Miss Gehring's Website - ELA Overview

Reading

Reading instruction will be provided in a combination of both whole and small group settings. In whole group, mini lessons will introduce new skills to students and provide them with an opportunity to practice new skills. In a small group, students will take a centers-based approach to learning. Students will complete various independent literacy activities, while being provided small group instruction by the teacher in the classroom. Small group activities include independent practice of reading, writing and vocabulary skills.

Novels

Students will be reading novels in each unit of study. Novel titles include: Freak the Mighty, The Watsons Go To Birmingham-1963, The Giver, and The Boy on the Wooden Box. Each novel addresses a theme that will be approached within the unit. Below you can find audio guides for each novel. Students are encouraged to use the audio guide when reading independently. These links will also be posted on Google Classroom for students to use. All families are encouraged to read the novels with their student!

Freak the Mighty - audiobook
The Watsons Go To Birmingham - 1963 - audiobook
The Giver - audiobook (*Note: this book is tough. All families are encouraged to read the book ahead of time and to discuss it nightly with their student!)
The Boy on the Wooden Box - audiobook

Vocabulary

Students will be working with two types of vocabulary - academic and novel-based. Students will be practicing with vocabulary skills including: connotation and denotation, word origins, forms of words, multiple meaning words, and parts of speech. Novel-based vocabulary will include context clues strategies and connotative and denotative meanings through the use of read aloud texts, book club novels, and independent reading books.

I-Ready

This year, students will be using i-Ready in literacy! In September, January and May, students will be taking the i-Ready diagnostic, which will help guide our small group instruction for throughout the year. Additionally, it will provide students with access to their customized learning path.

The "My path" opportunity on i-Ready allows students to participate in engaging lessons that will help them develop skills to grow in literacy this year. The learning path is designed specifically for each learner based on the results of their diagnostics. Students will be expected to spend a minimum of 30 minutes each week on their individual learning path. I-Ready also provides opportunities for teacher assigned lessons and enrichment activities. For more information regarding i - Ready, check out their family center by clicking the attached link! We are so excited for the additional learning opportunities this platform will be providing our students!

Writing

Writing Workshop will be the main method of writing instruction. Writing workshop allows students the opportunity to write across various genres, styles and audiences. We will be using Schoolwide as our writing curriculum throughout the year. Writing will also be factored into a student's overall ELA grade.