Teacher’s Plan Book Plus #7 by Solution Tree

Copyright ÂŠ 2001 by Solution Tree (formerly National Educational Service) 304 West Kirkwood Avenue Bloomington, IN 47404 (812) 336-7700 (800) 733-6786 (toll free) FAX: (812) 336-7790 email: info@solution-tree.com www.solution-tree.com

Materials appearing here are copyrighted. With one exception, all rights are reserved. Readers may reproduce only the student worksheets, posters, and awards. Otherwise, no part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written permission from the publisher.

Cover design by Grannan Graphic Design, Ltd. Text design by Joyce Vario Illustrations by Jane Yamada

ISBN: 978-1-932127-73-7

READING AND LITERACY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

As an elementary teacher, you play a significant role in the development of literacy skills in your students. Teaching children to read and write is an exciting and rewarding experience. It is also a tremendous responsibility that may bring feelings of anxiety and intense pressure, given the range of students’ needs in today’s classroom.

Build an Effective Literacy Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Select Appropriate Reading Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Use a Balanced Approach to Literacy Instruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Reflect on Current Teaching Practices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Amidst the challenges, however, comes encouraging news. Current research on literacy development reveals a great deal about how children learn to read and write and suggests instructional practices that will help all students attain high levels of literacy. The ideas in this book are designed to translate these concepts and theories into practical guidelines and activities that you can readily incorporate into your daily literacy instruction.

Use Explicit Strategy Instruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Use Ongoing Assessment to Inform Teaching and Learning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Bookmarks for Your Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 A Year at a Glance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Teacher’s Plan Book Plus #7: Reading and Literacy A to Z Literacy instruction encompasses a vast range of processes and skills. Although numerous approaches, strategies, and materials are available to you, planning and organizing your instruction can be overwhelming. Teacher’s Plan Book Plus #7 has compiled a multitude of tips and ideas for literacy instruction—and organized them for you from A to Z!

Weekly Lesson Plan Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Planning/Worksheets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Books I’ve Read . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Words I Know. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Portfolio Entry Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Attitude Survey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

The beginning pages present principles and guidelines for establishing an effective literacy program. You’ll learn about the reading process and some of the critical components of literacy development. The weekly planning pages offer motivating activities that address phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, writing, assessment, and much more. (For a list of activities given each week, see “A Year at a Glance” on page 15.) Each planning page also includes space for listing favorite books to read to students, or to suggest for independent reading.

Miscue Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Graphic Organizers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Student Reading Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Ideas to Use Again . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Student Roster. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

You are about to embark on a year that holds much promise. Imagine seeing the pride in a struggling reader who can unlock the meaning of an unknown word, hearing the voice of an English language learner who is reading with fluency, or knowing a reluctant reader has secretly discovered a love of literature. Whether you are a brand-new teacher or a seasoned veteran, enhancing your literacy instruction with Teacher’s Plan Book Plus #7 can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience for you and your students. Enjoy the journey—from A to Z and beyond!

NAME:

WEEK BEGINNING:

SUBJECT:

Balance use of narrative and expository texts.

NOTES:

Zz is for Zone of Proximal Development Teach in an optimal learning “zone.” The term zone of proximal development, coined by researcher Lev Vygotsky, refers to an optimal learning zone in which a student can perform tasks only with the help of a “knowledgeable other.” This zone differs from student to student.

Before reading a book on the water cycle: Teacher: What happens to the puddles after it rains? Student: They dry up and disappear. Teacher: Where does the water come from the next time it rains? Student: It comes from the clouds. Teacher: How does the water get into the clouds? Student: I don’t know.

Use portfolios to demonstrate progress.

After reading a book on the water cycle: Teacher: Did you learn something new about rainwater? Student: It goes up and comes down. But how can it go up against gravity? Teacher: The book mentioned evaporation, water vapor, and precipitation. Let’s do an experiment that shows how it all works (initiates an experiment).

The following scenarios portray a teacher zeroing in on a student’s zone of proximal development.

Favorite Books ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________