Amy LaLonde, Elementary, Tucksaseegee Elementary
(PDF)
Abstract
In this day of technology students spend more time playing video games than playing dolls or monopoly. It is almost as if they have lost the ability to use their imagination and really play. In this unit students will use their imaginations to show what they learn from reading both fiction and informational texts. In order to have them respond to literature, they will read two books in the Magic Tree House series relating to the topic of Ancient Egypt. They will respond to those books by pretending to be Jack or Annie and acting out scenes. They will also play the classic game of I Spy. They will be watching videos and taking virtual tours or real Egyptian pyramids and ruins. To give the students a gaming background, they will be playing a variety of dice, card, board games and even game shows. At the end of the unit each child or group will create and play the various types of games. By using games, the hope is to get children interested in reading both fiction and informational text and responding to what they read.
Introduction
In this day and age of technology where students spend their free time watching movies and playing video games I have found that they have lost the ability to use their imagination and really play. Games I played as a child such as tag, red rover, checkers and even building with blocks are alien concepts to the children in my class. I have also found that many students in my class go home after school to empty houses because their caregivers are at work. They must then make dinner for themselves and often younger siblings, clean up and do their homework before they put themselves to bed. Many students just don’t have time to play even if they wanted to.
I want to bring back ‘the good old days’ and have my students use their imaginations to show what they learn from reading both fiction and informational texts. I want them to be creative using the right side of their brain.
In order to teach children about Ancient Egypt, I will have them respond to literature by creating and playing various types of games. By using games, I hope to get children interested in reading both fiction and informational text and responding to what they read.
I am drawn to the topic of playing in response to literature for several reasons. First, playing is just plain ol’ fun. Everyone enjoys playing games regardless of age, race, language, gender or economic background. Second, games are a non-threatening way of getting students involved in reading responses regardless of their ability level. The topic of Ancient Egyptian life has interested me ever since I can remember. I believe that people need to learn about the past to understand the present and be prepared for the future.
Background Information
I am a second grade teacher in a Title 1 elementary school. The school is part of a very large, urban school district in Charlotte, North Carolina. The school is located in a low-income area of the city, with a high population of African American and Hispanic students. The school boasts a magnet program that brings students in farther than the surrounding neighborhood. This magnet program is a Learning Immersion and Talent Development program, which adds approximately six classes with academically gifted students. The school also has a high population of English as Second Language (ESL) students, with first languages ranging from Spanish to Hmong.
My class this year consists of 17 students. I have six students who speak Spanish as their primary language and one who speaks Hmong as her primary language. Nine of my students are reading below grade level. I have found that my ESL students and those reading below grade level are hesitant to participate in class activities and interact with their peers due to their being ’different’. My goal in using games is to get all children to actively participate regardless of their first language or ability.
Rationale
Play is a child’s business. Children learn about themselves, other people, their environment and the world around them. They learn to problem solve and work cooperatively. Children develop the basic skills they need to read and write. Play is the best foundation for success in school.
While playing games, children need to work cooperatively in teams to achieve a goal or against each other to win the game. Taking turns and working out possible differences are a must in any game play. They will also need to share materials in order to play the games.
Language development and vocabulary will also increase. Vocabulary used in game play may or may not be common knowledge for most students. Words like roll, spin, move and lose a turn seem common enough but if a child has never played a game before it will be new. Incorporating vocabulary terms from fictional and informational texts will also build knowledge.
Problem solving strategies also develop while playing games. Right brain thinkers tend to be very creative in the way they approach problems and left brain thinkers are more analytical, detail-oriented people. Both ways of problem solving can be used in games.
Children who are creative or artistic thinkers and kinesthetic learners will find this unit to be challenging. Making their own game based upon what they have read and learned will be very comfortable and ‘in their element’ with this unit.
The fact that each child or group of children will be able to choose the type of game (board, card or game show) that they want will give them a sense of ownership over their work. If they have choices about how to have fun, they are more likely to work hard and do their best.
