content of the text - higher education | pearson · new in chapter 1, language arts: learning and...

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PrefaceTeaching Language Arts: A Student-Centered Classroom, Seventh Edition, like previ-

ous editions, continues to take a student-centered approach but provides new content on the Common Core State Standards and reading and writing both literary and informational texts, teaching English learners and differentiating instruction in today’s diverse classrooms, and inte-grating media and technology into the K–8 classroom. It remains grounded in current theories of constructivism and social interaction combined with a reader-response perspective toward teaching with children’s literature, as well as current research in language and literacy instruc-tion. It is designed for use as a main text in undergraduate and graduate language arts methods courses.

I have tried to bring this vision of a student-centered classroom to life not only through clear explanations of these guiding principles but also with examples of real teachers in real classrooms with real children, many of whom are English learners (ELs). In this seventh edition, I’ve used an array of Assessment Toolboxes to place emphasis on how to observe, assess, plan, and differentiate instruction to make sure that the needs of each child are met within the context of a standards-based curriculum. I’ve also placed emphasis throughout the text and in Engaging English Learners and Differentiating Instruction boxes on how teachers can meet the needs of diverse learners by sheltering and differentiating instruction for English learners, students with disabilities and other special needs, nonmainstream speakers of English, and struggling readers and writers. The new Common Core State Standards marginal feature will link grade-level expected outcomes for students to the specific ideas for language arts instruction in each chapter throughout the text. A new boxed feature, Media and Technology, models learning and teaching in a Web 2.0 world.

Along with Snapshots of real life in a classroom, I’ve provided examples of Integrated Teaching with Literature that demonstrate thematic, literature-based learning across the curriculum linked to the Common Core State Standards; expanded Lesson Plans; and more integrated teaching ideas and lesson plans in an appendix, A Year of Thematic Teaching. Above all, I hope I’ve created an engaging, readable, student-friendly, and practical text built on a strong theoretical and research base and made clear with real-life examples of children and teachers from today’s diverse classrooms.

Content of the TextThis seventh edition of Teaching Language Arts: A Student-Centered Classroom has been substantially updated and reorganized to reflect current issues and developments in teach-ing language arts.

New in Chapter 1, Language Arts: Learning and Teaching, is an example of the use of the new Common Core State Standards by the Louisiana Teacher of the Year in her student-centered classroom, building on national Standards for the English Language Arts, as well as Louisiana state standards. The new Common Core State Standards are shown throughout the text in the context of real classroom experiences. Chapter 1 also introduces the three theoretical perspectives that lay the foundation for the approach in this book: namely, constructivism, social interaction, and reader response. Keys to teaching language arts are presented, including the nature of a student-centered classroom, a standards-based curriculum, the classroom, and integrated teaching.

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New in Chapter 2, Language Arts: Assessing and Differentiating Instruction, is increased coverage of how to differentiate instruction in diverse, multiability classrooms. This approach considers the different learning styles, abilities, and interests of each stu-dent; student cultural and linguistic diversity, including multicultural education, English learners, and speakers of nonmainstream English; students with disabilities and other spe-cial needs, and Response to Intervention (RTI) for struggling readers and writers. Chapter 2 presents assessment in the context of learning theories of constructivism and social inter-action and explains authentic assessment-based instruction of language and literacy from the very beginning of school. Numerous examples of classroom-ready assessment tools are introduced, which will be further explained and demonstrated throughout the text in the Assessment Toolbox feature found in every chapter. Also examined are the role of language arts in the current national debate on high-stakes testing and the IRA/NCTE Standards for the Assessment of Reading and Writing.

New in Chapter 3, Integrated Teaching with Literature, is the special feature Integrated Teaching with Literature, which provides models for practice centered on a theme, authors and illustrators, literature circles, or a core book. Snapshots that contextual-ize the model in a real classroom and with real students are followed by a detailed plan for how literature was used to integrate teaching across the curriculum in that classroom and linked to the Common Core State Standards. The chapter is grounded in reader-response theory as a way to understand how readers make meaning from their experiences with lit-erature and results of my own research on different types of responses, or stances, children may take when reading. Based on this theory and research, the chapter focuses on ways to engage students with literature and learning.

The critical early years of school are described in Chapter 4, Language Development and Emergent Literacy, presenting theories and new research on how young children learn to first speak and then to read and write a language, as well as what teachers need to know about language structure, systems, and vocabulary development. Practical strate-gies for assessing and teaching beginning readers and writers are brought to life with two Snapshots, one from a first-grade classroom the first week of school and another showing a day in a kindergarten classroom.

A new Chapter 5, Engaging English Learners, focuses entirely on the growing num-ber of students coming to school who speak a language other than English at home, explain-ing the theories, research, and sociocultural context of how these students learn English as a second language. It describes how teachers can assess students at different levels of English proficiency and plan for instruction that supports both English language development and sheltered content instruction so that students not only acquire the ability to speak, read, and write English, but also progress in the academic areas of mathematics, science, and social studies. Readers experience the teacher’s role when they visit a kindergarten classroom on the first day of school and all students come to school speaking Spanish. Another visit takes them to a third-grade class where the teacher plans sheltered content instruction in math-ematics as well as English language development.

New in Chapter 6, Reading, is an analysis of current research on reading and the implications for reading instruction. A visit to a transitional first-grade class of struggling readers and writers shows how these findings can be put into practice. This chapter offers a balanced, research-based approach to reading that includes methods of shared reading, read-ing aloud, word study and fluency, guided reading, independent reading, reading workshop, and strategies for teaching the alphabetic principle, phonemic awareness, and phonics.

Chapter 7, Writing, includes an in-depth look at how children learn the writing pro-cess in a first-grade class, charting one child’s writing progress from the first day, with

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writing samples that show his growth with the support of his teacher’s modeling and con-ferencing with him during writing workshop. Writing workshop is further described in detail in a fourth-grade classroom with many English learners, showing readers how to plan, teach, assess, shelter, and differentiate writing instruction for diverse students.

Chapter 8, Speaking and Listening, looks at what can be considered the sup-pressed and neglected language arts, respectively. Strategies for teaching speaking and listening with a focus on comprehension and collaboration are provided, including ques-tions and prompts, instructional conversations, group discussions and graphic organizers, and Directed Listening Thinking Activity, with guidelines for adapting these strategies for English learners. Teaching speaking and listening through presentation of knowledge and ideas is also addressed, specifically project presentations, media interviews and oral histories, performance reading and reader’s theater, creative drama, and even performing Shakespeare with children.

The two newer language arts in the IRA/NCTE Standards for the English Language Arts are the focus of Chapter 9, Viewing and Visually Representing. Viewing and visually representing have always been essential to teaching language arts across the curriculum, and critical viewing and media literacy have never been more important than in today’s world of mass-mediated communication. This chapter provides engaging strategies and examples across a range of experiences in viewing and visually representing, from film, video, television, and graphic novels to the visual arts, artists, and art history as well as multimedia presentations. Performing arts are also addressed, including scriptwriting, play production, and curriculum drama. This chapter includes an example of a third-grade class-room with many English learners using multimedia, viewing, and visually representing in the context of language arts and science as they learn about the solar system.

Chapter 10, Spelling, opens with background on the English writing system and spelling. Research explaining the stages of spelling development is shown, along with an example of how one child moved through these stages. Strategies for using these stages as a basis for assessing and teaching children to spell and write conventionally using develop-mentally appropriate practices are provided for students from kindergarten through middle school. The recommended teaching strategies all present spelling in the context of using language for meaningful purposes, not as an isolated skill.

A similar approach is recommended in Chapter 11, Grammar, Punctuation, and Handwriting—namely, that grammar and other language conventions should be taught and assessed as part of the writing process, especially the editing and revising stages. Children’s literature is discussed as an excellent resource for teaching about the style, structure, and conventions of written language, and as a model for children to use in their own writing. Also described are strategies for word and sentence study, punctuation, and handwriting.

Two new chapters focus on two types of texts: literary and informational. Chapter 12, Reading and Writing Literary Texts, includes an explanation of reader-response theory and what it means to read aesthetically, with a focus on a personal experiencing of a text. Literary elements and methods of teaching reading and writing of many forms of poetry (including songs and sonnets) and stories (including folktales, myths, legends, and imag-ined experience) are described. Chapter 13, Reading and Writing Informational Texts, reviews the explanation of reader-response theory and what it means to read efferently, with a focus on taking away information from a text. Structures of informational texts and methods of teaching biography, autobiography, and books about history/social studies, science, mathematics, and the arts are described. In both chapters, strategies for teaching English learners and dealing with controversial subjects are shown through real classroom examples.

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New to This Edition

Chapter1:LanguageArts:LearningandTeaching

• NewsectionontheCommon Core State Standards

• NewtablealigningintegratedliteracyactivitiesdescribedintheSnapshot:ADayinAvril Font’s Fourth Grade Class with the Common Core State Standards for writing

• Newboxedfeature:MediaandTechnology:StandardsforTechnologyintheClassroom

Chapter2:LanguageArts:AssessingandDifferentiatingInstruction

• NewsectiononspeakersofnonmainstreamEnglish

• NewsectiononResponsetoIntervention(RTI)

• Newboxedfeature:MediaandTechnnology:Digital/E-Portfolios

• Updatedresearchanddiscussionofhigh-stakestestinginthecontextofteachinglan-guage arts

• NewsectionontheIRA/NCTEStandardsfortheAssessmentofReadingandWriting

Chapter3:IntegratedTeachingwithLiterature

• Newlyupdateddiscussionandresearchonreaderstancetowardliteraturefromtheperspective of the transactional model of reading

• Newfeature,IntegratedTeachingwithLiterature,withfourmodelsforpractice,eachone contextualized in a Snapshot of the classroom and linked to the Common Core State Standards for the English language arts:

• ATheme:TheAmericanWest,FourthGrade

• AuthorsandIllustrators:JerryPinkney,FirstGrade

• LiteratureCircles:TheTropicalRainforest,Third-GradeEnglishLearners

• ACoreBook:Treasure Island, Fifth Grade

• Newboxedfeature:EngagingEnglishLearners:LiteratureCircles

• Newsectiononevidenceforintegratedteachingwithliteratureforeachofthecontentareas: social studies, science, mathematics, and the arts

• Newsectiononmulticulturalliterature

• Newboxedfeature:MediaandTechnology:OnlineLiteratureDiscussionBoardswithnew Assessment Toolbox: Online Literature Discussion Rubric

NewChapter4:LanguageDevelopmentandEmergentLiteracy

• Currentresearchonlanguagedevelopmentandemergentliteracy

• Newfeature:IntegratedTeachingwithLiteratureonthethemeofapples,contextual-ized by a Snapshot of a first-grade classroom and linked to the Common Core State Standards

• New boxed feature: Engaging English Learners: SemanticMaps withArmenian-Speaking English Learners

• Newboxedfeature:MediaandTechnology:BlogsandEmergentLiteracy

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NewChapter5:EngagingEnglishLearners

• Anentirechapterfocusedonassessing,teaching,andengagingEnglishlearners

• Discussionofthepopulationofschool-ageEnglishlearnersinAmericatoday,aswellas projections for the future

• Current research and theory and the sociocultural contexts of how students learnEnglish as a second language and best practices for teaching them

• Newboxed feature:MediaandTechnology:DigitalStorytelling,OnlineResearch,DVDs, and Videos to Raise Cultural and Language Awareness for English Learners

Chapter6:Reading

• Updateddiscussionofevidence-basedreadinginstructionandabalancedapproachtoteaching reading

• Newsectiononcurrentresearchandbestpracticesonreadingfluency.

• Newboxedfeature, Media and Technology, Digital Readers

Chapter7:Writing

• Newsectiononmentortextsasamodelforwriting

• Newboxedfeature:EngagingEnglishLearners:TeachingWritingtoEnglishLearners

• Newboxedfeature:MediaandTechnology,OnlineWritingandPublishing

• Newboxedfeature:MediaandTechnology,E-PalsintheUnitedStatesandChina

• Newsectionon6+ 1 writing traits characteristics and rubric assessment

Chapter8:SpeakingandListening

• Newandexpandeddiscussionofcurrentresearchontheroleofspeakingandlisteningin language arts and literacy instruction

• Newsectionon theCommon Core State Standards for speaking and listening, and best practices to meet the CCSS goals of Comprehension and Collaboration and Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

• New boxed feature: Engaging English Learners: Instructional Conversations withEnglish Learners

• Newboxed feature:Media andTechnology: Presentation andAudio/VisualTools:Glogster, PowerPoint, Skype, and Podcasts

• Newsectiononstrategiesandbooksforperformancereading

• Newreader’stheaterscriptfor“TheOwlandthePussy-Cat,”oneoftheexemplartextsin the Common Core State Standards

• Newboxedfeature:EngagingEnglishLearners:CreativeDramaandEnglishLearners

Chapter9:ViewingandVisuallyRepresenting

• NewsectionontheCommon Core State Standards position on integrating multimedia into language arts instruction

• Newboxedfeature:MediaandTechnology:VirtualFieldTripsontheWorldWideWeb

• Newboxedfeature:EngagingEnglishLearners:ViewingandVisuallyRepresenting

• Newsectiononusinggraphicnovels,K–8

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• Newsectiononteachingarthistoryandartistsandvocabularyinstructioninthearts

• NewlyrevisedLessonPlan:FridaKahlo,SelfPortraitsandFacePoems,integratingthe study of this Latina artist and her art into language arts instruction in reading and writing poetry

• New boxed feature: Media and Technology: Technology Tools for Drawing andAnimation

Chapter10:Spelling

• NewinformationonthehistoryofEnglishwordsandetymologicalchangespertainingto spelling instruction

• Newfigure:“WhereDoEnglishWordsComeFrom?”withatimelinetracingtheaddi-tion of borrowed words to English from the early Celts in Britain, 500 B.C., to the present day

• Newboxedfeature:MediaandTechnology:InteractiveOnlineSpellingResources

Chapter11:Grammar,Punctuation,andHandwriting

• NewsectionontheCommon Core State Standards guidelines on the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, and mechanics

• Updatedresearchontheteachingofgrammarandlanguageconventions

• NewlyrevisedLessonPlan:SentenceTransformationsUsingInformationalTextsinaContent Area

• Newboxedfeature:EngagingEnglishLearners:TeachingGrammar

• NewDifferentiatingInstruction:TeachingGrammartoNonmainstreamSpeakersofEnglish

• NewAssessmentToolbox:DifferentiatedRubricforLanguageConventionsforEnglishLearners: Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced levels of English Proficiency

NewChapter12:ReadingandWritingLiteraryTexts

• IncludesCommon Core State Standards guidelines on reading and writing literary texts

• Containsasectiononliterarymentortexts.

• Includesinformationonteachingthereadingandwritingofpoetry,poeticelements,and forms of poetry such as free verse, list poems, Japanese haiga, renga, haibun, quilt block poems, and English sonnets

• New boxed feature: Engaging English Learners: Guided FreeVerse Poetry withEnglish Learners

• Newboxedfeature:MediaandTechnology:WritingPoetry

• Includesinformationonteachingthereadingandwritingofstories,literaryelements,and forms of stories such as folktales, myths, legends, and imagined experience

NewChapter13:ReadingandWritingInformationalTexts

• IncludesCommon Core State State Standards guidelines on reading and writing infor-mational texts

• Containsasectiononinformationalmentortexts

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• Includesinformationonteachingthereadingandwritingofinformationaltexts,struc-tures of informational texts, and types of informational texts such as books about his-tory/social studies, science, mathematics, and the arts

• Newboxedfeature:MediaandTechnology:WebQuests.

• Newboxedfeature:EngagingEnglishLearners:TeachingContentAreaVocabulary

Appendix:AYearofThematicTeaching

• Anewlyupdatedappendixwithmonth-by-month themes fromSeptember throughJune with ideas for language and literacy experiences, lesson plans, and children’s books, all of which reflect the student-centered approach in the text

September: Me and My Family February: Black History Month

October: Fall March: Women’s History Month

November: We’re All Pilgrims April: Spring

December/January: Winter May/June: The Environment

Special Features

• Snapshots give glimpses into real classrooms, showing the practical application of material discussed in the chapter. One or more Snapshots are included in every chapter, along with relevant examples of student- and teacher-created materials. Many of the Snapshots take place in classrooms with diverse students: English learners, students with disabilities and other special needs, and struggling readers and writers.

• NewtothiseditionisthespecialfeatureIntegrated Teaching with Literature, which shows a framework for planning standards-based teaching linked to the Common Core State Standards for the English language arts as well as integrated across content areas. Each of these features is preceded by a Snapshot of actual classroom experiences so the reader sees how the teaching ideas, student activities, and lists of children’s books can meet the standards and play out in real life.

• Alsonew to this edition is theboxed featureEngaging English Learners, which highlights specific ideas for teaching English learners and providing teachers with much-needed assistance in teaching English as a second language.

• Media and Technology is another new boxed feature in every chapter, connecting chapter content to current technology standards, teaching structures, online tools and resources, and best practices for meaningfully integrating media and technology into language arts instruction for the twenty-first century.

