Scope and Sequence Anna Haschke 1. Course Overview Course Description 0610 English 6 Grade 6 Year Long The sixth –grade language arts course is devoted to developing communication and thinking skills through the integrated study of reading, speaking, and writing strategies as well as further refining active listening and critical viewing practices. In addition to adapting usage, conventions, form and/or genre to a variety of audiences and purposes, students continue their practice with the writing process as they gain experience mastering single and multi- paragraph texts in all four major modes- narrative, descriptive, persuasive, and expository. Students actively apply these aforementioned techniques in order to summarize, compare, contrast, activate and synthesize literary and informational texts across content areas. At Preston, the 6 th graders follow a slightly different schedule than the 7 th and 8 th graders. Everyone is on a block schedule, however, and they alternate odd and even days. 6 th Grade Daily Schedule: Period 1/2 7:45 - 9:01 Period 3/4 9:05 – 10:18 Period 5/6 10:22 – 12-33 Period 7/8 12:37 – 1:51 Enrichment: 1:55 - 2:35 http://prestonmiddleschool.org/information/handbooks- registration/ 1
Transcript
Scope and SequenceAnna Haschke
1.Course OverviewCourse Description
0610 English 6 Grade 6 Year LongThe sixth –grade language arts course is devoted to developing communication and thinking skills through the integrated study of reading, speaking, and writing strategies as well as further refining active listening and critical viewing practices. In addition to adapting usage, conventions, form and/or genre to a variety of audiences and purposes, students continue their practice with the writing process as they gain experience mastering single and multi-paragraph texts in all four major modes- narrative, descriptive, persuasive, and expository. Students actively apply these aforementioned techniques in order to summarize, compare, contrast, activate and synthesize literary and informational texts across content areas.
At Preston, the 6th graders follow a slightly different schedule than the 7th and 8th graders. Everyone is on a block schedule, however, and they alternate odd and even days.
6th Grade Daily Schedule: Period 1/2 7:45 - 9:01 Period 3/4 9:05 – 10:18 Period 5/6 10:22 – 12-33 Period 7/8 12:37 – 1:51 Enrichment: 1:55 - 2:35
Students have English every day of the week, thus my class will meet during 7th period on odd days and during 8th period on even days. The class period is an hour and 14 minutes long.
0610 English 6 is one of the required core classes for all sixth grade students. All the core classes at Preston are taught with Pre AP strategies.
Description of the Focus Unit
I chose to focus on 6th grade English for my scope and sequence for several reasons. One reason is that this is the class I am currently working in for my EDUC 350 class. They have been working with figurative language and the writing process, so I knew that these would be good topics to focus on because they are clearly a main topics for 6th grade classes these days. I also really enjoy these topics and got the opportunity to teach some isolated lessons on these
topics. I did a one-day lesson on figurative language and a one-day lesson on the writing process. I saw my scope and sequence as an opportunity to flesh out these one-day lessons into a couple weeks. I also did the colorful writing with them with my writing process lesson (which followed my figurative language lesson) so they could not only practice the writing process, but use their knowledge from figurative language in their poem as well. Because I was able to tie these two subjects together so well, I thought that combining them into the same 4 week unit with a slight shift in gears at the 2 week point would be a good unit to do. They will then experience recursive learning when they use figurative language in their poems that they are writing in the writing process part of the unit.
Standards my unit focuses on: Standard Grade Level ExpectationOral Expression and Listening Successful group discussions require
planning and participation by all.Reading for All Purposes 1. Understanding the meaning within
different types of literature depends on properly analyzing literary components.
2. Word Meaning are determined by how they are designed and how they are used in context.
Writing and Composition Writing literary genres for intended audiences and purposes requires ideas, organization, and voice.
1. Alliteration: the repetition of a beginning consonant or consonant sound (Polette 73).2. Onomatopoeia: the use of words that “sound like” the audio-images to which they refer
(Polette 73).3. Simile: a comparison of two objects (on object must be concrete), using “like” or “as”
(Polette 73).4. Metaphor: an analogy identifying one object with another ascribing to the first object one or
more qualities of the second (Polette 73). [A comparison of two unlike object without using “like” or “as” – saying something “is” something else.
