Literacy Now

Two fellow Nerdy Book Club members encouraged me to use this forum to share some thoughts about how to incorporate historical fiction in the classroom. I resisted the suggestion—what could I possibly tell the readers of this blog about teaching? Then it hit me: maybe simply sharing what I know about researching historical fiction would help you create new classroom connections. Shall we give it a go?

True confession: I haven’t always loved historical fiction. In fact, I avoided it. Until my then-preteen daughter got me hooked by bringing home Jennifer Armstrong’s THE DREAMS OF MAIRHE MEHAN and MARY MEHAN AWAKE. These stunning Civil War-era novels opened my eyes to how deeply compelling this genre can be.

Shortly afterward, I discovered Karen Cushman’s CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY, with its delicious opening lines: “I am commanded to write an account of my days. I am bit by fleas and plagued by family. That is all there is to say.” I was gobsmacked, as Birdy might say. If that’s historical fiction, I’m in! I became a voracious reader of the genre and then, thanks to a snippet of a family story about my great-grandmother, I became a passionate writer of the genre, as well.

In addition to my Nerdy Book Club friends, I also sought advice from writing colleagues Barb Kerley and Mary Nethery. Mary’s a former educator and Barb’s done extensive work to tie her author presentations to the Common Core State Standards. Their input led me to one CCS standard that can readily be supported by donning the historical fiction writer’s hat: “Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using . . . relevant descriptive details . . .” (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.3).

A writer of historical fiction lives for relevant descriptive details. The trick is, of course, finding them. How do I do it? By relying on primary resources. I scour second hand stores and eBay and etsy and everywhere else I can think of for old diaries, letters and postcards, maps and atlases. I am the woman who buys all of those self-published memoirs at library sales, national park gift shops and roadside attractions. I dig through box after box in musty museum archives, as if searching for the big prize in a Cracker Jack box. I NEED the first-hand stories of ordinary people. Without them, I’m nowhere as a writer of historical fiction.

While researching HATTIE BIG SKY, I discovered the diary of young homesteader Vanity L. Stout Irving. She had written about her beau giving her a ruby ring for a wedding present “…which I made him take back. I said I would rather have a cow and three pigs.” Vanity knew what it would take to survive on the Montana prairie, way back when: Forget the bling; bring on the bacon! As a life-long city girl, I couldn’t make up a detail like that. Another diary I read included a ledger listing the diarist’s purchases during the year. From her records, I learned the price of a new pair of leather gloves in 1918 (85 cents).

A sensible wedding present. The price of a pair of gloves. These are relevant descriptive details. And it is just such specifics that bring past times and places to life.

Great news: many such details are to be had at the click of a mouse. Old newspapers provide insights into attitudes, daily life, and entertainments, fashions, costs, place names, etc. and are increasingly easy to access. Our county library system allows me to read historical newspapers from the comfort of my home office. I’m guessing you would have similar access, too, through your local library.

It was while reading through issues of the Seattle DAILY TIMES, circa 1920, that I learned about opera great, Luisa Tetrazzini, and her plans to take an aerial tour of Seattle. Shortly before take-off, her manager deemed the chilly air too risky for the diva’s voice, and an enterprising young woman reporter jumped at the chance to take Tetrazzini’s place. I borrowed these details (switching out San Francisco for Seattle) to give Hattie her first big chance at a byline in HATTIE EVER AFTER.

The Internet is a gateway to other resources. I’ve used the Densho Project, dedicated to preserving the stories of the Japanese Americans incarcerated during WWII; USGenWeb.com, a free, volunteer-run historical site; the Library of Congress American Memory Project; the Montana Memory Project, where I found an accounting of a 1916 road trip from Seattle to Boston; the Ames, Iowa Historical Society, which has scanned fabulous WWII resources, including ration books; the National Parks Service; the This Day in History feature at History.org; and, of course, the Oxford English Dictionary (via the Seattle Public Library—where would we be without libraries?!), which helps me ensure that the words I’m putting in my characters’ mouths fit with their time period. This is a small sampling of sites that can put primary sources at your students’ fingertips.