• OneormoreAssessment Toolboxes appear in nearly every chapter, providing a wide range of contextualized, authentic assessment devices preservice and inservice teachers can immediately put to use in the classroom. The application of these ready-made tools is demonstrated using real examples of children’s work, and suggestions are offered for adapting the tools for English learners and diverse students. Two new Assessment Toolboxes have been added to this edition: (1) an Online Literature Discussion Rubric to use with web-based literature discussion boards, and (2) a Differentiated Rubric for Language Conventions for English Learners: Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Levels of English Proficiency.

• Lesson Plans offer specific suggestions for teaching language arts and can readily be put into practice in the classroom, each one including the new Common Core State Standards,

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a step-by-step approach to teaching, graphic organizers, assessment tools, ideas for inte-grated teaching across the content areas, and children’s books and media resources.

• One ormore of the boxed feature labeledDifferentiating Instruction are found in nearly every chapter, providing specific ideas for struggling readers and writers, students with disabilities and other special needs, and students who speak a non-mainstream dialect of English. The specific content of each box is related to the dis-cussion in the chapter and to a particular student group. For instance, a Differentiating Instruction box in Chapter 3 addresses how literature circles can meet the needs of students with disabilities and struggling readers and writers.

• Twotypesofmarginal notes are used consistently throughout the book.

• Common Core State Standards related to the specific content of each chapter

• Listsofgreatchildren’sbooks,identifiedbytopic:Great Books for Children

The structure of each chapter has been maintained from the previous edition and will facilitate readers’ use of the text during initial reading and later review:

• Chapter-opening questions raise basic issues about the chapter topic. Following these questions, readers are asked to write Reflections drawing on their own experi-ences and ideas in this area. Chapter-ending answers go back to the same questions, providing summaries of chapter content.

• Looking Further, another end-of-chapter feature, suggests opportunities for exploring chapter content more deeply: discussion questions, group activities for college class-rooms focused on understanding how language is used, suggestions for observing and interacting with children, and ideas for participation and teaching applications to try out in the classroom.

• ThesectiononChildren’s Books found at the end of each chapter identifies publica-tion information for the children’s literature and other resources discussed in text. All professional source materials have been compiled at the end of the book in the References section. Both the children’s and professional resources have been substan-tially updated for this edition.

• Visuals richly illustrate the book, showing samples of children’s drawings and writing and photos of teachers and children in the classroom.

AcknowledgmentsI’ve learned so much from the children I taught as an elementary teacher in Los Angeles, California, and Madison, Wisconsin, and from the preservice university students and inser-vice teachers I’ve taught and whose classrooms I’ve visited as a professor at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and at California State University, Long Beach. My special thanks go to those I’ve written about in this book: Paul Boyd-Batstone, Alicia Campos, Phyllis Crawford, Ranida Delarosa, Audrey Eldridge, Avril Font, Phyllis Fuglaar, Basia Gliddon, Marion Harris, Gene Hughes, Mauretta Hurst, Sheila Kline, Kathy Lee, Ping Lui, Margaret Mattson, Nora Miller, Fay Shin.

A special thanks to my colleague at CSULB, Paul Boyd-Batstone, for our continuing conversations about teaching language arts and his knowledgeable contributions to the text. I’ve also written about Paul when he was a third-grade teacher of English learners.

I’ve also written about the language and literacy development of my own three children—Wyatt, Gordon, and Elizabeth—and now my granddaughter Lana Jane, Wyatt and Kyoko’s

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daughter. Watching them grow has provided me an education not available through books or university classes.

Many reviewers have made insightful comments and suggestions and have done much to shape the content of this book. My thanks go to those individuals who reviewed this seventh edition: Nancy L. Gibney, University of Detroit Mercy; Deborah Hamm, California State University, Long Beach; and MaryAnn Nickel, Sonoma State University.

Reading Louise Rosenblatt’s transactional theory gave me the explanatory power I needed to articulate my own classroom experiences and those of others with regard to teach-ing with literature—our conversations and her friendship and support for my research and writing have also been much appreciated. I also acknowledge the California State University for funding my ongoing longitudinal research on the development of children’s responses to literature and for honoring me as the Outstanding Professor of the Year for 2001.

Thanks also to the editors at Pearson for the personal encouragement to be myself and for expert professional advice and support throughout all editions, including this seventh edition of Teaching Language Arts.

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1

Language Arts: Learning and Teaching

Questions about Learning and Teaching Language Arts• What are the language arts?• How do children learn language arts?• How should we teach language arts?

ReflectionsThink about these questions and jot down your ideas. Take a chance. Write what-ever comes to mind in response to the term language arts. When you’ve finished, perhaps compare your response with those of other students in small groups or in a whole-class discussion with your instructor. Keep your ideas in mind as you read this chapter.

The Six Language ArtsThelanguageartshavetraditionallybeendefinedinelementaryteach-ingas“listening,speaking,reading,andwriting.”Butthisdefinitionismerelythetipoftheiceberg.WhenIfirstthoughtaboutthequestions

youjustrespondedto,IpicturedthestudentsIhadwhenIwasanelementaryteacher,usinglanguageintheclassroom.Sometimestheiruseoflanguagewasaudibleandvisible:talk-inginsmallgroupsorclassdiscussions,writingintheirjournalsorworkingtogetheronamoviescript,drawingillustrationsforabooktheywerewriting,constructingcostumesorpropsforaplay,singing,dancing,dramatizing,orlaughingateachother’sjokes.(Aclassicelementaryschooljoke:Q:Howdoyoukeepafishfromsmelling?A:Cutoffitsnose!)Othertimes,mystudents’languageusewassilentandinvisible:listeningasIreadaloud,readingindependently,orstaringoffintospace,thinkingaboutwhattheywouldwritenext.

The languagearts also include languageconventions: spelling,punctuation,gram-marusage,andhandwriting.Computerusageandskills,suchaswordprocessing,onlinecommunicationinelectronicdiscoursecommunities,onlineresearch,andusingWeb2.0toolsarepartofthelanguageartsaswell.Animportantgoalofteachinglanguageartsisachievingliteracyforallchildren.Literacyhasoftenbeendefinedinelementaryteaching

1

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2 Chapter 1 Language Arts: Learning and Teaching

as“readingandwriting.”Thisisanothernarrowdefinition.Today,themeaningofliteracymayincludearangeofabilities,frombiliteracy(theabilitytoreadandwriteinmorethanonelanguage)tomediaandtechnologyliteracy.

ThenationalStandardsfortheEnglishLanguageArts(1996),writtenjointlybytheInternationalReadingAssociation(IRA)andtheNationalCouncilofTeachersofEnglish(NCTE),recognizedthatthetraditionalfourlanguageartsdidnotacknowledgethepow-erfulroleofnonprintmediainchildren’slives.ThesestandardsredefinedwhatstudentsshouldknowabouttheEnglishlanguageartsassixlanguagearts:

1. Reading.Thecomplex,recursiveprocessthroughwhichwemakemeaningfromtexts,usingsemantics;syntax;visual,aural,andtactilecues;context;andpriorknowledge

2. Writing.Theuseofawritingsystemororthographybypeopleintheconductoftheirdailylivestocommunicateovertimeandspace

3. Listening.Attending to communication by anymeans; includes listening to vocalspeech,watchingsigning,orusingcommunicationaids

4. Speaking.Theactofcommunicatingthroughsuchmeansasvocalization,signing,orusingcommunicationaidssuchasvoicesynthesizers

5. Viewing.Attendingtocommunicationconveyedbyvisuallyrepresenting 6. Visually representing.Conveyinginformationorexpressingoneselfusingnonverbal

visualmeans,suchasdrawing,computergraphics(maps,charts,artwork),photogra-phy,orphysicalperformance

Thesestandardsalsoexpandedthedefinitionoftexts:

In theStandards for the English Language Artswe use the term text broadlyto refer toprintedcommunications in theirvaried forms;oralcommunication,includingconversations,speeches,etc.;andvisualcommunicationssuchasfilm,video,andcomputerdisplays.(p.76)

The12IRA/NCTEStandardsfor theEnglishLanguageArtsrepresentwhatstu-dents should know and be able to do in the English language arts in gradesK–12.Theyweredevelopedasnationalstandardsinthe1990s,duringwhichtimethestatesalsodevelopedstandardsaswell.SeeTable1.1,IRA/NCTEStandardsfortheEnglishLanguageArts.

ThemorerecentCommon Core State Standards(CCSS)developedin2010aretheresultofaninitiativeledbytheCouncilofChiefStateSchoolOfficers(CCSSO)andtheNationalGovernorsAssociationCenterforBestPractices(NGACenter).Theyarebuiltonthefoundationofcurrentstatestandards.Theyclearlycommunicatewhatisexpectedofstudentsateachgradelevel.TheCommon Core State Standardsprovidestudentbench-markstoguideteachersforthespecificgradeleveltheyteach.

To learnmore about the IRA/NCTE nationalStandards for the English Language Arts(1996),gotowww.reading.organdwww.ncte.org.AlistoftheCommon Core State StandardsforEnglishLanguageArts,Kindergarten–Grade12,isprovidedinsidethecoverofthisbook.FormoreontheCommon Core State Standards,gotowww.corestandards.org.

Themodelbehindthestandards-basededucationmovementincludesclearexpecta-tionsforstudentsandschools,accountabilitythroughassessmenttoolsthatshowwhetherstandardshavebeenmet,andsupportforclassroominstructionthatwillleadtoimprovedlearning.But in fact, language arts content standards and curricula are onlywords onpaper,existinginavirtualworld,untiltheycomealiveintherealworldoftheclassroomthrough theactionsof teachers and students.Thebestof all possibleoutcomesoccurs

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3The Six Language Arts

Table 1.1 IRA/NCTE Standards for English Language Arts

The vision guiding these standards is that all students must have the opportunities and resources to develop the language skills they need to pursue life’s goals and to participate as fully informed, productive members of society. These standards assume that literacy growth begins before children enter school as they experience and experiment with literacy activities—reading and writing, and associating spoken words with their graphic representations. Recognizing this fact, these standards encourage the development of curriculum and instruction that make productive use of the emerging literacy abilities that children bring to school. Furthermore, the standards provide ample room for the innovation and creativity essential to teaching and learning. They are not prescriptions for particular curriculum of instruction.

Although we present these standards as a list, we want to emphasize that they are not distinct and separable: they are, in fact, interrelated and should be considered as a whole.

1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.

2. Students read a wide range of literature from many periods and many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.

3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound–letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).

4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences for different purposes.

5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.

7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.

8. Students use a variety of technological and informational resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

9. Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles.

10. Students whose first language is not English make use of their first language to develop competency in the English language arts and to develop understanding of content across the curriculum.

11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.

12. Students use spoken, written and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g. for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information.

whenexcellentlanguageartsstandardsmeetexcellentlanguageartsinstructionandareintegratedacrossanexcellentcurriculum.

Asanelementaryteacher,youwillfacethisexcitingtaskofintegratingallthelan-guageartsacrossthecurriculum.Whateversubjectorgradeyouwillteach,themediumofcommunicationusedwillbelanguage,inanyoneofitsmanyforms.Itwouldbean

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oversimplification,however,tosuggestthattheimportanceoflanguageartsinschoolissimplyasavehicletolearnothersubjectmatter.Languageisasystemofcommunicatingthatofferscountlesspossibilitiesforrepresentation,expression,andconstructionofmean-ing.It’scertainlymuchmorethanatool.Itpermeateshumanthoughtandlife.

Accordingly,languageartsismorethanjustasubject.It’spartofeverythingthathap-pensintheclassroom.Youarealanguageartsteacheralldaylong.

A Day in Avril Font’s Class: Fourth GradeLet’stakealookintooneteacher’sclassroomtoseehowsheteacheslanguageartsalldaylong.It’sanAprilmorning,andtheschooldayhasjustbeguninAvrilFont’sfourth-gradeclassatRyanElementarySchoolinScotlandville,Louisiana,asmall,semiruralcommunityjustoutsidethestatecapitalofBatonRouge.RyanisaChapter1school,whichmeansitqualifiesforextrafederalfundsbecauseofthelowincomeoftheaver-ageschool family.Avril’sclass isdiverse.Tenofherstudentsarewhite,and20areAfricanAmerican.Thestudentsalsohavedifferentabilities.At thebeginningof theyear,theirreadingtestscoresshowedarangeoflowsecondgradetofifthgrade.Severalwereretainedafterfourthgradelastyear.AllbuttwoofAvril’sstudentsqualifyforfreelunch,andtheJuniorLeagueofBatonRougeprovidesallofherstudentswithschoolsupplies.

Avril Font is a highly regarded, effective teacher who has been named bothLouisianaReadingTeacheroftheYearandLouisianaTeacheroftheYear.

Asyoureadaboutherclass,notewhenandhowyouthinkAvrilisteachinglan-guagearts.

9:00–9:15 Business (Teacher) and Literacy Activities (Students)

WhileAvriltakescareofbusinessliketakingattendance,takingthelunchcount,andtalkingtoaparent,thechildrenchoosetodooneofthreeliteracyactivities:

1. Writeintheirjournals2. Readthenewspaper3. Readabook

9:15–9:45 Sharing with the Whole Class

Avril tells theclass tomeether in the readingcenter. It’sacomfortableplace,sur-roundedwithbookshelves.There’sabigrugonthefloor,whichiscoveredwithfloorpillowsforthechildren,andtherearetwooldrecliners—oneforAvril,theotherforstudents.Aftereveryonesettles in,Avril and thechildren talkabout things thatareimportanttothem:

Avril: OK,let’sshare.Child: Mrs.Font,myPawPawmadethingsoutofacornsforacraftshow.I’llbring

themintoshow.

(Paw PawiscommonlyusedinSouthLouisianatomean“grandfather.”)

Avril: That’saneatideaforastory.Whydon’tyougetyourwritingfolderandjotdownsomeideas?

Child: OK.

Snapshot

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(Tomakeawritingfolderforeachstudent,useamanilafolder.Stapleafewpiecesofpaperontheinsidefrontcovertojotdown“IdeastoWriteAbout.”)Child: Igotanideaofsomethingtowriteabout.Iputaglassonthedoortolistentomy

oldersistertalkonthephone.ButIcouldn’thear.Avril: Tryputtingitonthewall.Ibetthatwillwork.

(Onechildreadsfromabookthat’softenusedduringsharing.Itisintheformofacal-enderthattellswhat’sspecialabouteachday.)

Child: Hey,itsaysherethatit’sWilliamShakespeare’sbirthdaytoday.Avril: Whoishe?Child: Afamouswriter.Child: Hewrotepoetry.Child: Hewroteliterature.Avril: Right.Hewroteplaysandpoetry.HaveyoueverheardofRomeo and Juliet?Child: Yeah.Child:OverEaster,IwatchedChannel27,andtheyhadRomeo and Juliet,scene2.

9:45–10:00 Planning the Day

During sharing time,Avril observed children’s responses to topics of interest thatemerged.Now,shethinksaboutwaystoplanlearningexperiencesaroundthoseinter-eststhatwillmeetcontentstandardsandschooldistrictguidelines,aswellaswaystointegratethelanguageartsandcontentareas.Shethinksaboutwhatgoodchildren’sliteratureshecanuseandhowtouseminilessons todifferentiate instruction forherdiverse,multiabilityclassroom,takingintoaccounteachstudent’suniquebackground,skills,andinterests.

Minilessonstodifferentiateinstructioncanintroduce,reteach,findanotherwaytoteach,orextendaconceptorskillasneededforanindividual,smallgroup,orwholeclass.Theyarebrief.Theteachercanmodel,explain,demonstrate,andhaveastudentpracticein5to10minutes.Theycanbeplannedaheadoronthespot.ExamplesfromAvril’sclassinclude:

• Insertingquotationmarksinadramascript

• Organizinginformationonananimalposter

• Usingathesaurus

• Preparingabudgetforanaquarium

AvrilpicksastudenttobeSecretaryoftheDay,whosejobistorecordactivitiesincoloredchalkontheboardundertheregularheadings“LanguageArts”and“SocialStudies,Science, andMath.”Childrenwill do these activities ingroupsby rotatingamongcenters.Forexample,thesciencecenterisaroundtablethathastheprojectsstudents areworking on and the children’s books andmaterials they need for theirprojects.

Theclassisorganizedintogroupswithcolornamesthatdeterminestudents’rota-tionamongthecenterseachday,andthisrotationisalsonotedonthechalkboard.Forexample,purplewillstartwithsocialstudiesandgreenwithlanguagearts.Eachgroupwillmovethroughallofthecenters.

Inadditiontominilessons,Avrilwillalsoteachwhole-class lessonsandconfer-encewithgroupsandindividualsonanas-neededbasis.Avrilbelievesthatusingthis

Great Books for ChildrenCalendars

Chase’s Calendar of Events (Ed.). (2011). The teacher’s calendar: The day-by-day directory to holidays, historic events, birthdays, and special days. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Whitely, S. (2002). On this date: A day-by-day listing of holidays, birthday and historic events and special days, weeks, and months. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

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approachhelpsstudentslearntotakecontrolandresponsibilityfortheirworkandtime,anditallowshertodifferentiateinstruction.First,theyplanlanguageartsinthereadingandwritingworkshop.

