Noteblog 9.... due 3/30/09

New Literacy Project:

• Jenn and I are doing our New Literacy Project based on Media Literacy.

• We have had many Idea’s to incorporate this; first making a website, then including digital stories, as well as other visuals such as photographs.

• I have had experience creating a web page, so I feel confident that our project will work out fine

• Other ideas I have thought to include in our project was:
o Information about what media literacy meant and how it can be used
o Hyperlinks to other important resources
o Do’s and Do not’s of using the website
o Make the website inviting to the students as well as interesting, something that will draw them in…

• One other thought for the website, would be a link to a classroom blog, that includes students input and work, as well as progress and experiences on special outings.

• We have not yet decided on the details, just working on our ideas as of yet

noteblog-fluency due 3-16

I feel that bookclub is a great way to teach fluency. Students could read aloud using diferent voices for each character. This way they would have to be paying attention to who is talking and what that person might sound like. In order to do this, a student would have to be somewhat fluent, especially to make it sound like natural conversation. I also feel that developing vocabulary would help students become more fluent readers. working in groups would allow students to discuss what they feel a word means and how to pronounce it if it is a word they never saw before. Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry would most likely be taught to older students who have a large vocabulary where most words are sight words. However, they are also at an advantage when it comes to large words they have never seen before because they are better able to look at phonemes and morphemes. In other words, according to Tompkins, they can look at the individual sounds and or parts of the word and be able to come up with what the word sounds like. By working in groups, they would be able to work together on this in order to arrive at the true sound of the word and then develop its meaning. This way, when the students come up to the word later on in the book, or when reading something else, they will know how to say it and what it means and will not have to stop to sound it out or look up its meaning, thus making them more fluent readers.

noteblog-basal readers

I really like the basal reading program. I am a very structured person and for me, as the teacher, I can see how this would benefit me. The basal reading program provides this structure by following the guidelines for the state curriculum and giving management plans and assignments all for you. The lesson plans are pretty much taken care of. Plus, I like how the readers do not just use excerpts and unauthentic language that is easier for the students to read. Giving the students the true texts means that they will probably encounter a word or a concept that they do not understand and will have to explore further to find what the word or concept means. this will only make their understanding and comprehension of the text stronger. Also, with basal readers, books of other grade levels can be obtained so students reading at above or below grade level can have text at their reading level. However, the basal reader also allows for the same text to be taught to all levels with differentiated instruction so that all students are reading the same text equally. Again, I really like the basal reader and I feel that it would greatly benefit a language arts curriculum.

noteblog-vocab

A lesson on the novel Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, would be best directed towards sixth grade students. By this age, most students are very fluent readers where most words are sight words to the reader. However, some words may be new words for students in sixth grade. This may include very large words or perhaps, words having to do with the time period and segregation of the pre Civil Rights era. As the teacher, I would pre-read the book and pick out these words. I would put the words on the wall and as a mini lesson, I would have the students get into groups and each group will choose a word from the wall. The group would have to define it and use it in a sentence in a way unrelated to the story. Then they would have to tell how the word is related to and used in the story. This will give the students an understanding of words that they were not familiar with before which will increase their sight word repertoire and make them more fluent readers as they will not have to struggle with these words when they come up in the story or in future pieces that the students read.

Tomkins claims that there are five characteristics for effective instruction when it comes to learning new vocabulary. The first is "connections to background knowledge." By having the students use the word in a way that is unrelated to the story, they will have to use prior knowledge and think of a way that the word works relating to another aspect in their life. "Repetition" is the second. I would have the students use the word in many ways, defining it, using it in a way unrelated to the story, then explaining how it is related to the story. The third is "higher level word knowledge." The lesson is based around words that the students were unfamiliar with before and by using the words in several contexts, they are developing a knowledge and understanding of the word. The fourth is "strategy learning." Once the students learn that they can learn new words through these strategies, they will be able to use the strategies to learn new words on their own in the future. Finally, the last is "meaningful use." Through the three activities in the mini lesson, the students will develop an understanding for the word and be able to use it meaningfully in other contexts.

Noteblog 8.... Due 3-23-08

This lesson is set up to be done over a long period of time. The students will have their own copy of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry as well as their own Journals for the book. The students will read along with the teacher, each session that students will read-along with the teacher, one chapter.
After each chapter the students will individually pick one or two vocabulary words that they are unfamiliar with a make their own word map. Each word map will have the following:
What does it describe?
What is it like?
What are some examples?
Shown in figure 6-10 on page 212, in Tompkins students will be able to illustrate their new vocabulary word, as well as be able to understand new vocabulary in their own words.



Students will use “context clues” as well as other resources in the room (Dictionaries, Technology, classmates help). Students can also seek help from classmates. Students need to complete at least one word map for each chapter.
Students will then keep their own word maps in their journals for Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Students will share their word maps after each session with a partner. At the end of every week the students will share with the class as a whole. At the end of the book students will turn in their collection of word maps as their assessment.

Noteblog 7......3-16-09

When reading Tompkins: Chapter 5, Developing Fluent Readers and Writers, I realized there are many different ways to assess students in fluency and word identification. In Tompkins, they explain how fluency fits into a balanced literacy program. Tompkins explains that there are ten different components that help with learning and developing fluency and word identification. The following Components include:
1. Reading
2. Phonics and Others skills
3. Strategies
4. Vocabulary
5. Comprehension
6. Literature
7. Content-Area Study
8. Oral Language
9. Writing
10. Spelling
After reading this chapter, and observing my fifth grade classroom, I have realized that not all students should be assessed the same. All students work best in their own way. For example, some students like to take tests, others like to write essays, and like me some students prefer to do projects as an assessment. We all excel in different ways, because our minds all think in different ways.

