April 22, 2009
Lesson Plan Part One: Balanced Literacy Planning
1A.
A basal is a set of tools for teachers that are teaching beginning-stage readers enclosed in a classroom text that help deliver instruction. Basal are very organized, and contain stories that are used illustrate and develop specific skills. The teacher's editions are organized with lots of information containing much more than the answer key to the questions. The teacher's edition contains suggestions for pre-reading, mid-reading and post-reading activities and assessments, as well as scripted questions to ask students at specific points in a story.
The basal I choice to use is Reading Take Me There by Scott Foresman. It is a basal used for first graders during month five. The publisher of the basal is Pearson Educational Incorporation. In the basal I choice the piece of literature is Lost! by David McPhail. The story Lost! Is based around themes getting lost and finding your way back.
Literature Focus units can be used with basal. They help teachers build background knowledge before reading, and afterwards students respond, explore, and apply what they learn. The literature focus unit is featured around the book. Thematic Units are used with a basal when students read stories and informational books, in which the teacher incorporates activities. Literature Circles can be used with basal with children read self-selected books in literature circles. There is a lot of emphasis placed on reading and responding, however students still also participate in other activities. Reading and Writing workshops can be used with a basal. In reading and wirting workshops the focus is on reading. Students activate background knowledge before reading and are involved in other stages afterward.
1B.
Phonemic Awareness
a. Phonemic awareness is the ability to distinguish the sounds, or phonemes, in spoken language as they relate to the written language.
b. A good resource for phonemic awareness can...