5. Personification: endowing animals, objects, or ideas with human qualities (Polette 74).6. Hyperbole: an exaggeration) often takes the form of simile or metaphor (Polette 74).7. Imagery: The use of vivid or figurative language to represent objects, actions, or ideas
(Answers.com)8. Prewriting: Writers should consider subject, audience, purpose, and form and generate ideas
for their writing using any number of strategies: brainstorming, reading aloud, conversing, questioning, arguing, etc. (Polette 104).
9. Drafting: Students choose their best forms of writing and begin constructing them; they take their best ideas from the prewriting stage and move them into the forms they have chosen (Polette 104).
10. Revising: Writers look at their work (and ask others to) and try to reimagine it; that is, to see it from a new point of view in order to find new dieas pr better ways of expressing the ideas in the writing (Polette 104).
11. Editing: (attending to syntactic, stylistic, and/or mechanical matters): writers “clean-up” their writing by making sure that it is free from syntactic, grammatical, usage, spelling, and punctuation errors (Polette 104).
Teaching Context
SCHOOL DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICSFort Collins, Colorado, located 65 miles north of Denver, has an urban population of over 110,000. Colorado State University, Front Range Community College and Poudre School District are some of the major employers of the community. Poudre School District includes 31 elementary schools, 11 middle schools, 7 high schools, and growing numbers of charter and alternative schools. The total enrollment for Poudre School District is approximately 24,000 with an instructional staff of approximately 4,000.
PRESTON MIDDLE SCHOOL
Basic InformationPreston Middle School4901 Corbett DriveFort Collins, CO 80528Office: 970-488-7300Fax: 970-488-7307Attendance: 970-490-3059Principal: Scott NielsenAsst. Principal: John HoweGrades: 6-8Colors: Purple, teal, & black Mascot: PumaHome of the STEM Insitute
http://prestonmiddleschool.org/
Additional Information
A 3-year middle school (6 – 8) Schedule -- a modified block schedule with four 88-minute class periods a day
(Tuesday through Friday), eight 38-minute class periods on Monday, and 30 minutes for lunch.
Credit -- 5 hours of credit per semester course. Grade point average -- A = 4.00; B = 3.00; C = 2.00; D = 1.00; F = 0.00. Extra curricular activities – Math Counts, Odyssey of The Mind, Lego Robotics,
Writing Club, Art Club, and Outdoor Club are available for all grade levels.
School Mascot -- Puma. School colors -- purple, black and teal. National Junior Honor Society -- Students must maintain a 3.857 grade point average
and be 7th and 8th graders. Enrollment -- 902 (grades 6 - 8). Primary feeder elementary schools – Bacon, Bethke, Kruse, Timnath, Werner, Zach. High School attendance area -- Fossil Ridge High School. Class Size -- Typical class size is 27-33. Accelerated Courses – Mathematics
There are 14 teachers in the English department at Preston.
HistoryPreston opened fall 1994 and is named for the Ben Preston family who settled in the area where Preston is built. Preston family members made significant contributions to the educational community.
Learning cultureWe believe it takes a true partnership among students, parents, staff, and the community to create the quality learning environment we have at Preston—an environment which stresses relationships, relevancy, and rigor. All programs, core academics, and electives such as music, art, drama, and athletics are important and are considered a significant aspect of our learning environment.
Academic environmentThe Preston staff seeks to challenge students academically through the rigor included in each class. Additional challenges are offered through accelerated math offerings; Honors classes in 7th and 8th grade English and science, 7th grade geography and 8th grade U.S. History. Preston also utilizes the Pre-Advanced Placement (AP) Strategies to help students prepare for AP courses in high school.
Preston’s unique population allows us to provide wonderful opportunities in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). This provides students with relevant 21st century learning in a structured learning environment.
Students have a total of eight classes on a modified block schedule. Students attend all eight classes on Mondays, odd-period classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and even-period classes on Wednesdays and Fridays.
In addition, Preston has an enrichment/intervention period that students have for the last 35 minutes each day.
Instructional & enrichment programsPreston students may participate in chamber orchestra, select choirs, jazz band, writing club, Math Counts, drama productions, outdoor club, Robotics, Science Olympiad, and more.
We believe in students being actively involved in their school. The Preston WEB (Where Everyone Belongs) program offers leadership opportunities in many areas.