Avril: Whatarewedoinginlanguagearts?Child: I’mgoingtostartastoryaboutpizza.Avril: Why?Child: ’Causemymamaworksinapizzaplace.

(Otherchildrenalsotalkaboutwhatthey’rewritingabout.)

Avril: Good.Allofyoukeepwritingonyourownstories.ShanemightwanttostartastoryabouthisPawPawandtheacorns.We’llgetthemreadytomakeintobooks.Signupforturnsonthecomputer.Writeinyourjournals.Whataboutreading?

Child: Ihaveanewlibrarybookaboutsharks.Howtheyeatpeople.Avril:Sounds terrific.We’llhaveguided readingandsustainedsilent reading (SSR)

afterrecess,andyoucangetstartedreadingit.Thoseofyouwhohavefinishedyourbasalreaderstorycantakethetest,andIwillconferencewiththoseofyouwhoneedtoretakethetest.*Continuetoreadyourlibrarybooks,andeveryonereadthenewspaper.Afterlunch,I’llreadthenextchapterofThe Wind in the Willowsaloud.

Here’swhatEdreka,theSecretaryoftheDay,haswrittenonthechalkboard:

Language Arts and Reading

Write own stories. Use computer.Journals.Bookmaking.Guided reading.SSR after recess.Take basal test if finished basal reader story.Read library book.Read newspaper.Mrs. Font reads The Wind in the Willows.

Next,Avrilandtheclasswillplansocialstudies,science,andmathtogether.Thechildrenwillworktogetherinsmallgroups.Insocialstudies,theyareresearchingandwritingbooksaboutfamouspeopleinworldhistory.Theywillpresentwhattheyfindtotheclassindifferentways,suchasposters,timelines,anddrama.Notethemanywaysinwhichchildren’sliteratureisusedtoteachlanguageartsandintegratedliteracyinthecontentareas.

Avril: OK,let’splansocialstudiesfortoday.WhowouldliketogotothelibraryandresearchWilliamShakespeare?[Severalhandsgoup.]Whenyoucomeback,talk

Great Books for ChildrenSharks

Benchley, P. (2007). Shark life: True stories about sharks and the sea. New York, NY: Yearling.

DK Publishing. (2008). Shark. New York, NY: DK Children.

Llewellyn, C. (2005). The best book of sharks. New York, NY: Kingfisher.

Simon, S. (2006). Sharks. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Tarshis, L. (2010). I survived: The shark attacks of 1916. New York, NY: Scholastic.

*Avril’sdistrict requiresstudents to take thecommercialbasal reader testsat theendofeachsectionforgradepromotion,soshefirstassessesbygivingthetests.Ifastudentpasses,heorshereadsthenextstoryonhisorherownandtakesthetest,andsoon.Ifastudentdoesn’tpass,Avrilteacheshimorherinsmallgroupsorindividually,focusingontheirspecificneeds.Allstudentsalsoreadmanyqualitychildren’sbooksandusebooksasasourceofinformationinthecontentareas.AvrilwasnamedLouisianaReadingTeacheroftheYearbecauseofhersuccessinteachingstudentswhoaretraditionallyconsideredatrisktoread.

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aboutwhatyoufindwitheachotherandbegintothinkabouthowyoumightshareyourresearchwitheverybodyelse.Whatelsearewedoinginsocialstudies?

Child: St.Georgeandthedragon.We’reworkingonmakingabigdragoncostumeforourplayofwhenSt.Georgekillsthedragon.Wereadaboutitinthisbook[holdingupSt. George and the Dragon].

Avril: You’redoingaterrificjobwithyourresearchandplay.Whatelse?Child: Themaypolegroup.Wehavetopracticethemaypoledance.Wedidwellyesterday.Avril: Yes,youreallydid.Ibroughtthemaypoleribbons.Aren’ttheygreat?Whatabout

yourscienceresearchandreportsandpostersonanimals?Child: Meandhimwanttodoguppies.Mycousingot’eminanaquarium.Avril: Whydon’tyoutwoseeifyoucanfindouthowtomakeanaquarium?Howbig

shoulditbe?Calculatethevolume.Child: OK!Canwegotothelibrary?Avril:Yes.Takesomenotes,getsomebooks,andwe’llmakeplanstodoit.Howmuch

willitcost?Figureoutabudget.

Otherstudentsareresearchinganddoingpostersandprojectsonanimallife.Avrilandherstudentsalsodiscussplansformathematics.Again,theymakeplanstoworkinsmallgroupswithCuisenairerods,problemcardsfortherods,mathgames,andpagesfromthemathworkbook.

Social Studies, Science, and Math

Writing biographies of famous peopleNew Shakespeare group to library“St. George and the Dragon” group work on playMaypole dance practiceAnimal reports and postersNew guppy group to library to figure cost to build a freshwater aquariumCuisenaire rods and problem cards

Avrilhelpsthechildrenplanwhichactivitythey’lldointhefirst-hourblockofcenters.Somewillgotothewritingcenter, some to the library, and somewillworkon socialstudies, science, andmathematics activities.The childrenwillrotatetoothersubjectsduringtheafternoon.

10:00–10:15 Recess

10:15–11:15 Centers

Asthechildrenwork,Avrilmovesamongthecenters,inter-actingwiththemassheguidesandmonitorstheirprogress.She does guided reading and many on-the-spot confer-encesandminilessonswith individualchildrenorgroups,asneeded.

Writing Center. Thewriting center is a long table thathasspaceforsixchildrentositandwritetogether.(Otherchildrencanwritealoneattheirdesks.)Plastictubsholdstudentwritingfoldersandsupplies,includingmanytypesofpaper,pencils,anderasers.Thewritingcenterislocated

Great Books for ChildrenSpenser, E. (1984). St. George

and the dragon. (Retold M. Hodges; T. S. Hyman, Illus.). New York, NY: Little, Brown.

Great Books for ChildrenGuppies and Freshwater

Aquariums

Boruchowitz, D. E. (2009). The simple guide to freshwater aquariums. Neptune City, NJ: TFH Pubications.

Hargreaves, V. (2006). The complete book of the freshwater aquarium. San Diego, CA: Thunder Bay Press.

Mozart, H. (1998). Guppies. New York, NY: Chelsea House.

Avril Font conferences with a student in the writing center.CourtesyofCaroleCox.

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nearabulletinboard,whichprovidesspacetodisplaystudentwriting,andachalk-board,whichcomes inhandyforgroupbrainstormingandoutliningof ideas.Thecomputercenterisnexttothetableinthecenter.

SeveralstudentsarewritinganddiscussingtheirstorieswitheachotherandAvril:

Child: [readingaloud,savoringthesound]“MyDayattheMovies,”byLestreca.Avril:MayIreadit?[Readsstory.]Ilikeit.Itseemsabitlonginplaces,though.Read

ittomeandseewhatyouthink.

WhileLestrecaandAvriltalkaboutthestory,Minaworksonherbook,My Mom the Seamstress(seeFigure1.1).

SheasksAvriltohelpherthinkofotherwordsforseamstress.Avrildoesanon-the-spotvocabularyminilessonwithMinaonusingthethesaurus.Together,theylookinthethesaurusandfindthewordcouturiere.MinalikesitbecausehermotherwasborninJapan,andthat’swhatshewascalledwhenshelearnedtodesignclothesandsewthemwithoutpatterns.HermothermetandmarriedMariko’sfather—anAfricanAmericanU.S.serviceman—inJapan.Avrilencouragesherstudentstoshareandwriteabouttheirfamilyhistoriesandculturalheritages.

Social Studies Groups. Avrilmovesamongthegroups,whoareworkingondifferenttopics.Onegroupispreparingtodothemaypoledanceandwriteareportonit:

Avril: Where is themaypolegang? (Severalchildrenareon the floor,arranging theribbonsforthedanceandreadingbooksaboutcountriesthatcelebrateMayDay.)

Child: Mrs.Font,what’sthisword?Avril: Czechoslovakia.ItwasacountryinEurope.Child: Yeah. I was gonna say that. (Spelling aloud.) C-z-e-c-h-o-s-l-o-v-a-k-i-a.

(Snappingherfingersasshesayseachsyllable.)Czech-(snap)o-(snap)slo-(snap)vak-(snap)i-(snap)a-(snap)!Right?

Avril: Right!Child: Look.ItsaysinthisbookthatinCzechoslovakia,boysusedtoputtreesunder

theirsweetheart’swindowonMayDay.Child: Mrs.Font,therewasanarticleaboutthemaypoledanceinthenewspaper,butit

didn’texplainwhyit’sdanced.Child: Theydon’tknowmuch.Child: Theycouldreadaboutitintheencyclopediaorthesebooks.Avril:Youreadalot.I’mimpressed.

Next,Avrilmovestothegroupdoingaplayofthestoryof“St.GeorgeandtheDragon.”They’rereadingandtalkingabouthowtomakeadragoncostume:

Child: Mrs.Font,meandhimwanttoknow,weretherereallydragons?Avril: Trylookingupwhatwecall“dragons”today.Ithinktherearesomebigreptiles

ontheGalapagosIslands.Trytheatlas.Child: Ithoughteverythingwasinthedictionary.Child:No,’causeit’sthenameofaplace.

ThestudentstalksomemoreandtellAvrilwhatkindsofsuppliestheyneedtomakethedragoncostume:bigpiecesofcardboard,twine,coloredbutcherpaper,andposterpaintandbrushes.Theyfigureout thatcornstarchcomingoutof thedragon’ssnoutwilllooklikesmoke.Avriltellsthegroupthattheyshouldbringuptheirplansduring

Great Books for ChildrenKomodo Dragons

Bjorklund, R. (2012). Komodo dragons. Danbury, CT: Children’s Press.

Crump, M. (2010). Mysteries of the Komodo dragon: The biggest, deadliest lizard gives up its secrets. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press.

Kalman, B. (2004). Endan-gered Komodo dragons. New York, NY: Crabtree Publishing.

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1

3

2

4

Figure 1.1 Student’s Book about Her Mother

5

7

6

8

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sharingandplanningtomorrowtoseeifanyoneintheclassmighthavesomeofthesethings.Somedecidetoresearchanddoaposterforscienceonbigreptiles,likeKomododragons.

TheShakespearegrouphasjustreturnedfromthelibrarywithbooks,andthey’reveryexcited.They’vebeenreading,takingnotes,andtalkingaboutShakespeare’slife.Theycontinuetalkingabouthowtosharewhattheyfindoutaboutthisauthorwiththerestoftheclass:

Child: Mrs.Font,itsaysheservedwithacompanyofactors.[Shemakesa“Vforvic-tory”sign.]Iwanttobeanactress.

Child: Itsaysherethathewrote“MaryHadaLittleLamb.”Avril: Areyousure?Child: Uh-hmm.Itsays!Avril: Readitagain.Child: [reading]Oh.ItsayshisplayswerewrittenasstoriesforchildrenbyCharles

andMaryLamb.Avril:That’showIreadShakespearewhenIwasyoung.Whydon’tyouseeifyoucan

findthatbookinthelibrary?Andlookforotherbooksthattellthestoriesofhisplays.

This group later performed scenes fromShakespeare’s plays andwrote a bookabouthislife(seeFigure1.2).

Science and Math Groups. Thechildren tellAvril about their researchondifferentanimalsandthepostersthey’remakingtosharewhattheyfindwiththerestoftheclass.Thenewguppygrouphasjustreturnedfromthelibrary,andthey’relookingforwardtomakinganaquarium:

Child: Mrs.Font,wegotsomebooksonaquariums.Theytellhowtomakeone,sowe’regonnareadandstartworkingonourown.Wefiguredouthowbigithastobeandhowmuchitwillcost.

Child: (reading about animals in a book)Mrs. Font,what does drop-pingsmean?Itsays,“But theirpresence is revealedby their tracksanddroppings.”

Avril: Trylookingitupinthedictionary.Child: [returningwithdictionary]Mrs.Font,Istilldon’tgetit.Avril: I’lltellyouwhatitis:It’swhenanimalsgotothebathroom,the

littlebrownthingstheyleavebehind.Excrement.Child: Youmeanlikedogdoo?Avril:Yes.

Inthemathcenter,studentsareusingCuisenairerodswithproblemcards,playingmathgames,ordoingpagesinthemathworkbook.

11:15–11:45 Sustained Silent Reading

Everyonereadsabookofhisorherchoice,includingAvril.Theyallgetcomfortable. Some sit at desks, and some sit in the two recliner chairs.Othersarenestledinbeanbagchairsorstretchedoutontherug.It’sabso-lutelyquiet.Everyone’sreading.

Great Books for ChildrenShakespeare Stories

Chute, M. (1993). Stories from Shakespeare. New York, NY: Meridian.

Lamb, C., & Lamb, M. (2007). Tales from Shakespeare. New York, NY: Random House.

Packer, T. (2004). Tales from Shakespeare. New York, NY: Scholastic.

Figure 1.2 Page from a Student’s Book about Shakespeare

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11:45–12:15 Lunch

12:15–12:30 Read Aloud

Asmentioned earlier, during read-aloud time,Avril reads fromKennethGrahame’s(1980)classicbookThe Wind in the Willows.Studentscanrespondoraskquestions,andAvrildoes,too.It’sagreattimetolistentoandenjoyliterature,respondopenlytoit,andtalkaboutwords,ideas,characters,andeventsinthebook.

12:30–1:30 Centers

Intheafternoon,childrenrotatesubjectsandactivitiesduringcenters.Onceagain,Avrilobserves, has conferences, and doesminilessons and guided readingwith students.Today,themaypolegroupispracticingoutsidetheroom,gettingreadyforaFridayvisitfromthelocalnewspaper,whowilltakepicturesandwriteanarticle.Theguppygrouphasgonetotheofficetousethephone.They’regoingtocallapetstoretoseehowmuchaquariumsuppliescost.

1:30–2:00 Physical Education

2:00–3:00 Centers

Inthissession,thechildreneitherrotateandworkinanewareaorcontinuewithabigproject.The“St.GeorgeandtheDragon”groupstartedtobuildthedragoncostumeear-lierandmadeabigmess.(Theywerepracticingblowingcornstarchoutofthedragon’ssnout.)Becausetheyalreadyhadalltheirmaterialsout,thegrouphascontinuedwork-ingonthecostume.

Thedayendsat3:00.

Great Books for ChildrenRead Aloud Books

for Fourth Grade

Blume, J. (1972). Tales of a fourth-grade nothing. New York, NY: Dutton.

Dahl, R. (1961). James and the giant peach. New York, NY: Knopf.

Grahame, K. (1980). The wind in the willows. New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

Lord, B. B. (1984). In the year of the boar and Jackie Robinson. New York, NY: Harper & Row.

Rowling, J. K. (2007). Harry Potter and the deathly hallows. New York, NY: Scholastic.

Soto, G. (1990). Baseball in April. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

White, E. B. (1952). Charlotte’s web. New York, NY: Harper & Row.

Afterschool,IaskedAvril,“Whatbeliefsandknowledgeguideyourteachingoflan-guagearts?”Here’sheranswer:

Ibelievethatteachinglanguageartsshouldbestudent-centered.Childrenshouldbeactivelyengagedinusinglanguageandfocusedonmeaning.Itshouldstemfromtheideas,interests,language,anduniquetalentsofeachchild.Whywriteaboutmother’swork?Becausefamilyandculturearecentraltoeachstudent’slife,andtheywritebestaboutwhattheyknowbest.WhyShakespeare?Becausesomeonenoticeditwashisbirthdaywhenreadingacalendarbook,whichtheylike.ItwasthesameplacetheyfoundoutaboutSt.Georgeandthedragonandthemaypoleanddecidedtheywantedtolearnhowtodothemaypoledance.Itwasrelevanttotheir interestsandmeetsacontentstandardonworldhistory.Whyreadandwriteanddrawandmakebooksandbuildthingslikeaquariums?Thetextsareboring.Ilovescienceandbelievethatchildrenlearnbydoing.Wedohands-onscience.Weconstructthingsanddramatizeduringsocialstudies.Welearntoreadbyreadingandtowritebywriting.Weuseliteratureastextsandchildren’sresponsetoliteratureasabasisforactivities.Weworkasacol-laborativeteam.Studentsworktogetheringroups,buttheirworkisdifferenti-ated,stemmingfromtheirownideas,interests,andabilities.Theyjustspenda

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lotoftimesharing,planning,discussing,andhelpingeachother.Weareallacommunityoflearners.

Summary of Avril’s Beliefs and Knowledge about Teaching Language Arts

• Student-centered

• Active,hands-onlearning

• Drawingonfamilyandculture

• Focusedonmeaning

• Integratedteachingwithliterature

• Differentiatedinstruction

• Acollaborativecommunityoflearners

Avrilbelievesthatchildrenlearnlanguageartsthroughaconstructiveandsocialinter-activeprocess.Herbeliefsaboutchildren’sexperienceswithliteraturereflectthetrans-actionalmodelofreaderresponse.Thesetheoriesalsounderlietheapproachtoteachingrecommended in this book.They are summarized inTable 1.2, including examples ofclassroomexperiences.

