6-12 Literacy Update
Week of March 30, 2015
GA Milestones Assessment - Words To Know
What is academic vocabulary? According to Common Core State Standards (CCSS), academic vocabulary words are traditionally used in academic dialogue and text. They also help students to comprehend text across different content areas- including math, science, and social studies/history.
Vocabulary words fall in 3 Tiers:
Tier 1 words: The "basic or more common words" most students know.
Tier 2 words: The “general academic" words that students are less familiar with; multiple meaning words.
Tier 3 words: The “domain specific" words that are best learned when teaching specific content lessons, and tend to be more common in informational text.
Tier 2 Words-Student Learning Video
Tier 3 Words to Know
Throughout the year, you've been helping your students build their academic vocabulary. As you review for the GA Milestones Assessments, be sure to help students continue to build their.
The ELA CCGPS stresses the need to provide direct and explicit instruction for academic vocabulary. Instead of having students look up words in a dictionary and write out the definition, have them try these 6 steps that Robert Marzano presents in his book Building Academic Vocabulary (2004).
Step 1: Teacher provides a description, explanation or example of the new term
Step 2: Students restate an explanation of the new term in their own words
Step 3: Students create a nonlinguistic representation of the term
Step 4: Students periodically do activities that help add to their knowledge of the vocabulary terms
Step 5: Students are periodically asked to discuss terms with one another
Step 6: Students are periodically involved in games that allow them to review terms
Middle School Literary Terms Quizlet
Middle School Literary Elements-Fiction
High School Literary Terms Quizlet
Accelerated Reader Vocabulary Practice Quizzes are available only in the Renaissance PlaceTM versions of Accelerated Reader.
Professional Learning Video for Academic Vocabulary
Celebration Weeks in April
School Library Month - April 2015: http://www.ala.org/aasl/slm
School Library Month (SLM) is the American Association of School Librarians' (AASL) celebration of school librarians and their programs. First celebrated in 1985 (as School Library Media Month; the name was changed to School Library Month in 2010), every April school librarians are encouraged to create activities to help their school and local community celebrate the essential role that strong school library programs play in a student's educational career. Shares the theme of National Library Week. Contact ALA's American Association of School Librarians (AASL, a division of ALA) with questions.
D.E.A.R - Drop Everything and Read - April 2015
D.E.A.R. stands for "Drop Everything and Read," a national month-long celebration of reading designed to remind folks of all ages to make reading a priority activity in their lives. You may remember that Beverly Cleary wrote about D.E.A.R. in Ramona Quimby, Age 8. Since then, "Drop Everything and Read" programs have been held nationwide on April 12th in honor of Mrs. Cleary’s birthday. We figured, why not "drop" the "day" and celebrate our beloved author, her timeless stories, and the joy of reading for the full month. So, "drop" by this website all month long in April and anytime you want to make reading a priority! D.E.A.R. is sponsored by the National Education Association (NEA); Parent Teacher Association (PTA); ALA's Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC, a division of the American Library Association}; Reading Rockets; The General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC); the American Press Institute; First Book; HarperCollins Children’s Books; Read Kiddo Read; Walden Media and Ramona Quimby.
National Library Week - April 12-18, 2015: http://www.ala.org/nlw - The 2015 theme is Unlimited possibilities @ your library®.
First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April. It is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation's libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support. All types of libraries -- school, public, academic and special -- participate. Contact National Library Week Campaign Coordinator Megan McFarlane of the ALA Public Information Office with questions.
Future National Library Week dates are on the National Library Week/School Library Month Fact Sheet.
National Library Workers Day - April 14, 2015 (Tuesday of National Library Week): http://ala-apa.org/nlwd
The American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA), the organization for the advancement of library employees, annually sponsors National Library Workers Day, which falls on the Tuesday of National Library Week. First celebrated in 2004, the purpose is to recognize all library workers, including librarians, support staff and others who make library service possible every day. Contact ALA's Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment with questions.
National Bookmobile Day - April 15, 2015 (Wednesday of National Library Week): http://www.ala.org/bookmobiles
First celebrated in 2010 by the American Library Association Office for Literacy and Outreach Services (OLOS), the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Service (ABOS), and the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL). National Bookmobile Day is an annual celebration of the contributions of our nation's bookmobiles and the dedicated professionals who make quality bookmobile outreach possible in their communities. Contact ALA's Office for Literacy and Outreach Services with questions.
Celebrate Teen Literature Day - April 16, 2015 (Thursday of National Library Week)
First celebrated in 2007 by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA, a division of ALA) under its original name, Support Teen Literature Day. The purpose of the renamed (starting in 2013) Celebrate Teen Literature Day is to raise awareness among the general public that young adult literature is a vibrant, growing genre with much to offer today's teens as well as showcase some award-winning authors and books in the genre as well as highlight librarians' expertise in connecting teens with books and other reading materials. Contact the ALA's Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA, a division of ALA) with questions.
Money Smart Week® - April 18-25, 2015: http://www.moneysmartweek.org
The American Library Association (ALA) joined in a partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago to make Money Smart Week® @ your library a national initiative, which was first held April 2-9, 2011. Celebrating its 14th year in 2015 (and its fifth as a national ALA initiative), Money Smart Week® is a public awareness campaign designed to help consumers better manage their personal finances. This is achieved through the collaboration and coordinated effort of hundreds of organizations across the country including businesses, financial institutions, schools, libraries, not-for-profits, government agencies and the media. These groups come together once a year to stress the importance of financial literacy, inform consumers about where they can get help and provide free educational seminars and activities throughout the week. Programming is offered to all demographics and income levels and covers all facets of personal finance from establishing a budget to first time home buying to estate planning. The effort was created by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago in 2002. Contact Don Wood of ALA's Chapter Relations Office (CRO) with any questions.
Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening Using High Quality Text in Every Classroom Every Day!
5 Access Points to The Academic Focus
1. Writing from Sources
2. Building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction.
3. Reading, Writing, and Speaking Grounded in Evidence from the Text
4. Regular practice with Complex Text and Academic Vocabulary
5. Balanced Literacy/Gradual Release of Learning to Scaffold Students to Independence
Dr. Alisha Hill
6-12 Literacy Coordinator
ELA SharePoint: http://tinyurl.com/apsELAsite
Remind Updates: Text @aps612 to (678) 866-1954
Email: arhill@atlanta.k12.ga.us
Website: atlanta.k12.ga.us
Phone: 404-802-2702
Twitter: @DrAlishaHill