caterpillar sleeps (you have to spin a moon before you can go again).  While he waited his turn he looks at me and says, "The caterpillar is sleeping in a tent.  A tent is a triangle (he uses his hands to illustrate).  When the caterpillar wakes up it will leave the tent and become a butterfly."  I said, "Your right, it will leave its tent.  What is the tent called?"  I pointed to the space of the board where the chrysalis was pictured.  He responded, "Cocoon."    Earlier in the evening Mia and Gavin were making blanket tents, so I could see where he was coming up with the tent idea.  It made me glow inside thinking about how he was able to connect two seemingly different ideas together.  He really does think outside the box.

Gavin practiced an important skill tonight.  He used what he knew about his environment (prior knowledge) to better understand the life cycle of the butterfly.  In comparing the chrysalis to a tent he could visualize a caterpillar going to sleep and wake up changed. Gavin activated prior knowledge, an important skill to obtain which enables comprehension when he is introduced to new ideas.  This is KEY to his future in building literacy.  As children encounter new ideas and different concepts as they read they will be able to take what they have already know and use that knowledge to build a better understanding of what they are reading or learning.

I"m always looking for good article on Literacy.  Teachervision has a great one on Activating Prior Knowledge if you are interested in reading more indepth.