Asian: 3.04% Black/African American: 1.36% Hispanic/Latino: 17.29% Native American: 0.54% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: .12% White: 74.47% Two or More: 2.62%
STUDENT PROFILE
Participating in Free/Reduced Lunch: 31.46% Special Education Programs: 8.17% Gifted and Talented Programs: 10.08% English Language Learner Programs: 8.84%
Major employers in Fort Collins include:-Advanced Energy (Semiconductor power)-Agilent Technologies (Electronics, communications, life sciences and chemical analysis)
-AMD (Innovation Graphics, Processors, & Media Solutions)-Anheuser Busch (Brewery)-Avago Technologies (Analog interface components for communications, industrial and consumer applications.)-Center Partners (eLearning & Curriculum Development)-City of Fort Collins (City government)-Colorado State University (Under- and post-graduate university)-Columbine Health Systems-Kodak (Photographic film and paper manufacturing)-HP (Manufacturing)-Larimer County (County government)-LSI (Microelectronic parts)-Poudre School District (Public school district) -Poudre Valley Health System (Full range health services and hospital)-Walmart (Retail)-Waterpik (Water purifications, dental hygiene)-Woodward (Speed controls)http://www.fortcollinschamber.com/index.php?src=gendocs&ref=MajorEmployersIndustries&category=BusinessInfo&submenu=EmploymentResources
Demographics
Population Fort Collins city, Colorado Colorado
Total Population 118,652 4,301,261Male 50.2% 50.4%Female 49.8% 49.6%18 years and over 78.5% 74.4%65 years and over 7.9% 9.7%Married Persons 46.0% 55.6%Single Persons 54.0% 44.4%Median Age 28.2 34.3Average Family Size 3.01 3.09Ethnicity
Black or African American 1.4% 4.4%American Indian and Alaska Native 1.3% 1.9%Asian 3.2% 2.8%Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0.3% 0.2%Other 4.6% 8.5%Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 8.8% 17.1%
Housing Characteristics Fort Collins city, Colorado Colorado
Total Housing Units 47,766 1,808,037
Median Home Cost $169,600 $166,600
Number of Households 45,882 1,658,238
Persons per Household 2.45 2.53
Economic Characteristics Fort Collins city, Colorado Colorado
Median Household Income $44,459 $47,203
Per Capita Income $22,133 $24,049
In Labor Force 72.4% 70.1%
Families below poverty level 5.5% 6.2%
Education Characteristics Fort Collins city, Colorado Colorado
School Enrollment
Elementary School Enrollment 11,654 503,119
High School Enrollment 5,303 239,240
College or Graduate School 24,882 282,832
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Education Characteristics Fort Collins city, Colorado Colorado
Educational Attainment Population 25 years and older
High School Graduate 16.4% 23.2%
Associates Degree 6.5% 7.0%
Bachelor's Degree 30.0% 21.6%
Graduate or Professional Degree 18.4% 11.1%
Data provided by the 2000 U.S. Census
http://www.fortcollins.com/demographics.html
Voting Habits
Governor Hickenlooper was voted into office in November of 2010. He has been a big supporter of education. In the most recent election in November 2012, Colorado went blue and many of its elected officials are democrats.
Overarching theme for the year: Coming of AgeTexts: Grammar Rock, Touching Spirit Bear, Bridge to Terabithia, Holes, The Diary of Anne
Frank (excerpts)
Aug-September (6 week unit #1) Review nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Introduce pronouns, adverbs, prepositions/prepositional phrases, interjections, and conjunctions. Pre-assessmentSep-October (4 week unit #2) The Comma and Plot Structure Nov-December (5 week unit #3) Quotation marks and other punctuationDecember (1 week) Review & Mid-assessmentJanuary (4 week unit #4) Voice and sentence subjects & predicatesFebruary (4 week unit #5) Figurative language and the writing process.March-April (4 week unit #6) Character AnalysisApril-May (4 week unit #7) Personal Narrative Writing Assignment & Post-assessment.
Unit Layout
Unit #1 Grammar Basics Grammar Rock (video segments)Unit #2 Plot: Friendship The Bridge to Terabithia by
Katherine Patterson (128 pages)Unit #3 Dialogue: Maturity and Independence Holes by Louis Sachar (240 pages)Unit #4 Journaling: Finding Voice Excerpts from The Diary of Anne FrankUnit #5 Showing, Not Telling & the writing Process: Understanding Yourself
Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen (240 pages)Unit #6 Characterization Book of choiceUnit #7 Sharing Your story Excerpts from narratives
Unit #5
Highlighter key: Application w/ the writing processRecursive learningScaffoldingVisuals and ManipulativesRelationship to literature being taughtAttention to addressing the needs of ELLSHandout used
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Day to day Lesson Plan
Day Learning Target Activity Homework1 (wk 1) Identifying which
figurative language terms students are already comfortable with.
