Unit Plan: Spring
BIG IDEAS:
- Author study on Eric Carle and Lois Ehlert
- Working on listening skills
- Practicing discussing parts in the story
- Inventive spelling
- Discussing things that happen in spring: Seasons change, plants, bugs, gardens.
RATIONALE:
The students will use auditory, olfactory, tactile and visual senses to make observations draw inferences and recognize the significance of parts of story and its relation to the real world. Using observations, students will consider the interconnections between story-lines and spring, seasons, plants, butterflies, bugs, flowers and the market. Students will use strategies to present ideas and information learned to build upon previous knowledge on the subjects of spring. Additionally, this unit is centered around the teacher reader stories to the class and then following up with fun activities. The purpose of this is to get the children excited about reading. According to Lesiak "the single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children"(Lesiak, 1998). It will help students improve on listening skills, excited them about learning to read and develop discussion skills so they can put their new knowledge into practice. This is also supported by Myers, "read-alouds assist all students in language acquisition by enabling them to become familiar with the academic or literary language necessary for school success he unit allows all students to relate to it because we will discussing changes and how the world around us change and how we change"(Myers,(2011). These lessons will not only bring about an excitement for reading, but they will help develop stronger phonemic awareness in the students so they are ready for our Links to Literacy unit that will follow this unit and get them ready for grade 1 reading. This is supported by Richgels who discusses the importance of explicit instruction and Raising it to the level of consciousness,that is, to phonemic awareness, is necessary for reading and writing. Teachers need to be able to recognize what level of such awareness their students have and know instructional strategies for supporting its development to the level that children can use it in phonics for reading and spelling"(Richgels,(2011). I want to encourage awareness of these letters as being fun and not just work. I want this unit to be about becoming aware of different stories, enjoying them and doing activities with the purpose of parts of stories. Additionally, I want to tie this unit to science and use the cross-curricular element to tie kids love of spring and bugs. According to my research, Cervetti et al discusses how cross-curricular education ties the ideas of other interesting subjects and increases engagement which results in better comprehension of the material (Cervetti, 2012).
- Author study on Eric Carle and Lois Ehlert
- Working on listening skills
- Practicing discussing parts in the story
- Inventive spelling
- Discussing things that happen in spring: Seasons change, plants, bugs, gardens.
RATIONALE:
The students will use auditory, olfactory, tactile and visual senses to make observations draw inferences and recognize the significance of parts of story and its relation to the real world. Using observations, students will consider the interconnections between story-lines and spring, seasons, plants, butterflies, bugs, flowers and the market. Students will use strategies to present ideas and information learned to build upon previous knowledge on the subjects of spring. Additionally, this unit is centered around the teacher reader stories to the class and then following up with fun activities. The purpose of this is to get the children excited about reading. According to Lesiak "the single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children"(Lesiak, 1998). It will help students improve on listening skills, excited them about learning to read and develop discussion skills so they can put their new knowledge into practice. This is also supported by Myers, "read-alouds assist all students in language acquisition by enabling them to become familiar with the academic or literary language necessary for school success he unit allows all students to relate to it because we will discussing changes and how the world around us change and how we change"(Myers,(2011). These lessons will not only bring about an excitement for reading, but they will help develop stronger phonemic awareness in the students so they are ready for our Links to Literacy unit that will follow this unit and get them ready for grade 1 reading. This is supported by Richgels who discusses the importance of explicit instruction and Raising it to the level of consciousness,that is, to phonemic awareness, is necessary for reading and writing. Teachers need to be able to recognize what level of such awareness their students have and know instructional strategies for supporting its development to the level that children can use it in phonics for reading and spelling"(Richgels,(2011). I want to encourage awareness of these letters as being fun and not just work. I want this unit to be about becoming aware of different stories, enjoying them and doing activities with the purpose of parts of stories. Additionally, I want to tie this unit to science and use the cross-curricular element to tie kids love of spring and bugs. According to my research, Cervetti et al discusses how cross-curricular education ties the ideas of other interesting subjects and increases engagement which results in better comprehension of the material (Cervetti, 2012).
Lesson Topic PLO Activity Objective
1 Tiny Seed
|
A2 engage in speaking and listening activities to share ideas about pictures, stories, information text, and experiences
|
-Students will listen to story
-Students will discuss what happened in the story, life of a seed. Discuss questions about seasons from the story. -Discuss the picture and how they correlate with the seasons changing in the story. -Students will choose their favorite season of the story draw a picture and use inventive spelling to write the name of their season below picture. |
2 Planting a Rainbow
|
A6 use oral language to explain, inquire, and compare
A7 experiment with language and demonstrate enhanced vocabulary usage |
-Discuss predictions, make some as a class in an inquiry based discussion.
