Short text or novel?
On 4/10/08 3:23 PM, "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Looking for suggestons of titles for a unit of study around the theme of > Immigration to New York. > > It is for a 4th grade classroom, levels P - V > > Looking for 4 good titles. > > Laura > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Kevin Kleinert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Thu, 10 Apr 2008 5:33 am > Subject: [MOSAIC] Less is More is a GOLDMINE > > > > I want to piggyback Leslie's sentiments! > I recently finished Kimberly Hill Campbell's new book titled "Less is More - > Teaching Literature with Short Texts - Grades 6 - 12" It is a goldmine! > > I found her book to be reflective, validating and full of new ideas. Her > writing style displays warmth, conversation and professionalism. You will > feel > as though the two of you are sitting down, enjoying a cup of coffee/tea and > discussing the passion of reading, learning and young people. > > Kimberly truly does what is best for her students. Her book is full of > resources, lesson ideas, strategies, real things and experiences that have > worked within her classroom. This is a book that you will pull off the shelf > when you begin to ask yourself questions such as " I want to teach > foreshadowing, but I am not sure what piece of text to use to bring forth the > skill or how I want to teach it?" > > This was my exact question and so I went to her text. This is the lesson I > planned and implemented. > > I love using short text! As a teacher of ELL students, they need things > scaffolded, broken down and extensive background building. Short texts > provide > multiple rereadings and a chance to dig deeper. I looked at Kimberly's list > and > chose the story "Charlie" by Shirley Jackson. I had recalled enjoying the > story > myself, but it had been a long time. > > I knew my students would enjoy the story. We discussed foreshadowing and I > used > Kimberly's definition of "It's like the secret between the author and me." > We > discussed movies and stories that they thought had foreshadowing. After > reading > her book, one of the things I felt encouraged to do more of was to read the > story to my students first. Sometimes I get so hung up on having them muddle > their way through it, that I don't choose to do this. Kimberly inspired me to > back up and do more of it. > > I provided students with post it notes and asked them to reread and look for > the > foreshadowing. They marked in the story where they felt the author leaked out > the secret. Most of my students struggled with this because being ELL's they > are "literal" readers and this is a difficult skill. I then took Kimberly's > advice and partnered my students up and had them work together. Some partners > chose to reread AGAIN! The more they reread the deeper the comprehension. > They > also shared many stories themselves of being in Kdg and grade 1 and telling > lots > of funny stories at home. I wasn't going to give up and tell my students the > foreshadowing secrets, so in their partners, I encouraged them to look at the > dialogue between Laurie, the main character and his parents. They came up > with > several different answers of foreshadowing and could support why they chose > them. I found it intriguing that they wanted me to tell them if they were > right > or wrong. I was also able to tie foreshadowing with inferencing because you > have to have some background to pick up the secrets and clues and you need to > make inferences to find the foreshadowing. > > I highly recommend Kimberly's book. You will be encouraged to use the many > short text resources she provides and the many lesson ideas that focus on the > reading strategies that students need to be deeper readers and good writers! > I > love this book! > > My students loved the story Charlie by Shirley Jackson. I was able to find > the > audio version online free at > http://www.miettecast.com/authors/jackson-shirley > > Donna > ESL teacher > Hatfield, PA > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > -- Lori Jackson District Literacy Coach & Mentor Todd County School District Box 87 Mission SD 57555 http:www.tcsdk12.org ph. 605.856.2211 Literacies for All Summer Institute July 17-20. 2008 Tucson, Arizona _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
