Organizing for Literacy Instruction

OBJECTIVES

By the end of class, you will be able to answer the questions:

1.Why might teachers organize using thematic units?

2.What should a literacy teacher consider when organizing the classroom?

ORGANZING THE DAY

In the last two modules/classes, we have discussed the importance of using nonfiction in literacy classrooms. In this day, children need exposure and instruction in how to read all forms of texts: websites, textbooks, tradebooks, newspapers, poems, magazines, etc.

The big question is how do teachers fit quality instruction in nonfiction AND fiction into their already packed day?

Alvermann, Swafford and Montero (pg 163) share that, “Probably one of the most common ways to organize literacy instruction with a content focus is to select a theme or topic that provides the context and content for literacy instruction. “ These authors continue to share, “You don’t learn to read, you learn to read something, and you read something because you want to know something…”

In other words, what a third grade teacher is required to teach in science or social studies, can be carried over into the reading and writing time. If a teacher is required to teach space in science, the students can read nonfiction tradebooks, the teacher can guide students in writing a research report over planets, websites can be explored, etc. This way children are exposed and learning how to read and write nonfiction throughout the day.

ORGANZING THE DAY

The idea that teachers teach around a topic is often called thematic teaching.

How can this way of organizing the day be beneficial?•It can motivate the children to learn because children are naturally curious.•It provides direction for the teacher. Once a theme or topic is chosen, teachers can begin to organize their lessons by finding books and other texts for the students to engage in reading.•It provides purpose to the students. Children have a reason to read. •It helps children make connections across the curriculum…what we are learning in

science can be connected to writing and/or reading throughout the day. •It builds background knowledge (schema). A child may never go to the rainforest but after reading about it, illustrating it, seeing it on video and writing about it, knowledge will grow.

ORGANZING THE DAY

Alvermann, Swafford and Montero (pg 164) state, “The alternative (not teaching thematically) is that students switch their focus every thirty or forty five minutes: for example, they read about people who have changed the world; next they shift to studying the human body; then they write procedures for making a peanut butter sandwich; and finally engage in spelling and grammar exercises about nothing in particular.”

DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR TO YOU? This can be exhausting to the teacher and confusing to the children. Why not choose a topic (maybe the solar system) and then read and write books centered around this subject?

ORGANZING THE DAY

How do teachers begin this process?

I would also advocate adding a 5th step to this list:

5. Create goals/central questions/key concepts to guide instruction and maintain focus.

Alvermann, Swafford and Montero (pg 165)

Step 1: Familiarize yourself with state and national

standards for which you are accountable. When looking at 3rd Grade TEKS, I found four that could be related:

20D Writing/Inquiry/Research: Compile notes into outlines, reports, summaries, or other written efforts using available technology.

20B Writing/Inquiry/Research: Record his/her own knowledge of a topic in a variety of ways such as by drawing pictures, making lists and showing connections among ideas.

9B Science Concepts: Analyze how adaptive characteristics help individuals within a species to survive and reproduce.

8B Science Concepts: Observe and identify organisms with similar needs that compete with one another for resources such as oxygen, water, food or space.

Step 2: Choose a topic or theme. Consider what your students are interested in, talking about frequently. What do

they know about this topic? Remember you need to be intrigued too!

As you learned in Module 1, you will be required to gather resources for a unit this semester. So you will need to engage in these steps. Often this is a difficult step because you are creating a unit for students that you may not know their interests. An easy way to choose a topic is to look at textbooks. If you think third grade would be a grade in your future, then gather a few third grade science textbooks or social studies textbooks. What are children asked to read and expand on by these authors? Are there topics like American symbols, Presidents, landmarks or map? What about topics such as plants, mammals, insects, weather or the human body? Each of these can be a theme.

Step 2: Choose a topic or theme. Consider what your students are interested in, talking about frequently. What do

they know about this topic? Remember you need to be intrigued too!

Sample Topic:

Rain ForestSample Topic:

Rain Forest

Step 3 What print and nonprint materials are available that will extend students learning?

Now you are ready to think about materials. Print materials can include tradebooks (fiction and nonfiction), newspapers, websites, magazines, brochures, postcards, maps and don’t forget to use textbooks too!

Nonprint materials might include videos and DVD’s, guest speakers, and field trips.

Before planning lessons, it makes sense to gather the materials available to you first. Begin collecting resources and decide what will or will not be used.

Step 4: What kinds of assessment will you use to determine if the students have learned what is necessary from the unit?

We will discuss assessment in a later Module. The point to remember is that teachers need to keep assessment in mind at the beginning of a unit of study not just at the end.

Step 5 Create goals/central questions/key concepts to

guide instruction and maintain focus. Moore and Cunningham (page 40) identify the importance of these central

questions when they state, “ they serve as a stimulus, provoking and sustaining students’ thinking and learning during day to day activities. They serve as a connector too, gluing together what students encounter across several days of instruction.”

Vacca and Vacca (page 244) state they are, “the what of learning-the major concepts and understandings that students should learn from reading the unit materials.”