-Students will listen to story -Discuss if their predictions were correct. -What Happened in the story? Beg, Mid, End. -Talk about descriptive words and describe the pictures of flowers in the book. -Each student will make their own favorite flower from the book and learn the name of it, choose a word to desribe and write it on a card below, practicing best printing. |
3 Market Day
|
A8 connect what is already known with new experiences during speaking and listening activities
|
-Discuss where our food comes from
-Read the story Market Day -Discuss what we learned. -Make a compare contrast picture of where our food comes from and where it comes from in the story |
4 Grouchy Ladybug
|
A10 use meaningful syntax when speaking (e.g., include a subject and verb, and simple connecting words whenneeded) speak using the syntax needed to convey intended meaning (e.g.,usually use complete sentence format instead of “me hungry” or“he sad”)
-B6 engage in discussions and create representations afterreading and viewing to reflect on the text to confirm meaning (Discuss characters) |
- Read Grouchy Ladybug
-Ask students who their favorite character is and why. Practice speaking in front of a group and sharing. -Discuss how the characters are talking and how we know who is talking in the story. Put book on document camera and see if they can guess who is talking by looking at the picture. Listen to their words are they being kind or not? -Make puppets of characters and practice talking with them in small groups. |
5 Eating the Alphabet
|
B8 identify most of the letters of the alphabet and their sounds
|
-Read Eating the Alphabet
-Have each child paint the food picture from the book and the corresponding word and make a class alphabet food basket. |
6 Waiting for Wings
|
C5 express meaning during writing and representing by using invented spelling and copying existing words/representations
|
-Read Waiting for Wings
-Discuss the life cycle of a butterfly based on what happens in the story -In groups each person will make a butterfly picture that represents part of its lifecycle. They will sound out the name of that part of the lifecycle. Then as a group tell the story to the class. |
7 Growing Vegetable Soup
|
C4 engage in discussions before writing and representing to generate ideas when responding to text and classroom experiences (e.g., observing, listening, using the other senses, drawing, brainstorming, listing, webbing, partner ‐talk).
C5 express meaning during writing and representing by using invented spelling and copying existing words/representations. B6 engage in discussions and create representations after reading and viewing to reflect on the text to confirm meaning. |
-Listen to Growing Vegetable Soup story
-Discuss what happens -Draw a picture as a class of life cycle of plants -Copy picture individually of plant cycle. |
RESOURCES:
· Waiting for Wings, Lois Ehlert
· Eating the Alphabet Lois Ehlert
· The Grouchy Ladybug, Eric Carle
· Planting a Rainbow, Lois Ehlert
· Market Day, Lois Ehlert
· The Tiny Seed, Eric Carle
· http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/curric _grade_packages/grkcurric_req.pdf
· Waiting for Wings, Lois Ehlert
· Eating the Alphabet Lois Ehlert
· The Grouchy Ladybug, Eric Carle
· Planting a Rainbow, Lois Ehlert
· Market Day, Lois Ehlert
· The Tiny Seed, Eric Carle
· http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/curric _grade_packages/grkcurric_req.pdf
- Lesiak,J. (1998) Research Based Answers to Questions about Emergent Literacy in Kindergarten, Psychology in Schools. 34(2) 143-160.
- Myers,P. (2011). The Princess Storyteller, Clara Clarifier, Quincy Questioner, and the Wizard: Reciprocal teaching adapted for kindergarten students,The Reading Teacher. 59(4), 314-324.
- Richgels,D. (2011). Paying Attention to language, The Reading Teacher. 39(4), 470-477.
- Cervetti, G. N., Barber, J., Dorph, R., Pearson, P. D. and Goldschmidt, P. G. (2012), The impact of an integrated approach to science and literacy in elementary school classrooms. J. Res. Sci. Teach., 49: 631–658
Learning Activity Specific Expectation Teaching/Learning Strategy Resources Assessment
-Listening to a story
-Discussing the Story |
-Children set at carpet
-Children follow along with story -Children are actively listening -Able to relay information accurately from the text |
-Use an enthusiastic voice when teaching so children are engaged
-Using interesting colorful literature -Use a seating plan so children are not distracted -Think, Pair, Share -Wait time so children can collect thoughts |
Eric Carle and Lois Ehlert books
|
-Students show they are listening with their body language, do not talk to others, eye contact, and relay information later.
Participation |
Language Arts Lesson: Growing a Garden: Investigating Plant Needs
Language Arts PLOs:
C4 engage in discussions before writing and representing to generate ideas when responding to text and classroom experiences (e.g., observing, listening, using the other senses, drawing, brainstorming, listing, webbing, partner ‐ talk).
C5 express meaning during writing and representing by using invented spelling and copying existing words/representations.
B6 engage in discussions and create representations after reading and viewing to reflect on the text to confirm meaning.
Lesson Plan Objectives:
The students will be able to:
• Listen attentively to the reading of Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert to determine the main needs of plants to support growth
• Participate in classroom discussion to recall what is happening to the plants in the story
Materials:
• Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert
• Paper
• Crayons
Grade: Kindergarten
Pacing Time Introduction/Hook: ( 8 minutes)
• Students are seated at the listening circle
• How do you feel when they are tired and hungry?
• How do you make yourself feel better?
• Plants can feel the same way.
• How can you make plants feel better when they are feeling tired and hungry?
