Thomas E. Holmes
Objectives: Students listen, read, and make journal entries of phrases and vocabulary. Students will answer oral and written questions of prediction, location, organization, memory, and write their personal reflections with collaborative sharing. Integration of reflective art, mathematical measurement, and geographic connections will be made.
Materials: The book,
Shades of Gray, by Carolyn Reeder, Reader's/Writer's Journals, Chart Paper, and Markers for sample "Simple T" graphic organizer, Art materials for drawing illustrations
Strategies: The Unit Introduction Lessons lead nicely into other books that are read in class particularly the book
Shades of Gray. This book is used as a whole class reading text. I read a chapter and model the first few journal entries of phrases with vocabulary words I have chosen, sharing the meaning from within the context of the literature. Then I describe why I choose the phrases and words. I do this using a graphic organizer I call, "The Simple T".
Process: Using the "Simple T". On the left side of the "T" I write the words and phrases I choose and on the right side I write a brief explanation as to why I choose them and my reflections. This is used throughout the reading of the text in class and home reading assignments. For home reading students will read from wherever I left off in class and read at least four pages. The next day Reading /Writing Journal discussions take place and meanings are clarified. I check the journals every week and make comments to encourage my students. I suggest that they leave me at least two lines between each chapter entry for my responses to their work. Discussions of the settings, characters, and events take place. Each day a key question is asked by me such as, "How did Aunt Ella react when Will came to live with her?" This is discussed by all. I use forms of questions that focus on predicting, locating, organizing, remembering, and evaluating skills. At different points in the book students will use some form of art medium to present a picture of their own of what they think the setting looked like from the context of the story. This stretches their imagination as illustrators. I usually find some outstanding artist ready to bloom. The objective here is to bring in all the senses working collaboratively. Geographic location of places talked about in the story are recorded on a map of the United States. There are places in the book where non-standard and standard measurement is used and these are good places to reflect on prior knowledge of measurement concepts. In chapter two, Will measures his steps along the trap line in paces so he won't forget his way from one landmark to another and from one trap to another. In chapter four Will's Uncle Jed teaches him pride in work and how to measure using hand spans for fence-post holes (Page 39).
An example of the "Simple T " graphic organizer follows for chapter one of the book.
PHRASES AND VOCABULARY
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STUDENT RESPONSES
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"Monotonous creaking" Pg.1
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The word monotonous seems to mean, ongoing, maybe boring.
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"Virginia Piedmont"
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I know Virginia is a state but I'm not sure of Piedmont.
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Scrunched, florid, doffed, Methodically,
artillery guns, horses flank, they're kin,
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These are words that I don't know.
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carpetbags, momentarily, coward, striding,
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I will try to learn them from the
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luxuriant, Southern cause!, engulfed,
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context or look them up in the
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Confederate, meager, saber, cavalry officer,
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dictionary.
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and exhausted.
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Teacher comments, "This is a good idea, to look up a word if you don't understand it from the context. Maybe you can get the meaning from our discussions. These words sound like good ones for your personal vocabulary to learn."
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I like the discussion on page 12 and 13 between Will and Meg about the war's causes.
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Will thinks the war was about states'
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Teacher comments, "What do you
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rights. Meg thinks it was about slavery
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like about it? What do you think
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and still stands up to Will about it being
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state versus federal rights means?
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about people's rights rather than states' rights.
As I read a student's entry and see that they still don't understand, I write a statement that might help them use critical thinking skills to get it.
Upon completion of discussions students respond with personal reflections on the chapter and make conclusions and summaries. Prediction questions are formulated about what might happen in the next chapter and recorded in the Readers/ Writers Journals. I then read pages 15- 20 aloud while the students follow along. I model on the Chart Paper the "Simple T" and writing words or phrases I choose and the reason why. Homework assignment is to continue reading pages 21-25 the same way.
This proceeds according to the teachers desired pace with the class. and should take about 45 minutes per day for 15 days. That is one chapter per day at the least.
For evaluations I make sure I confer weekly with each student on their Readers/Writers Journals and drafts of Character dramatizations. With individual teacher/student conferences I can have a positive force in developing a students reading and writing habits and abilities.