A few days ago, I put up the rough draft of this curriculum letter. Well, it's finished. It's aimed at a principal to prove I know what I'm doing for literacy instruction. I'm sending it Monday morning. Any last advice (besides proof reading stuff, which I'll be doing tonight) would help alot! Thanks to those who helped me on the first draft!
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Dear Families,
This year in third grade, we will explore various science, social studies and math themes using literacy-based curriculum. Through my experience with MN reads, I have come to believe that an education based in children’s literature, allowing for social interaction, and driven by informal assessment is the most effective. Following is a description of beliefs about literacy, my plans for our 150 literacy minutes each day, some ideas I will use to meet the needs of all students, and an explanation of how I will be assessing students.
As I feel children’s literature is well suited for learning, I plan to focus on children’s literature and student’s writing to teach students. In addition to teaching factual information, using children’s literature allows children to be entertained, improve their own writing and reading skills, and explore their feelings in meaningful settings. We will be using children’s literature as a model for writing, as well. We will be focusing heavily on revision and expansion individual of writing and some on editing process.
I am an advocate of social learning based in Vygotsky’s principles. I believe a gradual release of responsibility to be key in children taking responsibility for their own education and the best way to assure students’ progress. I will be using a learner-focused approach that allows for active learning in a supportive and emotionally safe environment where instruction will build on students’ current knowledge in a Piagetian fashion.
The classroom organization and management will support the focus on the above principles and theories of learning. Students will sit tables when necessary, but comfortable floor space including cushions, beanbags, and chairs will be available during our reading and writing time. We are building a classroom library that includes high quality, high interest children’s literature at many levels from each genre so that each child can read independently and at the instructional level. During independent reading, children will be encouraged to keep a reading journal, partner read, and discuss reading with each other quietly. I will be reading independently, as well as meeting with students in groups and individually to discuss their selections. We will be writing in many forms as a class, in groups, and individually, using Writer’s Workshop. High standards will be modeled and set. Each student will be taught how to self-select, read independently, and check their own comprehension, as well as revise their own writing. When students have some ownership in their own literacy experience, there are few management problems.
We will be using a reading program that is based in high quality children’s literature. Some literature will be read aloud to the class. During this time, comprehension strategies will be explicitly taught using scaffolding. Reading passages aloud, I will model comprehension strategies, let students assist me in using strategies, assist students in using strategies, and encourage students to use the strategies independently. A perfect opportunity for them to use these strategies in an authentic setting is during our Book Clubs.
Students will participate in thematic Book Clubs. Each group of four to five (which will change throughout the year) will read books that tie into a common theme. Books will vary across genre to ensure that each student reads some non-fiction, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, poetry, folklore, and biography/autobiography throughout the year. Books within a theme will be selected to promote in-depth discussion, evoke multiple interpretations, and model literary elements. Students will read books individually, in partners, or as a group depending on the needs of the students.
While reading Book Club books, students will keep a response journal. The purpose a response journal is to prepare students for discussion, provide a place for students to write their thoughts and questions, and teach students how to check their own comprehension through self-monitoring.
During Book Club discussions, students will be encouraged to present their own interpretation of the book. Since each student’s prior knowledge effects their interpretation, there will be various interpretations. During discussions, students will experience disequilibria. Through acquiring new knowledge, students will make accommodations or assimilate the new information, according to the theories of Piaget. As this process occurs, students will return to a state of equilibrium with a deeper understanding of the text. Through Book Club discussions, students will have a chance to share their ideas orally and model their comprehension skills for others.
In class time will be given twice to three times per week for students to read Book Club books, or other books between units. During this time, I will be having Reading Conferences with students where we will talk about the books they are reading. I will be checking comprehension using questioning techniques, recommend future books, and individually provide direct instruction when students are struggling with a reading strategy. I will also be administering running records during this time in order to match students to books at the independent and instructional level on an individual basis. This time will allow me to identify student’s strengths and weaknesses.
