ABRACADABRA Research

Transcription

ABRACADABRA Research
Prepared by
Gia Deleveaux & Francis-Ann Simmons
http://grover.concordia.ca/abra/
2009
Teacher Handbook
http://grover.concordia.ca/abra/PD.php
Table of Contents
Introduction to ABRACADABRA............. 1
What is ABRACADABRA?.............................1
Why ABRACADABRA?.................................1
Evidence-based practice...............................1
Structure.....................................................2
What’s new in ABRACADABRA?....................3
Story text types and themes ...............................5
Suggested ABRACADABRA usage structure.....6
Phonological foundation ................................... 7
Alphabetics.......................................... 8
What is alphabetics?....................................8
Stages of alphabetics....................................8
Why is alphabetics important?.......................8
How does ABRACADABRA
support alphabetics?.....................................8
Alphabetics activity descriptions.....................9
Fluency.............................................. 20
What is fluency?........................................20
Why is fluency important?...........................20
support fluency?.........................................20
Fluency activity descriptions.........................21
Comprehension.................................. 24
What is comprehension?.............................24
Why is comprehension important?................24
support comprehension?..............................24
How do I teach comprehension?..................24
Comprehension activity descriptions.............23
Writing.............................................. 30
What is writing?.........................................30
Stages of writing........................................30
Why is writing important?...........................30
support writing?.........................................30
Writing activity descriptions.........................31
Navigational Icons.............................. 33
Samples of Lesson Plans...................... 34
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I—Navigating ABRACADABRA........34
II—Introductory lesson on characters.35
III—Smartboard unit........................36
IV—Alphabetics..............................37
V—Alphabetics...............................39
VI—Alphabetics..............................40
VII—Alphabetics.............................42
VIII—Fluency................................. 44
IX—Fluency................................... 45
X—Fluency.....................................46
XI—Comprehension.........................49
XII—Comprehension........................51
XIII—Comprehension.......................52
XIV—Writing..................................53
XV—Writing...................................54
XVI—Writing..................................56
XVII—Writing.................................57
Class Management in ABRACADABRA.58
Technological Requirements................. 59
Introduction
Introduction to ABRACADABRA
What is ABRACADABRA?
ABRACADABRA (A Balanced Reading
Approach for all Canadians Designed to
Achieve Best Results for All) is an online,
highly interactive, evidence-based literacy tool
designed for students, teachers, educators, and
parents.
Why ABRACADABRA?
For decades, researchers and practitioners
worldwide have been searching for the key to
unlock the mysteries of how children learn to
read and write. To date, considerable evidence
has been collected that suggests that children
must not only be exposed to a variety of instructional methods, but that these experiences must
be presented in explicit and systematic ways if
literacy is to be fully attained.
Research shows that children’s engagement
and motivation affect their academic success.
While skills and drills are important components
in literacy achievement, these exercises must be
done in meaningful ways for learners. This
involves providing appropriate opportunities,
texts, and activities wherein students can apply
what they have learned in authentic contexts.
ABRACADABRA is now in its third transformation: a direct result of a multidisciplinary team of
educational professionals who continue to guide
its development. This team consists of researchers,
policy makers, school administrators, language
arts consultants, and teachers from across
Canada that gives input and helps steer the
overall direction of this project. The Centre for
the Study of Learning and Performance (CSLP)
continues to practice its policy of working with the
educational community, partnering with ABRACADABRA stakeholders to develop the best possible
resource for the field.
Evidence-based practice
The recommendations from the National
Reading Panel and other front-runners in the field
of language and literacy have remained the
foundation of the software. Research conducted
within Quebec schools during the 2004–2005
school year yielded results that helped guide the
development of new instructional activities within
ABRACADABRA. This included expanding the
instructional module to include more challenging
material as well as additional children’s stories.
Dr. Robert Savage, the Literacy Theme Leader,
Dr. Philiip Abrami, the Director, and all other
team members have established strong partnerships with local schools in order to investigate the
efficacy of our software with classroom students.
Using the evidence gathered from these trials,
we have infused ABRACADABRA with a much
stronger content base, refined the tool, and made
it ready for further research that was conducted
between January and May 2006. This second
investigation yielded extremely positive results in
both grade one and kindergarten classrooms. For
more details on the 2005-2006 research study
results, please visit:
http://doe.concordia.ca/clsp/ICT-ABRACADABRA.php
The 2006-2007 version of the software was
redesigned based on the feedback received
from the field for that year’s study. This version
was then used for our 2007-2008 study that had
over 400 students from kindergarten through
page 1
teacher handbook
grade 2 from 28 classrooms in Alberta, Ontario
and Quebec participating. These students
were randomly placed in experimental (ABRA
intervention) and control (regular literacy lessons)
classrooms then pre- and post-tested to see if
ABRA would have an affect on their literacy
attainment after 10-12 weeks of intervention.
Preliminary data collected and analyzed show
that ABRACADABRA has had a significant
beneficial effect on children’s letter-sound
knowledge, word reading and phonological
awareness at post-test. The 2008–2009 will
build upon last year’s research by continuing
with the randomized controlled trial intervention
format in sixty classrooms in the three provinces
across Canada. It will maintain its focus on
learning how reading intervention occurs in
classrooms with and without ABRA. We hope
that teachers will integrate ABRACADABRA into
their English language arts curriculum and let the
strong theoretical and pedagogical foundation,
flexibility, and fun of the tool work its magic…
ABRACADABRA...
Structure
ABRACADABRA is built around five different
modules.
Instructional
The instructional module is the heart of the
ABRACADABRA software. All instructional
activities are developmentally appropriate
and revolve around a progressional model of
instruction providing foundations in four literacy
domains: Alphabetics, Fluency, Comprehension,
and Writing. Built-in scaffolding and multiple
levels of difficulty allow for flexibility.
Assessment
With the use of trace data
(information stored by computer
application programs), ABRACADABRA can help teachers oversee
what their students are doing and
page 2
Introduction
how they are progressing. This data can help
teachers devise appropriate instruction to meet
individual, group, or whole class needs.
Professional development
This module offers resources and suggestions
educators would find useful when teaching the English Language Arts in general, and Reading, in particular. “Just in time” (JIT) videos provide examples
of how ABRA in used in different settings. Access to
the Assessment Module (where teacher see exactly
what their students have done and get suggestions
on how they can help them) and the Communications Module where teachers communicate with
one another, is accessed in this section.
Parent
We provide information about different literacy
skills needed to help children actively participate
in school and the wider society. We also provide
resources and information to help parents engage
their children in phonemic awareness, reading
and spelling activities. JIT videos show parents
how ABRACADABRA can be used outside of the
classroom setting, while frequently asked questions
(FAQs), and helpful tips offer additional support to
extend literacy activities.
Communication
The communication module is a wiki space
called ABRA Forum where teachers who are using
or thinking of using ABRACADABRA in their English
language arts (ELA) program can build a community of practice through discussion topics, shared
resources and ideas.
Introduction
What’s new in ABRACADABRA
The Learning Tool Kit (LTK)—a portal to CSLP online learning tools
Teachers have access to:
Assessment
Teachers are able to review the activities that their students are using
and how they are progressing in each of the activities. This module
includes:
• Student report
•Date selector (allows teachers to view student activity for
teacher specified dates)
•Activity specific statistics
•Activity specific error reports
•Activity insights (elaborates on skills an activity addresses and
gives suggestions for reinforcing subordinate skills)
• Rubrics and templates
• Observation evidence template
Communication
Teachers may communicate with each other and other educational
professionals using the ABRA Forum. This wiki environment provides
a space where educators can pose and answer questions, share resources, download and upload lesson plans and ideas for activities,
and much more.
