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Literacy Lessons, K–8

Connecting Activities to Standards and Students to Communities

By: Helen Hoffner

Build your students' literacy skills through a full range of outstanding lessons and activities!

Offering a wealth of hands-on activities and lesson plans, this classroom-ready guide helps K–8 teachers advance student achievement in all areas of literacy. Now you can engage students by connecting literacy with students' lives, involving family, friends, and the community. Tied to IRA/NCTE and McREL standards, the lessons include everything teachers need for implementation, featuring:

Literature lists, step-by-step directions, sample student forms, and assessments
Adaptations for English language learners
Methods for differentiating by grade level and student ability
Samples of student work

Full description

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Product Details

Grade Level: PreK-12
ISBN: 9781412981477
Published By: Corwin
Year: 2010
Page Count: 136
Publication date: August 17, 2012

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Description

"This is a time-saving treasure with a comprehensive selection of literacy activities. The literature choices and related lessons will motivate and engage a diverse population of learners."
—Eileen Baker, Supervisor of K–12 Reading and K–8 Language Arts, Cinnaminson Township School District, NJ

"These easy-to-follow lessons provide educators with opportunities to help children meet the standards while enjoying children's literature and positive interactions."
—Kathleen Quinn, Professor, Holy Family University

Build your students' literacy skills through a full range of outstanding lessons and activities!

Offering a wealth of complete, classroom-ready activities and lesson plans, this standards-based guide helps K–8 teachers advance student achievement in all areas of literacy, including reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing.

Helen Hoffner shows teachers how to engage students by connecting literacy learning with students' lives, involving family, friends, and the community. Tied to IRA/NCTE and McREL literacy standards, the lessons include everything teachers need for implementation, featuring:

Step-by-step directions, sample student forms, and assessments
A literature list with recommendations for Grades K–2, 3–5, and 6–8
Adaptations for English language learners
Methods for differentiating by grade level and student ability
Samples of student work

With bonus literacy-focused arts and crafts projects included, this is your go-to resource for hands-on activities that build connections between students, literature, and the community.

Author(s)

Helen Hoffner

Helen Hoffner is an Associate Professor at Holy Family University where she teaches graduate and undergraduate literacy courses and directs the program leading to reading specialist certification. Her research interests include investigations of literacy related technology such as electronic books and the use of captioned and visually described television and film programs to improve literacy. She serves as an educational consultant for 20^th Century Fox/MGM Entertainment Corporation and has developed a series of captioned films to help children and adults improve their reading ability.

Dr. Hoffner has been an elementary classroom teacher, reading specialist, director of a school for students with learning disabilities, and supervisor of student teachers. She has chaired school evaluation teams for the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and has presented workshops for educators throughout the United States and Canada. In addition to writing many journal articles and instructional manuals, Dr. Hoffner has written several books for teachers including, The Elementary Teacher’s Digital Toolbox, Reading and Writing Mysteries in Grades 4 to 8, A Look at Realistic Fiction, and Learning Disabilities: What Research Tells Us.

Helen Hoffner is proud to be a teacher and to share her classroom experiences and lesson planning suggestions with current and future educators.

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Standards

Part I. Lesson Plans and Activities to Enhance Storytelling

1. Reading

Hometown History

Savoring the Setting

Diaries at Daybreak

A Story in a Poem

Postcard Possibilities

2. Writing

If These Walls Could Talk...

Story Letters

Hats Off to the Storytellers

The Story of My Favorite Hat

3. Speaking and Listening

Sing a Story

Making Introductions

Honoring Your Friends

A Picturesque Town

Voices Tell the Story

4. Viewing

Freeze Frame: Storytelling With Wordless Picture Books

Picture Your Life

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Part II. The Arts and Crafts of Literacy: Projects to Enhance Literacy Experiences

5. Costume Corners

6. Puppets

7. Motivating Writers

8. Fabric Crayon Projects

9. Quilting Memories

10. Family Literacy Experiences: Sharing and Preserving Memories

Part III. Literacy Resources

References

Reviews

"This is a time-saving treasure with a comprehensive selection of literacy activities. Teachers and administrators will love the variety of lessons that encompass the four major components of language arts literacy instruction. This clear and concise book provides an array of literature choices and related lessons that will be sure to motivate and engage a diverse population of learners.”

Eileen Baker, Supervisor of K-12 Reading and K-8 Language Arts
Cinnaminson Township School District, NJ

"Hoffner has written an accessible and engaging book that provides well-crafted and creative lesson plans with clear directions and well-thought-out assessments. These easy-to-follow lessons provide educators with opportunities to help children meet the standards while enjoying children’s literature and positive interactions. Postcard Possibilities and Hats Off to Storytellers are two lessons that I am looking forward to trying with my students this semester.”

Kathleen Quinn, Professor
Holy Family University

“This book is full of entertaining activities that keep students engaged in using meaningful language in purposeful ways. This text offers great ideas for promoting discussions that encourage children to share family and culture and learn about one another. The lessons provide the language foundation needed to support quality student writing.”

Carol Gallegos, Literacy Coach
Hanford Elementary School District, Lemoore, CA

“This book would be an excellent addition to any educator’s library of resources. I will use these ideas in my classroom next year.”

Elizabeth Martin, Former Assistant Head of Lower School
Garrison Forest School, Owings Mills, MD

“Helen Hoffner’s book offers a good balance of theory, research, and applied material. The connections to the standards are essential. This text provides a framework for helping teachers match instruction to standards.”

Carleene Slowik, Principal
Haviland Avenue School, Audubon, NJ

"This book helps busy teachers, librarians, and youth group leaders plan and implement successful projects with children and their families and addresses educational standards with authentic, memorable activities.”

Grace O’Neill, Associate Professor of Education
Holy Family University

"By using common items and joining them to the community in which students live, real-life experiences will increase literacy and the enjoyment of reading. All of the information and activities are connected with national standards and age levels. Very much appreciated and recommended."

Library Media Connection
May/June 2011, Volume 29, #6

Other Titles in: Teaching Methods & Learning Styles | Elementary Teaching Methods | Literacy, K-12

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