Table 1.2 Foundations for Learning and Teaching Language Arts in a Student-Centered Classroom

Learning Language Arts Student’s Role Teacher’s Role

Standards-Based Curriculum

Constructivism: Focused on meaning: learn by doing (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and hands-on experiences

Choice: Books to read, writing topics, research topics, and student groups

Observation: Listens and watches, holds conferences (on the spot, scheduled, individual, and group)

Student-centered: Based on content standards, district guides, seasonal events, and topics of interest to students

Social interaction: Collaboration, sharing, planning, group workshops, and conferences

Voice: Sharing, open discussions, personal journals, own stories, response to books, and drama

Modeling: Reads aloud; plans sharing; organizes groups, literature lessons, writing process

Integrated: Language used across the curriculum, read and write to learn in other subjects (social studies, science, math, and arts)

Reader response: A transactional process between reader and text; open response to literature and other texts

Control: Decide on topics of interest, monitor progress, make decisions about what and how to learn

Differentiation: Builds on students’ interests and abilities, provides direct instruction in needed skills

Literature-based: Uses high-quality children’s books, both fiction and nonfiction, as texts and for independent reading

Responsibility: To read and write daily, to manage time

Expectations: To stay focused, to read and write, and to work cooperatively

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13Learning Language Arts

Learning Language ArtsThethreetheoreticalperspectivesthatunderlietheapproachinthisbooksuggestthatlearn-inglanguageartsisanactive,constructiveprocess;asocialinteractiveprocess;andatrans-actionalprocessofreaderresponse.Eachprocesswillbeexplainedinafollowingsectionwithideasabouthowitappliestolanguagelearningandteachinglanguagearts.MarginalnoteswillillustrateeachprocesswithanexamplefromAvril’sclassandacorrespondingnationalstandard.

Constructivism

Theconstructivist theoryviews learningasanactiveprocess inwhich the learnercon-structsorbuildsmeaning.Childrencontinuallybuildnewmeaningonthefoundationofpriorknowledgetheybring to thecommunicationprocess.Asametaphorfor languagelearning,constructivismmeans that languageusersarebuilders—meaning iswhat theybuild,andpriorknowledgeisthematerialtheybuildwith.Theconstructivistviewiscap-turedbyJohnDewey’s(1938)famousexpression“learningbydoing,”whichmeansthatweconstructknowledgebyactivelyparticipatinginourenvironment.

SwisspsychologistJeanPiaget’scognitivetheoryoflearningdevelopmentcontributestoourunderstandingofconstructivism.Piagetbelievedthatchildrencanconstructaviewofrealitythat’sbasedonwhattheylearnastheymatureandalsowhattheyexperienceintheirlives.Inotherwords,theylearnthroughouttheirlivesbyexploringanddiscoveringnewthings.Learningisaprocessofaddingnewbitsofinformationtowhatonealreadyknows.Given this, it is important that the teacherbe awareofhowchildren learnanddevelopandthatheorsheprovideanenvironmentandinitiateexperiencesthathelpchil-drenengageintheactiveconstructionofmeaningandknowlefgeaboutthemselvesandtheworld(Piaget,1969).

Basedoncarefulobservationsofhisownthreechildrenovertime,Piagetmaintainsthatyoungchildren learn toorganize theirexperiencesandadapt to theirenvironmentsthroughthefollowingprocesses,andintroducedthefollowingkeytermstothefieldoflearningtheory.

Key Piagetian Terms

• Assimilation

• Accommodation

• Equilibration

• Schemata

Assimilationisclassifyinganobjectintoanalreadyexistingmentalcategoryoropera-tion.Haveyoueverwatchedababytrytoputanythingandeverythingintoitsmouth,includ-ingitsfeet?Piagetwouldsaythatthebabyisassimilatingnewobjectsthroughtheoldprocessofeating.Thatis,thebabyisusingsomethingitalreadyknowshowtodo—eating—totrytoputunknownthingsintoanexistingmentalcategory.WhenmysonGordonwasjustlearningtospeak,hesawthebeautifulFrenchfilmThe Red Balloon(1956);afterthat,hecalledeveryballoona“redballoon.”Healsocalledeverysmallanimala“kitty”inthoseearlydays.Theseareexamplesofassimilation.

Accommodationisadjustingamentalcategoryoroperationtoincludenewobjectsandexperiences in theenvironment.Gordonhad toadjusthismentalcategoryof“bal-loons”onedaywhenhewasasked ifhewantedayellow,pink,orblueballoonat the

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grandopeningofatoystore.Heresponded“redballoon,”buttheclerksaidtheydidn’thaveanyredonesandofferedtheothercolorsagain.Gordonwastemporarilyinastateofdisequilibrium,unabletofitthisnewinformationintowhathealreadyknew.Heappearedconfusedandlookedlonginglyattheballoons,thoughtaboutthem,andfinallysaidthathewantedyellow,pink,andblueballoons.Hehadadjusted,oraccommodated,hisexistingcategoryof“balloons”toincludenotonlyredballoonsbutanewphenomenon:balloonsofdifferentcolors.

Equilibrationistheself-regulatoryprocessbywhichabalanceisachievedbetweenassimilationandaccommodation.Throughtheongoing,interactingprocessesofassimi-lationandaccommodation,childrenconstructincreasinglysophisticatedunderstandingsoftheirenvironments.Theycontinuallyaddnewinformationtotheirexistingbasesofideas.Forexample,afterGordonvisitedapettingzooandhadthechancetoholdandpetsomerabbits,hestoppedcallingallsmallanimals“kitties”andlearnedtocallrabbits“bunnies.”

Schemataaretheconceptsthatareconstructedduringtheongoingprocessesofassimi-lation,accommodation,andequilibration.Schemataarealreadyexistingknowledgestruc-tures.Thinkof themascomprisingasortoforganizationalchartormaptowhichnewdetailsareconstantlybeingadded.Gordonwasconstructingschemataforballoonsandsmallanimalsasheaddedwhathelearnedabouteachfromnewexperiencestohispriorknowledgebase.Afterlearningthatbunniesweren’tkitties,hecontinuedtoaddnewinfor-mationtohisexistingschemataaboutsmallanimalsbylookingatpicturesandbooksandtakingmoretripstothezoo.

Piaget’s contribution to learning theory, later supported by schema theory(Rumelhart,1984),wastoidentifytheimportanceofconnectingnewexperiencestopriorknowledgeandorganizing thatnewinformation.Wemake thoseconnections throughschemata.Children learnwhen theyconnectwhat theyalreadyknowwithwhat theydiscoverthroughnewexperiences.Thislearningtheoryhashadimportantimplicationsforliteracyinstruction.InthehighlyinfluentialnationalreportBecoming a Nation of Readers,Anderson,Hiebert,Scott,andWilkinson(1985)maintainthatliteracyresearchshowsthat“readingisaconstructiveact”(p.9).Thecurrentviewofwritingisalsocon-structivist.Meaningexistsnotonlyinthetextbutinthemindsofthewriterandreadersofthe text.

AvrilFontputsitthisway:

Thefirstessentialistotrytobuildontheirideasandlanguageandextendalllan-guageartsexperiencesintoallaspectsofteachingandlearning.Ibelievethatorallanguageisthefoundationforchildren’sdevelopmentofliteracy.Themoretheyuseorallanguage,themoretheycanreadandwrite.Theirownlanguagemustbeused,reinforced,builtupon,andextendedintoallareasofthecurriculum.

Anexampleof constructivism fromAvril’s class is a studentwhose cousinhad someguppies working with another student to find books about fish and how to build anaquarium.

Constructivismappliestolanguagelearninginfourways:

1. Readersactivelybuildmeaningastheyread,ratherthanpassivelyreceivingmessages. 2. Thetextdoesnotsayitall;thereaderbringsinformationtothetext. 3. Asingletextcanhavemultiplemeaningsbecauseofdifferencesamongreadersand

contexts. 4. Readingandwritingaresimilarconstructiveprocessesratherthanseparateones.

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15Learning Language Arts

Constructivismalsoappliestoteachinglanguagearts.Teacherscanhelpstudentslearnthesefourskills:

1. Tomakeconnectionsbetweenwhattheyalreadyknowandwhattheywilllearn 2. Tousestrategiesforreading(e.g.,makepredictions)andwriting(e.g.,drawonprior

experience) 3. Tothinkabouttheirownreadingandwritingprocesses 4. Todiscusstheirresponsestotextstheyorothersreadandwrite

Social Interaction

ThelearningtheoryofLevVygotsky(1986)proposesthatchildrenacquirenewknowledgethroughmeaningfulinteractionswithotherpeople.Vygotskyintroducedtheuseofseveralkeytermstolearningtheory.

• Sociohistorical

• Instrumentalmethod

• Zoneofproximaldevelopment

• Scaffolding

WhereasPiagetsuggeststhateachchild’slearningisanindividual,internalizedcogni-tiveprocessthatdoesnotdependonadultsupport,Vygotskyemphasizesthesocial,con-textualnatureoflearning,whichisasociohistoricalapproach.Heusestheinstrumentalmethodofstudyingchilddevelopment.Likeconstructivism,itfocusesonthechild’sactivelanguageuse.Theemphasis,however,istodiscoverhowchildrenactuallyuselanguageasapsychologicaltooltocommunicateorshareculturalmeaningsaswellashowthissetofculturalsigns,orlanguage,influenceschildren’slearningandcognitivedevelopment.WhereasPiagetobservedindividualchildreninisolation,Vygotskystudiedhowchildren’sthinkingdevelopedinrealclassroomcontexts.ForVygotsky,cognitivedevelopmentwastheresultofsocialinteractionwithintheenvironment.Forexample,childrenlearntotalkbylisteningtotheirparents,siblings,andothersandthentalkingback.Similarly,childrenlearntoreadandwritebyhavingothersreadtothem,byparticipatinginsharedstorybookreadingsandwritingevents,andbyeventuallyreadingandwritingontheirown.Welearnabouttheworldandourselvesthroughsociallymeaningfulactivity.

The zoneof proximal development is a key idea inVygotsky’s (1986) theory.Hedefinesitas“thedistancebetweentheactualdevelopmentallevelasdeterminedbyinde-pendentproblemsolvingand the levelofpotentialdevelopmentasdetermined throughproblemsolvingunderadultguidanceorincollaborationwithmorecapablepeers”(p.76).Thismeansthatchildrenlearnwhentheyaresupportedbyotherswhoknowthingstheydonot(e.g.,teachers,parents,andpeers)whenengagedinactivitiesthataretoodifficulttodoindependently.VygotskydevelopedtheideaofthezoneofproximaldevelopmentinacritiqueoftheuseofIQtestsasaformofassessingstudents’potential.Itisakeyideainunderstandingtherelationshipofchilddevelopmentandclassroominstruction.Vygotsky(1986)haswrittenthat“whatthechildcandoincooperationtodayhecandoalonetomor-row”(p.104),suggestingthatgoodinstructionisjustslightlyaheadofdevelopmentandleadstodevelopment.

ScaffoldingisatermusedbycognitivepsychologistJeromeBruner(1986)todescribethesupportadultsgivechildrenastheyhelpthembuildnewknowledge.Thissupport,orscaffolding, isonly temporary. It’swithdrawnaschildrendevelopandmoveontonewlevelsofunderstanding.But then it’s replacedwithnewscaffolding—that is,withnew

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knowledgethat’sbeenconstructedthroughmeaningfulsocialinteraction.Theteachertakesintoaccountwhatthestudentalreadyknowsandusesthatasabasisforprovidingsupportinnewproblem-solvingsituations.

Asocialinteractionframeworkalsotakesintoaccounttheuniqueculturalaspectofeachclassroomaswellastheroleofthefamilyandtheculturalandlinguisticbackgroundofeachchild(Heath,1983).Learningoccursinaparticularcontext,whichwillvaryfromclasstoclassandyeartoyear.Culturallyresponsiveliteracyinstructionremainssensitivetoeachstudent’sethnicculturewhilehelpinghimorhergainproficiencyinthemainstreamculture.Thisisachievedbymaintaininghighexpectationsandgoalsfordiversestudents,givingconsiderationtotheirlivesbeyondtheclassroom,andmakingsuretheseexpecta-tionsreflectthevaluesandpracticesoftheircultures.Forexample,astudentfromaculturethatpracticessiblingcaretakingwouldbenefitfrompeercollaborationsuchasgroupwork,whereasastudentfromaculturethatvaluesindividualautonomywouldbenefitfromself-selectioninreadingbooksandwritingtopics(Au,1993).

AvrilFontsumsituplikethis:

Iseelanguageasmultifaceted,eventactile.Alotofpeoplethinksharingandplan-ningtogetherisawasteoftime.It’snot.Themoretheyshareandplantogether,themoreverbalchildrenbecome.Theytalktoeachothermore,discussmoreinsmallgroups.Idousemeanstocorrectnonstandardlanguage,but ifwedon’tbuildon the ideasand language that arealready therewhenchildrencome toschool,wearebuildingonsand.

SharingandgroupworkshopsinAvril’sclassprovideforhighlevelsofteacher/studentandstudent/studentinteraction.

Accordingtothesocialinteractionview,learninglanguagecanbecharacterizedasfollows:

1. Themainfunctionoflanguageissocialcommunication. 2. Learningissocialandrequiresinteractionwithotherpeople. 3. Knowledgedevelopsfirstthroughsocialinteractionandthenbecomesaninternalized

partofthecognitivestructureofthelearner. 4. Learningeventsmusttakeintoaccountthesocioculturalcontextofcognition,ordaily

lifeexperiences.

Itfollowsthatteachinglanguageartsshouldhavethesegoals:

1. Toprovidesupportasthechilddevelopsnewunderstandingthroughsocialinteraction 2. Tomediatelearningcooperativelywithsupport 3. Tobeflexible,dependingonthechild’sresponsetoanactivity 4. To vary the amount of support, from giving direct instruction to making subtle

suggestions

Reader Response

Thetransactionalmodelofreading,whichwasdevelopedbyLouiseRosenblatt(1938/1995),focusesontheactiveroleofthereaderincreatingmeaningfromthetext.Rosenblattandotherreader-responsetheorists(Beach,1993)maintainthatthereaderandthetext/authorconstruct meaning together. According to Rosenblatt (1986), making meaning whilereadingis“acomplex,to-and-fro,self-correctingtransactionbetweenreaderandverbalsignswhichcontinuesuntilsomefinalorganization,moreorlesscompleteandcoherent,isarrivedatandthoughtofascorrespondingto the text. . . .The‘meaning’—whether,

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17Teaching Language Arts

e.g., poem,novel,play,scientificreport,orlegalbrief—comesintobeingduringthetrans-action”(p.123).Sheborrowedthetermtransaction fromJohnDewey,whodefineditasareciprocalrelationshipbetweenthepartsofasinglesituation;thisisincontrasttointerac-tion,whichinvolvestwoseparateentitiesactingononeanother.

Wecanseetherelationshipbetweenthetransactionaltheoryandconstructivismandsocialinteractionwithregardtoteachingreadinginseveralways:Allthreetheoreticalper-spectives(1)emphasizetheroleofthereaderincreatingmeaningfromatext,(2)challengethenotionthatthereisonecorrectmeaningofatext,and(3)acknowledgetheinfluenceofculturalinterpretationsofatext.

Rosenblatt’s(1986)transactionaltheorygivesyoungreadersmorechoiceandcontrolandanopportunitytousetheirvoicesinresponsetoliterature.Italsogivesthemmoreresponsibility.Althoughtheteachermayinitiateexperienceswithliterature,heorshewillnotsetpredeterminedoutcomes,suchashavingeveryoneagreeonwhattheauthormeantinastory.Rather,theteacherwillaskstudentstodrawontheirownpriorexperiencesandimpressionswhilereadingtoconstructameaningfulinterpretationofthetext.Thefocusisonthestudentratherthantheteacheroreventhetext.Usingthisapproach,teachersdemon-stratethisfocusbyaskingopenquestions(“Sowhatdidyouthink?”)andbysharingtheirownpersonalresponses.Studentsshareresponsibilityfortheirlearningbymakingchoiceswhenresponding,byusingtheirownvoices,andbygainingcontrolovertheirideasandlanguage(Cox,1997).

According to the transactional theoryofreaderresponse, learning languagecanbecharacterizedasfollows:

1. Readersandwritersplayactiverolesinthereadingandwritingprocesses. 2. Meaningiscreatedduringreadingandwritinginatwo-waytransactionbetweenread-

ersorwritersandthetextstheyreadandwrite. 3. Readersandwritersdrawontheirownexperiencesandlanguageskillstobringtexts

tolife. 4. Therearemultiplepossibleinterpretationsofasingletext.