Introduction to Touching Spirit Bear(TSB).
Warm-up: SSR-book of choice.
Take figurative language pre-test.
Read chapter 1of TSB as a class.
Closer: Journal: Write about your first impressions of the novel. What stood out to you? Why?
Read chapter 2 of TSB for day 2.
2 (wk 1)
Beginning date: Alliteration and onomatopoeia
Terms: Alliteration and onomatopoeia
Learn about alliteration and onomatopoeia. Students are able to identify these terms in texts, create examples of their own, and define the terms in their own words.
Warm-up: SSR-book of choice.
Alliteration and onomatopoeia lesson-SMART presentation.
Check for understanding: alliteration and onomatopoeia handout.
Read chapter 3 TSB as a class and discuss.
Closer: Journal: How do you feel about Cole’s decision to burn his supplies? What do you think is going to happen next?
Read chapter 4 of TSB for day 3.
3 (wk 1)
Beginning date: simile and metaphor
Terms: simile and metaphor
Learn about simile and metaphor. Students are able to identify these terms in texts, create examples of their own, and define the terms in their own words.
Warm-up: Write one example of a sentence that uses alliteration and one example of sentence that uses onomatopoeia in your journal. Volunteers share with the class.
Simile and metaphor lesson - SMART presentation.
Read chapter 6 of TSB for day 4.
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Check for understanding: simile and metaphor handout.
Read chapter 5 of TSB as a class and discuss.
Closer: Journal: What part of chapter 5 in TSB stood out to you most? Why? What kind of words did the author use to make this part stand out? Can you find an example of alliteration in the chapter we read today? How about onomatopoeia?
4 (wk 1)
Beginning date: personification and hyperbole
Terms: personification and hyperbole
Learn about personification and hyperbole. Students are able to identify these terms in texts, create examples of their own, and define the terms in their own words.
Warm up: Write one example of a simile and one example of a metaphor in your journal. Volunteers share with the class.
Personification and hyperbole lesson: SMART presentation.
Check for understanding: personification and hyperbole handout and picture activity. Students will write their own personification sentences and hyperboles for pictures provided.
Read chapter 7 of TBS as a class and discuss.
Closer: “Ticket out the door”: Without looking at your notes, write down the difference between a “simile” and a “metaphor.” Now find an example of each in the chapter we read today.
Read chapter 8 of TSB for day 5.
5 (wk1) Review of figurative language terms
Warm-up: Write one example of
Study for your figurative language
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personification and one example of hyperbole in your journal. Volunteers will share with the class.
Group projects: Students will be split into 6 groups. Each group will be assigned one of the 6 terms. They will work collaboratively on a poster that includes the definition of their term, at least 2 original examples demonstrating the term and one example from TSB, and some kind of artwork. These will go on our word wall.
Groups will present their posters to the rest of the class.
assessment: review your notes and handouts on the terms we’ve learned over the past week.
Demonstrate a knowledge of the 6 figurative language terms we’ve been studying for the past week.
Take post-assessment.
SSR when they have finished their test.
Read chapter 9 of TSB as a class and discuss.
Closing: “Ticket out the door”: Look back over chapters 8 and 9 of TSB and find an example of figurative language, write it on your sticky, identify the term and explain your reasoning.
Read chapter 10 of TSB for day 7.
7 (wk 2)
Beginning date: concrete nouns and abstract nouns.
Terms: concrete nouns and abstract nouns
Learn about concrete and abstract nouns.
Warm-up: SSR
Concrete and abstract noun lesson: SMART presentation. Remind students about what they know about nouns.
Students divide into small groups and make a poster that has the
Read chapter 12 in TSB.
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definition of both concrete and abstract nouns and 2 columns with examples of each kind of noun.
Read chapter 11 of TSB as a class and discuss.
Closing: “Ticket out the door”: Write down 3 concrete nouns and 3 abstract nouns from TSB on your sticky note.
8 (wk 2)
Mastery date: concrete and abstract nouns.
