English Overview
Miss Berndl's Fantabulous
Fives
Reading Writing
Oral & Visual Communication
Resources in the Classroom
Research Strategies
Sources of Information Students are expected to Learn How
to Use
Types of Narratives in Speaking & Writing
Notebooks, Duo-Tangs & Texts that each student has
Reading
|
In
primary grades, students learn to read.
In junior grades, students read to learn. |
| Self Awareness
What kind of READER are you? Questions you should be able to answer about yourself. |
 | Are you a good reader? |
| What are your strengths or weaknesses in reading? |
| In the last 3 months, what have you read for enjoyment? |
| Do you know what you like to read? |
| Do you know how to find a good book? |
| Can you tell if material is at your reading level? |
| Do you look at more than just words? Do you look at pictures? captions?
titles? |
| How is reading school material for information different from reading for
enjoyment? |
| Do you know how to find books in a public library? |
| Do you know how to use a Table of Contents? Index? Glossary? |
| What do you do when you don't understand something? |
| Why is reading important? |
|
| Novels
|
|
quantity |
|
reading a variety of genres |
| writing a blurb to advertise a good
book |
|
| historical fiction |
| bibliography |
| picture books |
| short story & poetry anthologies |
|
| What is a novel? |
It is fiction, a very long
story, written with chapters and by grade 4, over 80 pages long. It is the
bridge to learning about history which is the story of people long
ago. It develops a feeling for cause & effect, improves sustained
concentration, deep thought & teaches us about life & how to
understand ourselves and others. |
|
Genres |
This describes what the
book is primarily about. It is a way of classifying books. People have
different tastes and so like different genres. Common terms we use are Adventure, Humour, School, Animals & Pets, Historical Fiction, Growing Up, Mystery,
Detective, Sports, Horses, Science Fiction, Family Life, Fantasy, Horror,
Romance, Slice of Life. Other terms are used & students may make up their own
terms. |
| Novel Reading Routines |
| students are expected to have a novel in their
desks at all times to read during SQUIRT (Sustained Quiet
Uninterrupted Independent Reading Time - in other words - Silent
Reading Time) |
| when work is completed, silent reading is the
preferred activity, comics are not acceptable |
| students are expected to spend between 2 and 3
hours a week at home reading novels as well |
| students are expected to read 20 novels during the
school year |
| all students are expected to maintain a Reading
Log Duo-Tang which will be collected about once a month |
| when a novel is completed, a
Novel Summary
needs to be completed and the
Reading
Log Record Sheet needs to be updated |
| after 20 novels, a student no longer needs to
complete a Novel Summary, only the Reading Log Record Sheet
needs to be updated |
| after 30 novels, a student is encouraged to read
other kinds of books including biographies, short story collections,
poetry and non-fiction |
|
| Novels, Biographies &
History |
| Reading biographies and historical
fiction are important to young people trying to make sense of
the world they live in. |
| Students are expected to read a
Historical Fiction novel
|
| Students are expected to read a Biography. |
|
| Recreational Reading |
| finding material at proper reading level |
| finding material that is interesting |
| reading for pleasure |
| reading for self-instruction - e.g. origami
instructions |
|
| magazines |
| local newspapers |
| instruction manuals or how-to books |
|
| Short Stories |
| picture books |
| short story anthologies |
| myths, fables |
|
Some Reading Web Sites for Kids
|
| Poetry |
| memorize & recite poetry |
| explore poetry formats |
| create own poetry anthology |
|
Some great poets for junior students
are:
|
|
Reading Aloud
|
|
| Reading Aloud vs Silent Reading - The development
of different vocabularies |
People have several active vocabularies. There is the aural vocabulary -
where people understand what is said either by knowing all of the words
being spoken or from the context of the conversation. Then there is the
spoken vocabulary. These are words that people are comfortable being used.
People can often understand more words than they themselves use.
When it comes to the written word, people can read more
words that they use when they write. Many people know words from reading
and understand them from their context but have never written those words,
heard them spoken or even used them themselves. This is important to
understand since there is sometimes the expectations by students and their
parents that students should be able to read aloud everything that they
are reading. Reading aloud is a very difficult skill and takes practice to
improve. It is easier to read silently than it is to read aloud.