Parents
Parents may now become involved in their
children’s literacy learning. The parent
module is a separate web site parents
can access when their child logs in. It
provides step-by-step instruction on using
ABRACADABRA at home, information about
emergent readers, tips on raising a reader
and printable resources.
page 3
teacher handbook
Introduction
ABRACADABRA Splash Page
Teachers have access
to the Professional
Development,
Instructional and the
Parent modules.
Professional Development Module
Parent Module
Parents now have access to print resources,
video instruction on using ABRACADABRA
and tips about children’s literacy learning.
Access both the Assessment and
Communication modules through the
Professional Development module.
Instructional Module
Using the tool as a student,
teachers can now partner with
up to three students for group
work, to provide remediation or
observe students’ performance.
page 4
Introduction
Story Genres and Themes
Genres (text types)
ABRACADABRA helps expose children to
different literary genres. A genre can be defined
as a category of writing distinguished by shared
characteristics such as style, form and content.
Research shows that the more experience children
have with different text types the more successful
they will be when reading and writing different
genres. ABRACADABRA features five genres:...
Folk and Fairy Tales—
stories and their variants
passed down from one group
to another throughout history
Fiction—make-believe stories
and stories that could happen
in real-life
Themes
ABRACADABRA stories can also be access
by themes:
places and spaces
foods
animals
numbers and colors
seasons
I am special
Non–fiction—informational
text that provides facts about a
particular topic or character
These themes support students’ use of their
personal social and cultural backgrounds to
interpret the text.
Poetry—line and verse that
evoke emotion or thought in
the reader
When assigning students to read different
stories, one should always consider the
frustration, instruction, and independent
reading levels of each individual student.
Multicultural—stories and
myths from or about a variety
of cultures
Generally, it is accepted that reading is at
the entry level when a text is read at 90% or less
accuracy (1 or more out of 10 words incorrect);
reading is at the instructional level when text
is read with 90-95% accuracy (about 1 in 10
words correct); and finally, reading is
at the independent level when an easy text is
read with 95% or more accuracy (about 1 in
20 words correct).
Source
McCarthy, T. (1996). Teaching genre: exploring 9 types of literature to develop lifelong readers and writers. New
York: Scholastic Professional Books.
page 5
teacher handbook
Introduction
Suggested ABRACADABRA Usage Structure
ABRACADABRA is a flexible program that is adaptable to the specific needs of the
children in your classroom. ABRACADABRA’s word content and structure are connected
to both the stories in the tool and familiar vocabulary words. Below is a suggested
structure for using ABRACADABRA during a one-hour Language Arts lesson. We are
interested in getting feedback on this structure and how you feel that it can be modified
or improved. It isn’t necessary for you to follow this outline exactly, but we do suggest
that you make each of these work elements part of every ABRACADABRA-based lesson
for the intervention period.
I. Word-level work (10 minutes)
(Based on the needs and abilities of your class)
a. All Alphabetics activities
II. Text-level work (15 minutes)
(Putting skills into action)
a. All Fluency and Comprehension activities
III. Collaborative work (20 minutes)
(Students working in small groups or pairs on a particular element)
a. Pair reading (Fluency and Comprehension)
b. Decoding words (Alphabetics)
c. Spelling (Writing)
IV. Extension work (15 minutes)
(Students working on other activities related to language arts)
a. Responding to the story they’ve read
b. Writing an alternate ending etc.
page 6
Introduction
Phonological Foundation
Reading real
words in text
Sounding out
(phoneme level)
Letter sounds
(intense)
Word changing
(within / between)
Blending
Segmenting
Phonological sensitivity
Good literacy programs must be built on a solid phonological foundation. This includes phonemic
awareness, which is the ability to identify and manipulate sound units in words, and phonics, which
involves connecting letters or groups of letters to their specific sound(s). Phonological grounding is a
good predictor of future reading success; therefore these building blocks are the backbone of the
ABRACADABRA literacy software.
Mastery
Students are said to have mastered a particular activity when the rate of correct response is
90%-100% for three consecutive entries. When
this is achieved, they are encouraged to move
on to the next level. Teachers are to keep a close
watch on students’ answers—marking them on
the observation forms.
Extension activities
We are developing the ABRACADABRA
website to be used by teachers in their classrooms. When the system is fully developed and
used in the classroom, teachers will connect the
skills being learned on the computer to those
being learned in other aspects of their language
arts curriculum. It is, therefore, important to help
create a link between what the students are
learning in ABRACADABRA and how they might
use these skills in their daily lives.
There are many different ways that the system
can be used. Students can take turns reading a
sentence, a single page of a story, or even
several pages if the text is at an appropriate level.
The same is true for activities that have words
or sounds as their content. Use your imagination
as a teacher to use ABRACADABRA and its
activities—but please make sure that all students
are getting an equal amount of time practicing.
• When you have arrived at a
prediction or summary question,
encourage all of the students to
comment and take a vote.
• Have students come up with their
own words for whatever letter you
are accessing in the Animated
alphabet.
• Have the students come up with
other rhymes as part of the Rhyme
matching activity.
• Spelling a word would be a good
extension of Segmenting after the
students have shown mastery of a
few levels.
Principle of revisiting
Do not be afraid to revisit a concept, reread
a text, or re-practice an activity. For example,
you may be well into Segmenting after having
successfully completed all levels of Blending
train. At that point, you could revisit Blending
train, challenging students to see if they remember how to do the activity. Rereading a text is
also an opportunity to practice Fluency.
page 7
teacher handbook
Alphabetics
Alphabetics
Why is alphabetics important?
Research suggests that children who do not
have a solid foundation in these alphabetic
principles are less skilled readers as they
progress through school. As students reach
3rd grade, the fate of their literacy success is
nearly fully formed. Providing children with
multiple opportunities to practice sounds and
words is crucial for growth in their fluency and
comprehension skills. In addition, research shows
that it is more advantageous when alphabetic
skills are presented with various phonetic or
writing activities.
What is alphabetics?
Alphabetics (Sounds, Letters and Words) is the
ability to associate sounds with letters and use
these sounds to create words. The sounds
associated with letters are referred to as
phonemes (smallest units of spoken language)
while the written letters associated with these
sounds are called graphemes. There are 26
graphemes in English but over 40 phonemes.
Stages of alphabetics
Children begin their path to reading by being
able to distinguish between different sounds and
developing their phonemic awareness. They can
begin to associate these sounds with print and
recognize the correspondence between letters
and sounds when they are given practice and
modeling.
The ability to manipulate these phonemes,
either individually (letter by letter) or in chunks
such as in rhyming families, is a more sophisticated skill in the area of phonics. Here, the learner
begins to segment words by breaking them
apart into units that make them easier to read,
and then blending these units together. Decoding
(the ability to interpret symbols) then begins to
take place, as the learner is able to access these
strategies to read words.
page 8
How does ABRACADABRA support
alphabetics?
ABRACADABRA has 17 different activities
specifically aimed at reinforcing the alphabetic
principles. Each activity has multiple levels so
that classrooms with a wide range of student
needs can find an entry point. There is scaffolding built within each activity to encourage
autonomous use of the tool.
Many of the alphabetic activities are
associated with the stories embedded in the
software. This helps to build the context for
practicing specific vocabulary and all reading
related skills. Also, the activities are appropriate for those students who are at the beginning
stages of alphabetic skills development. These
activities would focus predominantly on listening skills, auditory discrimination and letter
naming. For those students who are ready for
more advanced practice, the activities support
word family manipulation, decoding games,
and blending tasks with text support. Of course,
there are fun games that provide practice such
as Letter bingo and Letter-sound search. Please
refer to the complete table for more details about
each activity.
Alphabetics
Matching Sounds
Activity objective
The student will identify sounds that are
the same.
Group facilitation tips
Students can take turns matching sets of sounds
in this activity. (Since there are only two sounds
to match per set, the turns won’t take long.)
Content / levels
Available stories
Level 1
Distinguishable sounds
Level 2
Similar sounds
Story-independent activity
Alphabet Song
Activity objective
The computer sings the Alphabet Song and the
students will sing along with or without the voice
of the computer.
