Does this exist? Mini Lessons on literary elements for early elementary

[lorisuewho]

What I want to do is teach a literary mini lesson once a week based on literary terms or literary elements like those listed in Reading Strands with my boys. I hope to start this in January or maybe not even until next school year.

 

I want to do lessons like: 1. Read The Little Red Hen. 2. Discuss the term "characterization" 3. Talk about how we can infer character traits from characters' actions. 4. Ask these socratic type questions about characters in the Little Red Hen (with the questions listed out for me). and then 5. Make a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the hen with her friends.

 

I made up the above from my head, but if something like this already exists to teach literary elements, I don't really need to reinvent the wheel.

 

We did FIAR last year (which I loved), but that is really not what I am looking for now. I just want something on the elements, not a full curriculum.

 

Any ideas?

[Chelli]

I purchased this during a Scholastic Dollar Sale about a year ago. I haven't used it yet, but I am looking through it to begin teaching from it. It is very similar to what you described.

[HSinNH]

:bigear:

[alisoncooks]

Double post

[alisoncooks]

I picked this up at Barnes & Noble a few weeks ago, and I really like the look of it. Lots of stories I can see myself using it with (I plan on using it with our read-alouds). Doesn't hit on all the lit. elements, but covers a lot for early elem. (Though it may be more basic than what you're looking for...)

[GoVanGogh]

Susan Hall has several books called, "Using Picture Story Books..."

The first two volumes are available used at great prices. (New copies are pricey!) Many reviews said they used older books that are hard to find, but I haven't found that to be true. I have (and love!) volume 1 and 2 and used them just as you describe. I like that everything (literary elements and art concepts) are cross referenced so you can use the same book for multiple lessons.

[rachelpants]

:bigear:

 

Please update and let me know what you decide on!!! I'm currently using Spalding...but I would love to include something like this. I'm skipping most of the LA elements in Spalding (except the handwriting, spelling, phonics, reading)...because the style doesn't appeal to me.

 

Here is something I have bookmarked, but haven't looked closely at yet:

 

http://www.coreknowledge.org/mimik/mimik_uploads/lesson_plans/1139/K_TeachingLanguageArtsinKindergarten.pdf

Edited October 24, 2012 by rachelpants

[Hunter]

Lori,

 

I have tons of stuff on this topic and don't even know what I have. A lot of it I collected before I went through a stage of heavy seizing about 1 1/2 years ago, and suffered quite a bit of memory loss, that drove me here to the K-8 board to remediate my lost division skills, and I've been camped out here since. I'm still surprised every week by things I find on my hard drive and bookcases. I had just latched onto the idea of using picture books for higher functioning students, even before in general diving into K-8 materials for myself, and my lower functioning students. So I have everything from K-college level. I just don't know what.

 

I've stopped teaching much literary analysis in K-4. McGuffey's does not teach comprehension until decoding is mastered. In my opinion, literary analysis comes after comprehension. Also I believe literature study to be an art. I only teach enough art skills, to help a student ENJOY and be nurtured by art. When I start turning art into a scholastic subject that is no longer focused on the strengthening the spirit, I pull back.

 

Mind, body, spirit. I identify which of these a topic is supposed to strengthen and make sure I keep the topic doing that. For example we do read some game rules for physical education, but I keep the book work to a minimum and keep physical education focused on strengthening the body. 3R's-mind. Arts-spirit. PE-body.

 

If you look through CGE, you will see bits of literary analysis (not always labeled as such) spread though the poetry, book reports and story writing. Having all the levels of CGE helps us calm down and WAIT to complicate each topic. For example, for paragraph writing grade 2 indents paragraphs and keeps the words in the margins and makes sure sentences follow each other and do not each start on their own line. Grade 3 makes sure each paragraph is about 1 topic. The topic sentence is not introduced until grade 4. If we try to do that all in grade 2, it's too much for the student.

 

We can do some lit analysis when we read aloud, as the student is not trying to decode. But there are only so many hours in the day. We need to carefully pick our lit terms, or we are not going to ever finish the early levels of McGuffey and CGE. I suggest looking through the CGE poetry, story writing and book reports and ONLY pick out those terms that will strengthen the student's ability to do those assignments at the difficulty suggested.

 

My favorite literary term curriculum is "Movies as Literature". I wait until I think a student is ready for this curriculum before teaching heavy lit analysis. Doing things early often is NOT the most efficient way to do them. It's a new thing historically to teach literary analysis to babies. It makes us FEEL like good teachers, but I'm not so sure it DOES make us good teachers.

 

That said, I'm happy to start pawing through my stash, if you are still interested. Just let me know.

[lorisuewho]

Thank you for the links. I'm checking them out and I will post back if I find anything else in the search.

 

Hunter, thank you for your food for thought. I love the PA literature, so I was looking for something like that but not that intense on every book. ..something easier for my younger crowd.

[SilverMoon]

Thank you for the links. I'm checking them out and I will post back if I find anything else in the search.

 

Hunter, thank you for your food for thought. I love the PA literature, so I was looking for something like that but not that intense on every book. ..something easier for my younger crowd.