• Today we will be looking for four main things that plants need to help them grow.
25 minutes Teacher Activity Student Activity
• Give a lively reading of
Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert
• Before reading explain that while the story is being read students should be listening for facts about what plants need to grow.
• After reading, ask students: “What are the four main things that plants need to grow?”
• Plants require:
• Sun or warmth to allow the seed to germinate or begin to grow
• Water or moisture to start seed growth and allow the seed to keep growing
• Soil to provide food or nutrients
• Air to provide oxygen
• Provide scaffolding as necessary.
• Record class student responses on chart paper that is titled: “Four main things that plants need to grow.”
Introduce the Activity:
“Four main things that plants need to grow”
• Circulate, provide support as necessary and assess student engagement and involvement
• During reading, students will be accessing prior knowledge of good listening strategies to assist their recall of main facts about plant needs.
• Students will participate in the class ‘after reading’ discussion: What is happening to the plants in the story?
• Students will make the connection between the story and the needs of plants for growth
• Next, they will draw, colour, and label the four basic things a plant needs to grow.
Closure: (10 minutes)
• Call students back to the listening circle
• What four main needs of plants did we discover today?
• We that plants need sun, air, water and soil to grow.
• What do you need to grow?
• How then are plants similar to other living things such as you and me?
• Now I would like you to take a minute to share your labeled drawing with the person next to you and see if you came up with the same plant needs.
Assessment and Evaluation:
Assessment as:
• Teacher will monitor group work and participation to assess student ability to recall facts of a text after listening to a reading of a book.
• Teacher will monitor for level of interest and engagement.
Assessment for:
• Is the student able to identify the four main needs of plants: sun, air, water, soil
• Does the student use appropriate vocabulary when labeling drawings.
Assessment of:
• Think / Pair / Share
• Students will record in their science journal the four main needs of plants.
Provision for Diverse Learners:
Teacher will provide SEA of student with Autism the vocabulary to learned during this lesson to enable the SEA to prepare the necessary e-picture (visuals) so that student can successfully complete the assignment of identifying the four main needs of plants.
C4 engage in discussions before writing and representing to generate ideas when responding to text and classroom experiences (e.g., observing, listening, using the other senses, drawing, brainstorming, listing, webbing, partner ‐ talk).
C5 express meaning during writing and representing by using invented spelling and copying existing words/representations.
B6 engage in discussions and create representations after reading and viewing to reflect on the text to confirm meaning.
Lesson Plan Objectives:
The students will be able to:
• Listen attentively to the reading of Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert to determine the main needs of plants to support growth
• Participate in classroom discussion to recall what is happening to the plants in the story
Materials:
• Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert
• Paper
• Crayons
Grade: Kindergarten
Pacing Time Introduction/Hook: ( 8 minutes)
• Students are seated at the listening circle
• How do you feel when they are tired and hungry?
• How do you make yourself feel better?
• Plants can feel the same way.
• How can you make plants feel better when they are feeling tired and hungry?
• Today we will be looking for four main things that plants need to help them grow.
25 minutes Teacher Activity Student Activity
• Give a lively reading of
Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert
• Before reading explain that while the story is being read students should be listening for facts about what plants need to grow.
• After reading, ask students: “What are the four main things that plants need to grow?”
• Plants require:
• Sun or warmth to allow the seed to germinate or begin to grow
• Water or moisture to start seed growth and allow the seed to keep growing
• Soil to provide food or nutrients
• Air to provide oxygen
• Provide scaffolding as necessary.
• Record class student responses on chart paper that is titled: “Four main things that plants need to grow.”
Introduce the Activity:
“Four main things that plants need to grow”
• Circulate, provide support as necessary and assess student engagement and involvement
• During reading, students will be accessing prior knowledge of good listening strategies to assist their recall of main facts about plant needs.
• Students will participate in the class ‘after reading’ discussion: What is happening to the plants in the story?
• Students will make the connection between the story and the needs of plants for growth
• Next, they will draw, colour, and label the four basic things a plant needs to grow.
Closure: (10 minutes)
• Call students back to the listening circle
• What four main needs of plants did we discover today?
• We that plants need sun, air, water and soil to grow.
• What do you need to grow?
• How then are plants similar to other living things such as you and me?
• Now I would like you to take a minute to share your labeled drawing with the person next to you and see if you came up with the same plant needs.
Assessment and Evaluation:
Assessment as:
• Teacher will monitor group work and participation to assess student ability to recall facts of a text after listening to a reading of a book.
• Teacher will monitor for level of interest and engagement.
Assessment for:
• Is the student able to identify the four main needs of plants: sun, air, water, soil
• Does the student use appropriate vocabulary when labeling drawings.
Assessment of:
• Think / Pair / Share
• Students will record in their science journal the four main needs of plants.
Provision for Diverse Learners:
Teacher will provide SEA of student with Autism the vocabulary to learned during this lesson to enable the SEA to prepare the necessary e-picture (visuals) so that student can successfully complete the assignment of identifying the four main needs of plants.