• The facilitator should help focus students’ attention so that they begin the song with the computer.
• If necessary, sing along with the students as a
form of support.
Content / levels
Level 1
Music and words (sing
along)
Level 2
Words fade in and out
Level 3
Only music (karaoke)
Sub-level A
Lower Case
Sub-level B
Upper Case
Sub-level C
Mix
Available stories
page 9
teacher handbook
Alphabetics
Word Counting
Activity objective
The student will identify the number of words
in a sentence.
• Students can take turns or work as a group
to count the words in a sentence.
• Clapping can be encouraged to support
the counting.
Content / levels
Level 1
2, 3 and 4-word sentences
(40%, 40% and 20%).
Level 2
2, 3, 4 and 5-word sentences
(20%, 30%, 30% and 20%)
Available stories
Folk and fairy tales
The Dove and the Ant
The Little Red Hen
The Frogs and the Well
Henny Penny
The Three Billy Goats Gruff
Poetry
Darryl! Don’t Dawdle!
Non-fiction
How a Bean Sprouts
Syllable Counting
Activity objective
The student will identify the number of syllables
in a word.
• If necessary, explain the concept of syllables
and provide some examples using the activity.
• Students can take turns or work as a group
to count the syllables in a word.
the counting.
Content / levels
1 to 4-syllable words randomly
presented
Available stories
The Little Red Hen
Henny Penny
Poetry
When I open my eyes
Feelings
Darryl! Don’t Dawdle
I Can Move Like A…
Non-fiction
How a Bean Sprouts
page 10
Alphabetics
Same Word
Activity objective
The student will distinguish between words
that are the same or different.
Students can take turns (one or two pairs
of words per turn).
Content / levels
CVC words randomly presented.
Level 1
Words where only the first letter
differs (i.e. cat, fat)
Level 2
Words where only the last letter
differs (i.e. cat and can)
Level 3
Words where only the middle
vowel differs (i.e. cat and cot)
Available stories
Non-fiction
How a Bean Sprouts
The Little Red Hen
Henny Penny
Poetry
When I open my eyes
Feelings
Same Phoneme
Activity objective
The student will distinguish between letter
sounds that are the same or different.
Students can take turns (one or two pairs
of sounds per turn).
Content / levels
All letter sounds
Available stories
page 11
teacher handbook
Alphabetics
Word Matching
Activity objective
The student will match words that have the same
beginning or ending consonants.
• Students can take turns or work as a group to
count the words in a sentence.
the counting.
Content / levels
Pairs of CVC words randomly
presented:
• 8 cards (4 pairs)
Level 1
pairs of words with the same
beginning sound.
Level 2
pairs of words with the same
ending sound.
Available stories
Non-fiction
How a Bean Sprouts
The Little Red Hen
Henny Penny
Poetry
When I open my eyes
Feelings
Animated Alphabet
Activity objective
For each letter students are shown an animation
that includes the letter sound, the letter-writing
cue and an alliterative phrase to associate with
the letter sound.
• Have each student say the sentence.
• Tell the students you will give them one minute
to come up with as many words as
they can for that particular letter.
Content / levels
All letter sounds
page 12
Available stories
Alphabetics
Letter Sound Search
Activity objective
Given the pronunciation of a letter sound, the student
must identify and find its associated letter.
• Finding a single letter should comprise a
student’s turn.
• The facilitator can support a student who needs
help by narrowing the area of location of the letter;
i.e. “look in this corner around the tree.”
Content / levels
Level 1
spmtkdlahr
Level 2
gconubfizdhpre
Level 3
wvyqxiblateh
Sub-level A
Lower Case
Sub-level B
Upper Case
Sub-level C
Mix
Available stories
Letter ID Bingo
Activity objective
Given the pronunciation of a letter name, the student
must determine if she has that letter on her bingo
card.
• Students should play as a team – each taking
a turn for 1 letter.
• If student has difficulty finding the letter the
facilitator may narrow down the area of location.
Content / levels
Level 1
Lower Case
Level 2
Upper Case
Level 3
Lower Case Challenge
edpqglmnuv
Available stories
page 13
teacher handbook
Alphabetics
Rhyme Matching
Activity objective
The student will identify words that rhyme.
• Students can work as a group to match rhyming
words (one student in control of the mouse).
• Students can also take turns controlling the
computer and matching one or two pairs of words
per turn.
• Students love the game format and the challenge in
this activity. Make sure the students listen to the words
and keep in mind the instructional goal of
the activity.
Content / levels
Available stories
Pairs of CVC words randomly presented:
All stories are available in this activity.
Word Families
Activity objective
The student will create different words from the
same word family.
The facilitator can choose a specific word family
to work on or have the computer randomly pick
the word families.
Content / levels
Level 1
Beginning consonants consist
of single letters and phonemes.
Level 2
Beginning consonants consist
of single letters and phonemes and clusters.
Advance
Choose the word family on which you want to focus.
page 14
Available stories
All stories are available in this
activity.
Alphabetics
Auditory Blending
Activity objective
Given a phonemic breakdown the student will
identify a word and its corresponding picture.
(i.e. /c/ /a/ /t/ = ‘cat’)
• Students can take turns (one word per turn).
• If necessary, explain the concept of word
blending, using an example from the activity.
Content / levels
Level 1
2-phoneme words with
clusters, short, long,
and r-controlled vowel
sounds.
Level 2
short vowel sounds.
Level 3
sounds.
Level 4
blends mainly at the
beginning, short, long,
sounds.
Level 5
4-phoneme words
with blends mainly at
the end, short, long,
sounds.
Level 6
blends at the beginning
and end, short, long,
sounds.
Level 7
5-phoneme challenge
words.
Available stories
The Little Red Hen
Henny Penny
Poetry
When I open my eyes
Feelings
Non-fiction
How a Bean Sprouts
page 15
teacher handbook
Alphabetics
Auditory Segmenting
Activity objective
Given the pronunciation of a word, the student will
identify its breakdown.
(i.e.:’cat’ = /c/ /a/ /t/)
• If necessary, explain the concept of segmenting
words, using an example from the activity.
Content / levels
Level 1
short and long vowel
sounds.
Level 2
sounds.
Level 3
short vowel sounds.
Level 4
sounds.
page 16
Level 5
sounds.
Level 6
4-phoneme words
sounds.
Level 7
sounds.
Available stories
The Little Red Hen
Henny Penny
Poetry
When I open my eyes
Feelings
Non-fiction
How a Bean Sprouts
Alphabetics
Blending Train
Activity objective
Given a phonemic breakdown, the student will
identify a word.
(i.e. /c/ /a/ /t/ = ‘cat’)
• This activity requires participation from the
facilitator to monitor student response.
• When appropriate, peer monitoring can be
encouraged (one student reads the word while
the others check for accuracy and give feedback)
Content / levels
Level 1
sounds.
Level 2
sounds.
Level 3
short vowel sounds.
Level 4
sounds.
Level 5
sounds.
Level 6
4-phoneme words
sounds.
Level 7
sounds.
Level 8
5-phoneme challenge
words.
Available stories
The Little Red Hen
Henny Penny
Poetry
When I open my eyes
Feelings
Non-fiction
How a Bean Sprouts
page 17
teacher handbook
Alphabetics
Basic Decoding
Activity objective
Given the visual representation of a word, the student
must say the sounds of its letters, and then blend them
together to read the word and identify
its corresponding picture.
• This activity combines letter sounding with actual
blending of words
• The facilitator should be aware of the students’
responses and scaffold where necessary.
• The facilitator can encourage other members of
the group to aid a student who may be struggling.
Content / levels
Level 1
sounds.
Level 2
short vowel sounds.
Level 3
sounds.
Level 4
sounds.
page 18
Level 5
4-phoneme words
sounds.