If students are forced to read
aloud that which they have chosen to read for pleasure, namely silently,
the effect will be either poor read aloud results or students who choose
books that are too easy for them to benefit from. The only way
to gain new vocabulary is to read books beyond one's level - beyond the
level of being able to read aloud.
|
| How to improve
Vocabulary & Read Aloud Skills |
Students wishing to improve their reading are encouraged
to try Duet Reading with an adult or older sibling at home. Duet
reading is an activity where a skilled reader sits next to the learner and
the two read simultaneously. One of the readers follows the word with a
finger to visually reinforce the look of the word that is being heard. The
skilled reader sets the pace and reads with expression. The text should be
slightly above the learner's reading level in order to expose the learner
to new vocabulary & the spelling of unfamiliar words. The activity
gives the learner confidence, increases fluency in reading and teaches how
to read with expression. The learner is encouraged to read those words
that are familiar and to follow the lead on unfamiliar words. |
|
Reading Comprehension
|
|
guided reading activities -
texts, resources, small group
|
| novels |
| web sites |
| CLOZE activities |
|
|
| Reading
Comprehension Strategies
Suggestions from
http://home.t-online.de/home/
kfmaas/readstr.html |
1. Previewing
and predicting:
| I read the headline and/or look at the
illustration. |
| I want to know something about ......
|
| I stop and think:
 | What will the text be about?
|
| What do I already know about the topic?
|
| What do I expect to read?
|
|
2.
Skimming: I read the text quickly without any stop and find the main ideas.
| I check my
expectations and the information I read.
| Are there any answers to my
questions? |
| What additional information have I
found? |
|
| I take notes of the main ideas?
|
| I test myself: Did I get the main
ideas? (Comprehension questions) |
3.
Scanning: I let my eyes run over the text again in order to find and locate
specific information
| I read the text for details.
|
| There is a paragraph I haven`t got
properly. |
| I tackle new words: What is the
meaning of this word here?
| Is the word important for the
understanding of the text? |
| Oh, forget it. It is not important.
|
| But this one is important.
|
| I guess the meaning of the new word.
|
| What does the text around it say?
|
| Does the whole sentence tell me
anything about the meaning of this word?
|
| How does this word function in the
sentence? |
| Does word-formation tell me anything
about the meaning of this word? |
|
| I check: Does the meaning and the
context fit together? |
4.
Comprehending: I must read between the lines
| I find out ... |
| I write down ... |
| I make up ... |
| I check ... |
| What is substantially (sinngemäß),
but not literally (wörtlich) said in the text? |
| Headlines for all paragraphs.
|
| A summary in a few sentences
|
| Have you got all main ideas?
|
|
|
Standard Resources
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|
dictionary
|
|
atlas
|
| textbooks |
| internet - kid level |
|
|
|
Research
|
|
internet sites |
|
locating text material in public library
independently |
|
within a specific book |
|
locating print resources in the school & public library using the
computer |
| National Geographic Magazines -
getting information from photographs & captions |
| information posters & maps |
| educational videos |
| encyclopedias |
| field trips to view first hand |
| interview an expert |
| talk to parents about views on politics, family
stories, what it was like being a child |
| writing up a
Bibliography in proper format |
|
| The hardest part about doing research when you are a Junior student is
that much of the information is written at a level that is too hard to
understand. |
| Students are encouraged to take point form notes in their own words. We
train by taking point form notes from our science & social studies
texts. Many students are tempted to copy out the words exactly the way
that they are in the book & just leave off the capitals &
punctuation. That is not research. |
| Most of the research in Grade 5 is done so that students can give an
oral report. The reason for this is that when a report is asked for,
there is a temptation to just copy our words from another source. That is
not research, learning, understanding or helpful. That is plagiarism. |
| Students need to be taught how to find information on things that they
want to learn about. The Internet has made it possible for kids to ask
others to do their thinking & work for them - as you can see by the
following "request" by a student on information about rocks.
