Connects with Print
How to Teach Reading Lesson Plans: Uses language to establish a connection and to interact with print.
1) Follows oral and written directions
Write directions on the board. The student will participate by reading the directions, and then drawing what each set of directions tells them to do. For example, draw a box. Inside the box draw a smaller box. Inside that box draw a smaller box. Color the smallest box red. Color the next box green. Color the largest box yellow.
Have students paint a picture of a scene. Write a short story to go with the picture.
Have students look at a painting or fine art print. Ask students to describe the scene, characters, or event, including all details. Observe all of the colors, shapes, etc. Try to determine the artist’s purpose or meaning of the painting. Write a story that might go with the picture.
Have students create a summary painting of a selection of poetry or a book.
Dramatize an historical event. Students will recreate the scenery or setting, characters in costume, props, etc. for an event that occurred in history. A dialogue or script may be written by the students to act out the event.
Use the Dance Glossary found in the Mississippi Fine Arts Framework. Select several terms from the glossary. Divide students into groups. Assign each group a term. Ask students to write the term and the definition on a large sheet of paper. The students will then demonstrate the terms, such as locomotion, shape, direction. The teacher may give oral directions. Ask the groups to switch words until each group has demonstrated each term.
Use the Theatre Arts Glossary found in the Mississippi Fine Arts Framework. Students will take turns demonstrating a dramatic term such as pantomime, as the student or the teacher recites a poem, tells a story, etc.
Use the Visual Arts Glossary found in the Mississippi Fine Arts Framework. Students will create a picture by following the written directions of the teacher, utilizing new terms. Example: Create a picture that has a tall tree in the foreground, a lake in the middle ground, and some hills in the background.
2) Demonstrates comprehension of words, sentences, directions and stories
Write a description of a musical selection. Then write a brief story to go with the music, including characters and setting, and plot.
Cut out pictures of faces that show “happy,” “sad,” “scared,” etc. Write descriptive words and sentences by the pictures of faces.
Have students make a picture book of themes such as “the weather,” “colors,” etc. Write descriptive words and sentences by the pictures.
3) Communicates in written form
Guide students to use journals to make predictions, write story summaries, determine cause and effect, identify story problem/solution, etc., then read journal entries during sharing time (not mandatory, but by choice).
Guide students to keep response logs to respond to stories.
Guide students to use story maps to answer questions about setting, characters, plot, story conflict, story solution and theme.
Provide opportunities to use graphic organizers to create story maps.
Provide opportunities to write a book review of a story. The students will give a brief synopsis of story. The students will tell why they liked or disliked the story and who they think would like to read this story (book). Next, they make a recommendation being sure to give details to support their reasoning.
Provide opportunities to make a chain with cut-out words to form a sentence. Arrange the sentences to make a paragraph.
Write directions for a choreographed dance. Example: Divide students into groups. Ask each group to choreograph an interpretation of a poem or short story (create a sequence of dance movements). Each group will choreograph only one section of the poem or story. Some of the students in each group may play simple rhythm instruments to accompany the dance. Each group will write detailed directions for the dance steps and movements. The use of accurate terminology should be encouraged. Vocabulary words from the Dance Glossary of the Mississippi Fine Arts Framework or other dance references may be used in this activity. Ask each group to share their written instructions with other members of the class. Revise the directions if needed, so that they may be easily understood.
Write an original poem to go with a musical selection.
4) Identifies/spells many words
Have students find prefixes and suffixes from a story and make new sentences using these words.
Distribute alphabet cards, giving one to each child. If more than 26 children, distribute second set whose letters are most frequently used more than once in a word (e.g., e, t, r, etc.). Students with second set should be instructed to come up only if the letter is used twice. The teacher pronounces a word. The students come to front of room if the letter they are holding is in that word. The students arrange themselves in proper order to spell the word correctly (Human Spelling).
Write daily news on chart as it is dictated by the class. The teacher uses this time to teach spelling patterns, phonics, etc. While writing news, the teacher stops writing and calls on someone to spell the next word.
Provide opportunities to write a story or scripted play to dramatize a wordless picture book.
Provide opportunities to make a “Book of Bags.” Collect paper bags from various grocery stores, book stores, etc., and bind into a book. Use the books to write vocabulary words of an assigned theme (include illustrations with each word).
Divide students into groups to act out selected words, write vocabulary words and definitions. As the teacher calls out a word, each student or group will perform movements to demonstrate the meaning of the assigned word. Music may be played during this activity.
5) Spells frequently-used words correctly
Demonstrate common vowel combinations. Select one student to be the first vowel, and one student to be the second vowel. Have the vowels walk together, saying the vowel names. Add other letters (consonants) to spell words. Focus on different combinations each day until all common combinations are learned: ai, ay, ee, ea, ie, oa, ow, ou.
6) Expands sight vocabulary [Refer to page 62]
Present vocabulary. The students will use words to label parts of a picture. The students’ labels gives brief descriptions of objects pictured.
Read a story. The students will keep a log of new words learned. The students can suggest synonyms, antonyms, etc.
Present vocabulary. Students divide into pairs. The partners will relate each word to a personal experience (Pair and Share). Each partner listens for a unique (one-of-a-kind) experience that best describes a vocabulary word. Students return as a group to share their partners’ most unique experience. Partners can describe a personal experience using at least three (3) vocabulary words. The students return to group and each child shares one personal experience told by his/her partner.
Use word webs to develop and expand vocabulary.
Provide vocabulary words from a story. The students will choose a word and write a sentence that would help someone unfamiliar with the word understand what the word means.
Have partners summarize story in story boards. Have them use as many vocabulary words as possible with their captions. Share story boards with peers.
Guide students to categorize words. Have students read text and search for words related to the categories set up by the teacher. To get students started, have them write one under each category. Next, have students make a booklet of the words and definitions grouped by categories. Next, draw picture(s) to represent each category.
Have students to pantomimes skits. Divide class into four (4) groups. Assign vocabulary words to each group. Have groups develop pantomime skits that demonstrate the meaning or definition of each word on their list.
Allow students to use newspaper or magazines to make a collage or a booklet of often – used words.
Display the lyrics to a familiar song (e.g., a folk song or patriotic song). Ask students to pick out the words that are used most often. Identify new words found in the lyrics; learn the spelling and definition of the new words.
Hold up flash cards of sight words. Students must quickly say the word or phrase and demonstrate by acting it out (e.g., a bouncing ball, a washing machine, a table, etc.).
Have students make a Predictable Book (e.g., Brown Bear, Brown Bear) as a class or individually with new sight words.
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