Objectives
Just this year, the Common Core Standards have been adopted in most states. The standards define the knowledge and skills students should have within their K-12 education so that they will graduate high school and can succeed in entry-level, academic college courses and in workforce training programs. The standards are clear, understandable and consistent. They include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills and they are evidence-based. The difficulty when using the common core is that it is vague especially when it comes to reading. Reading comprehension strategies are not as clear as they used to be.
In addition to the common core standards, we as educators need to provide students with 21st century skills. The 21st century skills focus on the following topics: Core Subjects, Learning Skills, 21st Century Tools, Life and career skills and New Assessments that Measure 21st Century Skills.
Core Subjects are described as going beyond the basic competency to understanding the core academic content at much higher levels. The following themes will be included into the core subjects: Global Awareness; Financial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurial literacy; Civic Literacy; Health literacy and Environmental literacy.
Learning Skills such as thinking critically, applying knowledge to new situations, analyzing information, comprehending new ideas, communicating and collaborating, solving problems and making decisions are necessary to cope with the demands of the 21st century.
21st Century Tools – Technology will always be an important part of communities, the workplace, and personal lives. Students must learn about and how to use technology to gain information and perform tasks.
Life and Career Skills include the ability to be flexible, adaptable, self-directed, socially aware, accountable and responsible.
New Assessments that Measure 21st Century Skills – Supports a balance of assessments, including high-quality standardized testing along with effective classroom formative and summative assessments. They will emphasize useful feedback on student performance that is embedded into everyday learning. It will require a balance of technology-enhanced, formative and summative assessments that measure student mastery of 21st century skills and enables development of portfolios of student work that demonstrate mastery of 21st century skills to educators and prospective employers. They will enable a balanced portfolio of measures to assess the educational system’s effectiveness at reaching high levels of student competency in 21st century skills.
This unit is intended for a second grade class in a traditional classroom setting. Students should be at average to high reading levels. It is possible to adapt the unit for students with lower reading levels by having a read aloud or partner work. The end product of the unit will be a game created by the students. For lower level students or a lower grade level a single type of game (board or card) could be decided on and students could work in groups instead of having an individual project. High level students or upper grades could have their choice of game style (board, card, dice, video, or game show). Games could be created by individuals or partners.
The materials needed are as follows: Books – Magic Tree House Mummies in the Morning by Mary Pope Osborn (1 copy for read aloud or you may want each student to have one) and Magic Tree House Resource Guide Mummies and Pyramids (1 for each student). You will also want to include copies of both fiction and informational text about Egypt. See the reading list at the end of the unit for suggestions. Internet access, projector and screen or SMART board, file folders, index cards, assorted art materials including markers, glue and scissors.
The unit will be implemented in the second semester of the school year. The length of the unit depends on how “into it” a teacher or class is willing to get. Many students love the Magic Tree House books and want to pretend to be Jack or Annie researching a topic and can go on and on forever as long as the material is there. Others are ready to move on as quickly as they begin. The key is to provide as many different strategies as you can to keep the students engaged (see strategies).
This unit should be completed in five stages. First is the basic reading of Mummies in the Morning and activities involving play as Jack or Annie. The second stage is the reading of Mummies and Pyramids and the playful written response to reading. The third stage is the technological aspect where students will take virtual tours and watch videos relating to Ancient Egypt. Next, students will play various styles of games including card, board and game show to build their knowledge base. The last stage is where students will be creating their own game using information gathered through reading.
Strategies
The theory of multiple intelligences was developed in 1983 by Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard University in 1983. It suggests that the traditional notion of intelligence, based on I.Q. testing, is far too limited. The multiple intelligences show the potential, or various abilities that both children and adults have.
The strategies in this unit are designed to engage students with the learning styles of auditory, visual and kinesthetic. I also want to address the multiple intelligences which are: Linguistic intelligence (word smart), Logical-mathematical intelligence (number/reasoning smart), Spatial intelligence (picture smart), Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence (body smart), Musical intelligence (music smart), Interpersonal intelligence (people smart), Intrapersonal intelligence (self smart), and Naturalist intelligence (nature smart).
