Molly McMillen Venessa Lynch
Grade Level: 2
TALK TO ME IN WINTER!
A CBI Thematic And Integrated Unit
Length: Ten Lessons/ Each lesson to be done at various times through out a day/ ten days.
Subjects: SDAIE unit covering all subjects with a focus on English Language Arts.
Class Demographics
Size: 26
Ethnicity: 3 Hmong, 2 Hispanic, 1 Laos, 2 Native
American, 18 Caucasian
Proficiency: 6 LEP, 22 English Proficient
Level: 14 Students tested at grade level, 7 tested below, and 5 tested above.
Staffing One CLAD trained teacher One aid for three hours each morning Three parent volunteers once a week for 1-2 hours each.
Room Arrangement
The desks are arranged in 4 groups of 4 and 2 groups of
5 in a square. This facilitates group work and
cooperation. The class contains four centers for which
we set aside 15 min. each day. The students are free
to choose which one to work at. These centers are:
Reading/Listening Center, Math Center, Music/Art Center,
and Science Center. All of the centers follow a theme
and therefore reinforce each other while reaching all
students through the different learning styles.
Materials
*Books in class Library
*Paper, Pencils, Pens
*Tape player, tapes
*Visual Aids/Posters
*Slide Projector/materials
*Bulletin Boards
*Art materials
*Measuring devices
*Calendar
*Chart paper
INTRODUCTIONS
It is assumed that, due to the demographics of the class, the teaching will be modified to the students' level of comprehension. This may involve the teacher repeating words, phrases, etc., using hand gestures, and encouraging student-to-student learning.
The design of the curriculum caters to the students' needs for the different learning styles. This involves the use of visual aids, hands-on activities, and group discussions. To aid in this process the classroom could have different learning centers that
focus on one or more of these senses. For example the Reading/Listening Center would include books and posters for the visual senses and tapes for the auditory senses.
The idea behind this thematic unit is to include all aspects of academic learning. To accomplish this, all subjects will be taught through the topic. It should be noted that by doing this we are teaching English-Language Arts as well as the topic, simply
because the lessons are in specially modified English.
The learning environment will include much use of interactive bulletin boards, posters, maps, globes, books, slides, pictures, and music. There are several different learning centers around the room which will be set up toward the topic and available to t
he students during "free time'..
The classroom instruction will provide the students with ample opportunities to ask questions, voice their thoughts, and interact without feeling inhibited. In other words, we have designed the class environment to have a low affective filter atmosphere s
o that the students reap all the positive benefits of learning.
To aid the teacher in presenting this CBI unit there are side notes included at various points in the lesson plans. These are designed to help in clarifying the rationale behind the activities and give suggestions on how to make the material more comprehe
nsible.
TALE TO ME WINTER!
A CBI UNIT
The lessons were chosen in an effort to cover all academic subjects with the topic of winter. Some of the lessons do function independently and can be used as a springboard for other lessons on this topic.
Preparation:
Have the students make the calendar pieces for the month of
the lesson. Make winter poem dice for class and each student
and each student can make one to take home.
Lesson 1: THE LANGUAGE OF WINTER
Subjects: English-Language Arts Topic: What words we associate with winter Summary: Begin with poem from the die and do the calendar. Brainstorming session with students listing what they associate with winter. Begin the personal winter word dictionaries.
Read "ALFALFA HIIL" by Parnall and "WINTER'S COMING" by Bunting to introduce the topic.
Lesson 2: WHAT IS WINTER?
Subjects: English-Language Arts, Performing Arts Topic: What winter means to the students Summary: Begin with poem from the die and do the calendar. Give students a writing prompt "When I think of winter I think of...". Have students bring in stuff for sh
ow and tell about the topic.
Lesson 3: WINTER MEASUREMENTS
Subjects: Math, English-Language Arts Topic: Discovering winter through math Summary: Begin with poem from the die and do the calendar. calendar. Students work in groups at different stations and record findings. Make class chart of findings afterwards. D
eals with estimation, measurement, and recording data.
