In response to the concerns of kids not following directions, I developed the CUCC strategy. CUCC stands for:
C - Circle
U - Underline
C - Count
C - Check Off/Complete
Using this strategy, we teach kids to Circle the directions words. Then, they Underline all important information after each direction word. Then they Count the actual number of directions words; last, they Check Off each item as they Complete it.
Here is a lesson plan that I developed to teach the CUCC strategy.
Procedure:
1) Tell students that they will be working on a strategy to help them be better at reading and following directions in all classes.
2) Begin by using Transparency A to have students brainstorm directions words that they encounter in their different classes. As you list the words on the transparencies, it is okay to have repeats.
As the words are listed on the transparencies, have a student list the words on chart paper, without repeats. Ask another student to check the list as it's written to see if the word is a repeat.
Sample words:Language Arts
explain, write, read, summarize, listen, list, copy
Math
estimate, measure, calculate, solve, simplify
Science
hypothesize, measure, weigh, pour, heat, stir
Social Studies
read, write, compare, color, persuade
Industrial Arts
measure, cut, draw, repair, mark
Art
stir, mix, paint, color, draw, design
Music
sing, play, finger, breathe, read, repeat
3) After #2 above is completed, you should have a fairly long list of directions words. Post the charts on the board.
4) Place a copy of transparency B on the overhead. (Pass out paper copies, as well.) Tell the students that these are directions for a lab from a science book.
The directions are numbered from 1-5. Ask students to help you identify the directions words in step 1. You should circle find, draw, label, mark, and label. Next, underline key words that help to clarify the directions. These words will tell what to circle, what to draw, what to label, where to mark, and what to label.
Ask students to count the actual number of directions words that appeared in Step 1. Number each circled word, 1 - 6, so that step 1 actually has 6 directions that need to be completed.
5) Look now at Step 2. Ask students to help you identify the directions words here. You should circle press, wiggle, and place. Now, underline the key words that help clarify the directions. Now number the circled words 7 - 9. Remind students that although the directions say this is Step 2, there are really nine things that need to be completed up to this point.
6) Look at Step 3. Circle the directions words - cut, slip. Underline the key words and then continue numbering.
7) Look at Step 4. Circle the directions words - hold, use, press. Underline the key words, and then continue numbering.
8) Look at Step 5. Circle the directions words - take, use, see. Underline the key words, and finish numbering.
9) Note that a five step lab really had 17 steps to be completed. It would be a simple matter now of following the directions, and checking off each of the 17 steps as they are completed.
10) Show Transparency C. It has the steps of the CUCC strategy, and tell students that they have just done the first three steps of the CUCC strategy.
C = Circle the directions words.
U = Underline key words after the directions words.
C = Count the number of directions words.
C = Check off/Complete the steps.
Post the wall-size chart of CUCC next to the directions words generated by the class.
11) The fourth step of CUCC is to check off/complete each of the steps in the set of directions.
12) Look again at the circled words on the chart of directions words posted on the board (from Transparency A) Ask the class to identify words that were in these directions (Transparency B) that were not listed on chart. Add the new words to the list on the chart.
13) Now, repeat the process with another lab. (Transparency D). This one looks as though it has 3 steps. Let's find out how many steps it really has.
14) Call on a volunteer to tell you the directions words and the key words to underline for step 1. Continue with all three steps.
15) Ask students to identify how many circled words are were in this set of directions. (12) Number them in order.
16) Add words from this set of directions (Transparency D) to the chart of directions words if there are some you did not already have.
17) Students are now ready for some practice of the strategy. This can be done individually or in groups, depending on your preference. Use either the Worksheet for Independent Practice or a different set of directions. It is a good idea to practice this skill frequently, with varying types of directions: recipes, writing assignments, games, test directions, etc.
As a follow-up to this lesson, have a couple of students take the directions words that were on the chart and copy the words individually onto 4" x 6" index cards. Sort the cards into alphabetical order, and create a Directions Word Wall in the classroom, that can be added to whenever kids do the CUCC strategy and discover new words to add to the wall. Keeping the word wall up during CRT testing will help kids as they apply the strategy, especially if each teacher in the grade has a word wall, so that no matter what rooms kids report to for testing, directions words will be displayed.
Other Important Considerations:
Because it is important for kids to develop the skill of applying the CUCC strategy, it may be necessary for the teacher to begin xeroxing the directions from the textbook before students do an assignment, so that they can apply the strategy. Kids cannot be writing in their textbooks, so the copying may have to be done.
Kids should practice this CUCC strategy in their cooperative learning groups, and it should become the automatic role of the group leader to direct the group to apply the strategy to the activity that the group is about to do. The more they do CUCC in their groups, the more likely they will do it in the MSPAP testing before they have to do a group activity. Before moving into the activity, the group should agree that the directions are understood by all.
The CUCC strategy can and should be carried over into reading multi-part questions. Scorers on the MSPAP say that kids will answer only one of a multi-part question. As kids become adept at CUCC, they should begin applying it to all directions they come in contact with, especially test questions.
Sources:
The weather labs on transparencies B and D came from Weather Watch.
The landfill directions came from gopher://nceet.snre.umich.edu:70/00/.j-l/lndfill.clres.