Teachinglanguageartsshouldthereforeberootedinthesepractices:

1. Studentsmakechoicesaboutwhattoreadandwrite. 2. Teachers ask open questions and provide options for responding to literature and

writing. 3. Students’voicesandpriorexperiencesarehonored. 4. Instructionalplanningincludesattentiontostudents’ideasandexperiences.

Teaching Language ArtsA Student-Centered Classroom

Inastudent-centeredclassroomlikeAvrilFont’s,you’llnoticethatchildrenareactiveandthattheylearnbydoing.Studentslearntotalkbytalking,toreadbyreading,andtowritebywriting.Theteacher’sroleistomodellanguageandhelpthemgaincontrolover theirown ideasand language throughactiveengagementwith learningexperi-encesthatarefocusedontheconstructionofmeaning.Student-centeredlanguageandliteracy experiences canbedefinedas those thatoriginatewith the ideas, interests,andlanguageofchildren.ThisisthealternativethatJohnDewey(1943)describedofcreatingschoolstofitstudents,ratherthanmakingallstudentslearnthesamethingin

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thesameway.Inthistypeofschool,teachersmaketimetoletchildrenshareandplantogether, to listen toandobservechildrenexpressing their ideas,and tomakeplansbasedontheseideas.

Youmaybemorefamiliarwithamoretraditionalteacher-centeredclassroom.Infact,youmayhavespentmanyyearsinclassroomslikethis:sittinginrows,alwaysrais-ingyourhandtospeak,listeningtotheteachergivedirections,doingthesameworksheetaseveryoneelse,andsoon.Doyourememberreadinggroups?EventhoughthegroupshadnameslikeLions,Tigers,andBears,youandyourclassmatesallknewthatyouweregroupedbyabilityandwhowasinthehigh,medium,andlowgroups.

This traditional typeofclassroomreflects thepsychological theoryofbehaviorismanda transmissionmodelof teaching.Educational applicationsofbehaviorist learningtheoryweremadepopularinthe1950sbyB.F.Skinner.Earlybehaviorists,particularlyIvanPavlov, conducted experimentswith animals in laboratories.Youmayhaveheardof Pavlov’s dogs,who salivated in response to a ringing bell that signaledmeal time.Behavioristsbelieve that learning followsa formulaofstimulus-responseconditioning,accordingtowhichacceptableresponsesarereinforced.

Thistraditionalviewiscalledabottom-uporpart-to-wholeapproachtolearningtouselanguage.It’squitedifferentfromthetop-downorwhole-to-partapproachwe’llfollowinthisbook.Accordingtothatapproach,childrenlearntouselanguagebyusingitwhentheyaresurroundedbyprintandwhentheyhavemanyrichsocialinteractiveexperienceswithlanguagethatfocusonmeaning.Thislearninggoesonfromthetimechildrenarebabiesthroughtheirschoolyearsandbeyond.

LongitudinalresearchbyWalterLoban(1976)hasalsodemonstratedthatthelanguagemodes function together as children learn touse andcontrol language.Loban foundastrongpositivecorrelationbetweenreading,writing,listening,andspeakingabilities;thatis,abilityinoneusuallyindicatedthepresenceofabilityinothers.ButaccordingtoLoban,themostimportantelementinlearningtouselanguageistouseit.

Thedevelopmentofpowerandefficiencywithlanguagederivesfromusinglan-guageforgenuinepurposesandnotfromstudyingaboutit.Thepathtopoweroverlanguageistouseit,touseitingenuinelymeaningfulsituations,whetherwearereading,listening,writing,orspeaking.(p. 485)

To help you picture the conceptual differences between a tradi-tional teacher-centered classroom and a student-centered classroom(likeAvril’s),seeTable1.3,whichcompareswhattheteacherandstu-dentdoineach.

Thefollowingsectionslookatwaystocreateastudent-centeredclassroom,addressingstandards-basedcurriculum,theclassroomenvi-ronment, organization, and resources, and integrated teaching. EachsectionincludesanexamplefromAvrilFont’sclass.

A Standards-Based Curriculum

Standards for education help teachers ensure that all their studentshavetheknowledgeandskillstheyneedtobesuccessfulbyprovidingcleargoals for student learning. In1996 the12 IRA/NCTEnationalStandards for the English LanguageArtsstatedexpectationsbroadlyforwhatstudentsshouldknowandbeabletodoacrossallgradelevels.

In student-centered classrooms, the voices of all students are honored.

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Inthe1990sstatesanddistrictsalsodevelopedcontentstandardsbygradelevel,specifyingwhatstudentsshouldknowandbeabletodoateachofthegradelevels,fromkindergar-tenthroughgrade12.Ateachercouldthenfocusonstatestandardswrittenforthegradeleveloftheclassheorshewouldteacheachyear.In2010,aspartofamultistateinitiativetoestablishclearandconsistenteducationstandards thatstatescanshare, theCommon Core State Standardsweredevelopedtobuildonthestrengthsandlessonsofcurrentstate

Table 1.3 Teacher and Student Roles in Teacher-Centered versus Student-Centered Classrooms

Teacher Student

Teacher-Centered Classroom

• Makesalldecisionsforwhat’stobelearned• Usestextbooksandcommercialmaterials• Usesteachers’guidesfortextbookseries• Emphasizespart-to-wholelearning• Followsasequenceofskillstobemastered• Believestheproductismoreimportantthanthe

process• Believesthatmotivationisexternal;usesrewards• Evaluatesbasedontestquestionsthathavesingle

correct answers

• Isapassiverecipientoflearning• Imitateswhattheteacherhasmodeled• Followsdirectionsoftheteacherortextbook• Isevaluatedonmasteryofskillsinahierarchical

order• Isgroupedbyability• Doesthesameassignmentsasotherstudents• Isevaluatedbycomparingworktothatofother

students• Iscompetitivewithotherstudents

Student-Centered Classroom

• Initiateshands-on,directexperiences• Providesopportunitiesforindependentlearning• Useschildren’sliteratureandstudentwriting• Emphasizeswhole-to-partlearning• Believesthattheprocessismoreimportantthan

the product• Providesoptionsanddemonstratespossibilities• Groupsstudentsbasedoninterests,whichare

flexible and may change• Incorporatestimeforsharingandplanning• Conferencesfrequentlywithstudents• Observesandlistenstostudents,honoringtheir

voices• Usesideasandinterestsofstudentsasthebasis

of thematic learning• Recognizesthateventhoughallchildrengo

through a similar process and stages, not all do so at the same pace or in the same way

• Encouragescooperationandcollaborationamongstudents

• Usesmultipleformsofauthenticassessmenttoinform instruction

• Makeschoicesaboutwhattoread,howtorespond,what to learn about

• Learnsbydoing;activeengagement• Exploresanddiscoversthingsonown• Workswithothersingroups,whichareflexibleand

can change• Interacts,cooperates,andcollaborates• Readsself-selectedliterature• Writesontopicsofownchoosing• Hasintrinsicmotivation• Isresponsibleforandhascontroloverlearning• Self-assessesorpracticespeerassessmentin

groups• Knowshowtoself-monitorandcheckownprogress• Initiatesinquiryinacademicareastoanswer

questions of interest• Drawsonownuniqueinterests,abilities,prior

experience, and skills• Canfunctionasamemberofacommunityof

learners• Viewsschoolasaplaceofjoyfullearningaswellas

self-discovery• Takesprideinworkandenjoysschool

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standards.Theyweredevelopedincollaborationwithteachers,schooladministrators,edu-cationexperts,nationalorganizations,andparentsacrossthecountry.HereistheCommon Core State Standardsmissionstatement:

TheCommon Core State Standardsprovideaconsistent,clearunderstandingofwhatstudentsareexpectedtolearn,soteachersandparentsknowwhattheyneedtodotohelpthem.Thestandardsaredesignedtoberobustandrelevanttotherealworld,reflectingtheknowledgeandskillsthatouryoungpeopleneedforsuc-cessincollegeandcareers.WithAmericanstudentsfullypreparedforthefuture,ourcommunitieswillbebestpositioned tocompetesuccessfully in theglobaleconomy.

TheCollegeandCareerReadinessAnchorStandards(CCR)intheCommon Core State StandardsprovidethefoundationfortheEnglishLanguageArts,Kindergarten–Grade12standards.Theseanchorstandardsareshownontheinsidecoverofthisbook.HerearethecriteriausedtodeveloptheCollegeandCareerReadinessAnchorStandards,aswellastheK–12standards:

• Alignedwithcollegeandworkexpectations

• Includerigorouscontentandapplicationofknowledgethroughhigher-orderskills

• Buildonstrengthsandlessonsofcurrentstatestandards

• Informedbytop-performingcountries,sothatallstudentsarepreparedtosucceedinourgobaleconomyandsociety

• Evidence-and/orresearch-based

Thesestandardshavebeenadoptedby90percentofthestates.Theprocessforimplement-ingthesenewstandardsisjustbeginning.Itwilltakeseveralyearsforeachofthe45statesthathavenowadoptedtheCommon Core State Standardstoalignthemwitheachstate’scurrentstandards.Tofindoutmore,gotowww.corestandards.org.

State and District Standards Standardsdonottellteachershowtoteach,buttheydoprovideafirststepinaroadmapforteacherstocreatearoomenvironment,organizetheirclassrooms,andchoosematerials.Teacherswillcontinuetoplananddeveloplessonsandassessmentsanddifferentiateinstructiontomeettheindividualneedsofstudentsintheirclassrooms.Thoughstandardsprovideobjectivesforstudentsandteachers,decisionsaboutclassroominstructionaremadeatthelocallevelbytheteacherandschooldistrictbasedonthestandardsforeachstate.

Let’s lookathowareal teacherdevelopsastandards-basedcurriculum.AvrilFontuses three sources in planning curriculum: (1) state standards and district guidelines;(2) seasonal and special events through theyear; and (3) students’ ideas and interests.Here’showshesumsthingsup:

Inthemorning,wecometogetherasaclasstoshareandplan.Andofcourse,wehavespecialsubjectsasawholeclass:library,P.E.,music,French,andguidance.Buttherestoftheday,studentsmovethroughthedifferentsubjectsandworkpri-marilyinsmallgroupsincenters.Thesubjectswedesignatearereading,languagearts,math,socialstudies,andscience—traditionalsubjects.Butwealsochoosetopicsasaclassorindividuallyandintegrateallsubjects.

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Forexample,animalstudyisrecommendedbyLouisianastatesciencestandards,butstudentsmakechoicesaboutwhatanimalstostudy.ALouisianastatesocialstudiesstan-dardonworldhistoryledthemtoresearchfamouspeople,andShakespearecameupasatopicduringsharing.(TheyresearchedfamouspeoplefromLouisianaatthebeginningoftheyeartomeetstandardsonstatehistory.)Atthebeginningoftheyear,Avrilteachesguidedreadingandlessonsfromthestate-anddistrict-requiredbasalreadingseriesthreetimes aweek.She thenbegins to differentiate instruction in small groups because herstudentstestedfromthelowsecondthroughfifthgradeinreadingatthebeginningoftheyear; several studentsalsoseea readingspecialistwhoprovidesadditional support forthesestrugglingstudentstoreachstateanddistrictexpectationsforreading.Thehigher-performingstudentsthenbeginmoreindependentwork,readingthebasalreaderstoryandtakingthetest.Iftheypass,theymoveontothenextstory.OthersneeddirectinstructionfromAvril,whichshedoesinsmallgroupsandwithguidedreadings.AvrilwasnamedLouisianaReadingTeacheroftheYear.Shewasawardedthishonorforhereffectivenessinraisingstrugglingstudents’readinglevelstograde-levelexpectations.

AvrilteachesanintegratedcurriculumwhichaddressesstandardsintheEnglishlan-guageartsaswellasliteracyinhistory/socialstudies,science,andothersubjects.Avrilart-fullyblendsthemtogether,alwaysleavingthewayopenfortopicsstudentsareinterestedinandspecialevents,likehurricanes:

WehadagreatHurricaneDaythisyear.AswewerewonderingifthehurricanewouldhitushereinLouisiana,studentswrotewonderfulhaikuandotherpoetry.Wewatchedtheweatherchangedaily,trackedthehurricaneoncharts,andstudiedhurricanesindepth.

Table1.4showshowtheintegratedcurriculuminAvrilFont’sfourthgradeclassmapsontostandardsnotonlyforEnglishlanguagearts,butforliteracyinthecontentareasaswell.UsetheInternettofindoutaboutcontentstandardsfromyourstatedepartmentofeducation.

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. Let’slookindetailathowAvril’steachingcanartfullyblendstandardsandstudent-centeredintegratedteachingintheEnglishlanguageartsandthecontentareassuchassocialstudiesandscience.Let’slookspecificallyattheEnglishlanguageartofwriting.Herstudentsbegineachdaybywritinginjournals.Thisistodevelopwritingfluencyandtogenerateideasforwritinginothergenres.Theyparticipatedailyinawritingcenter,learningtoprewrite,draft,revise,andedittheirwritingofnarrativeaboutrealorimaginedexperiencesinthegenresofstories,poetry,andscriptsfordramatization.Theyalsodoresearchandwriteinformative/explanatorytextsinthecontentareassuchassocialstudiesandscienceandlearntowriteopinionsand arguments for things theyneedorwould like to seehappen.You’ve already readabouttheseactivitiesinherclassandseenexamplesofstudentwriting.Let’sconsiderhowAvril’steachingaddressesthenewCommon Core State StandardsforEnglishandlanguagearts,whichwillbegradually implementedover thenextseveralyears in the45statesthathaveadoptedthemsofar.TheCommon Core State StandardsintegratethestrandsofEnglishlanguagearts:reading,writing,speakingandlistening,andlanguage.Table1.5(pp.24–26)showshowAvril’sapproachtoteachingwritingandherstudents’learningexperiencesmapontothewritingstrandofthestandardsforEnglishandlan-guagearts.NotealsohowAvril’sstudentsusearangeofbothliteraryandinformational

Great Books for ChildrenHurricanes

Cole, J. (1996). The magic school bus inside a hurricane. New York, NY: Scholastic.

Gibbons, G. (2010). Hurri canes! New York, NY: Holiday House.

Larson, K., & Nethery, M. (2008). Two Bobbies: A true story of Hurricane Katrina, friendship, and survival. London, UK: Walker Childrens.

Simon, S. (2007). Hurricanes. New York, NY: Collins.

Tarshis, L. (2005). I survived Hurricane Katrina. New York, NY: Scholastic.

Common Core State Standards

English Language Arts

Although the Common Core State Standards reflect an integrated model of literacy—meaning that the processes of communication are closely connected—they are divided into four strands with the following key features:

• Reading:Textcomplexityand the growth of comprehension

• Writing:Texttypes,responding to reading, and research

• SpeakingandListening:Flexiblecommunicationand collaboration

• Language:Conventions,effective use, and vocabulary

Media and technology skills are blended into the standards as a whole, including conducting original research to answer questions or solve problems, and both the critical analysis and production of both print and nonprinttextsinoldandnew media forms. For more information, go to www .corestandards.org.

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Table 1.4 Integrated Curriculum in Avril Font’s Fourth-Grade Class and the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects

Standards Student Activities

English Language Arts

ReadingLiterature and Informational TextRL.4.10&RI.4.10By the end of the year, read and comprehend

literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, and informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, in the grades 4–5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

WritingW.4.10Write routinely over extended time frames (time

for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Speaking and ListeningSL.4.1Engage effectively in a range of collaborative

discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

LanguageL.4.3Use knowledge of language and its conventions

when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

Sharing and discussing in group work (e.g., whole class and in centers)Reading basal stories and taking tests required by districtGuidedreadingDaily reading of newspaperReading self-selected books independentlyReading encyclopedias and informational books and writing reports and booksUsing the thesaurus and reference booksDaily writing in journalsWriting:

• Storiesfromlifeexperience(e.g.,My Mom the Seamstress, The Lie That Mrs. Font Told My Mommy, The Kitten with the Broken Leg, My Sister’s Pre-School Graduation, The Wedding)

• Poetry(e.g.,haiku)

• Informationalreports(e.g.,animalsandfamouspeople)

• Letters(e.g.,apologizingtothesubstituteteacher)

• Dramatizationsoflivesoffamouspeople(e.g.,St. GeorgeandShakespeare)

Publishinghandwrittenandillustratedbooks,computer- published books, posters

Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects

History/Social Studies

ReadingInformational TextRI.4.3Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in

a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.

WritingW.4.2Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a

topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

Doing group projects on Baton Rouge and LouisianaCreating reports on famous people through books, timelines, and dramatic presentations:

• WilliamShakespeare:reportasbook,simulated biography television show, scene from Romeo and Juliet

• St.GeorgeofEngland(andhisdragon),QueenElizabethIandII,QueenVictoria,IndiraGandhi,LouisArmstrong,LouisPasteur,MarilynMonroe:reportsasbooksanddramatizations of lives

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23The Classroom

texts,andhowliteratureisusedwithwritinginintegratedteachingofthecontentareasofsocialstudies,andscience.

SeeTable1.5,whichshowstheconnectionsbetweentheCommon Core State StandardsCollegeandCareerReadinessAnchorStandardsforWritingandtheintegratedcurriculuminAvrilFont’sfourth-gradeclass.

