What are Text Sets?

How do I create a Text Set?
A text set is a collection of sources that support a common theme, issue or topic. Text sets should include a variety of genres, text types, levels and formats.
Examples of materials to include (but are not limited to):
  • fiction (novels, picture books, short stories)
  • non fiction
  • poetry
  • images
  • newspaper and magazine articles
  • apps
  • webcasts and podcasts
  • websites
  • artwork
  • songs
  • primary sources (interviews, documents, artifacts)
  1. Start with the content - what do students need to know or in other words --  what do you need to teach (theme or concept)?  It is helpful to have an anchor text: a complex grade-level text. The anchor text could be the focus of a close reading with instructional supports in the classroom. Use a variety of keywords to search for texts!
  2. Build the text set  - find material that supports the content you want to teach and want students to learn.
  3. Organize the texts - how and when will you use the texts?
  4. Creating and responding to texts - how will students work with the texts, what will they do with the texts? (Cappiello, 2013)
A few essential questions to ask and/or issues to consider when assembling a text set.
  1. Think about the standards. What are students expected to know and be able to do? This can dictate the topics/themes chosen.
  2. What do you (the teacher) want students to know (beyond the standards)?
  3. What topics/themes/content will engage and excite students (Cappiello, 2013)?
Cappiello, M. A., & Dawes, E. T. (2013). Teaching with text sets. Huntington Beach, Calif: Shell Education.

Finding Texts for Themed Text Sets

Information Text with Reading Level Help 
Books Information! Find reviews, lesson plans, etc.
  • NC Teachers - NoveList K-8 via NC Wise Owl
  • TeachingBooks (username: ncsucedmetrc     password: wolfpack)
  • CLCD - Children's Literature Comprehensive Database 

Online Texts - Fiction and Nonfiction eBooks
  • Mackin Via eBooks (username: ncsucedmetrc     password: wolfpack)
  • NCSU Overdrive for CED Students (use your ID number to check out ebooks)
  • TumbleBook Library for CED Students (username: ncsucedmetrc   password: wolfpack) K-6 interactive ebooks many including quizzes, lesson ideas, etc.

Search the NCSU library catalog or the public library (including the book club kits)

Other NC Wise Owl Information Texts
  • Grolier Online
  • Cumbre (reading in Spanish)
  • Amazing Animals
  • Lands and Peoples
Other "Interesting" Genre Texts
Gapminder is a data visualization tool that can bring global awareness and data literacy into your classroom.

Global data --CIA World Factbook

Videos (Discovery Ed if your District/School has a Subscription)

Interesting Graphics/Images: 101 Questions, National Geographic, Interesting Photos, Google Image Search - Filter, AP Images from NC Wise Owl, Culture Grams Slide Shows, NYPL Digital Gallery, Using101 Questions

Primary Sources - via Kathy Schrock's Guide

TEXT COMPLEXITY TOOLS:
Flesch-Kincaide Readability
Lexile Chart
Qualitative Rubric
Quantitative Tools (Lexile, ATOS, etc.)
Rewordify (cut and paste in text to simplify it)

Practice!

You get to teach the book Esperanza Rising with your students. You want to build a text set to help them build prior knowledge to better understand the novel.

Read these two summaries of Esperanza Rising and make a list of keywords, subjects, topics, etc. that would be good to use when searching for texts.
Summary 1 (click on "Read More") and Summary 2 (look at the "Background" section)
  1. Go to NCWiseOwl and use the elementary resources to see what texts you can find that fit your keywords and subjects. Look for articles, images, video, etc. at varying levels of complexity.
  2. Go to YouTube, Classhook, and Wonderopolis - can you find videos or Wonderopolis multi-media texts about any of your topics/subjects?
  3. Go to your library catalog and look for picture books related to your keywords and subjects - also remember to search ebooks!
  4. Find another text repository at go.ncsu.edu/k12texts and see what you can find!

Organize your Articles/Texts for Students

Printing articles, using book boxes, etc. can allow you to organize texts. You can also try one of these sources:

Links and References:

Text Set Project: Building Knowledge and Vocabulary
Building Background Knowledge
​Campbell University Guide to Textsets
Iowa Guide to Text Sets
Geneseo Guide to Text Sets