Learning Resource Type

Classroom Resource

ABC Bookmaking Builds Vocabulary in the Content Areas

Subject Area

English Language Arts

Grade(s)

6, 7, 8

Overview

Students are engaged and motivated to build content-area vocabulary through the creation of ABC books. A small-group activity introduces a variety of ABC books, including books for older readers that use the letters of the alphabet as a starting point to present information about a featured subject. Students then decide on a style and structure for their own alphabet books and choose a word for each letter from content area textbooks, encyclopedias, reference books, or suggested websites. A storyboard is constructed including each of the 26 words, the context in which it will appear, and a quick sketch of the proposed illustration. Students' final ABC books are created using either the interactive Alphabet Organizer or PowerPoint.

    English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 6

    ELA21.6.R1

    Utilize active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings, following agreed-upon rules for participation.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:ELA21.6.R1

    Vocabulary

    • Active listening
    • Discussion
    • Conversation
    • Rules
    • Participation

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • Active listening skills.
    • How to engage in discussions and conversations in a variety of settings.
    • Agreed-upon rules for participation.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • Demonstrate active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings.
    • Converse in pairs, small groups, and large groups.
    • Practice the agreed-upon rules for participation.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • Conversations and discussions follow agreed-upon rules which help us actively listen and gain understanding.
    English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 6

    ELA21.6.R2

    Use context clues to determine meanings of unfamiliar spoken or written words.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:ELA21.6.R2

    Vocabulary

    • Context clues
    • Determine
    • Unfamiliar spoken words
    • Unfamiliar written words

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • Context clues in speech or text can provide the meaning of unfamiliar words.
    • There are different types of context clues, including inference/general clues, definition/explanation clues, restatement/synonym clues, and contrast/antonym clues.
    • Context clues in text are often indicated by punctuation marks.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • Use context clues to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words in speech.
    • Use context clues to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words in text.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • An author or a speaker use context clues to explain the meaning of unusual words or academic, domain-specific vocabulary.
    English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 6

    ELA21.6.7

    Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writing in which the development, organization, style, and tone are relevant to task, purpose, and audience, using an appropriate command of language.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:ELA21.6.7

    Vocabulary

    • Narrative writing
    • Argument writing
    • Informative/explanatory writing
    • Writing development
    • Writing organization
    • Style
    • Tone
    • Task
    • Purpose
    • Audience
    • Command of language

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • A narrative is a piece of writing that tells a story.
    • Informative or explanatory text is a piece of writing that provides factual information that was gathered from multiple research sources.
    • The purpose of argumentative writing is to convince the reader to take action or adopt a particular position.
    • The development, organization, style, and tone of writing will change depending on the writing task, the purpose of the writing, and the intended audience.
    • Formal academic writing should demonstrate an appropriate command of language.

      Skills

      Students are able to:
      • Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writings.
      • Identify the writing task, the purpose of writing, and the intended audience in order to appropriately adapt the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
      • Demonstrate command of the written language.

      Understanding

      Students understand that:
      • There are different genres of writing that serve various purposes.
      • The writing task, purpose, and audience should be considered in the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
      • Formal academic writing should display their command of the English language.
      English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 6

      ELA21.6.23

      Use an audio or audio-visual source of information to obtain the answer to a question.

      Unpacked Content

      UP:ELA21.6.23

      Vocabulary

      • Audio source
      • Audio-visual source

      Knowledge

      Students know:
      • Audio sources include only auditory information, while audio-visual sources include sounds and images.
      • Active listening skills.

      Skills

      Students are able to:
      • Use audio or audio-visual information sources to answer a question.

      Understanding

      Students understand that:
      • Audio and audio-visual sources can provide information to answer a variety of questions.
      English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 7

      ELA21.7.R2

      Use context clues to determine meanings of unfamiliar spoken or written words.

      Unpacked Content

      UP:ELA21.7.R2

      Vocabulary

      • Context clues
      • Determine
      • Unfamiliar spoken words
      • Unfamiliar written words

      Knowledge

      Students know:
      • Context clues in speech or text can provide the meaning of unfamiliar words.
      • There are different types of context clues, including inference/general clues, definition/explanation clues, restatement/synonym clues, and contrast/antonym clues.
      • Context clues in text are often indicated by punctuation marks.

      Skills

      Students are able to:
      • Use context clues to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words in speech.
      • Use context clues to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words in text.