TheCommon Core State Standardsareshowninthreefeaturesthroughoutthistext:(1)Common Core State Standardsmarginnoteshighlightingconnectionswithtextcon-tentandteachingstrategies,(2)LessonPlansusingthestandardsatvariousgradelevels,and(3) IntegratedTeachingwithLiteraturemodelswithstudentlearningexperiencesthatdirectlyaddress thestandards.Manyof thesearebasedonaSnapshotfeatureofarealteacherinarealclassroom.

The ClassroomThe Students

Learningaboutyourstudentsisaprerequisiteforastudent-centeredclassroom.Seasonalandcurrenteventsarecommonknowledge.Buthowdoyoufindoutaboutyourstudents’ideasandinterests?Herearesomepracticalwaystodoso,whichcanbeinitiatedaspartofregularclassroomroutinesfromthebeginningoftheschoolyear.ThinkabouthowAvrilFontusedtheseideasinthedescriptionyoureadofherclassroom.

• Sharing.Provideregulartimeeverydayforsharingatallgradelevels.It’simportanttoletchildrenknowthattheycansharesignificantexperiencesatschool.Theseshar-ingperiodswillbecomeaprimarysourceofinformationforyourteaching.

• Journals.Providetimeforstudents towriteeveryday.Youshouldwrite too.Somevariationsonkeepingindividualjournalsaredialoguejournals(teachers,aides,orother

Standards Student Activities

Speaking and ListeningSL.4.4Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount

an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

LanguageL.4.6Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate

general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation).

ScienceCreating animal posters (e.g., panda, frog, painted turtle, alligator, Komodo dragons)Creating a freshwater aquariumTechnical SubjectsConduct online searches for videos and information

related to:Dance: Researching the maypole dance in various countries and periods of time, creating the maypole with ribbons, performing the dance (reported in local newspapersandTV),writingareportonthemaypoledanceMusic:Learningsongsthatgowiththemaypoledance historicallyVisualartsanddrama:Costumes,props,andsetsfor dramatizations of famous people’s lives (e.g., dragon costumefor“St.GeorgeandtheDragon”)

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Table

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gra

ted

Cu

rric

ulu

m in

Avr

il Fo

nt’s

Fo

urt

h-G

rad

e C

lass

CC

SS

CC

R A

nch

or

Sta

nd

ard

s fo

r W

riti

ng

Stu

den

t Le

arn

ing

Exp

erie

nce

s

Text

Typ

es a

nd

Pu

rpo

ses

W.1

: Writ

e ar

gum

ents

to

supp

ort

clai

ms

in a

n an

alys

is o

f su

bsta

ntiv

e to

pics

or

text

s, u

sing

val

id r

easo

ning

an

d re

leva

nt a

nd s

uffic

ient

evi

denc

e.

W.2

: Writ

e in

form

ativ

e/ex

plan

ator

y te

xts

to e

xam

ine

and

conv

ey c

ompl

ex

idea

s an

d in

form

atio

n cl

early

and

ac

cura

tely

thr

ough

the

effe

ctiv

e se

lect

ion,

org

aniz

atio

n, a

nd a

naly

sis

of

cont

ent.

W.3

: Writ

e na

rrat

ives

to

deve

lop

real

or

imag

ined

exp

erie

nces

or

even

ts

usin

g ef

fect

ive

tech

niqu

e, w

ell-c

hose

n de

tails

, and

wel

l-str

uctu

red

even

t se

quen

ces.

•Argum

ents

• Th

e cl

ass

wro

te a

lett

er t

o lo

cal n

ewsp

aper

s as

wel

l as

the

loca

l tel

evis

ion

stat

ion

argu

ing

that

th

ey s

houl

d pr

ovid

e co

vera

ge o

f th

e up

com

ing

perf

orm

ance

of

the

may

pole

dan

ce a

nd r

epor

ts b

y th

e st

uden

ts o

n th

e hi

stor

y of

thi

s w

ides

prea

d E

urop

ean

cust

om b

ecau

se it

is li

ttle

-kno

wn

in t

he

Uni

ted

Sta

tes.

(Tw

o ne

wsp

aper

s an

d th

e te

levi

sion

sta

tion

resp

onde

d po

sitiv

ely.

The

stu

dent

s w

ere

inte

rvie

wed

by

new

spap

er r

epor

ters

and

film

ed a

nd in

terv

iew

ed b

y re

port

ers

on t

he t

elev

isio

n ne

ws.

)•

A s

mal

l gro

up o

f st

uden

ts w

rote

a m

emo

to t

he p

rinci

pal a

nd a

lett

er t

o th

e ow

ner

of a

n aq

uariu

m

stor

e pr

esen

ting

thei

r ar

gum

ent

for

why

the

y sh

ould

rec

eive

mon

ey a

nd d

onat

ed s

uppl

ies

to b

uild

an

aqua

rium

.

•Inform

ationa

l/exp

lana

torytex

tsin

scien

ceand

soc

ialstudies

• A

nim

als.

Stu

dent

s di

d a

clas

s pr

ojec

t on

the

cha

ract

eris

tics

and

life

cycl

es o

f fr

ogs

and

thei

r re

latio

nshi

p to

oth

er li

ving

org

anis

ms

and

thei

r en

viro

nmen

t. T

hey

rese

arch

ed a

nd w

rote

a r

epor

t,

with

diff

eren

t gr

oups

res

earc

hing

and

writ

ing

abou

t di

ffere

nt t

opic

s ab

out

frog

s, a

nd m

ade

a la

rge

illus

trat

ed p

oste

r w

ith h

eadi

ngs

and

deta

iled

info

rmat

ion

disp

layi

ng w

hat

they

had

lear

ned.

•Biograp

hies

:Stude

ntsdidaclassprojec

ton

anim

portan

tLo

uisian

astatehistoricalfigure,Hue

yP.

Long

, gov

erno

r in

the

193

0s. T

hey

did

libra

ry r

esea

rch

and

visi

ted

the

Loui

sian

a st

ate

capi

tol b

uild

ing,

w

here

the

y w

ere

able

to

inte

rvie

w e

xper

ts o

n Lo

ng. T

hey

wro

te a

rep

ort

and

did

an il

lust

rate

d m

ural

of

the

timel

ine

of L

ong’

s lif

e an

d po

litic

al c

aree

r.

•Narrativ

esofrealorim

agined

exp

erienc

esorev

ents

• A

necd

otes

and

mem

oirs

: Stu

dent

s w

rote

sto

ries

from

per

sona

l exp

erie

nce,

suc

h as

My

Mom

the

Seam

stre

ss, T

he L

ie T

hat M

rs. F

ont T

old

My

Mom

my,

The

Wed

ding

, The

Kitt

en w

ith th

e B

roke

n Le

g,

My

Sist

er’s

Pre

-Sch

ool G

radu

atio

n, M

y Pa

w P

aw, a

nd T

he C

raft

Sho

w.

•Pa

tterns

and

poe

try:A

Lou

isia

na A

BC

was

writ

ten

by e

ach

stud

ent

afte

r an

inte

grat

ed t

hem

atic

uni

t on

the

ir st

ate.

The

y al

so w

rote

fre

e ve

rse

and

rhym

ing

poet

ry a

bout

the

sea

sons

and

abo

ut L

ouis

iana

tr

aditi

ons,

and

the

y co

mpo

sed

haik

us a

bout

hur

rican

es.

• S

crip

ts: A

sm

all g

roup

res

earc

hed

and

wro

te a

doc

umen

tary

on

the

life

of W

illia

m S

hake

spea

re, w

hich

th

ey v

ideo

tape

d, in

clud

ing

exce

rpte

d sc

enes

fro

m R

omeo

and

Jul

iet.

24

M01_COX6807_07_SE_C01.indd 24 13/05/13 11:26 AM

Pro

du

ctio

n a

nd

Dis

trib

uti

on

o

f W

riti

ng

W.4

:Produ

ceclearand

coh

eren

tw

ritin

g in

whi

ch t

he d

evel

opm

ent,

or

gani

zatio

n, a

nd s

tyle

are

app

ropr

iate

to

tas

k, p

urpo

se, a

nd a

udie

nce.

W.5

: Dev

elop

and

str

engt

hen

writ

ing

as n

eede

d by

pla

nnin

g, r

evis

ing,

ed

iting

, rew

ritin

g, o

r tr

ying

a n

ew

appr

oach

.

W.6

: Use

tec

hnol

ogy,

incl

udin

g th

e Internet,toprod

ucean

dpu

blish

writ

ing

and

to in

tera

ct a

nd c

olla

bora

te

with

oth

ers.

•Writingce

nter.S

tude

ntsmee

tda

ilyin

aw

ritingce

nter,w

herethe

yplan

and

dev

elop

idea

sforwriting.

The

idea

s m

ay c

ome

from

sha

ring

in t

he m

orni

ng o

r m

ay b

e to

pics

the

stu

dent

s ha

ve n

oted

in a

writ

ing

fold

er. T

heir

writ

ing

draf

ts a

re f

urth

er d

evel

oped

and

org

aniz

ed t

hrou

gh c

onfe

renc

es w

ith t

he t

each

er

and

in s

mal

l col

labo

rativ

e w

ritin

g gr

oups

and

pee

r-edi

ting

conf

eren

ces

with

oth

er s

tude

nts.

The

tea

cher

m

odel

s w

ritin

g an

d do

es a

s-ne

eded

and

on-

the-

spot

min

iless

ons

on w

ritin

g co

nven

tions

, suc

h as

gr

amm

ar a

nd u

sage

, spe

lling

, and

pun

ctua

tion.

Stu

dent

s w

rite

argu

men

ts, n

arra

tives

, and

info

rmat

iona

l/ex

plan

ator

y te

xts.

The

y pu

blis

h bo

oks

and

repo

rts

(han

dwrit

ten

and

on t

he c

ompu

ter)

and

als

o tr

y ne

w

appr

oach

es, s

uch

as a

scr

ipt

for

a vi

deot

aped

doc

umen

tary

on

the

life

of S

hake

spea

re.

Res

earc

h t

o B

uild

an

d

Pre

sen

t K

now

led

geW

.7: C

ondu

ct s

hort

as

wel

l as

mor

e su

stai

ned

rese

arch

pro

ject

s ba

sed

on

focu

sed

ques

tions

, dem

onst

ratin

g un

ders

tand

ing

of t

he s

ubje

ct u

nder

in

vest

igat

ion.

W.8

:Gathe

rrelevantin

form

ationfrom

m

ultip

le p

rint

and

digi

tal s

ourc

es,

asse

ss t

he c

redi

bilit

y an

d ac

cura

cy

of e

ach

sour

ce, a

nd in

tegr

ate

the

info

rmat

ion

whi

le a

void

ing

plag

iaris

m.

W.9

: Dra

w e

vide

nce

from

lite

rary

or

info

rmat

iona

l tex

ts t

o su

ppor

t an

alys

is,

refle

ctio

n, a

nd r

esea

rch.

•Fo

cusqu

estio

ns:A

saclass,in

smallg

roup

s,orinde

pend

ently,s

tude

ntsde

velopfocu

squ

estio

nsw

ith

mod

elin

g an

d gu

idan

ce f

rom

the

tea

cher

and

in c

olla

bora

tion

with

oth

er s

tude

nts:

• W

hat

are

the

impo

rtan

t ev

ents

and

peo

ple

in t

he h

isto

ry o

f Lo

uisi

ana?

• H

ow d

o yo

u bu

ild a

fre

shw

ater

aqu

ariu

m?

Wha

t su

pplie

s do

we

need

? H

ow w

ill w

e ge

t th

e su

pplie

s w

e ne

ed t

o do

it?

• W

ho w

as W

illia

m S

hake

spea

re?

Wha

t di

d he

do?

Why

is h

e fa

mou

s?•

Wha

t is

a f

rog

like?

Wha

t ar

e th

eir

char

acte

ristic

s, b

ehav

ior,

and

habi

tat?

•Wha

twasthe

lifeofHue

yP.Lon

glike?

Whe

nan

dwhe

redidhelive?

Why

ishefamou

s?

•Libraryan

don

linerese

arch

toan

swerthe

que

stions

:Stude

ntsmee

twith

the

librariantogathe

rinform

a-tio

n to

ans

wer

the

focu

s qu

estio

ns.

•Multip

leliteraryand

inform

ationa

ltex

tsuse

dforrese

arch

and

refl

ectio

n

• R

ead

the

poet

ry o

f E

mily

Dic

kins

on a

s w

ell a

s in

form

atio

nal b

ooks

on

her

life.

• U

se r

elev

ant

refe

renc

e m

ater

ials

—th

esau

rus,

atla

s, t

extb

ooks

, onl

ine

ency

clop

edia

s, e

tc.

•Interviewexp

ertsonLo

uisian

astatehistory.

25

(Con

tinue

d)

M01_COX6807_07_SE_C01.indd 25 13/05/13 11:26 AM

CC

SS

CC

R A

nch

or

Sta

nd

ard

s fo

r W

riti

ng

Stu

den

t Le

arn

ing

Exp

erie

nce

s

Ran

ge o

f Wri

tin

gW

.10:

Writ

e ro

utin

ely

over

ext

ende

d tim

e fr

ames

(tim

e fo

r re

sear

ch,

refle

ctio

n, a

nd r

evis

ion)

and

sho

rter

tim

e fr

ames

(a s

ingl

e si

ttin

g or

a d

ay

or t

wo)

for

a ra

nge

of t

asks

, pur

pose

s,

and

audi

ence

s.

•Exten

dedtim

eframes

• A

ll st

uden

ts w

rite

info

rmat

iona

l/exp

lana

tory

tex

ts o

n an

ani

mal

the

y ch

oose

and

a b

iogr

aphy

of

a fa

mou

s pe

rson

the

y ch

oose

. The

y w

rite

narr

ativ

es a

bout

per

sona

l exp

erie

nces

or

imag

ined

sto

ries

and

poet

ry t

o be

rev

ised

and

edi

ted

and

boun

d in

to b

ooks

and

pub

lishe

d•

Stu

dent

s in

sm

all g

roup

s w

rite

info

rmat

iona

l/exp

lana

tory

tex

ts o

n ho

w t

o bu

ild a

nd m

aint

ain

a fr

eshw

ater

aqu

ariu

m; t

hey

keep

a s

cien

ce jo

urna

l on

wha

t ha

ppen

s w

hen

they

sto

ck it

with

fis

h an

d m

ake

obse

rvat

ions

. The

y w

rite

a re

port

on

the

wor

ks o

f Will

iam

Sha

kesp

eare

and

writ

e a

scrip

t fo

r a

TV-stylevideo

tape

ddo

cumen

taryonhislifewith

selec

tedscen

esfromR

omeo

and

Jul

iet.

They

writ

e an

exp

lana

tion

of t

he h

isto

ry a

nd t

radi

tion

of t

he m

aypo

le in

Eur

opea

n co

untr

ies

to s

ubm

it to

loca

l ne

wsp

aper

s an

d to

use

in a

n in

terv

iew

by

the

loca

l tel

evis

ion

stat

ion.

•Sho

rtertim

eframes

• A

ll st

uden

ts w

rite

daily

in jo

urna

ls. T

hey

writ

e le

tter

s an

d m

emos

for

spec

ific

purp

oses

suc

h as

ap

olog

izin

g to

the

sub

stitu

te t

each

er, r

eque

stin

g fu

nds

from

the

prin

cipa

l for

sup

plie

s to

bui

ld a

n aq

uariu

m, a

skin

g an

aqu

ariu

m s

tore

ow

ner

for

dona

ted

supp

lies

(alo

ng w

ith a

n in

vita

tion

to c

ome

to

the

clas

s an

d ta

lk a

bout

aqu

ariu

ms)

, and

invi

ting

the

loca

l tel

evis

ion

stat

ion

to f

ilm a

nd b

road

cast

the

m

aypo

le d

ance

the

stu

dent

s w

ould

per

form

, with

a n

arra

tion

writ

ten

by t

he s

tude

nts

on t

he h

isto

ry

and

orig

ins

of t

his

trad

ition

.

Table

1.5

Co

mm

on

Co

re S

tate

Sta

nd

ard

s C

olle

ge

and

Car

eer

Rea

din

ess

An

cho

r S

tan

dar

ds

fo

r Wri

tin

g a

nd

Inte

gra

ted

Cu

rric

ulu

m in

Avr

il Fo

nt’s

Fo

urt

h-G

rad

e C

lass

(C

on

tin

ued

)

26

M01_COX6807_07_SE_C01.indd 26 13/05/13 11:26 AM

27The Classroom

studentswritebackandforth)andcommunityjournals(inwhichanyonecanwriteobservationsinajournalsta-tionedbythewindow,aquarium,orpetcage,forexam-ple).SeeFigure1.3foranexamplejournalentry.