Learning Style Questionnaire- Teachers most often tell students how they are going to work either alone, with a partner or in groups. Students rarely get a choice and they often do not do their best because they are forced to work in a situation they are not comfortable with. I want to understand how my students work best so that they learn the material and create a quality game.
Reading of Magic Tree House Mummies in the Morning. – This is the third installation in the Magic Tree House series. Students may not have been able to read the series on their own previously so this is a good way to build background knowledge of both the characters and Egypt.
Magic Tree House Resource Guide Mummies and Pyramids – This will be the main reading component. It can be used as a read aloud or it can be read independently depending on the student reading level.
Graphic Organizers including a KWL chart, Main Idea and Details diagram among others will be used throughout the project to organize information. They will then be glued into the students’ journals.
Journals (notebooks)- Students will keep a notebook to record important information about ancient Egypt just like the characters Jack and Annie in MTH books. This information will be used in creating their game.
Online tour of Egyptian coffins- This is the website for the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland Ohio. http://www.clevelandart.org/collections/onlinetour.aspx
360 Degree Tour of Egyptian temples, tombs, pyramids and sphinx. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/explore-ancient-egypt.html
Discovery Education Video: One of the most advanced societies in ancient times, Egypt gave the world the pyramids, the Sphinx, mummies, and hieroglyphics. Introduce your students to the treasure of ancient Egypt and discover new research on this fascinating society.http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=78885B78-6229-4FE4-9D55-9C4416174DC9
Commercially produced games- Many students have no idea that there are games other than video games. They will need opportunities to play and experiment with various types of games. You may want to include a simple board game (Candy Land), card game (Go Fish), game show (Jeopardy! or Wheel of Fortune).
Create a game- Based on the information gathered from reading and in their journals, the students will create a game in the style of their choice.
Activities
I believe that including a variety of classroom activities will engage students of all ability levels and interests. With the plethora of game styles available in any toy store ranging from dice and cards to board and video every student will find something that grabs their attention.
Having fun and playing games is not something that students are used to in the classroom setting. Many of them have never even played a game that was not connected to a television screen so they will need to have direct instruction and modeling.
These activities (watching the videos and playing types of games) can be done in any order. Only the books need to be read in order. The activities can be substituted for your literacy program or included within your independent work time (workshop) period.
Classroom Activity – What is Your Style?
Common Core Objective: none
The student will be able to identify and describe what their learning and working style is.
Materials needed: learning style questionnaire (appendix 2), pencils, private spaces
Explanation of activity: Students need to be in a private area either at their own desk, table or carpet square on the floor. The learning style questionnaire will be passed out to each student who will wait for instructions. The teacher needs to tell the students to read each question carefully and think about themselves carefully. They should answer each question honestly. Explain that their answers are not graded but will be used to determine if they will work in a group or individually and what their product will look like.
Classroom Activity – Reading of Magic Tree House Mummies in the Morning
Common Core Objective: RI 1, RI 2, RI 5, RI 7 and H1.2, G1.2, G2.1
The student will be able to read, asking and answering such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text. Identify the main topic of a multi-paragraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within the text. Know and use various text features (e.g., captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries, indexes, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text efficiently.
Materials needed: Magic Tree House Mummies in the Morning book (either 1 copy for read aloud or individual copies for the class), KWL chart, Main Idea and Details graphic organizer
Explanation of activity: The teacher and students will need to read this book to build background of the characters Jack and Annie and also so that they understand the whole concept of the magic tree house. After reading each chapter, the students will write in their journal any important information.
Classroom Activity- Venn Diagram
Common Core Objective: RI 3
The students will explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical
text based on specific information in the text.
Materials needed: Magic Tree House Mummies in the Morning , hula hoops or jump ropes, sentence strips, markers
Explanation of activity: Students will use 2 hula hoops or 2 jump ropes formed into circles to create a Venn diagram. SW compare an aspect of life in Ancient Egypt to their lives today. Examples include homes, jobs, clothing, religion and a child’s life.
