Inside the ELA Classroom
September 2020
International Literacy Day – September 8, 2020
Research says 750 million adults around the world cannot read. This issue of illiteracy spares no nation or culture on earth. In the United States, we have an estimated 32 million American adults are illiterate.
WHY LOVE INTERNATIONAL LITERACY DAY
We are all in this together
International Literacy Day reminds us that illiteracy exists in affluent societies, not just third world countries. It is a problem that needs to be solved and deserves our attention and participation.
We are grateful
Just thinking about how different our lives would be if we could not read or write is frightening. International Literacy Day gives reason to pause and be thankful for the parents, grandparents, siblings, teachers and others who invested their time to help us learn to read and write when we were young. Our literacy is a treasure.
Illiteracy is a problem that can be overcome
Some problems appear to be so big and overwhelming they seem almost impossible to solve. But stopping the cycle of illiteracy is one challenge that can be solved – one child and one adult at a time.
Taken from National Today
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Activities for International Literacy Day
Read short stories from different authors around the world and encourage discussions.
Have students design a campaign to promote literacy using slide presentations, virtual posters, leaflets, and video.
Use one of the Waterford Early Learning songs, books or activities — e.g. Waterford’s YouTube page.
- Have early learners create their own short story books.
- Give each student a letter of the alphabet and ask them to choose a word in the dictionary they don’t know and design a poster to explain it, using it in a sentence and drawings to show what it means.
- Schedule a Google Hangout with an author.
- Discuss and brainstorm 100 reasons why learning to read, write, and speak is important.
- Practice phonemes with this Sorting Baskets Phonics Activity.
- Play this Beach Ball Sight Word Activity to teach early elementary students vocabulary words.
Learning Stations for Asynchronous Learning
When students cannot move around a classroom to visit different learning stations, they can participate in different learning activities during asynchronous learning in a self-chosen order. Provide online content that includes several activities but allow students to select the order of the activities. For example:
- Station 1: Vocabulary Matching Game can help students develop academic vocabulary and language.
- Station 2: E-text Chapter can continue reading development and offer direct instruction. Many also offer "essential questions" to guide student reading.
- Station 3: Learning Modules offer adaptive learning that often include formative assessment and targeted feedback.
- Station 4: Virtual Museum Tour offers a field experience and nonlinguistic learning on a topic.
Excerpt from Strategies for Engaging Students in 'Meaningful' Online Learning Experiences
Larry Ferlazzo / Gina Laura Gullo, Educational Equity Consultant on August 14, 2020
Opinion Classroom
Modifying face-to-face instruction for a virtual setting
Several strategies for effective face-to-face instruction and classroom- management work in online settings as well.
- Proximity Control: While teachers cannot walk around the classroom in a virtual setting, they can highlight students or listen in during small groups. During full-group synchronous teaching, use the private chat feature to check in with students individually.
- Random Responses: Teachers who typically select student names from a jar to see who answers the next question can do this using a numbered list of student names and a random number sequence generator. Call on students based on their number in the list using the order shown in the random sequence to keep students engaged and include the entire class.
Excerpt from Strategies for Engaging Students in 'Meaningful' Online Learning Experiences
Larry Ferlazzo / Gina Laura Gullo, Educational Equity Consultant on August 14, 2020
Opinion Classroom
Read for the Record 2020
Now in its 15th year, Jumpstart’s annual Read for the Record campaign brings together millions of adults and children as they read the same book on the same day, building an intergenerational community through reading.
I am ecstatic to announce that Coweta County Schools will continue our participation in this initiative whether in the classroom or at home, reading aloud with young children. Research states that through high-quality early education—rich with books and reading—young children gain the skills that lay the foundation for all future learning.
If you have forgotten your password for Renaissance STAR, please select FORGOT PASSWORD. An email will be sent to the User with a temporary password. Once you enter the site - reset the password.
Click o HERE to access some step-by-step processes to help maneuver the new platform.
Don’t forget, we have the online support of Renaissance
- Live Chat: The link for the live chat is in the upper right-hand corner of your Renaissance home page when you are logged in.
- Email Support: Email us at answers@renaissance.com.
- Renaissance Refresher: Subscribe to the bi-weekly E-Newsletter and stay informed about key updates. The newsletter includes tips and resources.
Edit Monitor Password
The monitor passwords themselves are set in two separate preferences:
- the Monitor Password - Reading Quizzes preference (for Accelerated Reader quizzes)
- the Monitor Password - Star Tests preference (for Star Early Literacy, Star Math, and Star Reading tests)
Monitor passwords can be unique for each class; the passwords are case-sensitive, so teachers must enter the appropriate password exactly as it appears in the preference. Note that a monitor password is always required when you stop an Accelerated Reader quiz or Star test. Principals and APs use these directions to set the password preference.
