Language Arts Box: Written Rationales

By Brittany Heels EDU Dan Becker October 26, 2012

Item 1: Shared Reading Drama Kit: The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Description: The teacher will lead the students in a dramatized shared reading activity of The Three Billy Goats Gruff in which they will get to dress up like the characters in the book and act out the story, as all of their classmates are reading along. Photocopy or Photos: (photos included) How to use it: The teacher will set up a dramatic play like scenario, in which the students will be able to act out The Three Billy Goats Gruff, while the teacher reads the book. The teacher will lay out the grass, the river, the bridge, some daisies, as well as have three goat costumes, one troll costume

and enough wooden spoons for all but the four costumed students. The teacher will give a brief instruction on the activity, hand out the materials to the students and then begin to read the book. Three students will dress as the three Billy goat brothers and one student will dress as the troll. It will be these students jobs to act out the story, as the teacher and students read the story (off the chart paper) aloud. The troll will sit on the floor beside the bridge and the goats will sit/stand/crawl on the side of the bridge which does not have the daisies on it. The other students will be given a wooden spoon each, which they will clap to the floor or their hand every time one of the goats trip, traps across the bridge. As the story progresses the students will act out the story, by crossing the bridge and sending the nasty troll down river. Cost: $10.00-$100.00 (dollar store items) Suggested Grade Levels: Kindergarten Grade 1 How it can be adapted for multiple grade levels. This activity could be adapted to for up to grade 4/5 students by incorporating creative story writing into the lesson. This variation of the activity would address the grade four reading curriculum (1.1) in which the students are exploring folklore, myths and legends. The students could go to the gym and perform this story on the stage with more high tech props. The students could then write their own alternative ending to this classic fable. After they have completed their stories, a few will be chosen to be presented on the school stage. The students could even go as far as to create the props for the different variations of this story and then performing The Three Billy Goats Gruff, followed by their own variations, at a Friday assembly to the school body (or K-3 grades). Why it deserves a place in my Language Arts Box: This activity is great for a language arts box because it is can be explored and expanded on over the course of several days in a classroom. In kindergarten this activity would be a huge hit with the students, as it is so interactive, involves all students and is a play based child-centered learning activity. This activity can be contained to one language arts bin and brought out in a moments notice ready to go. This activity can also be created very inexpensively, as I have done using my craftiness and dollar store items; however, I have used a kit to present this activity before in which full goat costumes were used, as well as beautiful fabric for water, grass and bridges were used. If you can get a hold of any of these items they really enrich this activity. This activity is great because it addresses the needs of visual/tactile, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. There is also a way in which all students, regardless of physical or developmental delay, can partake in this activity. This activity also addresses many of specific expectations of the grade one curriculum in oral communication (1.9, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7) as well as in reading (1.1, 1.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3).

Bulletin Board: The Three Billy Goats Gruff By Brittany Heels

Item 2: I Spy Bottles I Spy Alphabet & I Spy Items

Description of Item: I Spy Alphabet this item is a plastic water bottle which is filled up with rice and the letters of the alphabet. The letters are then mixed with rice and sparkles. The item has a card attached to it, which has a picture of all the letters of the alphabet on it, so that the students can reference this list, in order to ensure that they are finding them all or to remind them of what they can look for. I Spy Items this item is a plastic water bottle which is filled with random items (just like the pages of I Spy books; the water bottle is then filled with rice. This item will have a card attached to which depicts all of the items that are inside of it, along with the word of the item next to the picture. The students will reference this list, as well as these new site words, in order to find all of the items hidden in their bottles. Photocopy/Picture: (pictures included) How it can be used: These items could be used in a group, one on one or in an individual setting. In a group, the teacher could use the bottle as a hook to introducing I Spy books into the classroom, or as a follow up activity to introducing letters of the alphabet, which prompt the students to practice their letter recognition. This is also a great activity to have available to students, after it is introduced in a group setting, for individual or paired investigation. The teacher could put the bottle at a language arts activity centre and students can take a look at this activity on their own time and at their own pace. This item would also be excellent in developing site words for students with special needs (i.e. Autism) as it could interest the student so that they will interact with this item, as well as share the experience with a one on one worker, or a peer.