Classroom Activity- Readers’ Theater
Common Core Objective: RL 6
The students will acknowledge differences in the points of view of characters, including by speaking in a different voice for each character when reading dialogue aloud.
Materials: Mummies in the Morning chapters to be chosen by the teacher while the class is reading them.
Explanation of activity: The teacher will choose select chapters that the class is reading for the children to act out by ’becoming’ Jack or Annie as they climb out of the tree house in Egypt, explore a pyramid, and write in their notebooks.
Classroom Activity- Writing a Letter from a different point of view.
Common Core Objective: W 3
The students will write narratives in which they recount a well elaborated event or sequence of events and include details.
Materials: The Magic Tree House Mummies in the Morning, paper, pencils
Explanation of activity: The teacher will explain that the class is reading the story and they know everything that is happening and they have their own thoughts and feelings about what is happening. In this activity the students will become a character of their choice. They will write a letter to a friend back in Frog Creek telling them what they are experiencing. The letter will include their thoughts and feelings about the experience.
Classroom Activity- I Spy Game while reading both Magic Tree House books
Common Core Objective: none
The student will be able to read and visualize an object that would be present in the setting of the reading selection.
Materials needed: fiction or informational text (Magic Tree House books)
Explanation of activity: The teacher will choose a chapter or particular scene that is being read at the time and is described in the book Students will visualize the scene choosing one object to focus on. One student will start by saying “I spy something ______”. The student will give a clue to the object they chose. The clue could be any attribute fitting the object. When another student correctly guesses the object they get to be the one who spies an object. If no one can guess the object, the student will reveal the answer and choose someone else to be the one who spies.
Classroom Activity – Keeping a Research Journal
Common Core Objective: none
The student will be able to write down information taken from Mummies in the Morning and Mummies and Pyramids including facts and opinions, vocabulary words, drawings
Materials needed: 1 spiral notebook per student and a pencil/pen
Explanation of activity: The students will be using a spiral bound notebook to keep a journal much like the characters Jack and Annie do in the Magic Tree House series. As the students read, they will write down important information from the books. They will also use the information in the journals to create questions for the game that they will be creating at the end of the unit.
Classroom Activity – Magic Tree House Research Guide Mummies and Pyramids
Common Core Objective: RI 1, RI 2, RI 5, RI 7 and H1.2, G1.2, G2.1
The student will be able to read, asking and answering such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
Identify the main topic of a multi-paragraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within the text. Know and use various text features (e.g., captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries, indexes, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text efficiently.
Materials needed: Mummies and Pyramids, Journal, pencil, graphic organizers
Explanation of activity: This is the counterpart to Mummies in the Morning. It is an informational text and needs to be read either to the students or with them. Students will use their reading strategies for each chapter as they read. They will also identify contributions of historical figures, interpret the meaning of symbols and the location of physical and human features on a map, and give examples of ways in which people depend on the physical environment and natural resources to meet basic needs.
Classroom Activity – Create a Mummy
Common Core Objective: none
Materials needed: a doll, a white cloth, a pair of scissors, a cup of flour, a bowl, and two cups of water. Mummy from an idol: you need some modeling clay, plaster of paris bandages, scissors, paint and paintbrush.
Explanation of activity: Mix the water and flour in a bowl. Cut half inch wide strips from the white cloth. Put these strips into the bowl and let these saturate in the mixture. Now start wrapping the doll with these stripes. For making a good-looking mummy, wrap the doll twice. Leave the new mummy till it dries completely. Another choice is you could make a mummy of an idol. Take some modeling clay in their hands and work it ’til it becomes soft. Mould the lump into a body shape. It will take some time shaping it, but eventually they will succeed. Take some more clay and work it again. This time they have to make arms and head-dress for the body. Add these to the body, when they are made. The body is ready now. Leave it to dry. Take scissors and cut the plaster of paris bandages into strips. When the strips are ready, start wrapping the body from the feet. The task has to be done fast because the plaster of paris sticks quickly. Wrap the body to the head-dress. Now take the paintbrush and paint the head-gear in golden color. Don’t forget to make eyes, nose and mouth on the head-dress with black paint. Leave it to dry.
