Reading:
It Takes You Places
A fundamental human trait is the ability
to read and comprehend words, sentences and paragraphs. Some people might
have to work harder at it than others, but reading is a key element of
everyday life. This month, MarcoPolo is featuring lessons and activities
about reading, literature and creative writing for all grade levels and
subject areas. Use the warm-up activities below to encourage students to
read, write and think creatively about the world as it appears both in
and out of books, then scroll down for links to more lessons and resources.
And, check out the offerings of our newest Partner, ReadWriteThink. This site, produced by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English, gives educators and students access to the highest-quality lessons and resources in reading and language-arts instruction.
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| Warm-up Activities |
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1.
Literature circles are discussion groups in which children meet regularly
to talk about books. The children read the same book, and then pose questions
to others to increase the group's comprehension of the story.
What is your favorite book? Why do you like it? Do you ever discuss what you're reading with friends or parents? What are the benefits of discussing a book with other readers? To prepare your class for a literature circle, distribute a short story to the students. While they're reading the story to themselves, write a few questions on the chalkboard. Encourage an open yet controlled discussion about the story and the questions. Point out how students might discover something new about a story by discussing it with other readers. Encourage collaboration and critical thinking
in:
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Image of Samuel Clemens courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division [LC-USZ62-112728]. |
2.
Born as Samuel Clemens on November 30, 1835, Mark Twain became one of the
nation's best-known storytellers. His humoristic style captivated people
of all ages, and his Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been heralded
as the "great American novel."
Why did Mark Twain's writings captivate the American people? How were his stories received by critics and the general public during his lifetime? Did Mark Twain's writings create change in public attitudes towards southerners, the poor and African Americans? Separate students into groups of three or four and assign each group one short story by Mark Twain. Ask students to write a brief summary of the story, and conduct research on how the story was received during its time versus today. How do the viewpoints of Twain's contemporaries differ from recent accounts? To conduct their research, students can use Internet, library and archival resources to locate critical essays written in the mid- to late-1800s up to the last 20 years. Celebrate Samuel Clemens's birthday with:
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© MCI Foundation |
3.
Keeping a journal is a good way to practice creative thinking and writing
skills while collecting thoughts, drawings and favorite sayings. Many people
use a journal to document their private thoughts or daily activities, or
to compose stories, poems and drawings.
Do you keep a private journal? What kinds of things do you write or draw in your journal? Do you write stories or do you record your daily activities? Ask each student to select a famous person to write about. Offer suggestions based on recent classroom topics, such as the President, an historical figure or a storybook character. What would be a typical day in the life of that person? What thoughts or events might be included in that person's journal? Ask students to write about or draw a scene from a typical day for that person. Encourage students to start their own private journals to record their daily experiences. Students practice journaling and creative
writing skills in:
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Select a story that focuses on mathematic or economic concepts, such as Anno's Counting House by Mitsumasa Anno, which helps students with counting. Read the story aloud to students, pausing to ask the students which math concept was introduced, such as subtraction or addition. To increase understanding of the concepts, supply students with pennies or pieces of paper and ask them to mimic the addition and subtraction activities from the story.
Increase comprehension of mathematics and
economics through literature in:
"Mathematics
and Children's Literature" (Grades K-8), Illuminations, National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and
"The
Right Job for 'The Tortoise and the Hare'"
(Grades K-2), and
"The
Story of Jack and the Bank Stalk"
(Grades 3-5), both from EconEdLink, National Council on Economic Education.
What is the definition of mental illness? What are the forms of diagnosis and treatment? What books, plays and films use mental illness as a central theme? Does the artistic portrayal of mental illness help or hinder the general perception of its causes and effects?
Ask students to select a literary character who is affected by a form of mental illness, and to write a brief outline on the possible cause and diagnosis of the character's illness, based on the timeline of the story. What treatments were available at that time? What treatment might be given if the story was written today?
Examine the impact and portrayal of mental
illness in literature in:
"Mental
Health 3: Mental Health Through Literature"
(Grades 9-12), Science NetLinks, American Association for the Advancement
of Science.
| Featured Lessons |
"Ancient Flood
Stories" (Grades K-2)
Xpeditions, National Geographic Society
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/31xp_flood.cfm
Students practice creative writing skills
by composing stories about what it might have been like immediately before
and during a flood.
"Buddy Books"
(Grades K-8)
ARTSEDGE,
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/31ae_books.cfm
This nine-week curriculum workshop encourages
a creative art and writing partnership between middle- and elementary-school
students.
"Chinua Achebe's
Things
Fall Apart: Teaching Through the Novel" (Grades 9-12)
EDSITEment, National Endowment for the
Humanities
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/31ed_novel.cfm
Students read the author's first novel
to discover his views on the role of the writer in society.
"Fantasy: A Study
of C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" (Grades 7-8)
ARTSEDGE,
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/31ae_fantasy.cfm
Students read and analyze this popular
fantasy novel, noting the literary elements of characterization, setting,
plot, theme, character, conflict, climax and resolution.
