An Overview And Celebration Of The Teaching Ideas Showcase (Literature Integration) Web Pages:

Transcription

1 An Overview And Celebration Of The Teaching Ideas Showcase (Literature Integration) Web Pages: A Wealth of Teaching Resources For You, Including Literature Titles and Activities, Elementary Science Topics Activities, And ebooks 1

2 All the following ideas and activities are taken from the Teaching Ideas Showcase Web Pages 2

3 These lessons are produced in cooperation with teachers, field-tested in classrooms, and presented at various teacher's professional development sessions. 3

4 Purposes: Celebrate some of the best reasons, and books, for integrating literature across the curriculum. Special emphasis on elementary and junior high science topics. Highlight the wealth of teaching resources at Teaching Ideas Showcase. Promote our ebook collections matched to the Alberta elementary curriculum. 4

5 Why Use Literature To Teach Concepts Across the Curriculum? (The reasons outlined on the above web page are highlighted throughout this presentation) 5

6 Celebrating Pop-Up Books (Grades 2 or 3 Small Crawling And Flying Animals and Life Cycles topics) 6

7 Why use literature books across the curriculum? Motivational: Approaching a topic from a different "angle" through literature, including picture books, can increase student motivation to learn (Lake, 1993, p. 18). A good story is a strong teaching tool, which gives a concrete, "contained" perspective for learning or thinking about a topic (Carr, 2001, p. 147). Good literature books captivate the child's interest and information is rapidly absorbed through them (Butzow, 1989, p. 6). 7

8 Why use literature books across the curriculum? Multiple learning styles Trade books, both fiction and non-fiction, as well as specialty books such as pop-up and activity books, make use of more than the linguistic learning style. The visual and tactile element in some of these books means they are able to capture the interest of reluctant readers, and those whose strength is not necessarily learning though words alone. 8

9 Why use literature books across the curriculum? Different/imaginative approach Trade books can awaken the child in each one of us, which is not a bad thing, and is sometimes easily misplaced in our daily lives. The use of literature in teaching any subject can be a new, creative, and imaginative way to approach a topic. There is often a "surprise" element in literature, which can lead to many teachable moments, and unexpected higher level thinking opportunities. 9

10 Pop Up Books Class Presentations Mr. Glaister creatively uses the worm pop-up craft to create hair for himself, and shows a life cycle poster created by an Ed 2500 student. (Small Crawling and Flying Animals and Animal Life Cycles) 10

11 The amazing pull-out pop-up body in a book, Mr. Glaister looks down the rabbit hole in Alice's adventures in Wonderland : a pop-up adaptation of Lewis Carroll's original tale by Robert Sabuda, Sam s Sandwich is a book that looks like a sandwich and is full of many buggy surprises! Pop-Up Books To Enjoy 11

12 Students Making Their Own Pop-Up Cards 12

13 Pop-Up Templates Page 1, Talking Mouth Pop-up Card (Illustrated directions for page 2) Directions: 1) Fold page 2 in half along fold line 1, with writing still showing. 4) Open this card, and flip page over so this writing is on the back of the card. 6) Draw your favourite thing around the talking mouth you have created, and color it. For Any Subject And 2) Cut along cut line A. 5) Push mouth pieces out, and crease them, so the mouth opens and closes when the page is folded. Ideas:1) You can fold open just the lower part of the mouth, and stick small pictures just behind this part of the mouth. Grade, And Science 3) With this sheet still folded, fold mouth flaps back and forth along fold lines 2, and crease the folds well. 2) You can glue a piece of paper behind this page, and color it red, so the inside of the talking mouth is red. Specific Ones Also! 13

14 Pop-Up Templates For Any Subject And Grade, And Science Specific Ones Also! 14

15 Never Write Poetry In Science Class! (A Poetry Writing Unit With Examples From Grade 4-6 Science) 15

16 Why use literature books across the curriculum? Creative and multi-dimensional factors: Trade books (versus textbooks) are multi-dimensional, not one-dimensional. The authors and editors of textbooks (nonfiction in nature) must be concerned about such things as achieving specific curricular objectives, accuracy, readability, balance, bias, etc.. They are often very "ordered" and standardized in format. The authors of trade books, both fiction and non-fiction titles, do not necessarily have the same formatting constraints placed on them, which opens up many creative and surprising possibilities (Rutherford, 1991, p.27). 16

17 Why use literature books across the curriculum? Fun factor One of the most important reasons to use good literature in imaginative ways to teach curriculum topics, is it can make learning fun! As stated above, many literature titles, both fiction and non-fiction, celebrate the often complex dance between the visual and written forms of communication, two very powerful ways of communication we use everyday. 17

18 Why use literature books across the curriculum? Classroom management of the curriculum: Most teachers are frustrated by the lack of time to cover all the curriculum topics. Assuming a teacher covers more than one curriculum subject, integrating curriculum topics such as literature and science, for instance, can save more time than trying to teach the concepts separately (Welchman-Tischler, 1992, p. 1). This teaching unit integrates objectives from the Language Arts and Science curriculum. 18

19 Enjoy Scranimals by Jack Prelutsky and Peter Sis (Animal Adaptations) We're sailing to Scranimal Island, It doesn't appear on most maps... Scranimal Island is where you will find the fragrant RHINOCEROSE, the cunning BROCCOLIONS. And if you are really, really lucky and very, very quiet, you will spot the gentle, shy PANDAFFODIL. (You may even hear it yawning If the morning's just begun, Watch its petals slowly open To embrace the rising sun. So put on your pith helmet and prepare to explore a wilderness of puns and rhymes where birds, beasts, vegetables, and flowers have been mysteriously scrambled together to create creatures you've never seen before -- and are unlikely to meet again! Your guides -- Jack Prelutsky, poet laureate of the elementary school set, and twotime Caldecott Honor artist Peter Sis -- invite you to join them on an adventure you will never forget! Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc. 19