Cost: Free - $5.00 Suggested Grade Level: Grade 1/2 How it can be adapted for multiple grade levels: In order to adapt this activity for use with older grades, I would have students create their own I Spy bottles. For students in grade four, for example, I would have them bring in items from home, or to create themed bottles. The students would cut out their own pictures and type up their own words, as well as assemble the items list card. The students would take turns looking at each others bottles and trying to find the items. The vocabulary/items list could be slightly more advanced for the older grades as well, with items such as macaroni. The teacher could also have the students set up an I Spy activity, on a large scale, in a school display case with a created items list. Why it deserves a place in my Language Arts Box: These items are very interactive and engaging for students. They are also a great sensory experience for specific students with special needs. Teachers can also create I Spy bags (which are beautiful-but a little more work and money) to pass around to their students. The benefit of the I Spy bottle creation is that they are just as effective as the I Spy bag and extremely affordable. They can even be made with random recyclable items found around your house (i.e. old buttons, earrings, beads, etc) for the cost of nothing. This activity can be adapted to address many of the reading fluency expectations in the Ontario curriculum for language arts, for students in the primary grade levels. This bottle could also be utilized as an assessment tool by teachers, in working one on one with students.

Item 3: Word Detective

http://pinterest.com/pin/173036810652977933/ Description: The items for this language arts activity can be easily created by any teacher, with items from home or from the dollar store. The letter pointers can be made from Popsicle sticks and cardboard cut out, or from wooden dowels and wooden/foam letters. In this activity the children would be given a specific letter pointer, as well as several large print site words (perhaps a shared reading poster). The students would have to investigate the text and try to discover which words started with the same letter as the one on their pointer. Cost: Free - $5.00 Photocopy/Picture: (picture included) How it can be used: Teachers can use this language activity in a large group, small group, or one on one setting. In a large group the teacher could give two or three children a turn at once, if they like, to practice being word detectives. The teacher could use this activity during shared reading units (day 2-3)

in order to further scaffold the students understanding of the text within the story. This is also a great activity to have in a language arts centre, where the students would go in small group or on an individual basis and practice word/letter recognition on their own, or with the support of their peers. The word detective activity is also an excellent tool for teachers when it comes to one on one assessment with their students. This activity is fun and engaging, so the teacher would be able to assess the students understanding and recognition of words and letters in the form of a non threatening interactive game. Suggested Grade Level: Kindergarten to Grade 2 How it can be adapted for multiple grade levels: The ways in which this activity could be adapted to address the curriculum needs of older grade levels, are to incorporate double letter (sh, th, sc) sounds, full words, or word conjunctions (butter fly) in the use of detective pointers. This activity can be increased in difficulty for students very easily, by simply adding different language to the pointers, as well as through introducing increasingly difficult text to for the students to investigate. While guiding this activity, teachers will should find it easy to incorporate differentiated learning strategies into this activity, by providing more challenging detective problems (conjunctions, full words) alongside less challenging detective problems (letter recognition). The teacher would be able to assist students struggling with basic literacy by mixing up which student has to perform which task, which would allow all students to be successful in this activity, without singling any one student out. Why it deserves a place in my Language Arts Box: This activity can be incorporated to virtually any language arts lesson (i.e. shared reading, language centre, spelling, site words, scavenger hunts, etc), as well as be utilized in other curriculum areas (i.e. science). There are really no limits to how and when you could use the detective pointers in order to build on your students language abilities. This activity would be great for use in kindergarten with letter recognition, but also addresses the overall curriculum expectations for reading/fluency (3.1 & 3.2) for grade one to three. Any teacher can create this item easily and it is a great interactive option for the students; who will be engaged by the chance to use their own pointer to investigate language!

Item 4: The Very Hungry Caterpillar By Eric Carle

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b5/HungryCaterpillar.JPG/200pxHungryCaterpillar.JPG Description: The teacher will explore the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, with their students. The teacher will engage the students by doing a picture walk, but also by introducing interactive realia while reading the book. This shared reading unit, or spontaneous reading experience, would be done in a large group, small group or one on one setting. Photocopy/Picture: (picture included) Cost: Book - $13.00, Realia Props $3-10 each How it can be used: The teacher could use this reading exercise as an introduction to the concepts of metamorphosis, or as a beautiful shared reading class activity. This book would be ideal in a big book format, because the pictures are so vibrant and interesting and this way the students could read along easily. There are so many fun and creative ways in which teachers can create their own realia to go along with this story. I have attached several photos of some unique ways that other teachers have used to illustrate this book, including the use of a caterpillar and butterfly puppet and cardboard food cut outs. There are also finger play puppets, which could be created so easily and for next to nothing in cost. As a teacher I would like to create some realia in which the caterpillar has a Velcro attachable stomach. The students would all be given a piece of fake