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Star CBM is available! Follow this link for more information on Getting started and How to Administer Star CBM Assessments. Please note there are three ways to administer the assessments. With our option of virtual and face-to-face instruction, be sure to review How to Administer Star CBM for more information.
The objective is to set reasonable yet challenging for students. See Star CBM Goal Setting Guidance for more information. In Star CBM, goals help monitor students' progress towards the desired outcome. Goals can not be set for students who have not taken any Star CBM assessments. Rapid Color Naming or Rapid Picture Naming can not be set as goals. In the Star Record Book, at the CBM tab, refer to the Goal column. Follow the directions in order to set appropriate goals for students.
Click HERE for more information on Star CBM.
Raz-Kids provides a library of differentiated books at 29 levels of difficulty. Digital and mobile access means that students get the personalized reading practice they need anytime, anywhere.
Vocabulary A-Z provides K-5 students support through differentiated vocabulary instruction and practice with premade and customizable word lists, printable and digital lessons, and online game-based activities.
The ELL Edition provides resources and teaching strategies specifically designed for helping English language learners achieve success with social and academic English.
Download reference materials linked below to help utilize the Learning A-Z resources.
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Videos
Reading Placement Tool for Raz-Plus and Raz-KidsGetting Started with Reading A-Z
Building Strong Foundational Skills with Raz-Plus and Reading A-Z
Exploring the Raz-Plus and Reading A-Z Literacy
Spanish Resources in Reading A-Z and Raz-Plus
Integrate Vocabulary, Spelling and Phonics Practice with Vocabulary A-Z
Booklets
How to Use Digital Running Records
Getting Started Quick Reference Guide (Raz-Plus)
Getting Started Quick Reference (Raz-Kids)
Getting Started Quick Reference (Reading A-Z)
5 Quick Activities for Teaching Informational Texts
by Alana Domingo
Many state standards require students to study informational texts as part of their English language arts curriculum. But reading and analyzing informational texts can sometimes be challenging, especially for students who are more accustomed to reading literature in their ELA classes.
To keep things interesting for both you and your students, try blending these five engaging activities into your informational text lesson plans.
Choosing Pull Quotes
Articles in magazines and on the internet often highlight two or three choice quotations and display them in a different way from the rest of the article. These quotations are called "pull quotes," and they're used to entice the reader. Pull quotes typically highlight an article’s main ideas or call attention to a particularly powerful quotation.
For this activity, you'll need enough copies of a news article for your whole class. If the article already contains pull quotes, you'll need to redact them in some way.
Have students read the article and choose two or three quotations to feature as pull quotes. Once they have chosen their quotes, lead a discussion in which you and your students talk about the quotes they chose and why they chose them.
Determining Text Structure
We've written about informational text structures in this space before, and we think it's important that your students develop the ability to identify these text structures and their distinguishing features.
After giving your students copies of an informational text, instruct them to determine which of the five informational text structures it most closely resembles. Ask your students to identify key words and phrases within the text that led them to their decision.
Examining Charts and Graphs
Charts and graphs are often key parts of informational texts. What better way for students to examine them than to make their own?
One way to approach this activity is to give students a set of data points and ask them to construct an appropriate chart or graph using those data points. If you use this approach, you'll probably want to show your students examples of charts and graphs so they have a good starting point from which to work.
Another method is to ask students to read a text that presents several data points throughout but doesn't use any charts or graphs. Students would have to extract the data from what they read and then construct a graph based on that.
If your students have less experience with charts and graphs, you may instead want to go over the components of various types of charts and graphs before having students construct their own.
Separating Fact from Opinion
In this activity, your students will examine simple statements and determine whether they're fact or opinion.
Find an informational text and identify a few quotations from it. Then, type up these quotations in a Word or Google document and print enough copies for all of your students. Leave enough space between quotations for students to write a couple of sentences in the blank space.
Instruct students to read each quotation and write either "fact" or "opinion" after each. Ask students to identify key words or phrases from each quotation that helped them make their judgments.
Identifying the Author's Intent and/or Purpose
Sometimes authors obscure their message—think of satirical texts like Jonathan Swift's “A Modest Proposal.” A proper reading of that text can be reached only if you identify its subtext. Agreeing with what “A Modest Proposal” suggests represents a critical misunderstanding of the piece, as well as the author's intent.
In some informational texts, the author's intent is clear. Newspaper stories, for example, simply deliver information. That isn't to say that a journalist can't reveal bias through word choices; every text has at least a little internal bias. But for the most part, news stories are devoid of commentary—they tell you what happened, not what to think about it.
For this activity, find a newspaper article, op-ed column, political speech, or other nonfiction text that does more than report facts. Distribute this text to your students and ask them to come up with several reasons the author may have written the text. Ask your students to identify words and phrases that support the reasons they listed.