Level 6
sounds.
Level 7
5-phoneme challenge
words.
Available stories
The Little Red Hen
Henny Penny
Poetry
When I open my eyes
Feelings
Non-fiction
How a Bean Sprouts
Alphabetics
Word Changing
Activity objective
The student must change individual letters or
phonemes in a word to form a new word.
(i.e. change “bad” to “sad”)
• The facilitator should be aware of incorrect
responses and aid where necessary.
• Encourage the group to pay attention to
make sure each student gives a correct response.
Content / levels
Level 1
CVC words. Only first letter is
manipulated (rime units)
Level 2
CVC words. All letters are
manipulated
Level 3
CVC words with long vowels.
Only first letter is manipulated
(rime units)
Level 4
CVC words with long vowels.
All letters are manipulated
Available stories
The Little Red Hen
Henny Penny
Poetry
When I open my eyes
Feelings
Non-fiction
How a Bean Sprouts
page 19
teacher handbook
Fluency
Fluency
What is fluency?
Fluency (Reading) describes the level of
automaticity that children have when reading a
text. Learners are fluent when they are able to
decode words with little or no effort, which helps
them to concentrate on the content of what they
are reading as opposed to figuring out words
and sounds. The sub-skills under the umbrella
term fluency add to this skill, which correlates to
comprehension. Students who read with correct
pacing and expression with few or no mistakes
are better able to focus on the meaning of a text.
Why is fluency important?
Research suggests that students who are
unable to acquire the skill of automatically
reading words will struggle with attending to
meaning. In addition, children who have trouble
reading accurately at an appropriate pace
tend to experience motivational problems. The
reading load increases as students progress
through the grade levels, making lack of
fluency a major obstacle to school success.
page 20
fluency?
Activities in ABRACADABRA allow for
extensive practice in reading fluency. The
activities cover all of the sub-skill areas, including
expression and speed. Through games, students
can test their pace against cartoon characters.
ABRACADABRA has models of reading built into
the story-related activities so students can monitor
where they can improve. In addition, the program
models how to decode words within the context
of a story so they are receiving additional and
consistent practice at figuring out words. The
more learners are able to practice a specific skill,
the better the chance they have of developing
fluency.
Fluency
High Frequency Words
Activity objective
Given a list of high frequency words the student
will identify the words.
• Remind students that speed in their word recognition is an important element in this
activity (time for word recognition is controlled
by the computer).
• Have students line up and take turns reading
a word.
Content / levels
Available stories
Level 1
A set of four words randomly
presented four times with gradually less time to read them.
Level 2
A set of seven words randomly
presented four times with gradually less time to read them.
The Little Red Hen
Poetry
Non-fiction
How a Bean Sprouts
Tracking
Activity objective
While reading a story, the student will be able
to read with one-to-one correspondence and
without skipping words.
• Students can take turns reading the story
and controlling the computer (arrow keys for
tracking).
• Remind students that they can click on
the words that they don’t know (and have the
computer read them).
Content / levels
All stories available in this
activity include the tracking
functionality.
Available stories
All stories are available in this
activity.
page 21
teacher handbook
Fluency
Expression
Activity objective
The computer reads a paragraph using good or bad
expression and the student must decide if it was read with
good expression. The student will then read the same
paragraph practicing correct use of expression.
• Before beginning this activity, you can provide
examples of how good and bad expressive reading
sounds. For example, you can talk about how a story
should be read differently if a character is sad or happy.
Content / levels
The computer plays the voice of
someone reading different sentences using different expressions.
The listener must decide if the
person is reading with the correct
expression.
Available stories
The Little Red Hen
Henny Penny
Poetry
When I open my eyes
Feelings
Multicultural
Waterfall
Accuracy
Activity objective
After listening to the computer read a passage,
the student must read the same page accurately.
This activity should be done individually. As the
computer reads, the student follows. When s/he reads,
s/he can click on a word if help is needed.
At the end of each passage, the words clicked
will be reviewed in a game-like feature to help
the student become more familiar with them.
Content / levels
This activity can be done at all
levels.
Available stories
The Little Red Hen
Henny Penny
Multicultural
Waterfall
page 22
Poetry
When I open my eyes
Feelings
Where am I?
Non-fiction
How a Bean Sprouts
Fluency
Speed
Activity objective
Using an algorithm of good reading speed, the
computer will monitor a student’s reading rate.
The student will read a given text at an appropriate pace.
This game is best played after students are familiar with a story or are comfortable with reading
or sounding out words.
The game can be played with one to four students. Each student chooses a character and
names it. The computer selects who will read
and monitors the person’s reading rate. If a
student needs help, s/he can click on the word
but this slows down her/his reading speed.
Content / levels
Using an algorithm of good
reading speed, the computer will
monitor a student’s reading rate.
The student will read a given text
at an appropriate pace.
Available stories
The Little Red Hen
Henny Penny
Poetry
When I open my eyes
Feelings
Where am I?
Non-fiction
How a Bean Sprouts
Multicultural
Waterfall
page 23
teacher handbook
Comprehension
Comprehension
What is comprehension?
Comprehension (Understanding the Story)
is the cognitive process in which the reader
interacts with a text in an attempt to understand
its meaning. Reading comprehension is the
culmination of all the students’ reading skills. It
involves good oral comprehension, vocabulary,
and decoding skills. (Depending on the grade
level of the students, the importance of each of
these prerequisite skills varies.) Comprehension
is also affected by prior knowledge, which can
help children relate to various texts.
Why is comprehension important?
Reading for meaning is the ultimate goal of
learning how to read. This is the element that
takes children from being good decoders to
being good readers and literate beings. It is
therefore understandable that the acquisition of
reading comprehension is a complex process.
comprehension?
ABRACADABRA has focused on developing
several specific skills that contribute to overall
comprehension. These activities are leveled and
range from simpler tasks such as placing the elepage 24
ments of a well-known story in order (beginning,
middle, and end) to summarizing an entire text.
Other activities allow students to respond to a
question prompt, to think critically about a text
and to respond appropriately given the context
of the story. Additional vocabulary activities help
students to build a bank of words that they can
read (decode) but may not be able to understand.
How do I teach comprehension?
Research suggests that there are several strategies that have a positive influence on
children’s ability to understand what they
read. The National Reading Panel suggests
practicing skills such as asking and generating
critical questions, using story maps, and monitoring comprehension through cooperative learning
opportunities.
There is also evidence that modeling appropriate strategies such as using context clues
and allowing children to develop skills through
providing multiple opportunities to interact with
texts also aids in the development of comprehension strategies. Student should have time to read
individually, with peers and with adults.
Comprehension
Prediction
Activity objective
Based on information from the story, the student
will predict future events.
• Students can read the story as a group
(using the tracking functionality) or have the
page read by the computer (audio icon).
• If necessary re-word or explain the prediction
question and encourage discussion among the
group.
• Make sure students elaborate and justify
their responses to the questions.
• You can add other questions that may not
be embedded in the activity.
Content / levels
Prediction questions at the end
of certain pages in the story.
Available stories
The Little Red Hen
Henny Penny
The Frog and the Well
Multicultural
Waterfall
page 25
teacher handbook
Comprehension
Comprehension Monitoring
Activity objective
After reading a story, the student will identify words
that do not make sense (one on each page of the
story).
• Students can work as a group (reading the story
and looking for the non-sense words) and take turns
controlling the computer.
Content / levels
One non-sense word per page
in every story
Available stories
The Little Red Hen
Poetry
Non-fiction
How a Bean Sprouts
Sequencing
Activity objective
After reading a story, the student will place story
events in their correct order.
• Students can work as a group (reading the story
events and discussing the appropriate order) and take
turns controlling the computer.
• Encourage participation of other students as peer
monitors.
Content / levels
Level 1
Three story events (summary
of story pages), displayed in
random order.