Classroom Activity- Building a Pyramid
Common Core Objective: none
The students will construct a pyramid using the descriptions and pictures from chapters 6 and 7 of Magic Tree House Mummies and Pyramids.
Materials needed: 6 shoe boxes per pair or group of students, construction paper, scissors, art supplies, stapler or hot glue to secure boxes together
Explanation of activity: Student groups will build a pyramid out of 10 empty shoe boxes placed on their side without the lids. Each box will represent a chamber of the pyramid and will be decorated in the style. King’s chamber, Queen’s chamber, servant statue chamber, storage chamber for food, clothing, and other things necessary for the next life, and a treasure room. The finished pyramids can be put on display for all to see.
Classroom Activity – The Building Blocks of Egypt
Common Core Objective: none
The students will be able to build important buildings or objects from Egypt using blocks of various types.
Materials needed: computer with internet, Mummies and Pyramids, Legos, pattern blocks, wooden geoblocks, other assorted blocks, glue
Explanation of activity: Students will use the internet and their book as a guide to create their choice of building. They may choose a pyramid, temple, home, mummy case, etc. To keep the blocks together, white glue or puzzle glue can be applied and it will dry clear.
Classroom Activity – Virtual Tour of Egypt
Common Core Objective: none
The students will be able to use the internet to choose places on the map of Egypt to explore.
Materials needed: computer with internet, projector or SMART board,
Explanation of activity: The teacher will use the website listed in the appendix so the students can take a 360 Degree Tour of Egyptian temples, tombs, pyramids and sphinx. Students will be able to explore real places in Egypt as they appear now.
Classroom Activity – Discovery Education Video on Egypt
Common Core Objective: none
The students will watch a video and be able to add facts to their notebook.
Materials needed: computer with internet, projector or SMART board
Explanation of activity: The teacher will bring up the Discovery Ed video listed in the appendix. Students will watch the video and write down facts about Egypt including the pyramids, the Sphinx, mummies, and hieroglyphics in their journals.
Classroom Activity- Playing Egyptian Games
The students will learn about and participate in Ancient Egyptian games. These will be replicated to the best of the teacher’s ability.
Materials needed: marbles, small stones for throwing which could be replaced with balls, targets shaped like birds or other small animals which can be made of paper, website of Egyptian games, small ball slightly larger than a softball
Explanation of activity: The teacher will bring up the website on the smart board and show the students the various types of games that the ancient Egyptians played. The teacher will explain that both adults and children played games. The teacher will demonstrate how to play several games including hockey with a ball, spinning tops, throwing stones at targets and Snakes and Ladders. Students will then play a game in a small group for a set amount of time. Groups of students will rotate so that they will have a chance to play all of the games.
Classroom Activity – Playing a Card Game
Common Core Objective: none
The students will be able to identify rules of the game and how to win, and then play the game they are given.
Materials needed: card games (examples listed in appendix), working space
Explanation of activity: The teacher needs to introduce the games and explain that card games come with one or two decks of cards. The teacher will show the direction card/paper that comes with the game. This is best done if there is a document camera. After reading the directions thoroughly, the teacher will model playing with another student. To save time, an abbreviated game which will need to be ‘fixed’ will be played so that there is a winner. Students will then be divided into playing partners or teams as needed and they will play a card game. If more than one game is available, students will rotate from one game to another after an appropriate amount of time.
Classroom Activity – Playing a Board Game
Common Core Objective: none
The students will be able to identify rules of the game and how to win, and then play the game they are given.
Materials needed: board games (listed in appendix), working space
Explanation of activity: The teacher needs to introduce the games and explain that board games come with one game board that is very durable, game pieces (1 for each player), and either dice, cards, or a spinner. The teacher will show the direction card/paper that comes with the game. This is best done if there is a document camera. After reading the directions thoroughly, the teacher will model playing with another student. To save time, an abbreviated game which will need to be ‘fixed’ will be played so that there is a winner. Students will then be divided into playing partners or teams as needed and they will play a board game. If more than one game is available, students will rotate from one game to another after an appropriate amount of time.