After you’ve introduced your students to these stores of relevant descriptive details, give them the opportunity to put their new research knowledge to work. Collect a handful of old postcards and then ask your students to write a narrative based on/inspired by one of them. In order to create historically accurate narratives, students would need to do some sleuthing about manners of speaking, food, dress, names and places during the time period of their postcard. There’s a wonderful collection of short stories for adults by Robert Olen Butler, HAD A GOOD TIME: STORIES IN AMERICAN POSTCARDS, that might give you additional ideas.

This school year, I have made a commitment to interview teachers and librarians each Tuesday on my blog; in October, I interviewed Brian Wilhorn about how he provides context for the books his students read through a classroom blog. For instance, for THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM—1963, Brian posted historical photos of the 16th Street Baptist Church after the bombing, links to articles about that tragic event, and a current photo of the church. Through this blog, he’s doing two things I admire: giving his students a richer grasp of the literature they’re reading, and modeling curiosity. His digging to find more information can’t help but lead his students to do the same.

I would love to hear about a particularly powerful strategy you’ve used in your classroom to help incorporate historical fiction and would be honored to include such ideas in future Teacher Tuesday postings. Drop me a line—Kirby@kirbylarson.com.

Come see Kirby at IRA’s 58th Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas! Kirby will be speaking at IRA’s Teachers' Choices Committee session, “Making a Difference for Readers, Writers, and Artists by Connecting them with Authors and Illustrators who Create Books that Inspire, Motivate, and Delight” on Monday, April 22, 2013.

After Kirby Larson heard a snippet of a story about her great-grandmother homesteading in eastern Montana, she went on to write HATTIE BIG SKY, winner of a 2007 Newbery Honor Award. This sequel was written in part to answer many questions readers posed about the irrepressible Hattie. Connect with the author on her blog (www.kirbyslane.blogspot.com) or via Twitter (@kirbylarson).



The Common Core: Showing Nonfiction the Love

Bringing the 'Story' Back into 'History'

Being a teacher means embracing constant change. Yet all too often, teachers are told when, how and why to change. In this monthly column, Mrs. Mimi takes on creating change for herself by rethinking old practices and redefining teaching on her own terms.

A little birdie told me that February 6, 2013 is Digital Learning Day. Okay, it wasn’t a bird exactly; it was more like Twitter. I learned about Digital Learning Day while reading through my Twitter feed. (How savvy am I? Truth? Not super savvy for someone with a blog and an online column.)

Digital learning is hot. The education world is abuzz with talk of how iPads, virtual field trips, and connecting with schools on other continents via the Internet are going to change the face of classroom instruction as we know it. Watch out! Here comes technology!

Everywhere you look on the street, it seems like younger and younger children have smartphones and are plugged in in ways I could never have imagined. Just watching my two and a half year old navigate her way around an iPhone is alarming. (And thrilling. But mostly just alarming.)

And then I go into a typical classroom. In the corner of the room are three outdated desktops, two of which no longer work, and while the third works it isn’t hooked up to the printer (but the printer’s actually out of toner, so what difference does it make?).

Hi disconnect, nice to meet you.

As a result, I find myself intrigued by the idea of digital learning, but never consider seriously how it might impact my instruction. Sometimes, I’m intimidated by it—when am I going to find the time to learn how to use all of this cool new stuff? When will all of this cool new stuff be made available to me? What if I’m never as comfortable with all of this new technology as I am with a book and my Post-it notes? What’s wrong with a marker and chart paper anyway?

Sound familiar?

And then last week happened.

I went into a school piloting the use of iPads in the classroom. Every second grader had an iPad. Seriously, it was like a sea of iPads—I had to hold my hand up to my eyes to shade them from the glare of all those shiny, shiny screens. Once I stopped squealing, I got a little nervous. After all, without any warning about this major technological shift, I had to demonstrate a reading lesson in front of a bunch of kids reading on iPads and teachers who were ready to learn something new.

photo: Johan Larsson via photopin cc

Granted, I have an iPad and am comfortable with it for my own personal use (read: Words With Friends and checking my blog) but in front of these eager faces, I was afraid that I would screw up the lesson, that I would stumble too much and lose their attention, that I would come off as less knowledgeable. Needless to say, I was also sweating at this point, so there was that too.

