{"id":1242,"date":"2021-12-06T18:09:02","date_gmt":"2021-12-06T23:09:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www3.scholastic.ca\/lpeyx-teaching-support\/?page_id=1242"},"modified":"2022-04-06T16:49:16","modified_gmt":"2022-04-06T20:49:16","slug":"expressing-myself","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www3.scholastic.ca\/lpeyx-teaching-support\/grade-1\/expressing-myself-2\/expressing-myself\/","title":{"rendered":"Unit Support"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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For more about inquiry units, see:<\/h3>\n\t\n Inquiry Units in Grade One<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\n<\/div>
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INTRODUCTION TO THE UNIT<\/h2>\n\t\t\t

The Read Aloud and two Shared Reading texts in this unit focus on expressing one’s feelings and ideas in various forms. Students will be engaged in inquiring about how they can express themselves through words, body language and movement, music, and art. <\/p>\n\t\t\t

The Read Aloud text, the dot, <\/em> involves a teacher who builds confidence in a student so that she can be creative and express herself. <\/p>\n\t\t\t

One Shared Reading text, Move Like the Animals, <\/em> invites students to express how they feel when they take on the actions of an animal. The other Shared Reading text, Happiness, <\/em> is a list poem, which lists five things that makes the author happy. <\/p>\n\t\t\t

Opportunities for oral language activities and playful learning are intermingled throughout the unit as students discuss their feelings and how they express them, create an art piece, sing songs, move like animals, and draw themselves being happy. Contextual Working with Words lessons accompany each Shared Reading text and can be done with the class or with a small group of students with similar needs. A brief text-type writing study invites students to write a list poem about what makes them happy. The mentor text to support this writing project is Happiness. <\/em><\/p>\n\t\nFor details about the unit, see: Expressing Myself Plan-at-a-Glance Chart<\/a>.\n\t\n\t\n\t

Inquiry Question<\/h3>\n\t\t\t

A critical thinking approach is stimulated when we have a key question to focus our thoughts. This inquiry question can lead us to ask new questions and understand the topic more thoroughly. It draws us deeper into an issue and helps us to make connections. The inquiry question for this unit is \u201cHow can I express myself?<\/strong>\u201d <\/p>\n\t\t\t

Students explore the inquiry question by considering how they can expresses themselves and their feelings through oral language, body language, movement, music, and art. <\/p>\n\t\n\t\t\t

ELL Note<\/h3>\n\t\t\t

This inquiry unit will give English Language Learners (ELLs) many opportunities to express themselves through physical and artistic means. <\/p>\n\t\t\t

After reading the dot<\/em>, provide a variety of colouring book pages for students to practise \u2018dot art’ on. Have bingo daubers and round stickers available for use. Discuss students’ art by reviewing the names of colours, counting the dots, and describing the elements in their pictures. Once students have completed a few practice pieces, encourage them to do an original creation on a blank sheet of paper and sign it. <\/p>\n\t\t\t

Turn the classroom into an art gallery, exhibit all works of art, and ask each artist to talk about his or her art. Provide scaffolding for the ELLs: \u2018This is my work of art. It is called ___. I used ____ dots and the colours _____, _____, and ______.’ <\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t

Partner ELLs with student or parent volunteers who speak the same language as the ELLs. Together they can discuss the books and pictures in their own language and work together on the activities. As they listen to the words of the Shared Reading texts on the Media Key or online, partners can point to each word in the text as it is spoken. During subsequent reading(s), the ELL can point to the words and begin reading along with the audio. <\/p>\n\t\t\t

To facilitate comprehension and vocabulary acquisition, play Simon Says or Follow the Leader, <\/em>highlighting action words from Move Like the Animals<\/em>, such as \u2018stomp,’ \u2018crawl,’ \u2018leap,’ and \u2018scurry.’ Demonstrate the movement for each command. Encourage ELLs to imitate the animal sounds using their own language, as words such as \u201cneigh\u201d change from one language to another. <\/p>\n\t\t\tAsk the ELLs to write their own poems about happiness modelled on the Shared Reading text Happiness. <\/em>Instead of composing it in English (with the student or parent volunteer’s help), ELLs can write their poems in their own language.\n\n<\/div>

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MONITORING PROGRESS<\/h2>\n\t\t\t

You will have numerous opportunities to observe students as they inquire through talk, dramatization, movement, artwork, and play.<\/p>\n\t\t\t