Classroom Activity – Playing a Game Show
Common Core Objective: none
The students will be able to identify rules of the game and how to win, and then play the game they are taught.
Materials needed: video clip of Who Wants to be a Millionaire, video clip of Jeopardy!
Explanation of activity: Teacher will ask who has seen a game show on television before. This will give an idea of how much background knowledge the teacher will have to supply. The teacher will then show a video clip of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. Have students list the things they noticed about the game (1 host and 1 player, questions are multiple choice, questions get harder, possible to get help with an answer…). Students will then watch a clip of Jeopardy! And list the things they notice about the game (1 host, 3 players, categories, dollar amounts, 3 rounds).
Classroom Activity – Creating an Egypt Game (several days)
Common Core Objective: none
The students will be able to create a game using all of the information they have gathered in their journals.
Materials needed: pencils, tape/stapler, spiral notebooks (1 for each student), file folders, poster board, markers/crayons/colored pencils, note cards (blank and lined), Egyptian clip art from Google Images
Explanation of activity: Students as a group or individually will choose a type of game they wish to create. Students will use their journals (and all the facts inside) to create questions for a game of their choice.
Classroom Activity – Playing Egypt Games (several days)
Common Core Objective: none
The students will be able to play games for the entire class.
Materials needed: Egypt games created by the students (all materials for each game)
Explanation of activity: Students as a group or individually will play the games created by their classmates. They will use the rubric to ‘grade’ each game after they play. The teacher will use this information to create the final grade for the project.
Teacher Resources
Examples of higher level thinking questions for both you and the students’ games can be found here. http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/researchskills/dalton.htm
Florida Center for Reading Research has graphic organizers including KWL, Main Idea and Details also center activities for you to print off while reading any book.
http://www.fcrr.org/Curriculum/studentCenterActivities23.shtm
Website listing and describing various types of games played in Ancient Egypt by children and adults. http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/timelines/topics/games.htm
Student Resources
Berger, Melvin , and Gilda Berger. Mummies of the Pharaohs Exploring the Valley of the Kings. New York: Scholastic, 2001.
Cole, Joanna , and Bruce Degen. Ms. Frizzle’s Adventures Ancient Egypt. New York: Scholastic Press, 2001.
Ferris, Julie, Sue Nicholson, Jonathan Stroud, and Sally Tagholm. Everyday Life in the Ancient World. New York: Kingfisher, 2002.
Ganeri, Anita. Mummies and Ancient Egypt. Milwaukee: Gareth Stevens, 2005.
Gibbons, Gail. Mummies, Pyramids, and Pharohs A Book about Ancient Egypt. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2004.
Pope Osborn, Mary. Mummies in the Morning. New York: scholastic, 1993.
Pope Osborn, Mary, and Will Osborn. Mummies and Pyramids. New York : Scholastic, 2001.
Steele, Philip. Step Into Ancient Egypt. London: Anness Publishing, 1997.
Examples of higher level thinking questions for both you and the students’ games can be
found here. http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/researchskills/dalton.htm
This is a PowerPoint presentation that you just fill in the blanks for a Jeopardy! Game. http://elainefitzgerald.com/jeopardy.htm
The Official Magic Tree House website with activities, games, books, and information
about the author. http://www.magictreehouse.com/#home?intro=0
Materials needed for the unit
computers with internet access
SMART board or projector
pencils
tape/stapler
spiral notebooks (1 for each student)
Books: additional Egypt resources for students to create questions for their game
file folders
poster board
markers/crayons/colored pencils
note cards (blank and lined)
Egyptian clip art from Google Images
Board games which can include Candy Land, Checkers, Clue, Trouble, etc
Card games including Go Fish, Old Maid, War, Memory, etc.
Bibliography
<http://www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/ILSpage.html>, accessed October 28, 2011.
I used this website to understand different learning styles.
Rutherford, Paula. “Assignments.” In Instruction for all students. 2nd ed. Alexandria, Va.: Just Ask Publications, 2008. 124-129.