But, as you well know, in the world of the elementary school, there isn’t a second to spare, so I had to put on my big girl panties, take my place on the rug and get started. The lesson flowed along nicely because fortunately I was focusing on an objective that transcended how students read. But, as I began to work one-on-one with children, modeling reading conferences with a gang of teachers behind me taking notes, my pulse quickened again.

In my first conference, a student and I discussed his thoughts and reactions to the text as he read. He was feeling frustrated by a character in his reading. He shared that he was frustrated with Junie B. Jones (which he was reading on iBooks) because she never seemed to learn her lesson and kept getting into trouble. After reading several books about Junie, this smart cookie was noticing a pattern in the behavior of the character. My instinct was to help this smarty to record his reactions by highlighting specific moments in the text and jotting his thinking. But how do you highlight again? And jotting? Could he handle jotting on the iPad? Could I?

I went for it and explained my idea and why I thought it would help him as a reader. And then I (gasp) admitted that I wasn’t completely sure how he would mark the text in the ways I had described. Unfazed, my friend said, “Oh, let me show you.” Then he modeled highlighting and note taking within the iBooks application. For me. He modeled for me. After shooting his teacher an impressed look, I quickly modeled right back, showing this young reader how to apply this bit of technological savvy in ways that would record and push his thinking as a reader.

You guys, we both learned something.

Later, his teacher reported back that this young man had then gone on to model for everyone not only how to highlight and record notes in iBooks, but how to use this strategy to record a reader’s reactions to specific lines of text.

And I die.

Bottom line? The technological capacity may not be in your classroom today, but it’s coming. And it means change, which is always a little scary. But if this moment was my glimpse into the power of digital learning, then I say game on.

Mrs. Mimi is a pseudonymous teacher who taught both first and second grades at a public elementary school in New York City. She's the author of IT'S NOT ALL FLOWERS AND SAUSAGES: MY ADVENTURES IN SECOND GRADE, which sprung from her popular blog of the same name. Mimi also has her doctorate in education from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Everyone needs a good laugh from time to time and books with wordplay can provide just that. This week’s column from the International Reading Association's Children’s Literature and Reading SIG offers books that look at words in new ways. Wordles, puns, idioms, similes, metaphors, slapstick humor, onomatopoeia, and other forms of wordplay are great ways to spend a winter day. Enjoy the interesting way these authors and illustrators have presented new and unusual ways to look at words and stories including some visual surprises, too! 

ReadWriteThink offers lesson ideas for various kinds of wordplay.

Grades K-3

 

Abbott, Tony. (2012). The crazy case of missing Thunder. Illus. by Colleen Madden. New York: Egmont.

Beginning the new series, Goofballs, Abbott’s characters Jeff, the narrator, and Brian, Mara, and Kelly are the cast members in this new series sure to abound with mystery and a few touches of slapstick humor and wordplay en route to solving the first case, that of the missing horse, Thunder. These kids have been friends since first grade and have enjoyed solving many of the town’s little mysteries. As their reputation as grown, as well as their self-proclaimed goofball methods of following clues, wealth Randall Crandall approaches them to find his missing horse. As the gang looks for clues, Jeff carefully keeps track of everything in his ever-present clue notebook. A flower delivery truck, a few crunched, munched flowers lead the crew to a flower shop where they disguise themselves as bushes to be on the lookout for more clues. This early reader chapter book is accompanied by the drawings of Colleen Madden that add to the humor and the fact that Goofballs have a multicultural and mixed gender makeup, it makes the book even that more appealing. Emerging readers will anxiously await the rest of the rollicking series. Visit the author’s website for more about his books and writing:

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Boyd, Lizi. (2013). Inside Outside. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.