food (dollar store) which is featured in this book. As the food appears in this book, the students would get to come up and stuff the belly of the little caterpillar and watch him grow. In the end the students would get to wrap the caterpillar up in small scarf or fabric piece (simulating a chrysalis). The teacher would then put the caterpillar to sleep behind their back and pull out another identical chrysalis (from behind their back). The students would then un-wrap the chrysalis to find a butterfly puppet inside. This activity would really engage the students, because not only are they matching realia to words they are interacting with all of the characters in the story and fully aware and a part of the process (i.e. metamorphosis) which is taking place in this book. Suggested Grade Level: Kindergarten How it can be adapted for multiple grade levels: This activity could be adapted for grades one to two as well, by the introduction of site words, word conjunctions, story sequencing and sentence building. Sentence building charts can be used by teachers in primary grades in order to help the students break down the text and gather a deep and meaningful understanding of language and this story. The students could also master their prediction skills, in learning how to break down this story into a proper sequence (i.e. beginning, middle & end) using graphic organizers or story sequencing/planning sheets. Why it deserves a place in my Language Arts Box: This item belongs in the language art boxes everywhere! This book could be a huge hit with any age, simply because of the concepts that are explored throughout this story. There are so many ways to connect this activity to cross curricular areas as well, such as science (metamorphosis & migration), health and physical education (i.e. discuss healthy eating habits and play related gym games), visual arts (i.e. drama, creative movement/dance or create Eric Carle art workshop) and math (i.e. create math problems using story elements). These are just a few possibilities for extension on this activity, but the possibilities are really endless. This activity and all the activities seen in the attached photos will have the students bouncing in their seats, they will be so engaged and this kind of excitement will carry out into all of the related language arts (or other) activities the teacher would like to practice with them afterwards.

http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/media/images/products/full/la988_f.jpg http://media-cache-ec5.pinterest.com/upload/108086459776380763_vqoG7gOc_b.jpg

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http://www.nwt.literacy.ca/resources/famlit/storysac/borrow/very_hungry_caterpillar400w. jpg

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Item 5: Site Word Twister

http://pinterest.com/pin/173036810652590483/ Description: This site word game can be utilized by the teacher and the students in order practice site word recognition and reading. The teacher will lay the Twister mat on the carpet, spin the colour wheel and choose the site word from that colour which the student will have to place their hand or foot on. This is a fun and hilarious way to get your students to learn their site words! Photocopy/Picture: (picture included) Cost: Free $30.00 How it can be used: Teachers would first introduce and guide this activity with their students. The teacher would use the colour spin wheel (or allow another student to do so) and guide students along in playing this site word game. Get ready for lots of giggling! This game will help students to build their word recognition in a fun, non-threatening and supportive environment. Suggested Grade Level: Grade 2 How it can be adapted for multiple grade levels: This activity can be adapted in order to address the curriculum expectations of grade 2-5 in reading. The possibilities are endless for what types of language concepts could be introduced

and practiced using this fun method. The teacher could use adhesive Velcro patches on each circle of the twister mat, so that the laminated letter, word (etc.) cards are interchangeable. The teacher could create words that form conjunctive words, letter sounds, or just use more challenging site words to vary the level of reading required for each grade. This game can also be used in kindergarten in order to help students recognize simple words, colours, their names, etc. Site Word Twister can really be used for so many areas and levels of reading and language comprehension. Why it deserves a place in my Language Arts Box: This language arts game can be used to address so many facets of the language curriculum. In addition, it can be used in a way that is spontaneous, fun and engaging for all students involved! This activity also has the potential to be inclusive of all learners, with a few modifications. It also addresses differentiated instruction and the needs of different styles of learners (i.e. kinesthetic learners).

Item 6: Site Word Parking

http://pinterest.com/pin/173036810652508441/

Description: Teacher will create a parking lot of site words for the primary grade levels. The students will then choose cars to park at the different site words at their teachers requests. This is a great friendly assessment method for a one on one scenario. Grade Level: Kindergarten Grade 2

Item 7: 10 Quick and Easy Differentiation Strategies Card Description: This card provides the teacher with a quick reference and reminder of how to vary tasks and activities so that it is inclusive of all learning styles and abilities.

Item 8: Magnet Boards & Velcro Boards Description: This language arts tool can be used for early letter recognition, word recognition and even be paired with introducing early math concepts (i.e. matching, patterning & classifying).

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Item 9: The Dancing Dragon by Marcia K. Vaughan & Stanley Wong Hoo Foon

http://images.betterworldbooks.com/157/The-Dancing-Dragon-9781572551343.jpg

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Dragon Puppet & Dance Ribbons Created By Brittany Heels

Item 10: Reading Pointers (talking stick & 3 pointers)