Writer’s Workshop will be the center point of my writing instruction this year. Until winter break, we will be exploring ourselves as writers, learning how to reflect on our own writing, learning how to write in different genres and celebrating our progress. During the second half of the year, we will start fresh with writing in whichever genre students like, focus on research and revision, set new goals, and reflect on our own writing. Near the end of the year, we will be polishing publishing students’ own best picks. Each student will leave school this year with a final portfolio of self-chosen, polished writing pieces.
To achieve these goals using Writer’s Workshop, we will study high quality examples of all types of writing through children’s literature. As we study different writing styles and elements of writing, books will be available in the “Model for Me” book section for students to refer to. I will be sharing these books with students during read aloud, using craft lessons as direct instruction to improve writing skills.
Writer’s Conferences will be another way I will use direct instruction this year in literacy. Writer’s Conferences will be held during Writer’s Workshop time at the request of individual students and at my request. During these conferences, we will identify strengths and areas of weakness together. The conferences allow for me to work with each student, or small groups of students in areas of need. Students will be able to work at their own pace and I will be able give support as needed.
The “Writer’s Center” will be a resource center for the students this year. It will provide many resources for the students to use during Writer’s Workshop. Student dictionaries, rhyming dictionaries, thesauruses, various types of high quality paper, and various writing tools will be available. Students will have access to computers to use during the writing process as well. I plan to invite our English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher to join the class, as well, instead of having ESL students leave room for instruction. She is a valuable resource for all students and I feel it is best for the environment of the classroom to include all students and teachers.
Assessment of writing will be done informally throughout the year. During Writer’s Conferences, I will be able to speak to students about their writing. I feel this is the best way to assess their understanding, their strengths and their weaknesses. Each student will have a writing folder where drafts of their writing are kept. Students will be encouraged to make notes about the writing process, and I will make notes about our conferences in this folder. Students will bring their portfolios to our Writing Conferences so we can address any problems or questions they have encountered in writing. The information in these folders will allow me to instruct each student in the areas where they it. As each quarter comes to an end, students will select some pieces to make copies of and take home, complete with the notes from Writer’s Conferences.
Also at the end of each quarter, we will be publishing work that will be added to the class library in the “Up & Coming Authors” section. Students will be able to read each other’s work and write notes to the authors. This generates authentic discussion about writing, provides an opportunity for informal peer evaluation, and gives a new sense of purpose to some students as they write.
In addition to Writer’s Workshop, we will also be keeping journals this year. This will be used as a communication tool between students, home, and me. On Thursdays, students will have thirty minutes at the end of the day to free write. Punctuation, spelling, and grammar should not be ignored, but will not take precedence in the writing. Students will be encouraged to write about things they didn’t have a chance to talk about in class, concerns they have, ask questions, try out new styles of writing, etc. Journals will be collected and I will be responding where requested. Hopefully, this will provided another means of communication.
To increase vocabulary and spelling skills, as a class we will be creating and maintaining multiple word walls including one based in science terms, one based in math terms, one based in social studies terms, one titled “Wise Words,” which will be general vocabulary, and on titled “Worldly Words,” which will be words in other languages provided by members of out class. Students will be encouraged to use and discuss words in English and other languages throughout the year. As we celebrated holidays from around the world we will be using various languages in class and adding those to the “Worldly Words” wall.
To assess spelling this year, we will be grouping spelling words by pattern and studying word families. Each week, a new word family will be studied and tested. Since many word families rhyme, we will be making a class poem each week that will be posted until the spelling test in an attempt to authenticate the task of learning spelling words. During the test, the poem will be read aloud slowly, with a pause at the end of each line where the spelling words are placed. Students will have time to write the spelling words. After the poem has been read once, the word will be repeated. Time will be give and students will be encouraged to add their own extra credit words that fit into the word family at the bottom of their spelling tests.