• Star of the Week.Haveonechildperweekbethe“star,”whogetstocreateabulletinboardandtabledisplaytosharethingsthatareimportanttohimorher:

• Photographs• Awards• Student-writtenstories• Mementos• Letters

Provide time to share these things and answer ques-tions fromotherstudents.Recordstudents’questionsand answers on chartpaper and display or videotapethem.Or turn informationabout the star into a shortbiography;prepareitonthecomputerandprintabook-let,whichotherstudentscanillustrateandgivetotheindividual.Studentscanalsowritefanletterstothestar.Thefirstweekofschool,haveeverybodybringapictureforaClassStarsbulletinboard.Thesecondweek,doadisplayaboutyourself—babypicturesandall.Letthechildrenaskyouquestionstomodeltheprocedure.

• Autobiographies.Havestudentswriteautobiographiesthefirstfewweeksofschool.Setasideaperiodtodevelopguidingquestionstogether:Whereandwhenwereyouborn?Tellaboutyourfamily.Whatareyourhobbies?Youshouldwriteanautobiogra-phy,too.

• Memoirs.Encouragestudentstowritetheirpersonalmemoirs,aswritingbasedonstu-dents’personalexperiencescanbetherichestkind.See,forexample,Figure1.1,pagesfromMina’sbookMy Mom the Seamstress,inwhichshewritesabouthermother(p.9).

• Conferences.Askchildrenaboutthemselvesduringplanningandwritingconferencesandconferencewithparents.

• Interviews.Pairstudentsandhavethemdoathree-stepinterviewwitheachother,thenhavethemsharetheinformationabouttheirpartnerswiththeclass.Byhavingpartnersaskopen,simple,andpositivequestions,allchildrenshouldbeabletocreatepositiveportraitsofthemselves.

How to Do a Three-Step Interview: Step-by-Step Haveaclassdiscussionongoodques-tionstoaskotherstudentstolearnmoreaboutthem,forexample:

• Whenandwherewereyouborn?• Whoisinyourfamily?• Whatareyoufavoritethingstodo?

Studentscountoffby1and2;each1pairswitha2.

1. Student1asksStudent2thequestionstheclassdevelopedandcantakenotes. 2. Student2asksStudent1thesamequestionsandcantakenotes. 3. Eachstudentshareswhattheylearnedabouttheotherwiththewholeclass.

Figure 1.3 Journal Entry

M01_COX6807_07_SE_C01.indd 27 13/05/13 11:26 AM


Room Environment

AvrilFont’sclassroomisanexampleofhowtoputtheprinciplesofstudent-centeredteach-ingintopractice(seeFigure1.4).

Wetalkedaboutthereadingcenterearlierasagoodplaceforgettingcomfortabledur-ingsharing,planningwithafriend,orcurlingupwithagoodbook.Aroundthereadingcenterareseventables,formedbypushingfourstudentdeskstogether.Eachofthesetablescanbeahomebaseforfourchildrenworkingtogether.Twolargetablesaredesignatedworkcenters,providingmaterialsandspaceforgroupworkinwriting,science,andmathematics.

TwootherqualitiesofAvrilFont’sclassroomareimportant:

1. Theclassroomisaprint-richenvironment,fullofchildren’sliterature—bothliteraryandinformationaltexts,twodailynewspapers,magazines,referencebooks,textbooks,and

Table 1Teacher’sWorktable

Recliner

ReclinerStorageCabinet

Rug

ReadingCenter

FloorPillows

WritingCenter

MathCenter

MediaCenter

ComputerCenter

Table 3

Table 4Table 5

Table 6

Table 7

Bookshelves Bulletin Board Chalkboard Bulletin Board

Table 2

Bookshelves

Boo

kshe

lves

Sto

rage

Cab

inet

s: S

uppl

ies

and

Equ

ipm

ent

Boo

kshe

lves

Chalkboard Bulletin BoardBulletin Board

ScienceCenter

Figure 1.4 Diagram of Avril Font’s Classroom

M01_COX6807_07_SE_C01.indd 28 13/05/13 11:26 AM

29The Classroom

booksandreportswrittenbythechildrenthemselves.Someoftheseresources,plusmanyothers,areavailableonlineorthroughvarioussoftwareprograms.Tocreatethiskindofenvironment,yourclassroomshouldincludealibrary,posters,bulletinboards,acomputerwithInternetaccess,labels,anddisplaysofchildren’swritingandart.

2. Theclassroomisorganizedintoavarietyofcenters,orworkareasthataremovableandflexible.Thereareclear tablesurfacesfor largeartandconstructionprojects,openfloorspacesformovementanddrama,tablesandchairsthatcanberearrangedfordiscus-sionandgroupactivities,andquietcornersforreading,talking,orplanning.Youshouldestablishcenterswithmaterialsforwriting,art,andstudyingspecialtopicsandthemes,researchcentersforlookingintodifferentsubjects,andacomputercenter.

Organization

Daily Schedule Avrilhasdevelopedadailyschedulethatallowslargeblocksoftimeforindividualandgroupworkincentersinallrequiredsubjectareas:languageartsandread-ing,socialstudies,science,andmathematics.Studentsrotatethroughcentersandsubjectsintheircolorgroupsandalsoworkindependentlyinsubjectsattheirdesks,maketripstothelibrary,oruseoutdoorspace(e.g.,topracticethemaypoledanceoraplay).Eachchildkeepsalogshowingheorshehasdoneeachofthefollowingeachday:languageartsandreading,socialstudies,mathematics, journalwriting,newspaper reading,andcomputeruse.Thechildchecks,initials,anddateseachsubject.

9:00 Business(teacher)andliteracyactivities(students)9:15 Sharingwiththewholeclass9:45 Planningtheday

10:00 Recess10:15 Centers:Mathematics,socialstudies,science,thearts,researchprojects11:15 Sustainedsilentreading11:45 Lunch12:15 Readaloud12:30 Centers:Mathematics,socialstudies,science,thearts,researchprojects1:30 P.E.,French,music,guidance,orlibrary2:00 Centers:Mathematics,socialstudies,science,thearts,researchprojects3:00 Dismissal

Flexible Scheduling Thetruthis,schedulesalwayslookbetteronpaperthantheyworkinreality.Fortheteacherwhofollowsastudent-centeredapproachtoteaching,it’seasytogetoffschedulewhenchildrenareactivelyengagedinwhatthey’redoingandthusallowedtocontinueaslongastheystayinvolved.Theteachermayhavetoshiftthescheduleeachday,carryoverexcitingactivitiestothenextday,orevenfollowdifferentschedulesondifferentdays.WhenIwasanelementaryteacherandperformedShakespeare’splayswithchildren,weneededatleasta1½-hourperiodtoreallyrehearse.Ischeduledrehearsalsonalternatingdays,whichincreasedthetimespentonotherdaysforothersubjects.Manyexperienceslikewriting,drama,andartprojectsrequirelargerchunksoftime.You’llseetheneedtoincreasetheflexibilityofyourscheduleasyourstudentsgrowinconfidenceandabilitytotakechargeoftheirownlearningexperiences.

Grouping Inadditiontoorganizingtime,youmustorganizeyourstudents.Youcandosoinavarietyofways,usuallyincombinationwithoneanother:

• Whole-class activities.Thesecan includesharingandplanning,classdiscussions,currentevents(e.g.,talkingaboutthehurricaneheadedyourway),readingaloudby

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theteacher,talkingaboutbooks,presentingnewmaterialsoridentifyingnewtopicsorthemestoinvestigate,gettingorganizedtodoso,andteachingwhole-classlessons.

• Small-group activities.Childrenworktogetherinsmallgroupsontopicsofinterestthatarebeingpursuedbythewholeclass(e.g.,hurricanes)orthatareofspecialinter-estjusttothem(e.g.,Shakespeareor“St.GeorgeandtheDragon”).Theyworkwithyouinminilessonsasneeded.

• Individual activities.Youshouldallowtimeforchildrentoworkalone,reading,writ-ing,orpursuingtopicsofinteresttothem.Individualactivitiesemergefromwhole-classactivities—forinstance,onechildwritesapoemabouthurricanesorstudiesananimalthatinterestshimorher.Similarly,individualandgroupactivitiescanbecombined,suchasfindingoutaboutShakespeare’sbirthplaceandsharingtheinformationwithanotherchildinthegroupwhofoundoutabouthiseducationoroneofhisplays.

Resources

Avril’sroomisfullofbooks,media,paper,andartsupplies,allofwhicharereadilyavailabletothechildren.Butinherstudent-centeredclassroom,therealrawmaterialsforteachinglanguageartsoriginatewiththechildrenthemselves:theirexperiences,thoughts,impulses,andlanguage.Thefollowingsectionsdescribeexamplesofmaterialsyoucanuse.

Children’s Literature Yourmainsourceofreadingandreferencematerialshouldbegoodchildren’sbooks.Developaclasslibrarytoprovideresourcesinadditiontothosefoundintheschoollibrary.Borrowmaterialsfromschoolandpubliclibraries,gotogaragesales,andaskparentstodonate.Askyourschoolandpubliclibrariansforhelpinidentifyingbooksonspecialtopics.TheCommon Core State Standardsrecommendarangeoftypesoftextsforstudents.

Students’ Experiences • Shared experiences.Verbal, written, drawn, danced, or acted-out descriptions of

objects,people,oreventscreatedinoroutofclass

• Home experiences.Family,pets,sports,trips,movies,music,andthingsfromhome(books,pictures,awards,videos,storiesofexperiences)

• School experiences.Otherclasses(music,art,physicaleducation),thelibrary,assem-blies,parties,fightsontheschoolyard,andsoon

• Content experiences.Scienceexperiments,socialstudiesresearch,mathapplications,guestspeakers,fieldtrips,andnewsitems

• Arts experiences.Artandmusicappreciation,creations,songs,dances,drama,andmovies

• Organic experiences.Cookingandeating,growingthings,animalsandinsects,andclassroomnaturecollections

• Cultural experiences.Traditions,holidays,events,celebrations,history,andsocialmovements

• Media experiences.Television,movies,andmusic

• Technology experiences.Online,socialnetworking,andotherdigitalexperiences

• Your experiences.Shareyourselfwithyourstudents

Supplies Asyouplantostockyourclassroom,thinkaboutacquiringthefollowingmate-rials.Somewillbeprovidedbyyourschool,butyou’llhavetocomeupwithothersonyourownandbygettingparentsinvolved:

• Varietyofpaper(lined,unlined,art,wrappingandcontactpaper,butcherpaper,paperbags,chartpaper)

Common Core State Standards

Range of Text Types for K–5

(Select from a broad range of cultures and periods)

Literature

• Stories:Includeschildren’sadventure stories, folk-tales, legends, fables fantasy, realistic fiction, and myth.

• Dramas:Includesstageddialogue and brief familiar scenes.

• Poetry:Includesnurseryrhymes and the subgenres of the narrative poem, limerick, and free verse poem.

Informational Text

Literary Nonfiction and Historical, Scientific, and TechnicalTexts,including:

• biographiesandautobiographies

• booksabouthistory,socialstudies, science, and the arts

• technicaltexts,includingdirections, forms, and information displayed in graphs, charts or maps

• digitalsourcesonarangeof topics

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31The Classroom

• Stationeryandenvelopes

• Pencilsandcrayons

• Rulers,scissors,staplers

• Chartracks

• Artmaterialsforavarietyofmedia

• Sciencesuppliesandequipment

• Cookingequipmentandutensils

• Rhythmandothermusicalinstruments

• Costumesandpropsfordrama

• Puppet-makingmaterialsandstage

• Plastictubsandfileboxesorcrates

Reference Books and Online Resources Althoughyourlibrarywillhavereferencebooksandresources,youshouldincludeasmanyasyoucaninyourclassroom,suchasthese:

• Dictionaries

• Thesauruses

• Encyclopedias

• Atlases

• Internetaccessandelectronicresources

• Fileboxesforpamphlets,magazineclippings,andarticles

Media and Technology In today’s classroom,media and technology afford studentsopportunitiestobothaccessandproduceknowledgeinwaysthatreflectactivelearningandtheconstructionofknowledge.Thiscanaffecthowaclassroomspaceisused,howtimeisscheduled,andtowhatextentaclassroomisprimarilyteacher-centeredorstudent-centered.Traditionally,teachershavedirectedlearningandbeentheprimaryaudienceforstudents’questions, responses, ideas, and interactions.The focusof learningcan shift,however,whenaccessingandproducingknowledgeismediatedwithWeb2.0tools(e.g.,digitalvideo/storytelling,blogs,wikis,podcasts,hyperlinks,interactivity,multimodality,andsocialnetworking).Withthesenewtools,studentsassumemorecontroloftheirownlearning,identities,andcommunicationwithothersbeyondtheteacherandeventheclass-room,tocommunity,national,andinternationalaudiences.Ideallyallclassroomswouldhavethemecessarymediaandtechnologytoolstodothis,includingthefollowing:

• Computersandword-processingsoftwareandprinters

• Internetaccessandcommunicationtools(e.g.,email,instantmessaging,discussionboards,blogs)

• Multimedia and presentation tools that provide video, audio, and graphics (e.g.,PowerPoint,webdevelopment,andInternetsearchtools)

• TelevisionandDVDplayer

Integrated Teaching

Atthebeginningoftheyear,teacherscanplanappropriatestandards-basedactivitiesandchoosebooksandmaterialsfortheclassroombasedontheirknowledgeofhowchildrenlearnlanguagearts,andtheseplanscanalsointegrateliteracyandcontentareateaching.Inmakingtheseplans,teacherscanusestatestandards–baseddistrictguidesandcurrent

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andseasonaleventsassourcesofcurriculumcontent.RecallfromearlierinthechapterthatthesearesomeofthesourcesthatAvrilFontusesaswell.Thisapproachtocurriculumplanninghasbeencalledvariousnames: thematicunits, themecycles, languageacrossthecurriculum,andintegratedorcross-curricularteaching.Regardlessofthenameused,theapproachinvolvesbeginningwithaninterestinggrade-appropriatefocalpoint,suchas“OurState”infourthgrade,oraquestionaskedbytheteacherorstudents,suchas“Whatcanwedotoimprovetheenvironment?”

Throughout the schoolyear, teachers can continue toplanbased those initial focalpoints and consider how to integrate literacy and the content areas around them. Forinstance,theteachermightobservechildren’sdelightinaspecialbookornoteanindi-vidual’sinterestinatopicorrelatedpriorexperience.Thestudentsthencollaboratewiththeteacheronwhatprojectstheywillworkon,howtheywillformgroupstodoso,andhowtheywillsharewhattheylearnwithothers.RecallthatAvrilusesstudents’ideasandinterestsasathirdsourceinplanningcurriculumcontent.

Standards for Technology in the Classroom

TheInternationalSocietyforTechnologyinEducation(ISTE)providesstandardsfortechnology in the classroom for both students and teachers. The National Educational Technology Standards for Students(NETS-S)providesaframeworkforusingandinte-gratingtechnologyintothecurriculumtosupportstudentsK–12(ISTE,2007).Theseare“foundationalstandards”inthattheyidentifytheskillsandknowledgestudentsareexpectedtomaster.Noticehowthestandardsincludenotonlythebasicsoftech-nology but also technology as a tool to complete other tasks, as well as emphasizing collaboration, lifelong learning, and problem solving in real situations.

1. CreativityandInnovation:Studentsdemonstratecreativethinking,constructknowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.

2. Communication and Collaboration: Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.

3. ResearchandInformationFluency:Studentsapplydigitaltoolstogather,evaluate, and use information.

4. CriticalThinking,ProblemSolving,andDecisionMaking:Studentsusecriticalthinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.

5. Digital Citizenship: Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.

6. TechnologyOperationsandConcepts:Studentsdemonstrateasoundunderstanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.

FormoreonISTE,theNETS,andteacherresourcesandsupportforusingtechnologyin the classroom, go to www.iste.org.

Media and Technology

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33The Classroom

Thisisintegratedteachinganditcanflowoutoftheinitialexperiencesthatteachersplanandthebooksandmaterialstheychoose.Thefocalpointcanbeanidea,experience,orsubjectthatbecomesathemeandopensupawealthofinstructionalpossibilities.Thinkaboutwhathappenswhenyouthrowapebbleintoapondorlake:Itentersthewateratacertainpointandfromtherecreatesarippleeffect—anever-wideningcircleofrings.Intheclassroom,these“rings”aretheongoingresponsesofthechildren:theirspontaneouscom-mentsafteryoureadaloudfromabook,theirsharingasimilarexperience,theirenthusiasmorquestionsaboutanewtopic,andtheirideasabouthowtolearnmoreaboutit.

Several“pebbles”were tossedout inAvrilFont’s roomon thedayyoureadaboutearlierinthechapter.Forinstance,Shakespearebecameahottopicforagroupofchildrenwhoreadandwroteabouthim,publishedabookonhislife,andwroteascriptforavid-eotapeddocumentaryofhislifeandwork.Anothergroupthatwasinterestedinguppiesresearchedhowtobuildanaquarium,createdone,andstockeditwithfish,whichtheyalsostudied.Theyhadpreviouslywrittenamemototheprincipalandalettertotheownerofanaquariumshoparguingthatitwouldbeofgreateducationalbenefitiftheprincipalwouldbuysuppliestodoso,andtheaquariumshopownerwoulddonatethem.Theyhadtoresearchandcreateadetailedbudgetfortheirprojectaswell.Finally,thegroupswhowerelearningabout“St.GeorgeandtheDragon”andthemaypoledanceconnectedthesetopicsofEnglishculturewithwhatotherchildrenwerelearningaboutShakespeare.