I used this source in creating the assignment and integrating my students’ different learning styles.
Tomlinson, Carol A. “The How To’s of Planning Lessons Differentiated by Learning Profile.” In How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms. 2nd ed. Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2001. 60,70.
I used the information to find out what my students’ learning styles are so that I could differentiate the process and product.
Appendix
In this section you will find the common core objectives for reading and social studies that are relevant to the unit. I also included the rubric for the unit product (students’ games) and a learning style questionnaire to give to the students before beginning the project.
Common Core Objectives for Second Grade
Reading
RI 1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
RI 2 Identify the main topic of a multi-paragraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within the text.
RI 3 Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text.
RI 5 Know and use various text features (e.g., captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries, indexes, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text efficiently.
RI 6 Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.
RI 7 Explain how specific images (e.g., a diagram showing how a machine works) contribute to and clarify a text.
W 3 Write narratives in which they recount a well elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.
Social Studies
H.1.2 Identify contributions of historical figures (community, state, nation and world) through various genres.
G.1.2 Interpret the meaning of symbols and the location of physical and human features on a map (cities, railroads, highways, countries, continents, oceans, etc.).
G.2.1 Give examples of ways in which people depend on the physical environment and natural resources to meet basic needs.
Name _____________________ Date _______________
Egypt Game Grading Rubric
Type of Game Board _______ Card ________ Show _______
| Criteria | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Materials or pieces | Durable, easy to use | Durable | Durable, hard to use, not enough pieces | Rips/easily damaged |
| Questions | Higher order thinking | Some higher order thinking | Most questions are relevant | Irrelevant questions |
| Directions | easy to follow | not easy to follow | Incomplete | No directions |
| Shows knowledge of facts | Facts are taken from text or video | Facts are taken from 1 source | Some facts are included and source is unknown | No actual facts were used |
Learning Style Inventory
| V | A | K | |
| 1. If I have to learn something I | Watch someone show me how | Hear someone tell me how | Try to do it myself |
| 2. When I read I… | Visualize what is happening in my mind | Read out loud or hear the words inside my head. | Move around and try to “feel” what is happening |
| 3. When asked to give directions I… | See the actual places in my mind or draw them | Have no problem giving them verbally | Have to point and move my body as I give them |
| 4. If I have to spell a word | I write it to see if it looks right | Spell it out loud to determine if it sounds right | Write it in to see if it feels right |
| 5. When I write I… | Worry about how neat my letters and words look | Say the letters and words to myself | Push hard on my pencil so I can feel the letters |
| 6. If I have to remember a list of things I remember best if | I wrote them down | If I said them over and over to myself | Moved around and used my fingers as I named them |
| 7. I prefer teachers who: | Use the board while they lecture. | Talk with a lot of expression | Use hands-on activities. |
| 8. When trying to concentrate, I have a difficult time when: | There is a lot of clutter or movement in the room. | There is a lot of noise in the room. | I have to sit still for any length of time. |
| 9. When solving a problem, I: | Write or draw diagrams to see it. | Talk myself through it. | Use my entire body or move objects to help me think. |
| 10. When given written instructions on how to build something, I: | Read them silently and try to visualize how the parts will fit together. | Read them out loud and talk to myself as I put the parts together. | Try to put the parts together first and read later. |
| 11. To keep occupied while waiting, I: | Look around, stare, or read.. | Talk or listen to others. | Walk around, manipulate things with my hands, or move/shake my feet as I sit. |
| 12. If I had to verbally describe something to another person, I would: | Be brief because I do not like to talk at length. | Go into great detail because I like to talk. | Gesture and move around while talking. |
| 13. If someone were verbally describing something to me, I would: | Try to visualize what she was saying. | Enjoy listening but want to interrupt and talk myself. | Become bored if her description got too long and detailed. |
| 14. When trying to recall names, I remember: | Faces but forget names | Names, but forget faces. | The situation that I met the person other than the person’s name or face. |
Scoring Instructions: Add the number of responses for each letter and enter the total below. The area with the highest number of responses is probably your primary mode of learning.
Home