Continue work with concrete and abstract nouns.
Warm-up: SSR
Lesson: Using similes and metaphors to make abstract nouns concrete (Polette 73).
Practice with making abstract nouns concrete: write their own metaphors and similes for the abstract nouns on the handout.
Read chapter 13 in TSB as a class and discuss.
Closing: Journal: We have now made it through Part One of the novel and about the middle of the book. What are your predictions for the second half? How has Cole grown/changed?
Read chapter 14 of TSB.
9 (wk 2)
Beginning date: Imagery
Terms: Imagery
Revisit figurative language by applying it to literature and introduce imagery.
Warm-up: SSR
Imagery lesson: SMART presentation
Students will do the “Figurative Language in Touching Spirit Bear” handout. Then we’ll go over the handout as a class.
Read chapter 16 of TSB.
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Read chapter 15 of TSB as a class and discuss.
Closing: Journal: What images stood out to you in chapter 15? What words did the author use that made the image stand out?
10 (wk 2) Continue to master imagery.
Warm-up: SSR
Readdress imagery: check for understanding from yesterday’s lesson.
Imagery activity with magazine/internet pictures. Students will work in partners to write a short paragraph (5-8 sentences) about the scene in their picture using vivid language to create strong imagery.
Share projects with the class.
Closing: “Ticket out the door”: Why might imagery be useful in creating good writing?
Read chapter 17 in TSB.
Remind students who wish to retake the figurative language quiz for a better grade should study.
11 (wk 3)
Mastery date: Imagery
Show mastery of imagery by applying it to literature.
Warm-up: SSRFigurative language test re-take for students who wish to take it.
Students demonstrate mastery of imagery by completing the “Sensory Imaging/Visualizing” handout using TSB.
Share finding with class.
Closing: Journal: What is your favorite scene from TSB so far? Describe it with as much detail and sensory imagery as you
Read chapter 18 of TSB for day 12.
Finish “Sensory Imagining/Visualizing” handout if it was not completed in class. Due day 12.
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can.
12 (wk 3) Mid-unit review for all students.
Warm-up: SSR
Students fills out “Figurative Language Practice with TSB” handout.
Share findings with class.
Closing: “Ticket out the door”: What terms/concepts are you still struggling with? What kind of practice would help you be more successful?
Divide into 5 groups. Each group gets a stage of the writing process and makes a colorful poster for the word wall that includes information and examples from the lesson.
Read chapter 20 of TSB as a class and discuss.
Closing: Journal: Have you learned about the writing process before maybe by a different name? What did you already know about the writing process? What was new to you?
Read chapter 21 of TSB for day 14.
14 (wk 3) Focus on the prewriting stage and begin our end of the unit writing assignment: Colorful Poetry (A variation of Polette 129). The colorful poem will
Warm-up: Journal: What kind of prewriting works best for you and why? Volunteers will share their answers with the class.
Read chapter 23 of TSB for day 15.
Finish the prewriting stage of the “Color Poem” assignment if it wasn’t completed in
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incorporate figurative language and imagery.
Begin “Colorful Poem” handout. Complete the prewriting stage in table groups.
Read chapter 22 of TSB as a class and discuss.
Closing: “Ticket out the door”: How can taking time on the prewriting stage help us with the rest of our paper?
class.
15 (wk 3) Introduce vocabulary words from TSB.
Warm-up: SSR
Introduce the vocabulary words (10 of them from TSB. Play a charades game with the vocabulary words.
Read chapter 24 of TSB as a class and discuss.
Closing: “Ticket out the door”: which of the vocabulary words did you already know? Are there any words whose definitions surprised you?
Read chapter 25 of TSB for day 16.
Remind students that they have a vocabulary test in a week and they should beginning studying their words.
16 (wk 4) Focus on the drafting stage and continue with our “Colorful Poems.”
Warm-up: SSR
Complete the drafting and revising stages of the “Colorful Poem” individually. Add figurative language and imagery to their poems.
Closing: “Ticket out the door”: How did the drafting and revising stage go for you today?
Read chapter 26 of TSB for day 17.
Finish the drafting and revising stages if not completed in class.
17 (wk4) Focus on the editing stage and continue with our “Colorful Poems.”
Warm-up: SSR
Mini-lesson on editing technique and peer review strategies.