Level 2
Five story events (summary
of story pages), displayed in
random order.
page 26
Available stories
The Little Red Hen
Henny Penny
Multicultural
Waterfall
Non-fiction
How a Bean Sprouts
Comprehension
Summarizing
Activity objective
The student will answer story-related questions to help
him/her summarize the story at the end.
• Students can read the story as a group
(using the tracking functionality) or have the page read
by the computer (audio icon).
• If necessary re-word the question and encourage
discussion among the group.
Content / levels
Story-related questions at the
end of certain pages in the story,
which help the student to identify
key elements to include in a summary of the story.
Available stories
Multicultural
Waterfall
The Little Red Hen
Henny Penny
Vocabulary
Activity objective
Given different attributes of a word, the student must
determine which sentences use the word appropriately.
This activity can be used to preview words from a
particular story or to work with words after the story
has been read.
Content / levels
A number of vocabulary words
from each story.
Available stories
The Little Red Hen
Henny Penny
Non-fiction
How a Bean Sprouts
Poetry
When I open my eyes
Feelings
Multicultural
Waterfall
page 27
teacher handbook
Comprehension
Vocabulary (ESL)
Activity objective
The student will be able to match given words with
their corresponding pictures then use the words
appropriately in given sentences.
This activity is better done individually or in pairs. If
done in pairs, students can take turns controlling the
mouse as they each do a set. The other student is
there to support and provide assistance if necessary.
Available stories
Content / levels
This activity is better done individually or in pairs. If done in
pairs, students can take turns
controlling the mouse as they
each do a set. The other student
is there to support and provide
assistance if necessary.
The Little Red Hen
Henny Penny
Non-fiction
How a Bean Sprouts
Poetry
When I open my eyes
Feelings
Multicultural
Waterfall
Story Response
Activity objective
Students are given open-ended questions about the
story that they will discuss with one another.
You may need to remind the student of the story.
Content / levels
Six questions are presented in a
set: Three of which are general
and three of which are specific to
a story.
Available stories
The Little Red Hen
Henny Penny
Non-fiction
How a Bean Sprouts
page 28
Poetry
When I open my eyes
Feelings
Multicultural
Waterfall
Comprehension
Story Elements
Activity objective
The students must answer questions about
events that took place in a story.
This activity can be done individually or in small
groups. After reading a story, students must
answer questions. They can take turns selecting
answers and hitting the piñata.
Content / levels
Students must select the
answer to six questions about
the story. Because there are
audio prompts to assist, this
activity can be done by all
students once they are familiar with the story.
Available stories
The Little Red Hen
Henny Penny
Non-fiction
How a Bean Sprouts
Poetry
Multicultural
Waterfall
page 29
teacher handbook
Writing
Writing
What is writing?
Writing is defined as a system in which
graphemes (letters or symbols) that represent a
language are placed on a surface (encoded) to
be read (decoded) by someone familiar with the
code. It is a powerful, multifaceted tool for both
personal and interpersonal communication.
Stages of writing
Writing progresses through at least 7
different stages from children giving meaning
to their scribbles, pictures and drawings to
conventional spelling. When children begin their
formal schooling, they may fall anywhere on this
continuum in terms of writing ability.
Why is writing important?
Writing is a means by which we communicate with others. When children see different
ways of writing modeled and used around them,
they soon want to engage in its production. Children usually begin writing (albeit through scribbling) before they start to read. Research shows
that writing supports reading development and
vice versa. When students encode their thoughts
using conventional or invented spelling on paper
or using a word processing program, they use
skills that
page 30
support reading and writing development. With
the disparity that exists between the number of
phonemes and graphemes in the English language (26 and over 40 respectively), students
need explicit and systematic phonics instruction
to learn how this code works and how to reproduce it. ABRACADABRA is a tool that supports
this development.
writing?
ABRACADABRA’s writing component is
designed for children to apply phonetic principles and their literacy experiences to the writing
of words and sentences. Through game-like
activities, children are asked to write words and
sentences they have encountered in the different
story genres in the program. Scaffolding
mechanisms are built in so that students can
complete the writing activities on their own; that
is, when words are spelled incorrectly, ABRACADABRA will provide prompts to support and
encourage students until the words are spelled
conventionally.
Writing
Spelling Words
Activity objective
The student will spell regular and irregular words using
the keyboard.
Before doing this activity, acquaint students with basic
keyboarding skills, especially letters, backspace and
enter keys.
This activity is better done by individual students or in
pairs where they alternate having control of the keyboard. If students make mistake spelling a word, the
computer highlights where the error occurred but the
students will have to retype the whole word to
correct it.
Content / levels
Level 1
sounds.
Level 2
sounds.
Level 3
short vowel sounds.
Level 4
sounds.
Level 5
sounds.
Level 6
4-phoneme words
sounds.
Level 7
sounds.
Level 8
5-phoneme challenge
words.
Available stories
The Little Red Hen
Henny Penny
Poetry
When I open my eyes
Feelings
page 31
teacher handbook
Writing
Spelling Sentences
Activity objective
The students will use keyboarding skills to spell
words to make a sentence.
Before doing this activity, acquaint students with
basic keyboarding skills and ensure that they
are familiar with the letter, backspace, and enter
keys, as well as the spacebar.
This activity should be done after a story has
been read because the words tested are story
specific. It is better done by individual students
or students in pairs who take turns controlling the
keyboard. If the student makes a mistake spelling
a word, the computer highlights where the error
occurred, but the student will have to retype the
whole word to correct it.
Content / levels
Because the activity is directly
related to a story, have the
students read the story before
starting to spell sentences.
Level 1
2-word sentences.
Level 2
3-word sentences.
Level 3
4-word sentences.
Level 4
5-word sentences.
Available stories
The Little Red Hen
Henny Penny
Non-fiction
How a Bean Sprouts
Poetry
When I open my eyes
Feelings
Multicultural
Waterfall
page 32
Navigational icons
Navigational Icons
As your students go through ABRACADABRA, they will
meet these navigational icons. It may be advantageous to
familiarize yourself and students with them to make your
experience with the software enjoyable.
a-OK
help me
yes
no
next
repeat
magnet
paw
check
super
speedy
how to adventure
not here
clock
speedy
clock
page 33
teacher handbook
Samples of lesson plans
Sample I — Navigating ABRACADABRA
Topic
Program introduction — navigating through ABRACADABRA
Materials
One computer
Speakers
Projector
Classroom procedure devices you have created such as a pocket chart and ABRA activity completions sheet
Objectives
• Students will be able to follow the icons to get to or back to their desired activities.
• Students will be able to develop the expectation of completing each activity—
starting with the easiest level and working to the next one(s).
Procedures
1. As a whole
group, use a projection device to show the website.
2.
Click on the “student” section.
3.
Discuss the important sections — activities and stories.
Discuss the difference between an object that is lit (active) and one that is grayed out
(inactive).
4.
5.
Show and tell how to clear the desk to move on to other stories or activities.
6.
Demonstrate that the stories can be activated without being paired with an activity.
7.
Demonstrate that some activities can be activated with out being paired with a story.
8.
Have 4-6 students demonstrate how these features are to be used.
Collaboration
1.
Turn off computer and projector.
Tell students that you will now discuss how to show that they have completed an
ABRA task.
2.
3.
Show how to use the teaching aids you have created.
4.
Have 4-6 students model how they would use them.
Thank students for their participation and tell them that you look forward to seeing
them put these actions into use when you use ABRA the next time.
5.
Lesson plan developed by: Janet Jack, Judy Spangler and Gia Deleveaux
page 34
Sample II — Introductory lesson on characters
Topic
What is ABRACADABRA?
Materials
Computers
Headphones
Projector/Smartboard
ABRA character cards (in Printable Resources)
Paper
Pencil
Crayons
Objective
Students will be able to navigate ABRA to find the different characters.
