Reading for Intermediate and Advanced Learners, Spring, 2011

There were two strategies that were linked that I particularly liked. I read about them in the class text in Chapter 10.The first strategy is called sketch to strech. Basically a student takes an important theme or idea from a book, draws a picture to show it, and writes about why they chose it.

After each student has done the sketch to strech, a gallery tour is set up. All of the students' work is laid on their desks and everyone walks around and looks at one another's artwork. While they are looking, they write down 5 pieces they liked, the artist, and a comment. When the gallery tour is finished, everyone comes together and one person is asked to tell the author of the artwork that they thought best described the book. The artist then reads their explanation on why they chose to do it. I thought this was a great way to incorporate art, reading, and writing. If I were using this with my first graders, I would probably assign each artist a number and have the kids write that instead because at this age I want to be sure they vote for who showed the main idea/theme the best, not who is their best friend that day.

Using graphic organizers as an instructional stategy is one of my ten. Support for this is in "Classroom Strategies that Work" by Marzano, Pickering and Pollock. Graphic organizers are a common way to help students generate nonlinguistic representations. Information can be organized into six patterns: descriptive, time-sequence, process/cause-effect, episode, generalizations/principle, and concept. A descriptive pattern can be used to represent facts about specific persons, places, things, and events.
For the assignment I am submitting, "Brave Irene" is the text. Irene's mother is a dress maker. She gets sick and Irene has to deliver a dress for a ball and courageously makes it through a storm.
Students would discuss courgeous acts and their personal response in scary/dangerous situations. After reading the story, they would work in pairs to complete a Character Characteristics graphic organizer from the Flordia Center for Reading Research. This organizer is descriptive in nature. We would also view the story online at www.storylineonline.org.

One of the strategies I am considering is the cooperative/group work strategy of utilizing writing circles as a means of student directed edits, advice, and counseling for other students as they develop their writing skills. It is something that I do not use enough in my own classrooms, even though I do use it about once a week. I think this strategy is where all teachers are moving towards, and I think that it is one that I will continue to improve upon. This strategy was first developed by Margaret Atwell with her own students feeding and combining other ideas of former practitioners into one strong cohesive argument.

William Byland

I like the strategy that Tara presented. Visual aids are always a plus with students because of the learning support they provide. When students take ownership of creating the visual aids themself and seeing them displayed, learning becomes embedded. The galley walk allows teachers and students to see what others are thinking and spare discussions.

Students are social creatures so building cooperative group time encourages them to use those social skills toward a directed learning activity. Once procedures and guidelines have been established and practiced, students will appreciate the opportunity to learn from others.

When teaching social studies I especially like the KWL chart. It is very helpful to activate student's prior knowledge by allowing them to brainstorm about what they already know about the topic. Talking about what the students know opens doors for other students who may have had similar experiences. It also allows for the teacher to fill in the blanks about some background information. This leads to completion of the W - What we want to know - about the topic. I always list all questions the students may have. I am usually surprised about the depth and scope of some of the questions. When the first two columns are complete I type the chart and provide my students with a copy. I encourage them to add to the list of questions and to begin answering those questions in the L - column as we study the topic/unit. At the end of the unit it is important to go back and answer the questions posed. This works well as a closing activity.

I like Tara's strategy of visually representing what is read. I also think that young children will love the picture gallery and take a lot of pride in their work and the positive feedback from their peers.

Lucy - I like your graphic organizer activity. Organizers are wonderful for helping our students organize their thoughts and ideas. It gives them a map to follow, and to come back to later is needed.

William - Cooperative grouping can be rewarding for students. Once guidelines and procedures are established students will be able to tackle the writing process together. From pre writing to publishing it is always nice to have another person to advise and encourage your writing, Great strategy!

Name of Strategy:
Character Mapping
Source:
Tompkins, Gail, Blanchfield, Cathy, Norton, Terry, & Land, Betty. (2008). 50 literacy strategies for beginning teachers, 1-8. Prentice Hall.
Text students will read:
Anderson, M. (2004). Feed. Candlewick Pr.
Give a thorough explanation of the strategy as it is described in the original source:
The teacher gives students chart paper and has them draw a stick figure. The students must then dress and “draw” the character by utilizing specific characteristics of the character.
Identify the North Carolina Curriculum Competency Goal(s)
Competency Goal 4 The learner will critically interpret and evaluate experiences, literature, language, and ideas.
Competency Goal 5 The learner will demonstrate understanding of selected world literature through interpretation and analysis.
Competency Goal 6 The learner will apply conventions of grammar and language usage.
6.01 Demonstrate an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression by:
• employing varying sentence structures (e.g., inversion, introductory phrases) and sentence types (e.g., simple, compound, complex, compound-complex).
• analyzing authors' choice of words, sentence structure, and use of language.
• using word recognition strategies to understand vocabulary and exact word choice (Greek, Latin roots and affixes, analogies, idioms, denotation, connotation).
• using vocabulary strategies such as context clues, resources, and structural analysis (roots, prefixes, etc.) to determine meaning of words and phrases.
• examining textual and classroom language for elements such as idioms, denotation, and connotation to apply effectively in own writing/speaking.

Lesson Plan:

I will introduce this lesson by reviewing with students the characters of the novel via visual representations that they have already created. This lesson will take place during the beginning/middle of the novel.