Lizi Boyd has used visual play WITHOUT words for this delightful peek into what is going on inside and outside as the story opens on this wintery day. Die-cut windows allow the reader to see and predict what is happening through these windows. Careful observers will notice two white mice hiding within each double page spread and also that the seasons are changing. Look through the windows and watch how the weather changes or how the windows frame one thing that turns into something completely different when the page is turned! The end papers and paper quality of each page add to the beauty of this book. This is a book readers/viewers will return to again and again to discover new things in the windows that they did not see the first time around.
Visit the author’s website for a look at her creative work:

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Brennan-Nelson, Denise. (2012). Maestro Stu saves the zoo. Illus. by Tim Bowers. Ann Arbor, MI: Sleeping Bear Press.

Young Stu has lived next to the zoo his whole life and has grown up listening to the noises and sounds coming from all the animals within. His mother has always called these sounds her symphony. One day, a sleazy businessman sets out to woo the city managers to see the zoo so he can build a mall on that same spot. The people in charge are definitely taken with the plan, even more taken with the bribes and gifts this Mr. Cooper is handing out. When the animals learn about their demise, they have a midnight meeting to decide what they can do about it. Stu hears about the meeting and so attends, too, because he has an idea. When the meeting opens, the animals are fretful and it is at this point in the story the idioms come pouring out. “We’re all ears,” “our hands our tied,” “wore her heart on her sleeve,” “mountain out of a molehill” are just some of the idiomatic phrases. Stu directs the animals in a true symphony of sound that the whole town notices and enjoys. As people flock to the zoo, the zoo is saved from becoming a mall. Though the storyline is quite simple and very problematic, even a bit didactic, teachers who need a read aloud to give an example of various uses of idioms, this book might be helpful. The author has listed the idioms in the back with definitions. Tim Bowers’ illustrations are a most enjoyable part of the book, as young readers will enjoy the facial expressions on each animal throughout the story. Listen and watch the author as she introduces this book, complete with animal sounds, and reads from it and find a teachers’s guide for Maestro Stu. Read more about this author in her column on the Engage blog.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Hall, Michael. (2012). Cat tale. New York: HarperCollins/Greenwillow Books.

The word fun begins with the title of this book since it could be a feline-centered story or the story of a cat’s appendage. Three curious cats--Lillian, Tilly, and William J.--busily chase homonyms and homophones across the pages of this book, starting with "kitty chews"/"choose a spot" (unpaged). Young readers will enjoy the continuous word play that moves from page to page. The felines are having so much fun as they race through the book until they became discombobulated and have to start anew, beginning this time with "tale"/"tail" (unpaged). The brightly colored illustrations created with acrylic painted textures and paper cutouts that have been combined digitally add to the book’s playfulness. Smiles are guaranteed once readers reach the page featuring three cats' tails of different hue as each cat heads off for more word play fun. This cleverly written book is perfect for a read aloud and an excellent writing mentor text.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

Klausmeier, Jesse. (2013). Open this little book. Illus. by Suzy Lee. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.

This book is cleverly designed, intended to tell several stories at once, eight different ones in all. As readers open each book, they find another, smaller book, and a storyline running through each one. One of the best parts of the books is how each book cover mirrors some element and color in the book's content; for instance, Little Green Book features lily pads on its cover and lily pads and frogs within its story. There is also a friendship theme running through the book since the animal friends reading the books frolic together, and then, when Giant's hand is too large to open her tiny book, her friends help her. The fact that each story continues on the other side of the page until the conclusion of each story has been reached adds to the delight of reading this title. Filled with pencil and watercolor illustrations created with soft colors and then digitally manipulated this title is a tribute to bibliophiles who can never get enough of a good thing and word lovers who enjoy simple stories well told. Readers' fingers will get quite a work out when they open this book.  It’s a sure bet that they’ll want to open it more than once.                 

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

Rosenthal, Amy Krouse. (2012). I Scream! Ice Cream! A book of Wordles. Illus. by Serge Bloch. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.

