Copyright 2006, Amanda Burleson, Reich College of Education, Appalachian State University

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T.O.C by Artifact

T.O.C. by Standards
 

Artifact #1

Artifact # 2

Artifact # 3

Artifact # 4

Artifact # 5

Artifact # 6

Artifact # 7

Artifact # 8  

Alignment By IRA Standards

Standards

References
 

All components listed below were developed as a part of a literature based Sarah Plain and Tall unit. 

Sarah Plain and Tall Unit

Rationale for Sarah Plain and Tall

Rubric #1

Activity Summary

Unit Outline

Rubric #2

Bibliography for Sarah Plain and Tall

Vocabulary

Vocabulary Unit Outline

Sarah Plain and Tall Vocabulary Master

Word Map Graphic Organizer

Speed Round #2

I Have Who Has Vocabulary Game

Synonyms and Antonyms

Vocabulary Questions, Reasons, Examples

Speed Round #3

Etymologies

Vocabulary Analogy Questions

Speed Round #1

Speed Round #4

Final Vocabulary Exam

Character Maps

Character Map (Anna)

Character Map (Caleb)

Character Map (Matthew)

Character Map (Sarah)

Character Map (Papa)

Character Map (Maggie)

Animal Research

Animal Research Concept Map

Websites for Ocean/Prairie Animal Research

“I Am” poem activity to consolidate animal research

Prairie Research

Prairie Concept Map

Prairie Information From 3rd grade Sarah Plain and Tall Pegasus Unit

Sod House Activity

Prairie Websites

Author’s Craft

Author’s Craft #1             (p.1-18)  Ch.1-3

Author’s Craft #2           (p.18-27) Ch.3-4

Author’s Craft #3           (p.29-36)    Ch. 5-6

Author’s Craft #4           (p.36-40)    Ch. 6-7

Author’s Craft #5           (p.48-50)     Ch. 8

Author’s Craft #1 Key

Author’s Craft #2 Key

Author’s Craft #3 Key

Author’s Craft # 4 Key

Author’s Craft  #5 Key

Language Charts

Language Chart #1   “MacLachlan’s Characters”

Language Chart #2   “People Like Anna”

Language Chart #3  “Following Their Dream”

Language Chart #1   “MacLachlan’s Characters” (Key)

Language Chart #2   “People Like Anna”         (Key)

Language Chart #3  “Following Their Dream”  (Key)

Miscellaneous Activities for Sarah Plain and Tall

RAFT Assignment

Chapter 1 Advertisement

Chapter 1 Tableau

Pre-Reading Activity Chapters 5 and 6

 

Poetry with Sarah Plain and Tall

Color words from Sarah Plain and Tall

Color Poem Example    Purple

Color Poem Example  Azure

Color Poetry Assignment

Thesaurus Color Chart

Color Poem Example    Blue

Color Poem Example             Red

Color Poem Example  Lavender

Laura Ingalls Wilder Poem

Laura Ingalls Wilder Comparison Sheet


Context:  While taking the class, RE 5730, Reading and Writing Instruction for Intermediate Learners, with Dr. Linda Kucan, I developed an integrated novel unit based on the novel, Sarah Plain and Tall.  I chose the novel, Sarah, Plain and Tall for my Integrated Novel Assignment because I just competed last school year in the third grade. Historical Fiction is my favorite genre to teach, and I felt that I could best develop this novel unit with my knowledge of what is developmentally appropriate when working with this age level while incorporating my love of historical fiction.   Sarah, Plain and Tall is a historical fiction novel about the westward movement. While reading this novel, I would like for students to gain an understanding of the westward movement and why people move west, who the people who moved west were and how they moved, the type of houses the built, and the living conditions on the prairie during that time period.  In addition, Patricia MacLachlan uses many color words in her craft to convey different types of feelings and moods.  I developed a sequence using all of the color words in Sarah Plain and Tall; in effort help students gain a deeper understanding of author’s craft.  This novel is told through Anna’s eyes.  Anna is a young girl that is close in age to third graders so I think it helps students connect to the text.  Students also relate to the family relationships found within the text.  Though many students have not had a parent die, many students do come from blended families and can relate the family relationships that the Wittings experience. Sarah must learn to adapt to her new family and her new environment, which is far away from everything that she knows and loves in Maine.  Sarah, Plain and Tall is a novel that lends itself to teaching children about the westward movement, adaptation, overcoming loss, and family relationships.

          As a part of the integrated novel unit, I developed a vocabulary sequence based on Dr. Kucan’s instruction and readings from her book, Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction, written by Isabel L. Beck, Margaret G.  McKeown, and Linda Kucan.  In order to develop this component of the Sarah Plain and Tall novel unit, I first needed to understand how to choose appropriate vocabulary words.  Dr. Kucan broke vocabulary words down into three tiers in effort to differentiate among the most important words to teach.  Tier one words are basic words that students know and use often, tier two words are words that appear frequently, used in mature language that are likely to appear again in other content areas, and tier three words are usually limited to specific content areas and students will not encounter them frequently.

