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Themes
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Theme #1Inquiry Project
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In theme #6 we are looking at using
literature in the classroom. One of the number one indicators of how well
a child will learn to read is the number of books that they have access
too. With funding for libraries being slashed and schools being forced
to buy reading programs instead of books it is more import than ever to
look at how we are using books in our classrooms. By considering the importance
and role of children’s literature in our literacy curriculum, we can perhaps
make the reading experience one of interest and engagement for our elementary
students. Additionally, thinking about how to approach content area reading
is also important as our children face content that is oftentimes presented
in difficult and complex ways.
Invitations: • You are expected
to complete two invitations for this theme.
• Remember
to write a reaction
paper.
Readings: • Weaver –
section IV (pp.327- 374)
Literature in the Classroom Literature plays an important role in our reading programs and high
quality literature is essential to motivating children to read. Literature
also provides windows and mirrors into our own lives and experiences. Many
offer compelling reasons in how literature can be used to develop affective
aspects, automaticity, metacognitive knowledge, vocabulary, etc. While
these are the immediate goals of using literature, the overall goal is
to develop independent readers—those kids who read not only in school,
but are lifelong readers and learners. How many of us, consider ourselves
independent readers? We read not only because we have to, but also because
we LIKE to.
Invitation #1: Access a number of websites of children’s books (of particular interest is www.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/awards.html for award winning selections). As you surf through the sites, in what ways can you imagine using these sites in a classroom? Describe an invitation or activity you might have children engage in. Be sure to include age of kids you are thinking about. Knowing the types of books that interest the children in your classroom is essential in developing motivation and interest in reading. One of the best ways to better understand your readers is to administer an interest inventory. This inventory is an informal assessment measure. Invitation #2: [for those able to work in a classroom
or with a group of children]. Administer an informal interest inventory
to two or three children. With the information you gain from the inventory,
identify four titles, with annotated bibliographies, that you can imagine
introducing to these children. Why were these titles selected?
Facilitating connections can be seen in a theme approach to curriculum. Having students read texts with a common focus encourages them to make sense of the text by linking ideas together. Texts with a common focus are known as text sets. For example, if children are learning about families and sense of place within families, reading When I am Old with You (Johnson, 1990), Mama One, Mama Two (MacLachlan, 1982), Fox Song (Bruchac, 1993) and Broken Umbrellas (Spohn, 1994) supports their own attempts to comprehend the text in meaningful ways. Text sets can be developed with any focus or common theme, and should include a range of reading levels, as well as genres. As young readers begin to encounter the different stories and texts within their text sets, they will start making the types of connections that encourage critical thinking and reading. Invitation #3: [for those able to work with a group of children] Implement a literature discussion with a group of children. This may be in the form of a shared reading experience if working with younger kids. Discuss those places in the text that are most intriguing. What indications do you have that kids are engaged? What kinds of questions are they asking? What stories/experiences are they sharing? How does all of this related to the notion that learning is a social endeavor? Invitation #4: Select an issue or theme of interest to
yourself or the students you work with. Collect a text set that addresses
the issue. You may have multiple perspectives in the collection. You should
have between 4-6 books and there should be a range in reading difficulty
as well as genres (if possible). Write an annotated bibliography for each
book (summary + publishing information). Discuss why you selected these
particular books to address the issue. Develop an invitation or "way into
the books" that supports readers as they make meaning of texts.
Content Area Reading Content area reading is often not an area we give much thought or concern
to. Many of us have negative experiences with reading nonfiction or textbooks
and we are often less inclined to present it to our students. Yet, we know
that many students struggle to make sense of the text (even when we know
they are proficient readers). How our students enter into the material
is often reflected in the stance taken and the purpose for reading. Many
of us (I’m sure) remember reading only to find the “right” answer to the
question at the end of the chapter, thereby assuming a highly defined efferent
stance. What would have happened had we approached the text with a different
stance and perspective?
Invitation # 5: [for those with access to elementary content area textbooks]. Select any unit or topic from a children's textbook. How is the material organized? What are the reading demands on children? How could you support a student in navigating this text? Invitation #6: Select a website or another piece of text that has a bunch of information for children to link to and read. With the site or text selected, construct a lesson using one of the strategies mentioned in the readings or one of your own that supports children’s meaning making and reading development in content areas. Be as specific as possible (i.e., age of students; type of materials used; instructional decisions made; etc). Invitation #7: Select at least 5 nonfiction tradebooks
on a particular topic. Write up a critic of the books using the 5 A’s (suggested
by Moss, Leone, and Dipillo)—authority of the author; accuracy of text
content; appropriateness of the book for children you are working with;
literary artistry; and the appearance of the book. Among the five, which
two really speak to you as a teacher and learner? Create an invitation
for one of the books. Look for peer's responses to this invitation.
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