Strategic Literacy Week 2 Youngest Learner
Our school is Pre-k through 8th grade. Students in grades K-4 are scheduled for a once-a-week; one hour time period. Other students have flexible scheduling where they come to check out books during the day or come for instructional assistance as requested by the teacher (which can also be utilized by lower grade teachers).
We recently acquired “The Bee Tree” by Patricia Polacco, one of our favorite authors. We love her illustrations and her books are mostly of true experiences from her childhood.
We used this book during our Read-Aloud with Kindergarten through 4th. Questions may vary to the grade level.
Y. What was the girl’s name?
Y. What is a bee tree and the purpose of it?
Y. Why do you suppose grandpa was putting the bees in a jar—what was he going to do with them?
Y. When did grandpa let the bees go?
Y. Why did they build a fire in the tree?
Y. What was the lesson grandpa was trying to teach Mary Ellen?
We have the students draw and color a picture pertaining to the story with title and author on their page.
Shady Point Elementary
Brenda/Sue Library
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Strategic Literacy Week 2 Youngest Reader
Strategic Literacy Week 2 Youngest Learner
Our school is Pre-k through 8th grade. Students in grades K-4 are scheduled for a once-a-week; one hour time period. Other students have flexible scheduling where they come to check out books during the day or come for instructional assistance as requested by the teacher (which can also be utilized by lower grade teachers).
We recently acquired “The Bee Tree” by Patricia Polacco, one of our favorite authors. We love her illustrations and her books are mostly of true experiences from her childhood.
We used this book during our Read-Aloud with Kindergarten through 4th. Questions may vary to the grade level.
Y. What was the girl’s name?
Y. What is a bee tree and the purpose of it?
Y. Why do you suppose grandpa was putting the bees in a jar—what was he going to do with them?
Y. When did grandpa let the bees go?
Y. Why did they build a fire in the tree?
Y. What was the lesson grandpa was trying to teach Mary Ellen?
We have the students draw and color a picture pertaining to the story with title and author on their page.
Shady Point Elementary
Brenda/Sue Library
Our school is Pre-k through 8th grade. Students in grades K-4 are scheduled for a once-a-week; one hour time period. Other students have flexible scheduling where they come to check out books during the day or come for instructional assistance as requested by the teacher (which can also be utilized by lower grade teachers).
We recently acquired “The Bee Tree” by Patricia Polacco, one of our favorite authors. We love her illustrations and her books are mostly of true experiences from her childhood.
We used this book during our Read-Aloud with Kindergarten through 4th. Questions may vary to the grade level.
Y. What was the girl’s name?
Y. What is a bee tree and the purpose of it?
Y. Why do you suppose grandpa was putting the bees in a jar—what was he going to do with them?
Y. When did grandpa let the bees go?
Y. Why did they build a fire in the tree?
Y. What was the lesson grandpa was trying to teach Mary Ellen?
We have the students draw and color a picture pertaining to the story with title and author on their page.
Shady Point Elementary
Brenda/Sue Library
Week 2 Assignment
Prior to reading I ask leading questions to activate students' prior knowledge about the subject. I also ask predicting questions to see if we can make a connection as to what the book or story may be about. We also take a look at the vocabulary words before reading and see if can write a definition and compare after we have read the selection. I model appropriate reading rate, proper expressions and intonation. After we have read the selection we journal our story by drawing and coloring a picture about the story and write the vocabulary words with definitions.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Read/Think Aloud
Y: Think aloud is a "real world" experience. Part of our inner voice comes into play by saying and doing the steps:
*Introduce story
*Ask for predictions from illustrations
*Review vocabulary words from text
*Ask students to locate the words in text
*Spell the words together
*Is more than one meaning?
*Listen to story
*Read story aloud
*Students state their opinion of the story
*Ask for feedback
*Allow higer order thinking by applying story to a life principle
*Introduce story
*Ask for predictions from illustrations
*Review vocabulary words from text
*Ask students to locate the words in text
*Spell the words together
*Is more than one meaning?
*Listen to story
*Read story aloud
*Students state their opinion of the story
*Ask for feedback
*Allow higer order thinking by applying story to a life principle
Strategic Literacy, Week 2
(Y) While reading to my kindergarten class the book, The Biggest, Best Snowman” by Margery Cuyler, beautifully illustrated by Will Hillenbrand, we reviewed some vocabulary. One of the words was blustery. I talked to them about the blustery wind that was blowing outside today. I encouraged them to try to use this word in a sentence sometime this week. After giving them the title of the book and, before showing them any of the illustrations, we talked about what season the book would be describing. I showed them a few of the beautiful snowy illustrations to let them know their prediction was correct. I pointed out the phrase “bare-branched trees” and we discussed why the trees would be bare.
I showed the students some illustrations of Little Nell with the forest animals (a bear, rabbit, reindeer, cardinal, crow and sparrow). The animals were talking to Little Nell and helping her build a huge snowman. I asked if they thought the story was real or make-belief and why they thought this. This open-ended question elicited several comments from the class about animals not being able to talk to people or to build a snowman.
I conducted a sustained conversation with the class on why it would not be a good idea to play with a bear cub and what might happen. It was brought out that the Mama Bear would probably be close by and would likely attack anyone approaching her baby.
To build comprehension by building a bridge to their own experience, we talked about times when people in their family, or others, might have told them that they were “too little” to do certain things. I asked them how this made them feel.
By asking these types of questions, I was able to elicit more than just single word responses. This caused students to have to think about the answers, make predictions and draw conclusions. These higher-order thinking activities are likely to give more meaning to the story.
I showed the students some illustrations of Little Nell with the forest animals (a bear, rabbit, reindeer, cardinal, crow and sparrow). The animals were talking to Little Nell and helping her build a huge snowman. I asked if they thought the story was real or make-belief and why they thought this. This open-ended question elicited several comments from the class about animals not being able to talk to people or to build a snowman.
I conducted a sustained conversation with the class on why it would not be a good idea to play with a bear cub and what might happen. It was brought out that the Mama Bear would probably be close by and would likely attack anyone approaching her baby.
To build comprehension by building a bridge to their own experience, we talked about times when people in their family, or others, might have told them that they were “too little” to do certain things. I asked them how this made them feel.
By asking these types of questions, I was able to elicit more than just single word responses. This caused students to have to think about the answers, make predictions and draw conclusions. These higher-order thinking activities are likely to give more meaning to the story.
week 2 assignment Strategic Literacy
Y- In my Pre-K & Kindergarten classroom I have a focus question about the story before I read. For example: How did the men in the story act as a team? The students listen to find the answer to the question.
As I read I stop and ask questions (inferential, opinion, factual) and have the students make predictions about the story.
After reading, I review the focus question and have students answer and give an example from the story. I then have them give examples from their own experiences.
As I read I stop and ask questions (inferential, opinion, factual) and have the students make predictions about the story.
After reading, I review the focus question and have students answer and give an example from the story. I then have them give examples from their own experiences.
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