          The goal in developing the vocabulary component of the Sarah Plain and Tall novel unit, was to select five to seven tier two words, include daily activities that help students think about the word in a variety of ways, using student friendly definitions, using frequent assessments, like speed rounds to check for understanding, final assessment, and maintenance activities.  This sequence was then to be taught at the beginning of the novel unit so students could understand the word and apply their knowledge when reading.  The strategies for vocabulary instruction the Dr. Kucan gave were to specifically help the vocabulary word become a part of student language and understanding where they may eventually begin to use it not only in their speech, but also in their writing.  The activities that Dr. Kucan suggested, helped students understand and apply the word on a deeper level, and was much more exciting and interesting than your typical word and definition activates.

 

Impact:  By going through the process of developing integrated novel unit and utilizing the strategies and formats introduced and modeled by Dr. Kucan, I have gained a better understanding of developing such units including vocabulary instruction.  Most recently, I have used my experience and tools from this class to create integrated novel units with two of the fifth grade teachers in the school where I currently teach.  In my role as the Literacy Specialist of a school wide Title I school, I act as a teacher and consultant to classroom teachers.

          Collaboratively, I worked with one-fifth grade teacher to develop and integrated novel unit using The Sign of the Beaver, and used my knowledge of vocabulary instruction to help create a teacher-directed reading unit of study.  The fifth grade teacher with whom I planned, was amazed at how the students really internalized the vocabulary and were amazed to see some of the words translate into the student’s writing and speech

          Additionally, I worked with another fifth grade teacher to develop three integrated historical fiction units, which she could use to instruct three small groups during small group reading instruction. We homogenously grouped the students in three reading groups then chose the stories with which we wanted students to work.  I drew on some of the strategies that I used in the Sarah Plain and Tall novel unit.  Because Sarah Plain and Tall is a book written in the historical fiction genre, it lent itself to using many of the same activities with The Memory Coat, The Butterfly, and Pink and Say historical fiction units.  I received positive feedback from the teacher with whom I collaborated.  She commented that the students were engaged and reading on their level.  She liked how we had differentiated for student learning through text, which allowed her to give extra support to those students who were reading on a lower level and provide creative and extension opportunities for the student’s reading above grade level, all the while discussing some of the same topics, themes, and genres.

 

 

Standard A: Instructional Expertise

 

By creating this integrated novel unit with a vocabulary component, I used what I had read about best practices in educational research, and designed and modified instruction based on the knowledge I gained through developing the unit.  Because I used these learned strategies to help others plan different kinds of reading instruction, I feel as though collaboratively I helped improve student learning, and met the needs of diverse learners by planning small group instruction for those students on a variety of instructional reading levels.  Also, the student research, as a part of the novel unit my ability to use technology to create a learning environment to support student learning.

 

Standard B:  Knowledge of Learners

This novel study unit and process of creating integrated units, using vocabulary components, demonstrates my ability to create instruction around the student’s learning needs and differentiate for their specific needs through both text and activity.  While developing the Sarah Plain and Tall novel unit, I specifically selected a text based on the grade level that I was teaching at that time, third grade.  I took what I knew about third grade readers /learners and applied that knowledge directly into my unit.  Third graders are beginning to read chapter books where print is smaller and there is more print per page.  The pace of third grade picks up and is typically faster than second grade, as second grade reinforces and develops the skills of first grade.  Third grade is the first year that students must perform on standardized tests.  Because third grade is different and demanding of students who may not be developmentally ready for some of the demands it is important to teach students how to be successful under such learning changes.  For example, with this knowledge, I incorporated an array of graphic organizers that help students organize their thoughts and ideas about their reading, as well as teach them other organization forms that they will see on state assessments.  I designed a teacher directed reading novel unit, keeping in mind that third graders are still in the concrete operational stage of learning and require hands on learning to gain a deeper understanding of abstract concepts.  I offered students opportunities to take their learning and apply it in another activity.

 

In addition, while collaborating with one of the fifth grade teachers, I had to know what types of books would meet the needs of her students at three different levels.  While collaboratively planning, we focused on activities with the lower group that were more reading strategy focused.  While the on grade level and above grade level participated in activities that would challenge them based on their instructional reading level.

 

Standard D: Content Knowledge

My ability to plan an integrated novel unit with vocabulary sequences, based on the population for which I am planning, demonstrates my theoretical and applied advanced content knowledge and ability to apply it within my career as a Literacy Specialist.

 

Standard E: Professional Development and Leadership

Through my development of Sarah Plain and Tall integrated novel unit, and vocabulary sequence, I was able to take my learning in the Reading Graduate Program at Appalachian State University, and apply it directly when performing my duties as a Title I Literacy Specialist, collaborating with teacher to develop effective reading units of study.  Specifically, in this case of planning with fifth grade teachers, it was in attempt to raise reading test scores at the fifth grade level as well as help teachers integrate and foster a love of literature.