"A Journal for
Corduroy: Responding to Literature" (Grades K-2)
ReadWriteThink, International Reading
Association and the National Council of Teachers of English
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/31rwt_journal.cfm
Students reflect on and respond to literature
through journal writing.
"Leading to Great
Places in the Elementary Classroom" (Grades 3-5)
ReadWriteThink, International Reading
Association and the National Council of Teachers of English
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/31rwt_leads.cfm
Students learn about
"leads," the opening lines of a story, and create their own versions for
a group-read book.
"The Legend of
Sleepy Hollow" (Grades 6-8)
EDSITEment, National Endowment for the
Humanities
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/31ed_sleepy.cfm
Students explore and analyze this classic
story by Washington Irving.
"Literature Circles:
Getting Started" (Grades 3-5)
ReadWriteThink, International Reading
Association and the National Council of Teachers of English
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/31rwt_circles.cfm
As members of a literature circle, students
create and answer comprehension questions, discover new vocabulary and
examine literary elements.
"Mark Twain and
American Humor" (Grades 9-12)
EDSITEment, National Endowment for the
Humanities
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/31ed_humor.cfm
Celebrate Samuel Clemens's birthday (November
30, 1835) by exploring the author's more humorous stories.
"Mark Twain, the
Lincoln of Our Literature" (Grades 9-12)
ARTSEDGE,
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/31ae_twain.cfm
In this curriculum unit, students focus
on the unique genius of the autobiographer, satirist, humorist and novelist.
"Mathematics and
Children's Literature" (Grades K-8)
Illuminations, National Council of Teachers
of Mathematics
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/31ill_math.cfm
Students focus on connections between
mathematics and children's literature.
"Mental Health
3: Mental Health Through Literature" (Grades 9-12)
Science NetLinks, American Association
for the Advancement of Science
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/31sci_health.cfm
Students examine the impact and portrayal
of mental illness in literature.
"The Right Job
for 'The Tortoise and the Hare'" (Grades K-2)
EconEdLink, National Council on Economic
Education
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/31econ_job.cfm
Students listen to a story about the tortoise
and the hare and determine appropriate jobs for each character.
"Sorting" (Grades
K-2)
Science NetLinks, American Association
for the Advancement of Science
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/31sci_sorting.cfm
Students learn how libraries sort their
books to make them easier to find.
"The Story of
Jack and the Bank Stalk" (Grades 3-5)
EconEdLink, National Council on Economic
Education
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/31econ_bank.cfm
Students read Jack and the Beanstalk
to understand the importance of money and banks.
"A Tale of Two
Stories" (Grades 3-6)
Illuminations, National Council of Teachers
of Mathematics
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/31ill_stories.cfm
Students use literature to develop classification
skills.
"Text Talk: Julius,
the Baby of the World" (Grades K-2)
ReadWriteThink, International Reading
Association and the National Council of Teachers of English
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/31rwt_text.cfm
Students interact with this story by interpreting
language, plot and characters through the text talk strategy.
"The Three Little
Pigs in Earthquake Land" (Grades K-2)
Xpeditions, National Geographic Society
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/31xp_pigs.cfm
Students read The Three Little Pigs
and discuss where the characters should have built their homes to avoid
disaster.
"Writing Alternative
Plots for Robert C. O'Brien's Z for Zachariah" (Grades 6-8)
ReadWriteThink, International Reading
Association and the National Council of Teachers of English
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/31rwt_plots.cfm
Students write alternative endings or
plot sequences for this novel.
ALA's Sites for Children: Literature
and Language
American Authors on the Web
American Collection
BookHive
Elements of Fiction
Estimating Beans with Jack
Internet Public Library: Reading Room
KidReach: The Online Reading Center
The Letters of the Alphabet
Mark Twain in His Times
The Online Books Page
PBS Kids: The Flood Game
Persuasive and Logical Writing
Victorian Women Writers Project
Search for more lessons
and resources
MarcoPolo's newest Partner, ReadWriteThink, has tips for highlighting specific language functions in the classroom. Based on M.A.K. Halliday's model, these "literacy engagements" -- learning language, learning about language and learning through language -- allow teachers to concentrate on the development and use of language skills during reading and writing activities. ReadWriteThink lessons can be sorted by literacy engagement to help teachers find a lesson to fulfill a specific literacy function. Literacy Engagements
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Catch up with the MarcoGram November 2002: Double Take: There Are (At Least) Two Sides to Every Story October 2002: Money Matters: Become a Financial Wizard September 2002: MarcoPolo Does the Body Good
Find more MarcoPolo lessons Explore the current list of new Partner lessons by visiting the Teacher Resources section of the MarcoPolo Web site. Use the MarcoPolo Search Engine to search for lessons by topic, keyword, grade level or Partner.
Get trained to use MarcoPolo The MCI Foundation has provided free professional development to more than 160,000 educators to date. Find out how to bring MarcoPolo training to your school or district by visiting the Professional Development section of the MarcoPolo Web site.
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