Encourage Students To Read - FREE online resources
The website Bookopolis provides students a method to receive and provide recommendations from their peers. This site captures thousands of student-written book reviews.
Epic! Books allows students ages 12 and younger access to more than 10,000 digital books. The program is free to elementary teachers and librarians.
This online reading log motivates students to read more with extrinsic rewards. Students earn Wisdom Coins for logging reading, answering open-ended and reading comprehension questions. The coins are used to "buy" accessories for their Owlvatar.
Writing Ideas for September
1. Where would you choose to stay for a week: an underwater hotel or an igloo hotel? Why?
2. When you are in a bad mood, is it easy for you to snap out of it? Why or why not?
3. You are a kitchen appliance. Write about one of your experiences.
4. Would you rather live on space and visit earth, or live on earth and visit space?
5. Why is it important to look at issues from multiple perspectives?
6. Write about a person who is doing good things in the world
7. Do you think homework helps you learn, why or why not?
8. Think of a character from a book. How are you and the character alike or different.
9. Pretend you are a leaf. What happens to you in the fall/autumn.
10. As September comes to a close, look back on the last month. How has journaling each day helped you? Do you feel more aware of your ideas and feelings? Do you feel like you’re a better writer? Why or why not?
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Prompts and Topics for Opinion Writing
Students have opinions just like adults. In most instances they can be just as passionate. Use this passion as students must compare items and write out an opinion statement and support for their choice.
- Should your teacher assign more or less homework?
- Which sport (or sport team) is the best? What makes it better than the others?
- Should video game competitions be aired on television and treated like the sport competitions? Explain your decision.
- Spongebob has been on television for years. Should the show continue or be cancelled?
- What is the most useful subject in school?
- Is social media good or bad?
- Should school start at 9 o'clock in the morning?
- Would you rather live in Narnia or attend school at Hogwarts?
ELA Professional Learning Sessions
Please review your Professional Learning Schedule. Dates and meeting locations may changed based on pertinent information.
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Bennington Young Writers Awards
Bennington College offers a competition in three categories: poetry (a group of three poems), fiction (a short story or one-act play), and nonfiction (a personal or academic essay). First place winners receive $500.
Age Group: 10th–12th grades
How to Enter: The contest runs from September 1 to November 1, so stay tuned to the website for information about how to submit entries.
Each year, students in the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades are invited to enter in one of the following categories with the following submission:
Poetry: A group of three poems
Fiction: A short story or one-act play (1,500 words or fewer)
Nonfiction: A personal or academic essay (1,500 words or fewer)
A first, second, and third place winner is selected in each category.
Awards & Rules
First-place winners in each category are awarded a prize of $500; second-place winners receive $250; third-place winners receive $125.
All entries must be original work and sponsored by a high school teacher.
Judges include Bennington College faculty and students.
The competition runs annually from Sept. 1 to Nov. 1. Winning entries are posted by April 19.
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in grades 7–12. Through the Scholastic Awards, teens in grades 7–12 (ages 13 and up) from public, private, or home schools can apply in 29 categories of art and writing for their chance to earn scholarships and have their works exhibited and published. Beyond the Awards, the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers produces a number of programs to support creative students and their educators, including the Art.Write.Now.Tour, the National Student Poets Program, the Scholastic Awards Summer Workshops and Scholastic Awards Summer Scholarships programs, the Golden Educators Residency, and much more.
Students may begin submitting work in September by uploading it to an online account.
American Foreign Service High School Essay Contest
The American Foreign Service Association’s national high school essay contest completed its twenty-first year with nearly 700 submissions from 41 states and five countries.
Age Group: 9th–12th grades
How to Enter: Each year a new prompt is published in September. Stay tuned to the contest web page so you can find it when school begins. Winners receive full tuition to the Semester at Sea program as well as a trip to Washington, DC, to meet with a leader at the Department of State.
Engineer Girl Annual Essay Contest
Engineer Girl sponsors an essay contest with topics centered on the impact of engineering on the world. Students can win up to $500 in prize money. This contest is a nice bridge between ELA and STEM and allows teachers to incorporate an interdisciplinary project into the curriculum. The new contest prompt is published in October. Check out the educator’s page for more information about how to support this contest at your school.
Age Groups: 3rd–5th grades; 6th–8th grades; 9th–12th grades
How to Enter: Students submit their work electronically. Word limit varies by grade level. Check out the full list of rules and requirements here.
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"Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." ~ James Baldwin
Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
~Nelson Mandela
Nine-tenths of education is encouragement.
~Anatole France
The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.
~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Email: paula.baker@cowetaschools.net
Website: http://curriculum.cowetaschools.org/
Phone: 770-254-2810
Twitter: @PBakerEducates