Have students take their poem home and look at their partner’s comments on their poem and on the review sheet.
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Have students divide into pairs. Peer edit each other’s writing and fill out the peer review sheet.
Read chapter 27 of TSB as a class and discuss.
Closing: Journal: How did it feel to have your paper reviewed by you peer? Did you feel comfortable reviewing theirs?
18 (wk 4) Focus on the publishing stage and revisiting the vocabulary.
Warm-up: SSR
Make final corrections and write out final draft on a separate piece of paper.
Read chapter 28 of TSB in class and have longer discussion to wrap up the novel.
Then, students will divide into their groups, write a short script, and act out their favorite scenes from the novel.
Closing: Journal: What are you final thoughts on TSB? Our next unit is going to be on characterization. To start preparing for this unit, think about how you would describe Cole. Also, write about how you think Cole changed throughout the novel. This journal will be helpful in beginning unit #6.
19 (wk 4)
Mastery date: The writing process
Focus on the sharing stage of the writing process: Present colorful poems to the class.
Short Warm-up: SSR
Present poems
Study for vocabulary test.
20 (wk 4) Focus on the sharing Students take vocabulary
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Mastery date: The writing process
stage of the writing process: Present colorful poems.Take vocabulary test on TSB words.
test.
Present poems
Class discussion: What are your thoughts on unit #5 as a whole? (TSB, figurative language, the writing process). What did you like best? What did you like least?
Closing: “Ticket out the door”: What do you think will be most helpful to you in the future?
Mastery Schedule
Term Beginning MasteryAlliteration & Onomatopoeia Day 2 Day 6Simile & Metaphor Day 3 Day 6 Personification & Hyperbole Day 4 Day 6Concrete & Abstract Nouns Day 7 Day 8Imagery Day 9 Day 11The Writing Process Day 13 Day 19/20
Daily Schedule (rough layout)74 minute class periods
Warm-up activity (10-15 minutes) - SRR, journal entry, or discussionLesson (10 minutes) – SMART or Powerpoint presentation (typically)Activity/Application (25-30)Reading as a class (15 minutes)Closer (10 minutes) – journal entry or “ticket out the door” (sticky note)
Notes on class structure
I decided to open most class periods with SSR because that is what my partner teacher for my EDUC 350 lab does. I think it is important to encourage students to be reading on their own for fun, and I think they enjoy this time to read a book of choice or catch up on reading for the class. I also have noticed that this time is also good for getting “housekeeping” things done. This downtime at the beginning of class also seems to calm kids down after the hectic passing period and focuses them really well.
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I decided to end every class period with either a journal entry or “ticket out the door” because both require students to reflect on the lesson from the day. These activities give closure to the lesson and they also give me an opportunity as the teacher to see how kids are doing.
I think alternating chapters between being read in class and being read on their own at home will be a good way to keep them on track, but also give them some independence. Even at the 6th grade level, students like to be read to so I definitely want to read to them a fair amount in class, but I also think it’s important for them to build their silent reading skills on their own, so I’m giving them the opportunity for that too. The 6th class I’m in at Preston for EDUC 350 has the class novel being read entirely in class. I find this method to be too timely. I want to be able to cover this novel in the 4 week unit time, and I don’t think that is too lofty of a goal for a book that is only 240 pages.
Every 5 days (if at all possible, every Friday), I have scheduled a more hands-on, artistic group activity. Students tend to be less focused when it nears the weekend, so I figured an activity that involved more motor skills and social interaction might be good.
All my lessons are done with the SMART board because they allow for a more interactive lesson. I can call students to the front to add things and demonstrate things during my lesson. The students really enjoy using the SMART board and they always seem to be more engaged when it is used.
I tend not to assign a lot of homework because I’ve noticed during my time in this classroom context, not much homework is given. Many of the teachers at Preston do not assign homework and I see this philosophy to be very true in the 6th grade English classroom I spend time in. I figured assigning reading homework and finishing up assignments from class would be a light enough homework load to fit my teaching context.
3.Terminology19
1. Alliteration: the repetition of a beginning consonant or consonant sound (Polette 73).2. Onomatopoeia: the use of words that “sound like” the audio-images to which they refer
(Polette 73).3. Simile: a comparison of two objects (on object must be concrete), using “like” or “as”
(Polette 73).4. Metaphor: an analogy identifying one object with another ascribing to the first object one or
more qualities of the second (Polette 73). [A comparison of two unlike object without using “like” or “as” – saying something “is” something else.