20 Enjoy Reader s Theatre: Alliteration (Tongue Twister) Poetry from Joyful Noise: Poems For Two Voices by Paul Fleischman Water Striders Poem Written to be read aloud by two voices -- sometimes alternating, sometimes simultaneous -- here is a collection of irresistible poems that celebrate the insect world, from the short life of the mayfly to the love song of the book louse. Funny, sad, loud, and quiet, each of these poems resounds with a booming, boisterous, joyful noise. In this remarkable volume of poetry for two voices, a companion to I Am Phoenix, Paul Fleischman verbally re-creates the "Booming/boisterous/joyful noise" of insects. The poems resound with the pulse of the cicada and the drone of the honeybee. Eric Beddows's vibrant drawings send each insect soaring, spinning, or creeping off the page in its own unique way. Paul Fleischman has created not only a clear and fascinating guide to the insect world -- from chrysalid butterflies to whirligig beetles -- but an exultant celebration of life.! Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc. 20

21 Enjoy Science Verse by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith "Amoeba" Don't ever tease a wee amoeba By calling him a her amoeba. And don't call her a him amoeba. Or never he a she amoeba. 'Cause whether his or hers amoeba, They too feel like you and meba. What if a boring lesson about the food chain becomes a singaloud celebration about predators and prey? A twinkletwinkle little star transforms into a twinkle-less, sunshine-eating-and rhyming Black Hole? What if amoebas, combustion, metamorphosis, viruses, the creation of the universe are all irresistible, laugh-outloud poetry? Well, you're thinking in science verse, that's what. And if you can't stop the rhymes... the atomic joke is on you. Only the amazing talents of Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, the team who created Math Curse, could make science so much fun. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc. 21

22 Mary Had A... (Why science people should not write poetry) 22

23 Changes... 23

24 Why You Should Never Write Poetry In Science Class: 24

25 Students writing their own science poetry: Practice Handouts and Centres 25

26 The Case of the Missing Literary Devices -- A Picture Book Detective Hunt and Creative Craft Creation 26

27 Why use literature books across the curriculum? Picture books: text and illustration interplay -- In a good picture book, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts: the pictures do more than reflect the text, but serve to move the story forward in a way that the text can not do alone. The interplay of text and picture in a good picture book engage the reader on a deeper level, "on both an intellectual and an emotional level (Huck, 1997, p. 199)." Picture books are bicultural, that they share qualities of books and the visual arts (Hammond, 1994, p. 11). For instance, reading a picture book engages children in both the visual and the language arts. Because of the many parallels between art and language arts, learning becomes connected and cumulative when the two disciplines are correlated in the classroom (North Texas Institute for Educators on the Visual Arts, 1998, p. 1). I would use this same argument in using children s literature, in general, across any curriculum subject. Because picture books use more than one learning style (visual and written) they are an excellent teaching tool. 27

28 Why use literature books across the curriculum? Concrete examples -- The simple but imaginative worlds within picture books, and all literature, can provide students with an excellent and motivating introduction to complex curriculum topics. It is a great way to introduce a topic, especially to struggling learners in that it allows you to work from concrete, "simple" examples, before moving onto more abstract and complex examples (Carr, 2001, p. 148). It is a great "hook" into a lesson, and is easy to read in a short amount of time. 28

29 Introductory or Concluding Activity To Teach Literary Devices Most writing is full of literary devices, which, as we have said, the writers are using to paint images in their reader's minds. Below is an example of how you might introduce students to literary devices: Use any picture book, or some of the ones recommended in this handout, to introduce specific literary devices to your students. Find the literary devices in the book yourself, supply students with the names and definitions of the literary devices, read the book with the students, and see if they can find the literary devices. e.g. We will model this process with Marie-Louise Gay's, "On My Island." (F Gay) (Illustrations from "On My Island." Copyright 2000 by Marie-Louise Gay. First published in Canada by Groundwood Books Ltd. Reproduced with permission of the publisher). In the classroom, read the whole book to the students, so they can enjoy the story in its entirety. 29

30 Stories In Stone, Travels In Time: A Detective Hunt and Time Travel Adventure (Grade 3 or 7 Geology Topics) 30

31 A pet rock and basic classification activity using great books such as, "If you find a rock," by Peggy Christian, Everybody needs a rock by Byrd Baylor and the activity sheet, If You Find A Rock. 31

32 An ebook 32

33 Books to Enjoy, A Dinosaur Museum To Build, Rock I.D. Machine, Mini-Research Projects Activities: a) How big were the dinosaurs? by Bernard Most. b) Life size dinosaurs by David Bergen. c) Prehistoric actual size by Steve Jenkins. d) ebook Gigantic! How big were the dinosaurs? by Patrick O Brien on our Follett ebook website: 33

34 A Dinosaur Museum To Build, Rock I.D. Machine, Mini-Research Projects Activities: 34

35 Children s ebooks! 35

36 Best Books And ebooks For Educators The Best ebooks and Picture Books Linked To Alberta Curriculum Topics: 36

37 Best Books and ebooks For Educators Categories: 37

38 Picture Books Every Educator Should Know About ("Bill Glaister's Bucket List Of Best Picture Books") 38

39 Many More Teaching Ideas Showcase Web Sites And Activities 39

40 Showcase Celebration A Wealth of Resources For You! Teachers learn very quickly to beg, borrow and steal ideas, so as not to reinvent the wheel, and to make efficient use of their time. This is perfectly acceptable, as long as they acknowledge their sources along the way, and thank and encourage the teacher who shared them. 40