preview

My Unit Is Based On English Language Arts, Reading Literature

Better Essays

My unit is based on English Language Arts, Reading Literature for first grade learners (Lenz, Deshler, and Kissam, 2004). In this unit students are focusing on describing characters based on the New Jersey learning standard “RL.1.3 Describe characters, settings, and major event(s) in a story, using key details” (http://www.state.nj.us/education/cccs/2016/ela/crosswalk.pdf). Students learned about finding information about key details in a previous unit and describe settings and major events in the next unit. In order for students to have a better understanding of character development, three books were chosen; A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon, Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes, and Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell. The books …show more content…

Students continue to use strategies they already learned and practiced in previous units. The first part helps students learn the difference between physical characteristics and character traits. Students will begin by making personal connections to their own traits. Students will cut a large hole in piece of construction paper as frame for their face. On the boarder they will use physical and inner characteristics to describe themselves. They will partner with someone to add a feature they may have not used. As students learn to describe each, they get more familiar with the main character. Each book has multiple supporting characters, but only one main character. They will learn to focus attention in illustrations and print, to the character’s actions and feelings, and how they change through the story.
Once the students are familiar with each character, they can begin activities to compare and contrast the characters, their feelings, and their ideas. They will also analyze if the characters affected the traits or feelings of the main character. As each lesson is taught, centers are developed for small group and independent learning. Centers focus on student’s interests and intelligences and go across the curriculum. After creating a list of traits for each character, students will sort traits on Smart Board and magnetic index cards. For the kinesthetic learner, students will crumble paper with characters on it and toss it into the prospective baskets with

Get Access