Although some of these creative wordles are more enjoyable than the others that require a second or third thought and some are rather clunky, overall, this book is a treat for word lovers. Wordles are defined as "groups of words that sound exactly the same but mean different things" (unpaged), and this book is filled with them. Readers will love trying them out; for example, “heroes/he rows” or “I see/icy/ Aye, sea!” (unpaged). It’s a toss-up as to whether someone will scream for more ice cream or more word fun after reading this one. Accompanied by lively illustrations, this title is a must-have for anyone who loves words. Plus, young readers will want to try their hands at creating some wordles of their own. Teachers will enjoy using the online Wordle tool.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

Sayre, April Pulley. (2012). Go, go, grapes!: A fruit chant. New York: Simon & Schuster/Beach Lane Books.

Anyone who enjoyed the author's earlier title, Rah, Rah, Radishes!: A Vegetable Chant (2011), will be equally enchanted by this delightful title. Imaginatively thinking up chants for fruits that are good to eat, the author encourages an enthusiastic embrace of healthy food offerings amid fun-to-say chants. The photographs show all sorts of yummy fruits that can be picked up at local food markets. All in all, this book is a sweet (and healthy) treat celebrating fruits that are somewhat unfamiliar and words that taste good on the tongue. What more could a reader want?        

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

 

Smith, Maggie. (2012). Pigs in pajamas. New York: Random House/Alfred A. Knopf.

This playful title teaches young readers various concepts such as colors, shapes, patterns, and counting through amusing illustrations. Images of pigs wearing pajamas introduce the letter p. The story is set during a sleepover party on a Saturday night at Penelope Pig’s home. Everyone brings presents for Penelope, but the presents all start with the same letter. Thus, she receives peppermints, posies, and peach lollipop. The guests dine on punch, pies, and pudding. They also have pasta with pickles on top. The party features pin-the-tail-on the donkey and a piñata to whack. Dancing through the night, the six pigs in pajamas have fun until they too pooped to play or even make a peep. The tired pigs have finally fallen asleep. Featuring illustrations of 75 objects beginning with the letter p for readers to identify, this book is a great aid in practicing pronunciation and developing fluency.

- Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

 

Grades 3-6

 

Loewen, Nancy. (2011). She sells seashells and other tricky tongue twisters. Illus. by Donald Wu. Mankato, MN: Picture Window Books/Capstone Press.

This picture book opens with the question, “What is a tongue twister?” (p.2) The next page goes on to explain what a tongue twister is “when we talk, our brain, tongue, and lips have to work together in the right way. Most of the time, it just happens.  But every so often, there’s a glitch. The wrong sounds come out. Our tongues “twist.” Tongue twisters make our tongues twist on purpose. They a challenge for our tongue, brain and everything in between!” (p.3) The book continues with a young boy named Ken who moves through his day at school. Interspersed throughout the story are fact boxes about tongue twisters, how they can be useful especially to those learning English to practice words, but also examples of homophones and rhythm as these words play with tongue twisting activity. This book will be a helpful teaching tool in a word study and includes activities, websites and other books to read at the end.
“Ways to Say It” series. Visit the author’s website.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Loewen, Nancy. (2011). Stubborn as a mule and other silly similes. Illus. by Adam Watkins. Mankato, MN: Picture Window Books/Capstone Press.

This series has a similar format in each book, beginning with the question, in this case, “What is a simile?” (p.2) A definition with examples follows on page 3. The picture book storyline begins with Mr. Moe who is “as bald as an egg.” (p.5) In speech bubbles around the page, explanations are given explaining how a simile compares one thing to another and the example is on the page illustrated in a way that is clearly understood. As Mr. Moe goes about his day, more similes appear on each double page spread with the speech bubbles and fact boxes giving references to further understanding. The end of the book includes an activity, glossary, websites and further reading. Teachers will find this a resource for a read aloud to give examples of similes with a twist of humor.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Loewen, Nancy. (2011). Talking turkey and other clichés we say. Illus. by Adam Watkins. Mankato, MN: Picture Window Books/Capstone Press.