This is not research. |
| Sources of information Junior students should use are books, magazines, CD-ROMs, encyclopedias, kid-friendly
Internet sites, text books, personal interviews, observations,
experiments |
|
| Doing Research |
| all sources of information must be acknowledged |
| information does not only come from books - there are many sources
of information |
| if books are used, they should be written at the student's reading
level or else the words have no meaning |
| students may not plagiarize - namely represent someone else's work
or words as their own |
| printing something off from the Internet, gluing it up on paper
& handing it in, is not research |
| when students write notes, they need to use their own words |
| when doing a major project sources of information need to be
recorded |
| for the IRP, a Bibliography needs to be completed |
| click here for instructions on how to write up a
Bibliography |
| students will become comfortable with using the
Richmond Hill Public Library
|
|
| Poor Internet Research
Example |
 |
|
Forming an Opinion
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|
Reader Responses |
|
Self-Evaluations |
|
Personal Learning Journal |
|
Reflection pieces |
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|
Oral &
Visual Communication Overview
Oral
|
|
|
| Talk About |
| informal presentations, free choice |
|
|
| Presentations
|
Presenting Information
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|
| Class Participation
|
| speaking up during small group guided reading
sessions |
| Q&C after peer presentations |
| Q&C after Talk About |
| giving answers when routine homework (eg math,
spelling) being taken up |
|
|
| Listening Comprehension
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|
Getting The Main Idea |
|
Mental Math Number Chains |
|
Quicksolve Whodunnit Puzzles |
| listening to peer presentations |
|
| Listening to Talking Books & writing chapter summaries |
|
|
Listening Behaviours
|
| being an audience |
| following instructions, being an active listener |
| listening for directions, oral map quizes |
|
|
| Listening for Information |
| Classroom lessons |
| Teacher instructions |
| Daily announcements |
| Student presentations |
| Assemblies |
| Interviews |
|
Media Presentations
| Video - viewing & note taking |
| CD Music - Harmonica - listening & copying example |
| CD Music Appreciation - storytelling set to classical music |
|
| Interviewing |
| IRP - interview an expert & record information gained |
| find information for articles in yearbook |
|
|
| Viewing - video /
photographic images |
| viewing & note taking |
| viewing & reflecting |
|
|
| Viewing / Experiencing |
| getting out in the "field" & doing -
environmental stewardship |
| Royal Ontario Museum |
| Ontario Science Centre |
| Toronto Zoo |
|
|
| Drama / Entertaining an Audience
|
| 12 & 16 Line Poems |
| Class videos- performing |
| MCs & commercials of class videos |
| Performing Magic tricks & Music at the Ancient Cultures
Fair |
| Story-telling at the Ancient Cultures Fair |
| Human Body Science Presentation |
| Speech |
| Public Speaking Tour |
| Junk Mobile Exhibition |
| Kitchen Science Fair |
|
|
Notebooks, Duo-Tangs &
Texts related to English that each student has:
- Handwriting Notebook - cursive practice, timed writing drills,
rough draft of speech - primarily in term 1
- English Notebook - used for writing exercises, grammar lessons, yearbook articles,
speeches
- Home Journal - notebook in which student writes weekly letters to
parents & parents write letters back to students. This is the only notebook
that can be decorated - i.e. doodled on
- Guided Reading - notebook for small guided reading
notes & written responses
- Reading Comprehension - place for SRA reading
comprehension activities to be done - kept at back table
- Talking Book Summaries - notebook for chapter summaries of
Talking Books listened to
- FMTW Notebook - Five Minute Timed Writing - timed writing activities on topics from which
yearbook articles can be written, printing and in cursive, to determine
writing speed - w.p.m.
- Spelling Duo-Tang
- SSQ (Spelling Skills Quizzes) handouts for grammar & spelling skills
- Spelling Notebook - weekly spelling
tests & assignments based on text: The
Canadian Spelling Program
- Spelling Text: The Canadian Spelling Program
- Reading Log Duo-Tang - Reading Record Sheet followed by 20 Novel
Summary Sheets that are completed when a student finishes reading a novel
- Personal Learning Journal - private journal to learn how to self
evaluate & reflect on learning - kept with teacher
- Novel - students are expected to have a novel in their desk at all
times to read during SQUIRT or when other work is completed
- Guided Reading Anthology - Impressions series
Resources in the classroom -
paper copies (& access via the Internet)
- Dictionary
Rhyming Dictionary
Thesaurus
Idioms - expressions
http://www.funbrain.com/idioms/index.html
Impressions Series Readers - Cross The Golden River, Run Forever
Magic Lines - to write neatly on blank paper
Handwriting Guides & Samples - to use until cursive writing
becomes second nature
National Geographic Magazines that support curriculum content
RocksForKids.com - FabFive Class Website on the Internet
Computer - Internet Access - Search Engines
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