Procedures
1. Say: I am
going to say a wonderful word, ABRACADABRA. What do you think of
when I say that word? What do you think it means?
2.
Show character cards to introduce programme and characters.
Use the chart paper to create chart with names and characters’ special skills.
Show this to the students. Tell them that we will complete this chart as the lesson goes
along.
3.
Go to website: http://grover.concordia.ca/abra/ using Smartboard or LCD
projector. Talk through actions as items are clicked.
• Click on Student
• Click Characters
4.
Click on Julie and have the computer read her story. Ask students what they think
about her and her desires for travel and adventures. Put up Julie’s card. Relate her
experience with your class specialists – e.g., the classmate with special skills in math,
tying shoelaces, finding things, spelling helper, chef, etc.
5.
6.
Repeat step 5 with other characters.
Collaboration
Give students 10 minutes to peruse this section of the software with a partner.
Extension activity
1. Ask students to
2.
think about the characters in ABRA and choose a favourite.
Students draw a picture or write a sentence about their favourite character.
Lesson plan developed by: Janet Jack, Judy Spangler and Gia Deleveaux
page 35
teacher handbook
Sample III — Smartboard unit
Materials
Smartboard
Computers
Smart Notebook
Colour
Printer paper
Objective
• Teachers will be able to use the Smartboard and its devices to assist with their
ABRACADABRA lessons.
• Students will be able to do illustrations using Smart Notebook.
• Students will develop public speaking skills
by presenting their work to the class.
ABRACADABRA activity
The ABRACADABRA story — “The Dove and
the Ant”
8. Have students choose 2 pages and write
questions based on those pages.
Procedure Day 2
1. Use the Smartboard
as you reread the
story The Dove and the Ant.
Turn on Smart Notebook and show students how to do illustrations using this
software.
2.
Have children go to their computers and
turn on the software. Once they get to Smart
Notebook, they choose their favourite part of
the story and illustrate it.
3.
Children print copies of their drawings
and present their work to the class telling them
why they did this work.
4.
Procedure Day 1
Procedure Day 3
1. Have a discussion
2. Go into the story The Dove and the Ant
2.
1. Divide Smartboard screen into two vertical
parts. (ABRACADABRA browser and Smart
Notebook)
3. Read a page or have the computer read
it.
4. Write a question that corresponds with
that page in Smart Notebook. Advise children
that comprehension comes from being able to
question what you read so they should always
seek to ask themselves questions as they read.
5. Model this a few more times.
about the characters
in the story The Dove and the Ant. Students
analyze character behaviours, intentions, and
author’s choice of words.
Ask students to use their imaginations and
create another story about adventures of a
character based on the discussion just had.
Students tell their story about the character’s adventure to the group.
3.
Once receiving feedback from the group,
students write their story using Smart Notebook or traditional methods. Their hard copies
will be placed in the class’ Reading Corner.
4.
6. Copy, save, and print the Smart Notebook
file.
7. Divide children in pairs and have them
continue reading the story.
page 36
Lesson plan developed by: Peggy Gerard,
Stacey Le Grandeur and Gia Deleveaux
Sample IV — Alphabetics
Whole class activity
Topic
Auditory discrimination
Time
40 minutes
Materials
Computer and projector
Tennis Balls
Objective
Increase auditory discrimination skills through gross motor activities. ABRACADABRA activity
Syllable counting
Procedures
Pull up “Syllable counting” on ABRACADABRA and project it onto an area that is
visible to all children. When the computer says a word, demonstrate how one could
clap one’s hands to count how many syllables are in each word. Use the computer
to show how I get the cat to throw the right number of popsicles to the yeti. Then
say that I could also use tennis balls just like the cat uses popsicles to count syllables.
Select students, two at a time, to be the yeti and the cat. Have those students sit on
the floor. When the computer says a word, the “cat” counts the number of syllables
in that word and rolls the corresponding number of tennis balls to the yeti. When the
“cat” has stopped rolling the balls, the yeti says whether or not the right number has
been rolled. The remainder of the class agrees or disagrees. Repeat this activity with
another pair of students to ensure students have understood what to do. Then, have
students pair up and sit around the room on the floor. Go through safety rules such
as the balls must be rolled and not thrown to your partners. Once all pairs have
been established and rules understood, have the computer say a word. Students roll
the balls. Once each pair is finished, students raise their hands and leave the appropriate number of balls in front of them. Walk around to make sure each group is
getting the correct answer. Do this a few times then have students switch roles. After
all have played both roles, collect tennis balls and thank them for their participation.
Have them return to their places and complete the appropriate worksheet after doing an example with them.
Extension activity
The children can do a written activity where they write the number of syllables in
their names or in other familiar words.
page 37
teacher handbook
Name: _______________________________________________________________
Write the number of syllables you hear in each word.
Example
Cherries:
2
Strawberry:
Lemons:
Bananas:
Pineapple:
Grapes:
Coconut:
Pear:
Avocado:
Apple:
Tomato:
Watermelon:
page 38
Sample V — Alphabetics
Small groups
Topic
Blending and segmenting words
Time
30 minutes
Materials
Computer(s)
Objective
Students will practice decoding skills in multiple capacities
One ABRACADABRA story
Blending Train (connected to same story)
Auditory Segmenting (connected to same story)
Basic Decoding (connected to same story)
Procedures
Read ABRACADABRA story as whole class. Divide students into small groups and
assign each group a station. Allow 10 minutes per station. If you do not have
enough computers, you can use one computer as a “Reading station” and laminate
the word lists (see pages 44 and 45) to be used for the blending and segmenting
activities. You can then create a vocabulary list for the decoding activity.
Extension activity
As an extension activity, children can draw pictures that depict the vocabulary
words for a class dictionary.
page 39
teacher handbook
Sample VI — Alphabetics
Individual / Small group activity
Topic
Letter sound correspondence – Encoding words
Time
20 minutes
Materials
Computer OR a printed copy of the story “The Four Seasons”
Items that represent the different seasons such as swimsuit, sweater, mitten,
earmuffs, brown leaf, seeds
Writing tools
Objective
Students will be able to draw and write about what happens at a particular time
of the year.
The ABRACADABRA story — “The Four Seasons”
Procedures
Show the child the different items brought in and talk about their uses and the time
of the year they are worn. After this is done, sit with the child at the computer and
go through the story “The Four Seasons”. Ask the child to give feedback to the story
and state if she or he does similar activities in the various seasons. Ask the child to
tell about her or his favorite season and why it is preferred. State your preference
and discuss it. Show how you would write a sentence to reflect your feelings. Take
a few of the child’s sentences and have her or him encode it, making sure to stress
the connection between sounds and letters. Have the child draw a picture of herself
or himself doing her or his favorite activity. After this is done, ask the child to write
a sentence about the activity. Watch as the child vocalizes the sounds and encodes
with letters. Encourage invented spelling and help the student sound out the words.
page 40
Name:
Draw a picture that shows you doing your favorite activity to enjoy a season.
Write a sentence underneath it.
Write your sentence here.
page 41
teacher handbook
Sample VII — Alphabetics
Topic
Basic decoding
Time
30 minutes
Materials
Computer
Speakers
Alphabet chart on the wall
12”x14” cards (laminated hard stock paper with letters of the alphabet on it)
Objective
Students will be able to decode basic words.
The Alphabet Song
Procedures
Have speakers hooked up to the computer so the whole class can hear and sing
along with the level 3 version of ABRACADABRA’s Alphabet song. As the children
are singing, point to the corresponding letters on your alphabet chart. After singing,
systematically go through each letter and sound to make sure the children are secure
in this knowledge. Practice blending sounds together using the large stock cards. Do
this while chanting:
“You take a b that’s a /b/ and an a – t “at”
You put them all together and they spell bat.
That’s bat, b – a – t, bat. That’s bat, b – a – t, bat.
You take a b that’s /b/ and an a – t “at”
You put them all together and they spell bat.”