5. Personification: endowing animals, objects, or ideas with human qualities (Polette 74).6. Hyperbole: an exaggeration) often takes the form of simile or metaphor (Polette 74).7. Imagery: The use of vivid or figurative language to represent objects, actions, or ideas
(Answers.com)8. Abstract nouns: nouns that we cannot touch, taste, see, hear, feel, or smell (polette 2).9. Concrete nouns: nouns that are names for people, places, and things that you can touch, taste,
see, hear, feel, and smell (Polette 3).10. Prewriting: Writers should consider subject, audience, purpose, and form and generate ideas
for their writing using any number of strategies: brainstorming, reading aloud, conversing, questioning, arguing, etc. (Polette 104).
11. Subject (for writing): What you are writing about.12. Audience (for writing): For whom you are writing. (demographics: gender, age, geographical
location, ethnicity, etc.)13. Purpose (for writing): The reason you are writing (persuasive, personal, argumentative, etc.)14. Form (for writing): What format you will use is dependent on the variable above. (letter,
short story, speech, novel, poem, journal entry, etc.)15. Drafting: Students choose their best forms of writing and begin constructing them; they take
their best ideas from the prewriting stage and move them into the forms they have chosen (Polette 104).
16. Revising: Writers look at their work (and ask others to) and try to reimagine it; that is, to see it from a new point of view in order to find new dieas pr better ways of expressing the ideas in the writing (Polette 104).
17. Editing: (attending to syntactic, stylistic, and/or mechanical matters): writers “clean-up” their writing by making sure that it is free from syntactic, grammatical, usage, spelling, and punctuation errors (Polette 104).
4.Summary20
What skills with students have developed by the end of the unit?
Students will have learned the 6 terms of figurative language (alliteration, onomatopoeia, simile, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole), and about concrete and abstract nouns, imagery, the five steps of the writing process, and how to apply it. These goals will be met by the end of 20 class periods (4 weeks) with either tests or assignments to prove their mastery of each skill.
Standards being met:
5.Reflective Commentary
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Successful group discussions require planning and participation by all.
Understanding the meaning within different types of literature depends on properly analyzing literary components.
Word meanings are determined by how they are designed and how they are used in context.
Writing literary genres for intended audiences and purposes requires ideas, organization, and voice.
Class discussion on Touching Spirit Bear.
Identifying and understanding figurative language in literature.
Vocabulary words in Touching Spirit Bear.
Learning about the various components involved in the writing process.
One thing I learned about teaching language that I did not previously know is that grammar is more fun and better received when taught through writing. I learned this not only from the fact the Polette’s book most likely came to recognition because his strategies have been proven to work, but also because of how easy it was for me to access. I have never been able to remember what gerund clauses or all the various clauses, but when we learned them through Polette’s book, they seemed to stick. I will definitely be teaching grammar through writing, and I believe Teaching Grammar Through Writing will be a main component of my teacher’s toolbox. Another thing I learned about teaching language that I had not really thought of as being a super essential part was just discussion. I gained this knowledge from how helpful and interesting I found all of our class discussions about various aspects of language from grammar to dialect.
One thing I look forward to teaching about language is what is proper English and what is not. I look forward to teaching this topic because there is no true right or wrong answer, it will encourage students to be open-minded and argue for their points of view. I also think that this topic will lend itself to a lot good class discussions.
There are still some phrases and clauses. I understand them A LOT more than I did before taking this course, but I still think I am going to need some extra practice with some of those grammatical terms before I feel completely comfortable teaching them. I hope to overcome this struggle by doing more study on these terms on my own.
I was a little confused on how to overlap textual study with grammatical study. My group members and I talked about what we thought it meant and we shared our ideas for texts and topics. After getting ideas from one another, I was able to find a way to incorporate the two.
I wish I had had more time to complete it. We were given plenty of time to complete the project, but with all my other classes and marching band I did not have as much time as I would have liked to complete this project. I would like to polish pretty much all of it. I am pleased with what I accomplished with the time that I did have, but I would like to polish and expand in many areas. I would definitely need to go into a little more depth in some areas if I was ever to use this outline in the future. Also, I think I need more guidance with labeling and incorporating more scaffolding and recursive learning into my lesson plan.