As is the pattern in the other “Ways to Say It” series, this picture book opens with the question “What is a cliché?” (p.2) After a definition and introduction are given, the actual story is launched with Faye and Trish who are introduced as best friends, “true blue” and “thick as thieves.” (p.5) The girls are on their way to the county fair to hear the concert by the Bonus Brothers. Before the concert the girls ride some of the scary fair rides and enjoy cotton candy, hot dogs and milkshakes and visit the petting zoo. All the while they are checking to make sure they still have their concert tickets though they realize after all their activity, the tickets have gotten crushed. “The bottom has dropped out of their world.”(p.17) At that moment, three long skinny pairs of legs appear saying, “Don’t hit the panic button,” “ We’ve got you covered.” (p.19) It’s the Bonus Brothers! The give the girls new tickets AND autographs! The concert is a “blast” and a “dream come true.” The Bonus Brothers really “Rock!” (p.22) The end of the book includes a game of cliché charades, a glossary, websites, and other books for suggested reading. Teachers will find this a humorous read aloud to introduce and explain the use of clichés.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Loewen, Nancy. (2011). You’re toast and other metaphors we adore. Illus. by Donald Wu. Mankato, MN: Picture Window Books/Capstone Press.

One more title from the “Ways to Say It” series is You’re Toast, this time discussing metaphors. Using the now-familiar pattern that begins each book with the question, “What is a metaphor?”, the definition and examples follow in the opening pages. Cory and his younger sister Etta are facing the last piece of Grandma Greta’s fabulous blueberry pie. “The blueberries are as fast as Ping-Pong balls.” (p.5) When the siblings agree that they cannot share the pie as each one wants the entire piece, Grandma suggests that they will have to win it. Cory wins a running race, and the spinning race, but Etta is the first to find a hidden spool of thread as well as winning a basketball game of HORSE. Grandma says the last race is a word game asking each of her grandchildren to make as many words as they can from the phrase “blueberry pie.” Etta wins with seven words. They head for the kitchen to claim the winning piece of pie only to discover their father sitting there swallowing the last bite. Grandma solves the dilemma by announcing they will just make another pie. Sprinkled throughout the story the author has embedded metaphors of all kinds. Speech bubbles and fact boxes give explanations and a bit of history about metaphors. Another in the series recommended for teachers to use as a read aloud for students to hear metaphors in everyday language. A metaphor game, other activities, weblinks, and a glossary are included at the end of the book.

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

 

Not yet published, but coming this spring are four more amusing books with wordplay and fun:

• I love ewe; an ode to animal moms by Aaron Zenz (Walker, March 2013)
• Hug a bull; an ode to animal dads by Aaron Zenz (Walker, April 2013)
• My new teacher and me by Al Yankovic (HarperCollins, June 2013)
• Spike and Ike take a hike by S.D. Schindler (Nancy Paulsen books, April 2013)

      

These reviews are submitted by members of the International Reading Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Reading Today Online. The International Reading Association partners with the National Council of Teachers of English and Verizon Thinkfinity to produce ReadWriteThink.org, a website devoted to providing literacy instruction and interactive resources for grades K–12.

Every time I see the letters S-T-E-M, I instantly see neon lights flashing, “Hot Topic!” Everyone is talking about it—even the President of the United States! As we all know, very few of our high school graduates are pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and math, though many believe careers in STEM are the future of our country.

Science, technology, engineering, and math are important, but literacy skills are the foundation or glue that holds it all together. So when I look at the STEM acronym, I always wonder if there’s a letter missing: the letter L.

In order for our students to be prepared for STEM careers, they must be able to navigate informational text. This involves understanding text features they rarely encounter in fictional stories. Also, our students must build their vocabulary and strengthen their writing skills. “STEML” may not flow off the tongue as easily as STEM, but I believe without the L for literacy skills, there is no STEM.

Making the Most of Text Features

Comprehending informational texts includes understanding unique text features. Diagrams, captions for photos, bold print, and headings are just some of the features children might encounter in such text.

By including quality printed and digital informational texts in the classroom, we are laying the foundation. However, it isn’t enough to just have the materials available. We can’t assume that children will notice or understand the features that make informational text unique. When I was a student, I looked at a graph in a content area text as one less page to read. Well, I doubt I was the exception, and many of our students feel the same way. We have to draw their attention to the unique linguistic features of text in order for them to realize the important role graphs, charts, and other visuals play in conveying and extending information found in texts.

