Step-By-Step

use of Instructional Strategy:

Accessing Prior Knowledge via K-W-L Chart

Based on ELD Standards for 5th grade:
A. Collaborative
1. Exchanging information and ideas with others through oral collaborative discussions on a range
of social and academic topics
2. Interacting with others in written English in various communicative forms (print, communicate,
technology, and multimedia)

How to use a K-W-L Chart to access prior knowledge:
1. In preparation for a new unit of study (for example, a unit on The Thirteen Colonies),
post K-W-L chart in front of class (k: What I know, W: What I want to Know, L: What I
learned)
1a. Students have their own KWL chart handout on their desk to copy down as I fill
out the one on the board
2. Post pictures of the 13 Colonies around classroom to provide students with visuals for
discussion to go along with KWL chart lesson
3. Next to Know, provide a visual, such as a brain to visualize know & discuss with
students what they already know about the 13 Colonies
3a. Students brainstorm with partner near them some ideas of what they already
know and write this down (providing student modeling of how to converse in
English)
3b. Students share out whole class ideas while teacher copies down and students
also can copy down
4. Next to Want, provide a visual, such as a question mark & discuss with students what
they want to know about the 13 colonies
4a. students work with partners and write down ideas
4b. share whole group while teacher copies down ideas that students can also copy
down
5. Talk about what the word learned means with visual and share how this will be filled
out at end of unit

K W L