Procedures of the lesson/How I will do what it is I do best:

1. Pass out white paper, markers, and ruler
2. Post Common Character Traits List
3. Ask students to draw a large stick figure with lines growing out from its sides on the sheet of paper with their markers.
a. Provide scaffolding example.
4. Ask students to pick their favorite character minor or major from the novel
a. Provide scaffolding example of Romeo from Romeo and Juliet
5. Ask students to develop their characters “appearance” with words, NOT DRAWINGS using the following to guide them as the teacher provides a scaffolding example of Romeo from Romeo and Juliet
a. Ask students to write on the lines:
i. Characters physical appearance
1. Is the character fat? Is he or she tall? Tiny? Rounded? Muscular?
ii. Characters attitude
1. Is he or she nice? Mean?
iii. Characters personality
1. What kind of clothes do they wear? What do they look like? What does this represent about their personality? What does he or she like? What do they do for fun?...
iv. Characters tone:
1. Does the character speak deeply? Softly? Loudly?...
v. Characters diction
1. How would the character talk? Examples: Professionally? Like a Gangster?...
vi. Characters overall “feel”
1. What kind of person do you think they are? Good? Bad?...
6. Share with the entire class.
Assessment of student learning:
• Finial product
• Presentation
Assessment of the effectiveness of the lesson:
Basically, this activity consists of a simple stick figure on a piece of paper with lines surrounding the body. As the students fill out traits of a character of their choice from the novel, they are actually developing the stick figure into the character in the novel itself. By starting with such a bland figure, students have to develop the features of the character with words only. It’s a great way to get students to pick up on and evaluate key features of a character. It also serves as a great example for students to use when writing a short story of their own so that they can fully develop their characters. The ideas that are put on the lines not only represent the characters appearance, but also the characters inner self as well. This allows students to see how a fully developed character is shaped and molded. When the students are finished with their individual character maps they can then share them with the class so that the whole class can be refreshed on the characters traits, as well as, how the character was developed. This activity really works well as it focuses on the main characters in the novel, but also as a review and scaffolding for those students who need extra help.
Objectives:
Students will learn an author’s perspective of character development
Students will learn the process of developing characters with words
Students will learn characteristics of the novels main characters
Students will complete a gradable portrait of the main characters of the novel with words

Materials Needed/Used:

• White board
• White paper
• Markers
• Rulers
• Common Character Traits List

I like how William used this visual to help students pick up on character characteristics. I also like the idea of students using this plan for their own writing.

Name of Strategy:
Activate Prior Knowledge : Sequential Roundtable Alphabet
Source:
Buehl, D. (2001). Classroom strategies for interactive learning. Newark, DE: International Reading Association, Inc.

Text students will read:
Briggs, H. (2001). The Grapes of math. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

Strategy description:
Effective readers activate what they know before they start reading. Activities that guide students in identifying relevant prior knowledge are an excellent way to jump-start learning about a topic.
The sequential roundtable alphabet is effective for students who have extensive background knowledge. The resulting chart serves as a prompt for remembering terms, facts, or events.
1. Give each student or cooperative group a blank copy of the sequential roundtable alphabet chart.
2. Have students generate a related term or association that begins with each letter of the alphabet. Ask students to fill in as many boxes as possible within a designated time period.
3. Ask students or groups to share their terms with the entire class. In particular, students will want to hear if other groups came up with associations for difficult letters.

Goals:
3.04 Increase oral and written vocabulary by listening, discussing, and composing texts when responding to literature that is read and heard. (e.g., read aloud by teacher, literature circles, interest groups, book clubs).
1.01 Develop number sense for whole numbers through 999

Materials:
Sequential Roundtable Alphabet chart webpages.maine207.org/district/iTEACH/alphabet.doc
Pencils
Timer
Grapes of Math book

Lesson Plan:
To check background knowledge, students will be given the Sequential Roundtable alphabet chart. They will be given directions to circulate around the room in a 2 minute time limit to collect as many math terms as possible. They must visit 5 classmates to gather terms and have them inital their paper.
At the end of the 2 minutes, students return to their seats and this chart becomes part of their math journal. We will review terms and create a large alphabet chart to be posted in the room to serve as our math wall as a reference throughout the year.
Next, we will read the Grapes of Math book. During reading, students will identify terms in the book that are on the chart and terms that need to be added. Clarification of terms will occur as needed. Discussion of strategies to use to solve the riddles.

Lesson: Introduction – The Great Depression

Time: 1 class period

Materials: Dry erase board or chart paper/KWL chart
Reference books about the Great Depression
Video clips – The Great Shake-up/The Great Depression
Primary source documents/photos of the depression era

Objectives:
1. Students will participate in completing a KWL chart about the Great Depression. Students will list what they know about the Great Depression, what they want to know about the topic, and ultimately what they have learned about the topic.
2. Students will review reference materials and primary source documents to gain an understanding about the time period.

Procedures:
1. Begin discussion by asking students what they know about the Great Depression. As students respond, list their responses in the K section of the KWL chart.
2. Show students primary source document photos depicting the Depression Era. Ask them to think about what they see in the photos.
3. Ask students what questions they have about the Great Depression.
4. Allow students to work cooperatively with peers, reviewing reference materials and photos about the Great Depression.
5. Instruct students to work with their group to generate questions about the Great Depression.
6. Bring the students together as a class and record questions in the W section of the KWL chart.
7. Complete introduction by watching and discussing video clips from The Great Shake Up: The Great Depression.

Closure: Students will finish class by listing one thing they know about the Great Depression on an exit ticket.

Extension: Provide students with a copy of the KWL chart completed in class. Explain that the L – what we have learned section will be completed throughout the unit of study. Encourage students to add questions to the W section and to begin the L section as the material is covered throughout the unit.