Do this several times using different word families to give the children practice with
how to do this. Have them come up, switch the cards around and create new words
from the word families. Sing the song to their words. After this, praise them for how
well they have done. Tell them that they are going to do the same thing but individually. Encourage them to sound out the words as before.
page 42
Name: _______________________________________________________________
Read the words and look at the pictures. Find the word that names the picture.
Draw a line from the word to the picture that it matches.
1. Clap
2. Dog
3. Hat
4. Pot
5. Slip
6. Clock
page 43
teacher handbook
Sample VIII — Fluency
Sounds and expression activity
Topic
Reading with the correct expression
Materials
computers, projector, tape recorder or materials that make different sounds
Objective
Students will be able to decode basic words.
Matching Sounds and Reading with Expression
Lesson summary
Sounds are all around us. Each sound creates a different “feel” for us. This lesson investigates sounds, their effects on us, and how expressive reading can do the same.
Introductory activity — Do the activities
• Ticking of a clock.
• Ringing of a bell.
• Tapping of a pencil.
• Ringing of a cell phone.
• Voices heard outside the classroom.
and ask the question, “What’s that sound?”
Procedures
1. Turn on computer and projector to the ABRA
2. Click on the ABRA Matching Sounds activity
student section.
and complete one level of the activity as
a group.
3. Click on to the story Red Hen then the skill Expression.
4. Explain why using expression when reading is important. Give examples.
5. Click and do 2 examples with ABRA. Ask if the sentences were read with the correct
expression with the question, “Did I read it right?” Have volunteers click the thumbs up or
down icon in ABRA to show response. Ask for corrections if they were not.
Collaboration
1. Divide students in pairs or groups to do this activity with the computer. They are to
discuss their responses and make corrections whenever necessary.
2. They are to choose one page to practice and read to the whole class with the appropriate expression. They should explain why they have read the page in a certain manner.
Extension activity
1. Make a list of 5 unusual sounds they hear at home.
2. Ask them to tell how these sounds made them feel; e.g., happy, sad, frightened, surprised, nervous, etc.
Lesson plan developed by: Diane
page 44
Sample IX — Fluency
Individual or small group
Topic
Tracking
Time
20 minutes
Materials
Computer OR a printed copy of an ABRACADABRA story
A blank cassette
Recorder for cassette
Objective
Students will create a library of readings for portfolio and listening purposes
Procedures
Alone with the teacher or in pairs, students can select (or be assigned) a passage
from a story being read in class to record. One student will monitor the reading
by following along with a hard copy of the story while the other student is reading
the electronic version. The monitoring student will also be in charge of the recorder.
When the passage is complete, it is the other student’s turn to read and record. As
pairs take turns at recording, you can end up with a fully recorded story that can be
added to your class audio library. You can also use these recordings as a way of
collecting reading samples to track progress.
page 45
teacher handbook
Sample X — Fluency
Topic
High frequency words
Small group or whole class
Time
40 minutes
Materials
Copies of a set of high frequency words for each student
Scissors
Copies ABRACADABRA stories – “The Frogs and the Well”, “Little Red Hen”, “The
Dove and the Ant”, ”How a Bean Sprouts” and “Feelings”
Objective
Students will be able to find and read high frequency words in a given period
of time.
Procedures
Tell students that they will be given a sheet of paper that has 20 words they have
encountered while reading ABRACADABRA books. They are to read the words then
cut along the dotted lines to make individual word cards. Instruct them to write their
names on the backs of the cards. Give out sheets and scissors. Permit children to do
as you have directed (20 – 25 minutes). Walk around and assist where necessary.
After the children have finished, ask them to place their words on their desks in any
order they wish. Explain that you will be calling out words and they will have to find
them as quickly as possible. Suggest that they may want to sort them by beginning
sounds/letters or by words they are sure of on one side and words they are not so
sure of on the other. Once the game begins and they have found a called out word,
they are to hold it face down on their desks and not show it until you say “time”. At
that point, they are to hold their cards up so that you can see them. Students who
are not sure can wait for this moment to look around to see what their classmates
have held up then find their cards. Once all students have the correct word, praise
them and then move on. As children are doing this, make notes on who seems to
need help. As time goes on, time permitted to find each card is decreased from 10
seconds to less. After students have done this, they can put their cards away and
read copies of the stories to practice these words in context.
Extension activity
This game can be modified by calling out a rhyming word that corresponds to one
in the high frequency word cards children have. Children are to find and raise that
matching rhyming word in their set. (NB, the teacher does not have to lead this activity at all times; a student who is fluent in reading can lead this.)
Another list of challenge words is provided using words encountered in the stories
but not necessarily high frequency words. The original and rhyming games can be
played using these cards.
page 46
little
came
was
said
mother
out
ran
look
friend
best
his
that
stand
very
you
over
away
left
jump
could
Cut along the lines to make a set of challenge words.
page 47
teacher handbook
smile
growl
come phone
dried
brave around
dark
game
hard
real
talk
give
rain
page 48
damp
right
cream
shine
very
bean
Cut along the lines to make a set of challenge words.
Sample XI — Comprehension
Story problem and solution
Materials
Computers
LCD projector or smartboard
Printable resource on ABRACADABRA story “Little Red Hen”
Objective
Students will be able to show their understanding of the story by telling the
story problem and solution.
The ABRACADABRA story — “Little Red Hen”
Procedures
1. Have the students retell the story Little Red Hen.
2. Have them suggest what was the problem in the story. Have them conclude
what was the main problem.
3. As they give problems, have them suggest how they were solved.
4. Give students the sentence starter handout from the printable resources
section for the story Little Red Hen.
Instruct students to answer the question and draw a picture to illustrate their
response.
Lesson plan developed by: Gwen Fredricksen, Heather New,
Erin Stinson and Gia Deleveaux
page 49
teacher handbook
Name:
What did the dog, the pig, and the cow do when The Little Red Hen did not share her
bread? Draw your answer.
Write your sentence here.
page 50
Sample XII — Comprehension
Individual activity
Topic
Story sequence
Time
40 minutes
Materials
Computer OR a printed copy of an ABRACADABRA story
Journaling paper
Writing and coloring material
Objective
Students will be able to predict an ending based on context clues.
Procedures
Choose a story from the ABRACADABRA story bank (or another familiar story).
Read the story as a whole class. Just before the end of the story, ask the children
what they think will happen. Take suggestions from the class and write them on chart
paper. Send the students to their tables to work individually on creating
their own endings based on what has happened so far.
Have children return to the group and ask them to share their answers.
Extension activity
To bring attention to story elements like beginning, middle and end, use the
ABRACADABRA sequencing activity related to the story you have chosen
as a whole class or a small group. Have students create their own books
by adding a beginning and a middle to their “new” ending modeled after
the real story or they can create their own.
page 51
teacher handbook
Sample XIII — Comprehension
Small group activity
Topic
Story response
Time
30 minutes
Materials
Paper
Writing material (necessary)
Microphone and recorder (optional)
Objective
Students will be able to generate and respond to critical thinking questions.
Story Response
Procedures
After reading through an ABRACADABRA story choice at least once, have students
work on “Story Response” related to that story. Have children read the story in their
small groups and respond orally to the question prompts. Then tell children they will
be interviewing a character from the story. In their small groups, one person will be
the character and one will be the interviewer. If there are more than two children in
a group, you can have more than one character or interviewer. Have the students
brainstorm critical questions for the character. They can use the ones from the
ABRACADABRA prompts and create some of their own.
When they are ready, have each group come up for their TV interview. You can
make this a more real experience by using a microphone, costumes for the interviewer and the character. You can also videotape the interviews for future use. Having
the children or groups switch roles can extend this activity.
page 52
Sample XIV — Writing
Topic
Spelling words and sentences
Time
30 minutes
Materials
Computer and projector OR copies of the story “My Town”
Paper
Objective
Students will be able to draw a picture and write a label for a place or thing in their
town.
