LANGUAGE ARTS

READING WITH RUBY

GRADES: 2-6

This is a lesson a use with my ESL students to build reading skills and confidence.

MATERIALS:

  • book: Ruby the Copycat, by Peggy Rathmann, Scholastic Inc.
  • dress up clothes for later

METHOD:

  1. Each student in the group (of no more than 4) is given a character. One person can be the narrator.
  2. I give the boys the choice of changing their character to a male one or playing the role as a female (which they often opt to do and have a lot of fun with it).
  3. Each child is given a copy of the story with their part highlighted.
  4. I read the story to them and then have them practice reading their parts.
  5. We do this several times and I send it home for them to practice with their families.
  6. Using a play format really works because once they are better at reading the script, I have them dress the part and read it in costume to the class.

submitted by,

MAUREEN KOLBE
no school listed
no city listed
aon.912567424@aon.at

MY JOURNAL

GRADES: 1-12

The concept of allowing the students a time to freely express themselves without fear of a negative grade is the main purpose of this idea.

MATERIALS:

  • spiral notebook
  • pencil
  • markers
  • crayons
  • pens

METHOD:

  1. The teacher needs to explain to the students that 2 or 3 times a week, a special time will be allowed for them to write or draw whatever they choose in their journals.  The teacher will need to adjust the explanation depth according to the grade level. The journal will not be a graded project, but the teacher will review all entries. 
  2. Once a month the journal should be sent home for the parents to review and returned the next day or whatever the time limit desired. The journals are sent home at the end of the school year for the students to keep. 
  3. We have completed journals for several years at my school, and I am always amazed at how expressive my first graders are sometimes.  I encourage them to write a letter to someone.  If the letter is to me, I will write back to them in their journals. 
  4. If the letter is to someone else, I try to arrange a response from them.  After the events of September 11, I was shocked at some of my students entries.  The journals were an excellent means of finding out what was going on in their minds.  I had a better grasp as to how to calm some fears because the students had expressed what was their fears.  The journals are a wonderful expression of the students, but also gives the teacher an open door to provide additional instruction in all avenues of learning.
Submitted by
CHRISTIE DANIEL
OAKWOOD CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
ANDERSON
Christiecpd.aol.com

THE SENSATIONAL SAMBURGER BY DAVID PELHAM

GRADES: 3-5

At the end of the lesson students will be able to write their own four line-rhyming poem. Students will also be able to recognize and develop rhyme scheme.

MATERIALS

METHOD:

  1. Anticipatory Set: The teacher will ask the students to think of a time that either they or someone else has played a practical joke on someone. The teacher will then ask the students to write a two-sentence journal entry on the subject. The teacher will then ask the students to share their journals with the class.
  2. The teacher will read The Sensational Samburger by David Pelham out loud to the students.
  3. The teacher will then work with the students to define rhyme. The teacher will ask the students to write the definition down in the vocabulary section of their notebooks.
  4. The teacher will go over examples of rhyme with the students. The teacher will ask the students to give examples. The students will write the examples in their vocabulary logs.
  5. The teacher will ask the students to write a four line-rhyming poem as homework. The teacher will remind them to use their journal entries for ideas.
Submitted by,

BRIDGETTE GREEN & TRACY CURTIS
D'YOUVILLE COLLEGE
BUFFALO, NY
tracyanncurtis@hotmail.com

TIME MAGAZINE

GRADES: 4-12

In this lesson, students will research a famous anthlete, explorer, politician, or important person in history and write and article about him or her. In addition, students will create a Time magazine cover for their person.

MATERIALS:

  • computer with internet access
  • construction paper
  • crayons/markers
  • interview sheet

METHOD:

  1. Students will select a person they would like to learn more about. After selecting this person students will be given a questionaire that they will fill out about this person using the internet. (time on internet varies)
  2. After interview sheet complete students will use informaton to write an informational article about their person.
  3. Students will then create a Time Magazine cover for their person. Includes picture, name, date, price.
  4. Article will be put into folded construction paper and Time Magazine will be complete.
Submitted by,

CHRIS FIGUEROA
P.S. 13
YONKERS, NY
Chrisefig@aol.com

 
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