Language Arts

I was a little nervous at the beginning of the EDUC 337 since this was my first virtual class with Columbia College.  Virtual learning in an interesting experience but I was able to learn a lot about Language Arts.  I always thought Language Arts was just reading and writing but now I know Language Arts is much, much more.  I am excited to get to teach students Readers Theater.  Even thought I do not plan on being in a regular education classroom I will be able to use a lot of the same techniques that were discussed in my Special Education classroom.                

My book list for my Unit on Fall is pretty long but I wanted to have a large variety of fiction and nonfiction books that my Kindergartners can explore and read.    Book List for October Fall Language Arts Unit There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves by Lucille Colandro (2010) This book is based on the traditional Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly but in this story the Old Lady swallowed leaves that had fallen from a tree.  She continues to swallow more fall related things and the students will have to predict what will happen at the end of the story.      Pick A Circle, Gather Squares a Fall Harvest of Shapes by Felicia Sanzari Chernesky (2013) This book is not just about harvesting crops in the fall but also the colors and shapes that we see around us during this wonderful season.  The illustrations are breathtaking and the students can play I Spy while they read the book.  Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner (2015) Leaf Man by Lo

     In class we went over chapter 12 and 13, which were very short chapters but full of great information.  We took time to let the information soak in and we got to research the web site of one our favorite authors.  I had the opportunity to do this activity in my Young Adult Literature class and it was an eye opening experience.           I researched Eric Carle web site, www.eric-carle.com which has a section for teachers to submit lessons that they have done with books by Eric Carle.  There was a complete list of Eric Carle books that are in print and those that are no longer being published.    I liked how we talked about graphic organizers in class.  Dr. Hanna uses them in all of his graduate classes so it was nice that another teacher finds them useful as well.  My favorite one to use with preschoolers is a t-chart.           I had no problem thinking of the unit that I wanted to focus on.  However it is taking me awhile to think of how I will write the lesson plans.  There