      Understanding

      Students understand that:
      • An author or a speaker use context clues to explain the meaning of unusual words or academic, domain-specific vocabulary.
      English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 7

      ELA21.7.7

      Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writing in which the development, organization, style, and tone are relevant to task, purpose, and audience, using an appropriate command of language.

      Unpacked Content

      UP:ELA21.7.7

      Vocabulary

      • Narrative writing
      • Argument writing
      • Informative/explanatory writing
      • Writing development
      • Writing organization
      • Style
      • Tone
      • Task
      • Purpose
      • Audience
      • Command of language

      Knowledge

      Students know:
      • A narrative is a piece of writing that tells a story.
      • The purpose of argumentative writing is to convince the reader to take action or adopt a particular position.
      • Informative or explanatory text is a piece of writing that provides factual information that was gathered from multiple research sources.
      • The development, organization, style, and tone of writing will change depending on the writing task, the purpose of the writing, and the intended audience.
      • Formal academic writing should demonstrate an appropriate command of language.

      Skills

      Students are able to:
      • Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writings.
      • Identify the writing task, the purpose of writing, and the intended audience in order to appropriately adapt the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
      • Demonstrate command of the written language.

      Understanding

      Students understand that:
      • There are different genres of writing that serve various purposes.
      • The writing task, purpose, and audience should be considered in the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
      • Formal academic writing should display their command of the English language.
      English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 8

      ELA21.8.R3

      Use digital and electronic tools appropriately, safely, and ethically when researching and writing, both individually and collaboratively.

      Unpacked Content

      UP:ELA21.8.R3

      Vocabulary

      • Digital tools
      • Electronic tools
      • Appropriately
      • Safely
      • Ethically
      • Research
      • Individually
      • Collaboratively

      Knowledge

      Students know:
      • Digital and electronic tools must be used appropriately, safely, and ethically.
      • Digital and electronic tools can be used for research or for writing tasks.
      • Digital and electronic tools can be independently or with others.

      Skills

      Students are able to:
      • Engage in safe and ethical behavior when using digital and electronic tools individually and collaboratively.

      Understanding

      Students understand that:
      • Safe behaviors, interactions that keep you out of harm's way, are necessary when using digital and electronic tools.
      • Ethical behavior, interactions that align to one's moral code, are necessary when using digital and electronic tools.
      English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 8

      ELA21.8.8

      Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writing in which the development, organization, style, and tone are relevant to task, purpose, and audience, using an appropriate command of language.

      Unpacked Content

      UP:ELA21.8.8

      Vocabulary

      • Narrative writing
      • Argument writing
      • Informative/explanatory writing
      • Writing development
      • Writing organization
      • Style
      • Tone
      • Task
      • Purpose
      • Audience
      • Command of language

      Knowledge

      Students know:
      • A narrative is a piece of writing that tells a story.
      • The purpose of argumentative writing is to convince the reader to take action or adopt a particular position.
      • Informative or explanatory text is a piece of writing that provides factual information that was gathered from multiple research sources.
      • The development, organization, style, and tone of writing will change depending on the writing task, the purpose of the writing, and the intended audience.
      • Formal academic writing should demonstrate an appropriate command of language.

        Skills

        Students are able to:
        • Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writings.
        • Identify the writing task, the purpose of writing, and the intended audience in order to appropriately adapt the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
        • Demonstrate command of the written language.

        Understanding

        Students understand that:
        • There are different genres of writing that serve various purposes.
        • The writing task, purpose, and audience should be considered in the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
        • Formal academic writing should display their command of the English language.
        English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 8

        ELA21.8.25

        Produce research writings independently over extended periods of time which encompass research, reflection, and revision and over shorter time frames.

        Unpacked Content

        UP:ELA21.8.25

        Vocabulary

        • Research writing
        • Research
        • Reflection
        • Revision

        Knowledge

        Students know:
        • Research strategies.
        • Independent writing skills for all steps of the writing process.

        Skills

        Students are able to:
        • Produce writing that contains information obtained through research.
        • Reflect on and revise their research given the occasion and time constraints.

        Understanding

        Students understand that:
        • Research can happen in short and extended time frames.
        • It is important to reflect upon information obtained through research before incorporating it into one's own writing.
        • It is important to revise work that contains research to ensure proper use for the given occasion.
        Link to Resource

        CR Resource Type

        Lesson/Unit Plan

        Resource Provider

        ReadWriteThink
        Accessibility
        License

        License Type

        Custom
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