 

You might read Deconstructing Penguins. It's a book for you to read, with oodles of examples of literary analysis done with younger children. It's a gem. I've had my whole family, from early grammar stage to upper logic stage break down Charlotte's Web on the white board similar to the way it was done in that book. They all asked when we were going to do that again. :001_smile:

[SilverMoon]

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Edited October 18, 2023 by SilverMoon

[Walking-Iris]

It may not be what you're looking for considering the age range of your kids, but Bravewriter Arrow guides focus on a literary element for the month based on the read aloud. There's no lessons. Just an overview of that element, so it would be up to you how to teach/present that.

 

I usually talk about it before we start our read aloud and post it and then try to find examples of that throughout our reading. Then at the end of the month we complete the writing exercise that highlights that element. It's all very oral and informal really.

 

Deconstructing Penguins is a great book. It's more a how to for a book club, but a great guide in how to teach.

[lorisuewho]

You might read Deconstructing Penguins. It's a book for you to read, with oodles of examples of literary analysis done with younger children. It's a gem. I've had my whole family, from early grammar stage to upper logic stage break down Charlotte's Web on the white board similar to the way it was done in that book. They all asked when we were going to do that again. :001_smile:

 

I thought it was a great book also which is why I then bought Reading Strands. I think I am capable of coming up with lessons and discussing these elements, but I was looking to see if there was something already done. Perhaps that is lazy! Charlotte's Web was a great choice for a book discussion.

 

 

 

Oh! You also might look into Lightning Literature 1. It's not precisely what you're looking for, but it does look fun. This year it's free for the downloading.

 

I'll check this out. Thanks for the link.

 

It may not be what you're looking for considering the age range of your kids, but Bravewriter Arrow guides focus on a literary element for the month based on the read aloud. There's no lessons. Just an overview of that element, so it would be up to you how to teach/present that.

 

I usually talk about it before we start our read aloud and post it and then try to find examples of that throughout our reading. Then at the end of the month we complete the writing exercise that highlights that element. It's all very oral and informal really.

 

Deconstructing Penguins is a great book. It's more a how to for a book club, but a great guide in how to teach.

 

Thank you. :) That looks like something we could use in the future.

[Hunter]

This is such a HUGE subject. Do you have any idea how you want to be less intense, or what your priorities are? This subject can just swallow me whole and spit me out, if I'm not careful.

 

Before I got declared as "unlikely to recover" and dropped by the rehabiliation department, the plan was for me to go back to school for writing. I'm told I have a strong and unique, but raw writing voice. :tongue_smilie: It's just not strong and unique enough for someone who doesn't always know what year it is. :lol: When I was trying to sign a form soon after a seizure she kept prompting me the day, then with some concern the month, but then I said, "Yeah, but what year is it?" It was all downhill from there with her, after that.

 

So I own and have read a ton of books on this subject, but what I remember is SO fragmented. But I do remember that THE book that helped me focus was Write Like Hemingway. This cute little hardcover book is a favorite among the homeless in my city, after I introduced it to them. Hemingway is the favorite author of many ESL and remedial students. His minimalistic writing style is understandable to them and a better role model that many other authors.

 

When it came to planning my literature appreciation and writing goals, this book helped me narrow down my goals. I skim it each time I get ready to focus in on some serious literature appreciation study for myself or someone who is asking for my help. This book was like reading Climbing Parnassus after reading TWTM.

 

I still never read all of the PA Noah lit book. I mostly just plugged into the reading LIST and started reading the books. I enjoyed Bambi, and am forever grateful for the tip. And the section on Mother Goose was fascinating to me. DOING PA lit just isn't going to happen here either any time soon. The reading list is concise and well thought out, though, and I keep referring to it. The upcoming election has brought out an American focus in me, and the PA list is uniquely American.

 

Even reducing lit appreciation to mini lessons isn't enough for me. Yeah, but WHICH mini lessons do I choose? I'll be interested to see what you come up with.

 

The boys are not at all ready for this book, but I can't help but link to Those Who Can, as an efficient way to teach literary elements.

 

Oh and thanks for reminding me about Math Mammoth. I'm looking at some samples today.

[Hunter]

Lori, did you look at the free scope and sequence for Core Knowledge. There are literary terms listed in the literature sections for each grade. I see separate lists under "fiction" and "poetry" for some years.

[lorisuewho]

Lori, did you look at the free scope and sequence for Core Knowledge. There are literary terms listed in the literature sections for each grade. I see separate lists under "fiction" and "poetry" for some years.

 

No, I didn't! That is a great idea! Thank you!!

[stm4him]

Have you looked at Teaching the Classics? They use picture books to teach literary elements. Also, Homeschool Curriculum Co. Has a super, super cheap (like less then $5) literary mastery (or something like that) curriculum. All it is is two charts for them to memorize with literary terms and definitions. We are slowly working through it and the nice thing is that once they have that term imbedded in their memory I can pull it out at any time and ask them to find examples of it in the book they are reading, etc. I love the approach of memorize, then discuss and apply. I love it much more than the other way around, discuss and practice applying and then try to memorize......

[lorisuewho]

Also, Homeschool Curriculum Co. Has a super, super cheap (like less then $5) literary mastery (or something like that) curriculum. All it is is two charts for them to memorize with literary terms and definitions. We are slowly working through it and the nice thing is that once they have that term imbedded in their memory I can pull it out at any time and ask them to find examples of it in the book they are reading, etc. I love the approach of memorize, then discuss and apply. I love it much more than the other way around, discuss and practice applying and then try to memorize......

 

 

I would be very interested in this. Can you link me to this curriculum company? Thanks!