Lesson 4: THE WATER CYCLE
Subjects: Science, English-Language Arts Topic: The different forms of H2O Summary: Begin with poem from the die and do the calendar. Lab on water cycle followed by discussion of discoveries.
Lesson 5: CELEBRATING WINTER
Subjects: Geography, History, English Language Arts Topic: Winter celebrations around the world Summary: Begin with a poem from the die and do the calendar. Read a story. Discussion on other parts of the world and how they celebrate the winter season. Sho
w slides on various celebrations, costumes, symbols and customs.
Lesson 6: ANIMALS IN WINTER
Subjects: Performing Arts, English Language Arts, Geography
Topic: Winter Animals
Summary: Begin with a poem from the die and do the calendar.
Begin reading "Winter Barn.' by Parnall Discuss their
habitats and why some animals live differently than others
- and what part of the world they live in during the winter.
Lesson 7: WINTER POETRY
Subjects: English Language Arts Topic: Writing poetry Summary: Begin with a poem from the die and do the calendar. Read more of "Winter Barn" by Parnall. Show samples of poetry. Review the winter dictionary. Write their own poem and have the option of sha
ring their poetry.
Lesson 8: VISIONS OF VIVALDI ~
Subjects: Visual Arts, Music, English Language Arts Topic Winter art by students' Summary: Begin with a poem from the die and continue to read "Winter Barn.'. Continue with the calendar. Play classical winter pieces such as ''Winter.' by Vivaldi. Have stu
dents sketch the visions of winter they hear when listening to the music.
Lesson 9: VISIONS OF VIVALDI PART TWO
Subjects: Visual Arts, Music, English Language Arts Topic: Winter art by students Summary: Begin with a poem from the die. Play Vivaldi's "Winter'' piece. Have students' paint what they sketched from the previous day. Continue to read "Winter Barn" and co
ntinue to work on the calendar.
Lesson 10: AFTER WINTER
Subjects: English Language Arts, Performing Arts Topic: The completion of the winter season Summary: Begin with a poem from the die. Finish reading "Winter Barn" by Parnall. Finish the student interactive bulletin board. Work on calendar.
Post Lessom: BOOK MAKING
Subjects: Visual and Performing Arts Topic: Making books of winter Summary: Have each student make their own winter book which includes all of their winter work.
IV. MATERIALS
*Poetry die
*Calendar and calendar pieces
*Paper and pencils
*Tape player
*Tape with Winter by Vivaldi and other classical winter pieces
V. MODES OF PRESENTATION
Procedures
1. Begin with reading a poem from the poetry die and continue the calendar.
2. Continue reading Winter Barn by Parnall and discussion of the story.
Play Vivaldi's Winter and have students listen to it and think of what they picture when they listen to it. Explain to the students that they will be painting a picture of winter the following day.
VISIONS OF VIVALDI
Lesson 8
of
Talk To Me In Winter: A CBI Unit
TOPIC: Winter art by students
SUBJECTS: Visual Arts, Music, English Language Arts
I. GOALS: To enrich the students' artistic abilities and for them to gain an appreciation for the visual arts. To enhance their awareness of other valuable modes of learning such as music.
II. OBJECTIVES:
1. Have the students' visualize what they feel, hear and see in winter when they listen to classical music.
2. Take those emotions and express them in a sketch.
III. TYPE AND ORGANIZATION OF LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Individual hearing, seeing and doing of lesson
Give each student paper and pencils to sketch what they would like to paint. While they sketch, you can play other winter music. For the students who finish their sketch early can begin their painting.
5.
Have students help clean up.
6. Discuss Music and Art as ways to explore winter.
VI. EVALUATION
The objectives of this lesson plan will be evaluated through discussion and through how well students do listening and thinking about winter through Music and Art.
VII. EXTENSION
Look at various artists interpretations of winter either through books or in a slide show. Ask kids to bring in winter music to listen to.
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