Assessments should have variety throughout students as well as grades. For example, teachers are most likely not going to assess kindergarten students the same as fifth grade students. Finding time to do assessments was also a concern for me. Do you assess students all together or individually? And if you assess students individually, how do you assess in a way that is time efficient? Assessing also goes along with time and classroom management. One thing as a teacher you should take time to think about.

Noteblog 8-- Due 3/23

This vocabulary lesson is not meant to be a one-day lesson. The lesson is designed for use during the entire novel. I have found that if students have prolonged lessons with interaction of the material they typically retain the information better. The objective of the lesson is that students will learn a variety of vocabulary words that they did not previously know through exploration. Each student will have their own, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry notebook.
As the students read the book they will keep a record of vocabulary words that they do not know. They will write the vocabulary word and what they think it means based on the “context clues” of the sentence. The students will have prior knowledge of context clues. After reading the assigned chapter the students will sit with their predetermined discussion groups to discuss the vocabulary. Each student will share their group of words they are uncertain about and the group will discuss and come up with a definition.
After the groups have finished their discussions, the group reporter for that particular week will present to the class the words they were unsure of and the definitions they came up with. The class will either agree or disagree with the definitions. Each group will present their vocabulary words and definitions. Each student will be responsible for writing down each groups’ words and definitions. Some of the vocabulary words will be used as either their spelling words for the week or the bonus words of the week depending on the number of vocabulary words.
The students will be exposed to the vocabulary words numerous times and in a variety of ways. By using differentiated instruction, it will more easily address all student learners.

Noteblog 7-- Due 3/16

This week, I chose to read the article, "Proof, Practice and Promise: Comprehension Strategy Instruction in the Primary Grades" written by Katherine A. Dougherty Stahl. The focus of the article was on grades k-2. Comprehension strategies are very important for the success of the students. Stahl wrote, "children who actively engage in particular cognitive strategies are likely to understand and recall more of what they read." This is one thing that everyone has heard more than once and I definitely agree with it. Two weeks ago Andrea and I gave our presentation on Comprehension and one of the handouts listed multiple strategies that good comprehensers use. Most, if not all of these strategies are discussed in this article.

There were many things that I read about in this article that being done in the classroom I am in. One of the major concepts the article focused on that is done in my classroom is guided retelling and questioning. In my classroom the students read a story aloud and then we have a classroom discussion about it. The CT facilitates the conversation thus, it keeps the discussion on track. These discussions help the students pick out important information. Also, the students can share their thoughts and opinions in the discussion.

One thing that the article pointed out was an extention that can be used with "low achievers." The extention is called "five fingers." Each finger represents a key idea: charaters, setting, problem, plot and resolution. These steps will help the students to better form their ideas and answer questions in a more complete manner.

Hope everyone had a refreshing break! =)

Different Perspectives in Language Arts

After reading Tompkins, chapter 8, on Facilitating students' Comprehension, I found many different strategies and structures that could be used to help students in Language Arts. On page 274, of Tompkins book they talk about and explain the Five Expository Text Structures. I really liked the chart shown on figure 8.8, they give the pattern name, a description of the given pattern, how they organize the concept, and a sample. This is a really thorough way of having students work. I believe by using these structures that it will help students with their work and understanding in their work. In my classroom I have seen students work on such things like a comparison as a class, but I have not yet seen the students use one of the five text structure. i would love to see the students use more of these patterns in the classroom. Maybe I can find a way to incorporate one of the five structures into my lesson plan.

The only time I saw the student work on anything similar to the five structures was, when the students were put into groups and had to sort information about the different colonies into a Venn diagram. Though I thought this was a great activity, only some students were working on the diagram, while others just did not care or had no idea what they were suppose to do. In this case the structure will not help in the end. How could she incorporate this method to be affective?

Noteblog ELL

I feel that book club is a great way to teach comprehension. Book club allows students to read a book by themselves then discuss it in their group or "book club." Students may also get chances to write about different parts of the story that stood out to them in their reading log, like we are doing with our book club. If a student is confused about a part in the story, he or she can ask someone in the group to clear up the confusion. Also, by discussing the story, each student will be able to hear each other student's point of view and thoughts on the story. A student may gain a new idea or look at the story in a way that he or she did not think about before. Through this way of thinking about the book, students are learning to look at the meaning of the words on the page. In other words, they are learning to comprehend the book.

The Tompkins chapter gives other strategies for teaching comprehension. These include focusing on the structure of the text, the genre of the text, and the content and vocabulary of the text. When a text a structures and organized in a way that makes sense and allows for all ideas to be present, then students will have an easier time comprehending what the words are trying to say. Also, by giving the students different genres to look at, they will have the chance to view different types of structures in writing and will be able to read different texts that convey different meanings. For instance, they will learn that a fantasy is make believe while non fiction is informational. Knowing this, will help them better comprehend text. The final point, content and vocabulary, is based on the students' prior background knowledge. If a student is familiar with the content and the vocabulary in the text, they will have a better idea of what the words mean and will be able to put the text together and build an overall meaning from it.

I really liked the examples in the Gibbons chapter that allowed the reader to see what it would be like to read if you didn't understand the context of what you were reading. For example, the procedure paragraph on page 80. I was able to read the words, but was not sure of what they were saying. This is how it would be for an ELL student. I also likes the ideas that the chapter gives for teaching ELL students and all students comprehension. I will remember some of these steps when I teach my lesson at placement. There are no ELL students in my class, but there are struggling readers who may benefit from some of the strategies.