An easy way to create these questions is to begin with wh- words (who, what, when, where, why and how). These questions will help children to reflect and extend their thinking and will help the teacher maintain a focus throughout the unit. Remember in order to encourage higher level thinking, these questions should be open ended.

Once you have your topic or theme, have gathered resources and written central questions, you are ready to begin thinking about planning activities or lessons that correspond with your central questions. The easiest way I have found to do this is by creating a brainstorming web with suggested activities that I can pull from throughout the learning time of the topic. As this is created, be sure to consider the resources you have collected and the TEKS for your grade level. An example of what this might look like follows. (In red are the central questions)

An example of central questions for a third grade rainforest unit might be:1.Where are the rainforests located? How do the rainforests around the world differ? 2.There are four levels in the rainforest. What are some characteristics of each level? What are some animals for each level?3. We have learned the rainforest is in danger. What might happen to this area in the future? How can we help?

QUESTIONS???

Once you have your topic or theme, have gathered resources and written central questions, you are ready to begin thinking about planning activities or lessons that correspond with your central questions. The easiest way I have found to do this is by creating a brainstorming web with suggested activities that I can pull from throughout the learning time of the topic. As this is created, be sure to consider the resources you have collected and the TEKS for your grade level. An example of what this might look like follows. (In red are the central questions)

Rainforest3rd Grade

1. Read portions of Rainforestsin groups. With groups create Venn Diagram of two layers comparing and contrastingthe layers.2. Use websites to compilenotes to be used in writing research project.

1. Illustrate animal from research paper2. Work with class-mates to createa rainforest in the classroom

1. Create class graphwith average height and weight of researched animal. 2. Create multiplicationstory problems usingrainforest animals.

1. Label maps locating rainforests around the world. 2. Participate in a cleanup activity around theschool community. Graphthe trash that wasfound.

1. Use notes fromresearch on the internet to createa report over one RF animal. 2. Create posters informingschool of ways to save the RF.

1. Conduct experimentto determine whatis most necessaryfor plant growth: watersoil or sunlight2. Use plants to studywhether leaves needsunlight to be green.

Language Arts Math

Social Studies

Science

Writing

Music/Art

We have learned the rainforest is in danger. What might happen to this area in the future? How can we help?

There are four levels in the rainforest. What are some characteristics of each level? What are some animals foreach level?

Where are the rainforests located? How do the rainforests around the world differ?

Writing Expository in 2nd grade using a Thematic Unit over Rainforest

Denise Leech: Interactive Writing in 2nd grade

•Notice how she motivates her students to with phonics, spelling and grammar while learning about sloths.

WHAT ABOUT DEPARTMENTALIZED

TEACHERS?

ORGANZING THE DAYORGANIZING THE CLASSROOM

• research has shown how the physical plan of a classroom impacts the way children interact with each other (pg 159).

• the classroom should be a safe place where students are free to take risks (pg 159).

• supports all children especially those with limited experiences with literacy at home (pg 159).

• supports independent thinking because children are often able to construct their own knowledge (remember what you have learned about Vygotsky and Constructivism theory) and have time to work independently.

The chapter compared the literacy classroom to a bookstore. What kinds of areas do we see in a bookstore?

ORGANZING THE CLASSROOM

Here is an example of a first grade classroom.

You will notice there is a large whole

group area for meeting times. 6th grade

classrooms can and need this too!

There are tables that are used for centers.

There are plenty of shelves for books

that children can access and the desks are

grouped together in the middle of the room.

Whole group area

Student Desks

ORGANIZING THE CLASSROOM

This fourth grade classroom map looks very similar to the first grade map. There is space to work together as a class (large group area on the floor), space to work with the teacher, space to work at desks independently or with groups and many books available!

ORGANZING THE CLASSROOM

ORGANIZING THE CLASSROOM

Fountas and Pinnell (pg 51) share this chart for teachers to use to analyze their classroom.

ORGANZING THE CLASSROOM

Summing it up…

Alvermann, Swafford, and Montero (pg 164) conclude well when they state, “We are not advocating that every literacy engagement, whether teacher or student initiated, should be linked to a content topic or theme.” Just because I am teaching rainforest does not mean every book we read or

word we spell has to deal with the rainforest.

Moore and Cunningham (pg 60) go on to tell us that teachers incorporate themes in various degrees stating, “Elementary teachers sometimes offer traditional instruction in spelling while integrating language arts, social studies, science and fine arts.” Teaching using themes just makes sense. It helps the teacher by providing a framework and benefits the child.

OBJECTIVES

By the end of class, you will be able to answer the questions:

1.Why might teachers organize using thematic units?

2.What should a literacy teacher consider when organizing the classroom?

References

Fountas, I. and Pinnell, G (1996) Guided Reading: Good First Teaching for All Children. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Alvermann, Donna, Swafford, Jeanne, and Montero, M.Kristina (2004). Content Area Literacy Instruction for the Elementary Grades. Boston, MA: Pearson.

Moore, David, Moore, Sharon, Cunningham, Sharon, Cunningham, James (2006). Developing Readers and Writers in the Content Areas K-12. Boston, MA: Pearson.

Vacca and Vacca ______________________________________________