Agreatpartofthejoyofteachingiswatchingthisrippleeffectofintegratedteachingoccurandthinkingabouthowtoenhanceit—thatis,tohelpchildrenexperience,explore,anddiscovernewideasandwaystouselanguage,learninthecontentareas,andconstructmeaning.Onceyoubegin,it’sanadventure.Youandyourclasscanboldlygowherenoclasshasgonebefore!Andthisiswhenchildrenreachandstretchandgrowintheiruseandcontroloflanguageaswellastheirunderstandingofthemselvesandtheworldaroundthem.

An Example of Integrated Teaching ArippleeffectofintegratedteachingoccurredinAvril’sclassatthebeginningoftheschoolyearthatoriginatedfromacombinationofstatecontentstandardsinsocialstudiesandquestionsthatcameupduringsharingandplanningonemorningduringthefirstweekofschool.Here’showithappened.

Duringmorningsharing,itbecameapparenttoAvrilthatmanyofthechildreninherclasswerenotsurethatBatonRouge(thecitytheylivedjustoutsideof)wasactuallythecapitalofLouisiana.Avrilnotedthisandsawateachablemoment,becausefourthgradeistheyearthatLouisianaandmoststatesrequireastudyofthelocalcommunityandstatehistoryinsocialstudies.HerewasachanceforAvriltobegingroupworkandforchildrentouselanguageacrossthecurriculum.

Shebeganbyaskingthemwhattheyalreadyknewabouttheircommunityandstate.Theyused the followingKWLchart (Ogle,1989) tobegin the rippleeffect, listing thethingstheyalreadyknew(K),whattheywantedtolearn(W),andwhattheylearned(L,tobefilledinlater):

KWL Chart: Our Community and State

K What we know:

W What we want to learn:

L What we learned:

Football teams—Southern University and Louisiana State University

Peopleworkinoilrefineriesandfish

What is Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana, like?

What are the important events in Louisiana’s history?

Great Books for ChildrenLouisiana

Culbertson, M. (2006). Louisiana: The land and its people. Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing.

Macaulay, E. (2009). Louisiana. New York, NY: Children’s Press.

Roop, P., & Roop, C. (2004). Louisiana Purchase. New York, NY: Aladdin.

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Next,thestudentsformedgroupsaroundtopicsthatinterestedthemanddiscussedhowtheycouldfindoutaboutthesethings.Avrilsuggestedmanywaysthechildrencouldlearnabouttheircommunityandstate,allofwhichwererichinopportunitiesforintegratedlan-guageandliteracyandlearninginthecontentareasofsocialstudies,science,mathemat-ics,andthearts.Avrilmodeledlessons,butmostofthestudents’workwasdoneinsmallgroupsusingavarietyofchildren’sliterature,referencebooks,thenewspaper,andtheirownwriting—notes,memoirs,interviewquestions,andreports.

Avrilwasmindfulofhowherstudents’questionsandtheirreading,research,writing,andpresentingofinforma-tionaboutLouisianacouldmapontoallthecontentareas;forexample:

• Social studies:History,geography,economics,poli-ticsandculture

• Science:Weather,climate,animals,naturalresources

• Mathematics: Place value for historical timeline,plotting distance on amap, temperature scales andranges,sportsstatistics

• The arts:Typesoftraditionalandmodernmusic,art-ists andmusicians,dance, architecture,MardiGrasdecorativearts

Modeling Writing at the Beginning of the Year Avril’sstudentswrite books throughout the year.At the begin-ningoftheyear,sheusedapicturebookappropriateforolderstudentstomodelhowtowritetheirfirstbookusingthe organizational framework of the alphabet. The stu-dentsusedthealphabetpatterntoreport theinformationtheyhadlearnedacross thecontentareasabout thestateofLouisiana(seeFigure1.5).Avrilalsodidminilessonsonspellingandpunctuationasstudentswrotetheirbooks.

K What we know:

W What we want to learn:

L What we learned:

It’shotandrainsalotMardiGrasisabigcelebration

Who are the important people in Louisiana’s history and why are they important?

MississippiRiverfloods WhatcausestheMississippitoflood?

Hurricanes happen Can we make a big map of Louisiana?

Crawfish and alligators are in swamps

We have lots of swamps and bayous

Why do hurricanes happen and why do they always happen in Louisiana?

What animals live in Louisiana and what are they like?

Figure 1.5 Page from Student’s Book

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35The Classroom

A is for the Acadian people.B is for Baton Rouge, the capital city.C is for Creole food.D is for downtown Baton Rouge.E is for Exxon, where my Daddy works.F is for Louisiana flag.G is for Governor.H is for Henry Shreve, who founded the

city of Shreveport.I is for the Indian mounds, where they

buried people above ground.J is for privateer Jean Lafitte.K is for King Cotton.L is for the city of Lake Charles.M is for the Mardi Gras parade.

N is for the city of New Orleans.O is for the Old State Capital.P is for pelican, the state bird.Q is for quay, where we tie up our

boats.R is for the Mississippi River.S is for the Louisiana State seal.T is for old Beauregard Town.U is for the Louisiana State University.V is for vegetable soybeans.W is for the War of 1812, when the Battle

of New Orleans was fought.X is for Xavier University in New Orleans.Y is for yams.Z is for Zydeco music and dancing.

Here isBridget’sbook,My Louisiana Book.Thebookconsistsofapage foreachletter,plusasentenceaboutLouisianastartingwiththeletterandapicture.BridgetwrotethecontentfromwhatshehadlearnedinclassduringtheintegratedstudyofherstateofLouisiana,andrevisedandediteditforpublication.

A Louisiana Alphabet by Bridget

Thefollowinglessonplanoutlinesalessonanyonecanusewithanalphabetbookasapatterntomodelwriting.Studentscanreadandrespondtothebookandwriteapattern,andthepatterncouldalsobeusedtoreportinformationlearnedonanytopicinthecontentareasasBridgetdidwithherbookaboutLouisiana.

Therearemanyalphabetbookstodaythatarebeautifulandexciting;theyaredefi-nitelynot“babybooks.” In fact,manyareverysophisticatedandappropriate forolderstudents,includingThe Z Was ZappedbyChrisVanAllsburg(1987).Thisisapredictablepatternbook.Eachright-handpageshowsalargeillustrationofaletterhavingsomethingdonetoit.Studentscanguesswhat’shappening.Thebackofeachpagehasasentenceabouttheletter:forinstance,“TheAwasinanavalanche.”What’sniceaboutthisbookisthatmanyinterpretationsarepossibleforeachpage.

Readingandtalkingaboutanalphabetbooklikethisonecanleadtolivelydiscussionsabouttheobjectsandimagespresentedfortheletters.Childrencantalkabouttheirfavoriteimagesorotherimagesthatstartwithcertainlettersofthealphabet,ortheycanreflectonwhatthebookremindsthemof.Youcouldtrymodelingthislessoninyourpracticeteach-ingoratthebeginningoftheschoolyearwhenyouhaveyourownclass.IhavemodeledthislessoninallmylanguageartsmethodsclassesformanyyearsandIfindthatadultuniversitystudentsare justasengagedwith itaselementarystudents. Ialsomodel thelessonshownheresothatstudentscanuseitwithchildrenintheirelementaryfieldexperi-ences.Manydoandreportthatitworks!Theybringmanywonderfulsamplesofchildren’swritingtoshareinclass,fromkindergartenthrougheighthgrade.TryitinyourownfieldexperiencesorwhenyoubeginteachingEnglishlanguageartsandintegratedliteracyinastudent-centeredclassroom.

Great Books for ChildrenLouisiana Alphabet

Parker, L. (2001). Louisiana alphabet. Brandon, MS: Quail Ridge Press.

Prieto, A. (2004). P is for pelican: A Louisiana alphabet. Ann Arbor, MI: Sleeping Bear Press.

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lesson planModeling Writing Using an Alphabet Book

Level: Grade4

Topic: Writing in response to The Z Was ZappedbyChrisVanAllsburg(1987),orotheralphabetpatternbook

Purpose: To respond to literature through discussion and write using the alphabet pattern book as a model

IRA/NCTE Standard 5: Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

CCSS Writing (W.4.4): Produceclearandcoherentwritinginwhichthedevelopmentandorganizationareappropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Materials

1. The Z Was Zapped or other alphabet pattern book

2. Paper

3. Crayons and pencils

Teaching Sequence

1. Read The Z Was Zapped aloud. Ask children to predict what’s happening to each letter. Encourage a varietyofresponsesbeforeyouchecktoseewhatVanAllsburgwroteonthebackofeachpage.

2. Teach a minilesson on alliteration. Describe alliteration, which is repeating the same letter or sound at thebeginningsofwords.(Notethattheverb,oractionword,ineachsentencebeginswiththeletterillustrated on that page.) Ask students for examples.

3. Discuss the book. Ask open-ended questions, which invite children to think about their own impres-sions while reading:

• “Whatdidyouthinkofthebook?”

• “Whatwasyourfavoritepart?”

• “Whataresomethingsthathappenedtotheletters?”

• “Whatthingscanhappentoaletter?”

4. Record students’ responses to the last question on chartpaper, using a graphic organizer with a letter in the middle and students’ responses writtenaroundit.Pickoneletterordoseveral.

L

Lunching

Lazy

Large Leaping

Lounging Listening

Lunging

Laughing

Great Books for ChildrenBooks by Chris Van Allsburg

Van Allsburg, C. (2009). The polar express. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin.

Van Allsburg, C. (2011). The chronicles of Harris Burdick. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin.

Van Allsburg, C. (2011). Jumanji. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin.

Van Allsburg, C. (2011). Just a dream. New York, NY: Sandpiper.

Van Allsburg, C. (2011). Queen of the falls. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin.

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37The Classroom

5. Modelwritinganalliterativesentenceusingoneoftheirresponses,suchas“TheLwaslunching.”Studentscouldalsodoaclusterinsmallgroupsor individually after you model it with the whole class.

6. Direct each student to pick a letter and write a sentence about something happening to the letter, patterned after the book and using alliteration. The student can write more than one example or extend what they have written with more alliterative sentences. Students can illustrate their sen-tences (see Figure 1.6).

Assessment

1. Observestudents’responsestothebook.Weretheyabletomakeanappropriate prediction of the alliterative pattern?

2. Establish a criteria for writing and illustrating an alliterative sentence or sentences:

Student was successfully able to: No Partially Yes

Write an alliterative sentence

Write multiple alliterative sentences

Illustratethesentenceappropriately

Use conventional:

Grammar

Spelling

Capitalization

Punctuation

Teacher comments and suggestions for improvement:

Differentiated Instruction

1. Conduct minilessons (as needed) on:

• Theconceptofalliterationandwritingalliterativesentences

• Capitalizationandpunctuationofsentences

• Subject–verbagreement

• Useofactiveverbs

2. For emerging or struggling writers:

• Have them copy a sentence from the graphicorganizer modeled by the teacher.

• Useawriting frame:“The (letter)was (action/verb).”

• Takedictationforstudents.(Writethestudent’ssentence as he or she tells it to you.)

3. For English language learners:

• Have them buddy with a more proficientEngish-speaking peer and write a sentence together.

Figure 1.6 Student’s Drawing and Writing in Response to The Z Was Zapped

Great Books for ChildrenAlliterative Alphabet

Pattern Books

Bayer, J. E. (1992). A, my name is Alice. New York, NY: Puffin.

Base, G. (1996.) Animalia. New York, NY: Puffin.

Dragonwagon, C. (1992). Alligator arrived with apples: A potluck alphabet feast. New York, NY: Aladdin.

Edwards, P. D. (1998). Some smug slug. New York, NY: HarperTrophy.

Gerstein, M. (2001). The absolutely awful alphabet. New York, NY: Harcourt.

Lobel, A. (1996). Allison’s zinnea. New York, NY: Greenwillow.

Kellogg, S. (1992). Aster Aardvark’s alphabet adventures. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

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• What are the language arts?

In simple terms, the six language arts are listen-ing,speaking, reading,writing,viewing,andvisu-ally representing. In broader terms, they includeeverything based on language, which is a systemof communicating that offers countless possibili-ties for representation, expression, and thought.Orallanguage—listeningandspeakingintheclass-room—includesactivitiessuchassharingandplan-ning;havingconversationsandconferences;readingaloud; dramatizing, singing, and storytelling; andmedia listening and viewing. Literacy activitiesfocusonbothreadingandwritingintheclassroom.Reading activities involve the use of a variety ofmaterials, from literature to environmental print.Writing activities address the conventionsofwrit-tenlanguage—spelling,punctuation,grammar,andusage.Other literacy activities comprise computerusage and word processing, and other media andtechnology such asWeb 2.0 tools. Language artsprovideameanstouselanguageacrossthecurricu-lumthroughintegratedteaching.

• How do children learn language arts?

Learning is an active, constructive process thattakesplacewhenstudentsaretrulyengagedinwhatthey’redoingandfocusedonthediscoveryofmean-ing.TheconstructivistlearningtheoryofJeanPiagetexplains thatchildren learnbyaddingnewexperi-ences to old and constructing new understandingsofthemselvesandtheworld.TouseJohnDewey’sexpression,they“learnbydoing.”

Learning is a social interactive process thattakesplacewhenstudentsworkcollaborativelywitheach other and the teacher. The social interactiontheoryofLevVygotskyexplainsthatchildrencon-structnewknowledgebyfirstinteractingincontextwithadults,otherchildren,andmaterialsandtasksin the environment; later they internalize whatthey’ve learned.Teachers andmore capable peersbuild “scaffolds,” according to Jerome Bruner, tohelplearnersconstructnewknowledgebasedonthefoundationofwhatchildrenalreadyknow.

When teachingwith literature, LouiseRosen-blatt’s transactional theoryexplains that reading isatwo-waytransactionbetweenareaderandatext,duringwhichmeaningiscreated.Readersdrawonprior experiences, and the stream of these imagesandideasflowsthroughtheirmindswhilereading.In student-centered teaching, the teacher initiatesexperienceswith literature but also observes eachstudent’spersonalresponsetoastory.

• How should we teach language arts?

Childrenlearntouselanguagebyusingitwhentheyaresurroundedbyprintandparticipate in richandsocial interactive experiences with language thatalwaysfocusonmeaning.Curriculumcontentinthistype of classroom comes from three sources: statecontentstandardsanddistrictguidesandthenewlydevelopedCommon Core State Standards;seasonaland current events through the year; and students’ideas and interests. Content is taught in “rippleeffects”of integratedteaching,whichemergefrom

Answers to Questions about Learning and Teaching Language Arts

• Provideprimarylanguagesupport.

• Allowthemtousegesturesanddramatize,ordrawapictureoftheactionofanalliterativesen-tence as an alternative to writing it.

4. For developing writers:

• Writeanalliterativestory,extendingfromasentencetoawholestory.

• Createastoryboardwithillustrationsandanalliterativecaptionforeachframe.

• Writeandrole-playadialoguebetweentwolettersusingalliterativephrases.

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39Children’s Books

Looking Further1. Starta journal.Youmight focusonyour thoughts

whilereadingthistext,onexperiencesinyourcol-lege class and elementary classrooms, or on yourideasandplansforyourfutureasateacher.

2. Make a list of the things youwould take to yourclasstodemonstratetoyourstudentshowtobeStaroftheWeek.Whatwouldyoutellthemaboutyour-self?Why?

3. Drawafloorplanofwhatyouthinkyourclassroommightlooklike.Besuretoconsiderhowyouwill

create an environment formaximizing opportuni-ties for student-centered learning. Discuss yourplanwithothersinyourclass,andcompareyourstotheirs.

4. Develop a lesson plan for using literature with aspecificgradelevel.Usethelessonexampleinthischapterasamodel(seetheLessonPlan,pp. 36–38).Teachyour lesson, if possible, and report to yourclasswhathappened.

Base,G.(1996).Animalia.NewYork,NY:Puffin.Bayer,J.E. (1992).A, my name is Alice.NewYork,NY:

Puffin.Benchley,P.(2007).Shark life: True stories about sharks

and the sea.NewYork,NY:Yearling.Bjorklund, R. (2012). Komodo dragons. Danbury, CT:

Children’sPress.Blume, J. (1972). Tales of a fourth-grade nothing. New

York,NY:Dutton.Boruchowitz,D.E.(2009).The simple guide to freshwater

aquariums.NeptuneCity,NJ:TFHPublications.Chase’sCalendar ofEvents. (Ed.). (2011).The teacher’s

calendar: The day-by-day directory to holidays, his-toric events, birthdays, and special days.NewYork,NY:McGrawHill.

Chute,M. (1993). Stories from Shakespeare. NewYork,NY:Meridian.

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