We can show our students how differently information is presented in a timeline of the transportation revolution versus an article on the same topic. Also, children can compare the writing used in an article on plants and the sequential steps in a science experiment explaining how to grow a plant. Student-created texts that contain text features can also be used to reinforce linguistic features. By displaying the text in the classroom, we are not only ensuring a print rich environment, but we are building our students’ confidence as literacy learners and reinforcing their content knowledge.

Strengthening Word Knowledge

Vocabulary is another area which can cause issues for our students. Everyone knows that vocabulary in the content areas is much more technical than that found in fictional stories. Therefore, we have to spend extra time focusing on the vocabulary demands of STEM texts.

There are so many engaging ways to develop vocabulary skills. Do a strategy search with other teachers and try some of the research based vocabulary strategies found. One of my favorite strategies is “Ten Important Words Plus” (Yopp and Yopp, 2007). For this strategy, children work in small groups to find ten words they think are important within a chunk of text. A class graph is then created, showing how often specific words were selected by student groups.

After discussing the graph and the words on it, the class is divided into new groups. The teacher selects one word off the graph and lets each group complete an activity with the word. Group tasks may include acting out a word, drawing a picture to depict the word’s meaning, finding other sources which contain the word, or creating a graphic aid containing synonyms and antonyms for the word. (Be creative and brainstorm some other tasks students might enjoy!)

After groups finish their assigned task and share the results, the teacher selects another word off the chart on which to focus. Group tasks should change after every few words in order to keep the students engaged.

This activity is a win-win in my eyes. Students are motivated because they get to select important words and work in groups, yet the teacher gets to choose the words which are focused on in class. Plus, chances are students will learn a lot more than the ten words they initially selected.

Writing with a Purpose

photo: jimmiehomeschoolmom via photopin cc

While dialogue journals have been popular for many years, their popularity may diminish as teachers look for ways to reinforce writing for various audiences and purposes. Writing to learn is a great time to draw students’ attention back to the linguistic features discussed earlier. Students need to consider the audience, purpose, and information conveyed as they develop visuals such as charts, timelines, headings, and other features in their own student-created texts.

We might have our students create an informational text for younger children in the school. Students can talk to the children, find out their areas of interest or a topic currently studied and create a text on the topic which includes graphs, timelines, or other features. Another idea is for students to interview adults who use math or science in their career. There are many ways to conduct the interviews. Adults might come to the classroom for the interviews, students might conduct the interviews outside of school, or perhaps the interviews can be done via Skype.

Students will not only learn about science, engineering, and math and the importance of those areas to the world around them, but they will also improve their oral communication skills as they ask questions and their written skills as they convey the information gathered to a wider audience.

Yes, I agree that STEM is important. However, I still wonder at times if we shouldn’t call it STEML…

Reference

Yopp, H.K., & Yopp, R.H. (2007). Ten important words: A strategy for building word knowledge. The Reading Teacher, 61(2), 157-160.

Jennifer L. Altieri, Ph.D. is the Literacy Division Coordinator in the School of Education at The Citadel in Charleston, SC, and the author of CONTENT COUNTS! DEVELOPING DISCIPLINARY LITERACY SKILLS, K-6. Jennifer will be speaking more about putting the L in stem as part of the Carolina curriculum leadership series at the National Science Teachers Association Conference in April. Her presentations will focus on helping teachers link literacy with science and math. Contact Jennifer at jenniferaltieri@bellsouth.net.



Building Content Literacy with Math Word Problems

Gerri Settoon is the newst state coordinator for the Louisiana Reading Association. She shares what the role means to her and her excitement about the upcoming convention in nearby San Antonio with Reading Today.

When did you decide you wanted to become an educator?

Modeling by wonderful teachers who really made a positive impact on students such as myself influenced me to become an educator. When I entered college as a freshman, my goal to make a difference in the lives of young people was already established.

Which books influenced your decision to become an educator?

