Language Arts Block

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Home : 2001 : December : 27

Language Arts Block
By Debbie

Hi Jennifer,
Have you read Guiding Readers and Writers GL 3-6 yet? There are lots of practical suggestions for implementing and maintaining a LAB. Whatever you decide to do with additional lessons/activities, they should
have a purpose. You don't need to have a specific set of questions or activities for a particular book, you're right on target in letting the kids read and talk about good books with you as the facilitator. I usually listen in, and record some of the conversation as it's happening, then base my 'grades' (such as they are) on these. I'm recording examples they share on the basics

of story elements as well as connections, visualization, inferential thinking, and synthesis. The mini lessons (interactive read alouds, etc.) are based on what I've heard from them, to share models of thinking and understanding with the class. Strategies That Work, Mosaics of Thought, and Good bye Round Robin are all great professional books for minilessons...there are lots of others too. Hope this helps, if you have additional questions on how this translates for me to grades, or need recording forms, or more book suggestions, etc. please post or email. ;-D