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ELA Lesson/unit #4 developed
at the D&D Year-end Meeting, June 1, 2000
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| Grade Level(s):
2
- 12, varied appropiately |
| English Proficiency
Level: all |
| Materials:
Books about the immigrant experience, research materials for theme, compare/contrast
graphic organizer, rubrics for scoring essays, presentations & letters. |
| NYC English Language
Arts (ELA) Standard: Writing E2a. Student produces a report.
E2b. Students produces a response to literature. |
Effective Practices
for ELL Framework: Center for Research on Education, Diversity
& Excellence (CREDE);
Principle 1: Joint productive activity among teachers
and students.
Principle 2: Develop language competence through
all activities.
Principle 3: Challenge students towards cognitive
complexity.
Principle 4: Engage students through instructional
dialogue. |
| Activity Description:
The
class first reads one book together about the immigrant experience. Teacher
asks students to identify some of the themes around immigration contained
in the book (example: prejudice). Class can either choose one theme, or
individual groups can choose different themes.
Working in groups of 3-4, students research the
theme through secondary sources/Internet, and through interviewing other
immigrants (e.g. their parents.) They keep journals, and write individual
paragraphs or essays (depending on grade level) comparing and contrasting
their experiences with this theme to that of the character in the book.
(can use compare/ contrast graphic organizer as pre-writing tool) Also
individually, they write a letter to one of the characters in the book.
They then read other books about immigrants and
do the same. Finally, each group prepares a presentation to the class about
what they have learned about their theme. Teacher uses a wall concept map
to add each group's contributions as they make their presentations. |
| Assessment: Rubrics
for scoring essays, letters and presentations are shared ahead of time.
Students evaluate each other's essays and presentations using the rubrics.
Class creates a group concept map of their theme. |
| How Activity embodies
the Framework: Students develop their reports together, evaluate
each other's work, engage in cognitively complex tasks such as comparing
and contrasting, abstracting, synthesizing. |
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