Language Arts Strand Project

Language Arts Strand Project Assignment Instructions

Overview of Strand Project

Effective teachers integrate the six language arts and incorporate opportunities in their classrooms for students to use all 6 strands—listening, talking, reading, writing, viewing, and visually representing. A sample vignette in chapter one illustrates this for first graders in Mrs. McNeal’s language arts classroom. For this project, you will select a specific grade level (K-5) and design a strand project to include the six language arts (listening, talking, reading, writing, viewing, and visually representing). You will integrate the 6 language arts into a text set, lesson plan, student activities, tiered activities and assessments, focusing on a specific standard strand in language arts. Activities from the Patterns of Practice can be utilized in the Language Arts strand project.

Specific Guidelines

1. Select a grade level (K–5 grade)
2. Decide if your primary focus will be on fiction or nonfiction (genre selection). The focus will be used throughout the project; however, books and reading sources do not all have to be from this genre.
3. Select state standards. If using Virginia SOLs, you can find the link on the Language Arts Strand Project Assignment page under Language Arts Strand Project Assignment Resources.
4. Design instructional activities relating to the six language arts—listening, talking, reading, writing, viewing, and visually representing. This includes the text set, mini lessons, and reading groups.
5. Finally, complete the activities listed next. Use the template provided to incorporate all activities, samples, and descriptions of activities. Do not attach extra documents. Any sample should be included in the template, scan in if need be.

Complete the following activities:

1. Text Set: In order to teach reading effectively, a teacher must select appropriate literature. Choose 5–6 books/reading materials to create the text set (read-aloud texts can be instructional level or higher; independent books must be at independent level). List all the books/reading materials indicating Lexile or grade level. Then, write a paragraph describing why this text set was selected and the topic of focus.
2. Lesson Plan: Create 1 lesson. While there would realistically be multiple lessons used with this text set, write only one lesson. Sometimes the lesson plan can be the central focus for the rest of the strand project, the first lesson to introduce the strand, but it does not have to be. This lesson must include a piece of high quality children’s literature. Use the template provided with this assignment. Your lesson you must include what is the BIG IDEA!
3. Mini-lessons: Include 6 activities (1 for each strand) that integrate teaching a language arts concept/skill. This is where your state standards may change. There needs to be a state standard for each mini-lesson. Provide the details of all activities and include all materials that a student will receive for each activity. Label each mini-lesson with the strand name. All 6 of these activities must not be ones used in the lesson plan. (FYI: the assessment will match the mini-lessons – see below.)
4. Reading Groups—Tiered Activities: Explain, in detail, activities that can be used to teach the following 4 level of students: Group 1) below grade level, Group 2) on grade level, Group 3) above grade level, and Group 4) English language learners. This activity will focus on only 2–3 strands. Clearly label groups, strands, and activities. Make sure reading is taking place. Activities also must be different from the ones used in your lesson plan!
5. Assessments: Create 3 assessments that will assess the concept/skill in 3 of the 6 mini-lessons. Provide all the required details and the actual assessment. Assume that you are giving this to an actual student and they need to understand what is expected. Two formative assessments and 1 summative assessment (a total of 3 assessments). Think about what you know about language arts. Do not reuse the assessment that was used in your lesson plan.

Additional Requirements

• Spelling and mechanics: Read through the document to ensure that there are no spelling or grammatical errors.
• Current APA format is followed. Reference page and abstract is needed. The abstract will describe the strand project: grade, topics, and reading focus.