Roland Barth’s books helped guide my decision to be an educational leader. His stories beguiled me in a vicarious manner to experience the same effects in my art and craft as a Teacher Leader, which is the Principal’s true role. By mentoring and guiding the classroom instructional leaders to become the best they could be in their own craft, students would be impacted through exposure to quality educational practices. Effective teaching ensures that students are truly engaged in learning and encourages them to become life-long learners.

When did you become involved in IRA, and how has your involvement influenced your career?

My first attendance at an IRA conference was the most memorable and life-changing educational experience that I had ever had in professional development at that point in my life thirty years ago. I immediately came home and joined my local reading council and the Louisiana Reading Association. Professional development became vital to me and enabled me to reach my educational goals over the years. That scenario probably would not have occurred without that awesome awakening/happening achieved at my very first IRA conference.

Congratulations on being elected IRA state coordinator for the Louisiana Reading Association. What are the state coordinator's responsibilities, and how does the role differ from council board members and other officers?

As State Coordinator, I envision this position as a more global role than the other council board members and officers. According to IRA, the basic job is one of assisting with the formation and maintenance of local and special interest councils in the state/province. Each officer has a designated job to perform. It may be to organize and run the meetings, record the minutes of the meeting, or pay the bills of the association. However, after reading all the requisites for the State Coordinator, the position is more of a generalist. I really believe the true encompassing role of the State Coordinator is to serve the LRA members and especially support the work of the State and Local Reading Council Officers such as offering ongoing support and guidance to local/student/special interest council officers. A team approach is vital in all working together to achieve the goals of the organization. As a team, we have the power of many brains working on solutions for the good of the state and local reading councils. Organizations today seem to struggle in their ability to attract younger members. The State Coordinator can help by increasing her/his visibility and communication throughout the state in promoting the benefits of our organization for all members. By doing so, we hope to stabilize established councils and our state organization and generate interest in the formation of new local councils in un-served areas. Encouraging interest in the organization by appealing to the interests of new members whether through social media exchanges, virtual conferences, or other communication events which excite or motivate younger members to participate in will hopefully grow our organization.

We hear you're going to the IRA Annual Convention in San Antonio. Which sessions or events are you looking forward to attending at the convention?

My interest in sessions and events at the IRA Annual Convention has changed over the years. In my early years as a teacher, I was glued to sessions on improving literacy in my instructional practices. When I became a Principal, I attended similar sessions to acquire information to share with my staff as well as sessions useful to school leaders. Now that I am retired, I look forward each year at the IRA convention to attending the leadership sessions, legislative advocacy sessions, technology sessions, community literacy involvement sessions, as well as the instructional practices events.

What's the most valuable advice you can give to someone entering the literacy education field?

For beginning teachers, I would recommend looking for the highest quality professional growth activities that you can participate in to become knowledgeable in literacy education. A college degree is only a beginning. To hone your skills as a literacy educator, read professional books, network with your fellow teachers in job-embedded activities, observe highly skilled educators’ instructional practices, attend professional development opportunities such as your State Association Annual Conference and the IRA Annual Convention, and become receptive to new ideas that help you to involve your students in meaningful learning experiences each day in your classroom.

What do you consider to be your proudest career moment?

My proudest moment as an educator was being selected as “Outstanding Achiever in Education” by the Bureau of Government Research Organization in our area. A beautiful framed award and $1,000 monetary gift accompanied the recognition. This selection was based on my high-poverty school’s turnaround academic achievement. Over a period of several years, we went from a score of around 38 to a score of 98. We were in competition with the top scoring schools across the district and managed to come in first or second during the years I was at the school.

What do you like to do when you're not wearing your educator hat?

Even when you retire, you can’t take the love of reading away. Reading for pleasure as well as knowledge is a daily practice. Many years ago, I met a man who was successful at everything that he achieved but he never attended college. For years, he worked as a self-trained engineer before becoming interested in the silver mining process. He learned all his knowledge in the library as a voracious reader. Where there is a will, there is a way, through reading and determination! For more active fun, I enjoy fishing. Even if the fish “aren’t biting”, it is lovely being on the water, rocking in a boat, and daydreaming in the sunshine!