The ABRACADABRA story — “My Town”
Procedures
Explain that the author of “My Town” wrote this story to tell people about his/her
town. Inform them that they can do the same. If you have recently read the book,
have children retell what they have read. If not, read the book together then ask
children to tell of favorite places they like to visit in their town and why. Tell them
they will now have the opportunity to draw and write about different places in their
towns. Children do the activity. Students who need more of a challenge can write a
sentence telling why they chose a particular place. At the end, students can share
their work with one other.
Extension activity
Children write about places in their school’s neighborhood. In pairs, they choose different places and decide in which medium they would like to represent them: painting, computer graphics, crayons, markers, etc. Their work is then compiled into a
book that can be shared with other classes or kept in the class library.
page 53
teacher handbook
Sample XV — Writing
Topic
Understanding the story - real or make-believe
(fiction or non-fiction)
Time
3 X 45 minutes
or longer (depending
on students’ needs)
Materials
Computer and projector OR copies of the story “How a Bean Sprouts”
Chalkboard, chalk
Paper with blank section on top and lined section on bottom
Staple gun, staples
Authors’ chairs.
Objective
• Students will be able to write a non-fiction process or sequential story.
• Students will be able to work as pairs to produce good work.
• Students will be able to present their work in an appropriate manner.
The ABRACADABRA story —“How a Bean Sprouts”
Procedures
Part One
Ask children if they know what “non-fiction” means. If they do not know, tell them
that “How a bean grows” is an example because the events are real and not
make-believe. Ask them to tell how they know whether something is real or make
believe. Explain that in non-fiction books, it is important to get the facts and
procedures correct and there is no need to embellish details. If they have been using
ABRACADABRA for a while, ask them to tell of any books that would fit into this text
type that they have read in ABRACADABRA. (Answer: Canadian Wild
Animals, My Town, and How a Bean Sprouts.) Give children copies of “How a Bean
Sprouts” if it cannot be projected. Read the story and write the stages of the bean’s
growth on the chalkboard. Ask the children to tell of different things they like to do
that they must do in stages; for example, making a cake or washing the dog. Write
their suggestions on the board. Have them pair up with another student who likes
to do the same thing to work as partners writing up the process. Tell them that their
page 54
Sample XV — Writing (cont.)
job is to co-write a book explaining the steps with their partners for the rest of the
lesson and during the next. Remind them of behaviors that show good
teamwork. Suggest that it may be better to talk about the process first, draw
pictures, and then write their story. Show them where the supplies are and tell
them that they can use the computer, copied storybook, or another group if they
need help with sequencing. Have children work. Walk around and help where necessary.
Part Two
Let children sit with their writing partners. Recap the difference between real and
make-believe. Remind students that it is important to get the facts and steps correct
when writing such books. Allow some pairs to share how things are going in their
writing process. They can share successes or areas that they are finding problematic. Praise and remind them that they are to work amicably with their partners. Let
them continue working. The goal is to have all groups finished this session. If some
finish early, they can share their work with other groups for editing purposes: they
can make sure that things are in the correct order and invented spelling can get
closer to conventional spelling. When they are sure of their product, they can staple
the pages together. They must then discuss their presentation style. Help them when
if necessary.
Part Three
Make a big production of the pairs coming up to share their work with the class.
Go over good listening behaviors that will be expected as the authors read. Have
them come up and read their books from the author’s chair. Permit classmates to ask
questions about the work. Congratulate and praise all teams. Let the students place
books in the class library in the newly formed “non-fiction” section. Tell them that
they should invite their parents, siblings and friends to come and see
their work.
page 55
teacher handbook
Sample XVI — Writing
Individual activity
Topic
Writing notes (Purpose of writing)
Time
45 minutes
Materials
Computer OR a copy of the story “The Three Billy Goats Gruff”
Paper with blank section on top and lined section on bottom
Objective
Students will be able to write a note to a story character about a pleasant or
disturbing behavior exhibited in the story.
The ABRACADABRA story — “The Three Billy Goats Gruff”
Procedures
Alternate the reading of the story “Three Billy Goats Gruff” between you and the
child. Ask questions about the story to make sure the student has understood it. Invite
the student to tell who was her/his most or least favorite character and why. Ask the
student to tell how she/he would feel if the same thing were to happen to her/him
and why. Explain to students that notes are sent to people to let them know about
things such as what is going on, feelings, and opinions. “For example, the teacher
often send notes home with you so that the person who takes care of you can know
what is going on at school.” Tell student that she/he will write a note to a character
in the story telling how she/he felt about what the character did. Have the student
write a note then read it to you. A drawing may also be done. This note can be
dated and placed in the student’s portfolio.
page 56
Sample XVII — Writing
Topic
Encode personal narratives
Time
40 minutes
Materials
Computer and projector OR a copy of the story “The Frogs and the Well”
Objective
Students will be able to write and draw about something they or someone else did
that was not very wise and the consequences of the behavior.
The ABRACADABRA story — “The Frogs and the Well”
Procedures
Project the ABRACADABRA story “The Frogs and the Well” and ask the children to
read it quietly to themselves. Gauge the time given per screen depending on the
reading levels of the class. Read the screen or invite a fluent reader to read it until
the book is completed. Ask questions along the way to make sure they understand
the passage and the moral of the story.
Shift into talking about something you have done that was not very wise and the
consequence of that action. Invite one or two of them to share their experiences.
Split the class into groups of 4 and have them share their experiences and the
repercussions in smaller groups. Let them discuss this for 10 minutes. Then they draw
a picture of a scene from their “episode” and write a sentence about what happened.
Extension activity
Have the children meet in their groups of 4 again. They decide which episode
they would like to dramatize to the class. They practice and present the piece
as a short skit.
page 57
teacher handbook
Class management in ABRACADABRA
Class Management in
ABRACADABRA
The Learning Tool Kit (LTK) allows a teacher to manage his or her
class through ePEARL (the CSLP’s electronic portfolio).
Teachers can decide with which teachers they would like to share
information through the linking and unlinking feature. Teachers can also
link and unlink students to classes.
By far, one the most important features the class management tool
affords is the ability for teachers to retrieve student nickname and
password information.
How do I manage my class in
ePEARL?
Once the LTK is installed in your school, simply log into the LTK
lobby and follow the steps below.
Step 1:
Click on the ePEARL icon. Your e-portfolio will become visible.
You may personalize your portfolio, set goals, upload artifacts
and access ePEARL resources.
Step 2:
To manage your class, click on the “Manage” button. From the
main “Manage menu” you will be able to manage your classes
and students.
Step 3:
To link and unlink other teachers to your classes, choose “My
Class” and follow the directions.
Step 4:
To link and unlink students to your classes, choose “My Students” and follow the directions.
page 58
Technological requirements
Technological Requirements
ABRACADABRA is an internet-based program that can be run on PC
or Macintosh computers. This section delineates the software, hardware
and network requirements needed for ABRACADABRA to run properly.
Please note that your internet connection must be faster than dial-up and
that Adobe Flash Player 9 or higher must be installed on all computers.
PC requirements
Processor
Intel® Pentium® 3 800 mHz
or faster (or equivalent)
RAM
Minimum RAM 256 MB
512 MB recommended
OS
Windows 2000
or Windows XP
Browser
Microsoft Internet Explorer
6.x, Firefox 1.x
Speakers or headphones are
necessary.
Adobe Flash Player 9 or higher
Mac requirements
Processor
PowerPC® G3 500MHz
or faster processor
RAM
Minimum RAM 256 MB
512 MB recommended
OS
Mac OS X
Browser
Firefox 1.5 is recommended or
Safari 1.3 or later
Speakers or headphones are
necessary.
Adobe Flash Player 9 or higher
page 59

ABRACADABRA Research

Transcription

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