EDU 306/412, Fall 2008
EDU 306 – Reading & Language Arts II - Monday 8:00-10:30 Webb, Room 113
Dr. Susannah Richards, Webb 147
Office phone: 465-5210; E-mail -
Office hours: Mondays, 1-3 pm; Tuesdays, 12-2 pm; Thursdays 10 am.-12 pm
EDU 412 – Elementary Social Studies - Monday 10:45-12:30 Webb 113
Dr. Leslie Ricklin, Webb 129
Office phone: 465-5229 (h 455-9782); E-mail -
Office hours: Mondays, 12:30- 2 pm; Tuesdays, 10 am-12 pm; Wednesdays, 1- 3 pm
EDU 306 REQUIRED TEXTS
Fountas, I. C., & Pinnell, G. S. (2001). Guiding readers and writers: Grades 3-6.Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Huck, C. S., & Kiefer, B. Z. (2007). Children’s literature in the elementary school. 9th edition. NY: Holt.
Tompkins, G. (2007). Literacy for the 21st century. 2nd edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Note: You will be expected to read a number of articles from The Reading Teacher, Language Arts, Educational Leadership and other professional resources. The locations and/or the article will be posted on Vista.
EDU 412 REQUIRED TEXTS
Bigelow, B. and Peterson, B. (1998). Rethinking Columbus: The next 500 years. Milwaukee: Rethinking Schools.
Chapin, J. R. (2006). Elementary social studies. Boston, MA: Pearson.
Fritzer, P. (2002). Social studies content for elementary and middle school teachers. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
ELECTRONIC RESOURCES FOR LANGUAGE ARTS AND SOCIAL STUDIES
Organization/Title / URLAssociation of Supervision and Curriculum Development / www.ascd.org
Beyond the Blueprint: Literacy in Grades 4-12 and the Content Areas / http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2618&Q=321834
Bookplates and More / http://www.myhomelibrary.org
CELA-Center on English Learning and Achievement / http://www.albany.edu/cela/
Children's Book Council / http://www.cbcbooks.org
Connecticut’s Blueprint for Reading Achievement / http://www.state.ct.us/sde/dtl/curriculum/currcbra.htm
Connecticut Social Studies Curriculum Framework / http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/PDF/Curriculum/Curriculum_Root_Web_Folder/frsocst.pdf
Connecticut Standards for Social Studies / http://www.ctsocialstudies.org/standards.htm
International Reading Association / http://www.reading.org
Knowledge Loom-Education Alliance at Brown University / http://knowledgeloom.org/practices3.jsp?location=1&bpinterid=1393&spotlightid=1393
National Council of Teachers of English / www.ncte.org
New Literacies / http://www.literacy.uconn.edu
National Council of Teachers of Social Studies / http://www.socialstudies.org
PBS Social Studies Lesson Plans / http://www.pbs.org/teachers/socialstudies/
Picturing Picture Books / http://picturingbooks.imaginarylands.org/
Primary Source Learning / http://www.primarysourcelearning.org/
Read, Write, Think / www.readwritethink.org
Reading Rockets / http://www.readingrockets.org
Smithsonian Education / http://smithsonianeducation.org/index.html
TeachingBooks / http://www.teachingbooks.net
Teaching Tolerance / http://www.teachingtolerance.org
Literacy Web at the University of Connecticut / http://www.literacy.uconn.edu/
Information on Rubrics
Rubistar / http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.phpUnderstanding Rubrics / http://learnweb.harvard.edu/ALPS/thinking/docs/rubricar.htm
Using Rubrics to Promote Thinking and Learning / Andrade, H, G. (2000, February). Using rubrics to promote thinking and learning. Educational Leadership 57(5), 13-18. Search google for the article.
BEST Portfolio Performance Feedback Profile for Elementary Education 2008
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/PDF/BEST/feedback_profiles/ee_rubric.pdf
BEST Portfolio Performance Feedback Profile for English Language Arts 2008
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/PDF/BEST/feedback_profiles/en_rubric.pdf
REQUIRED TECHNOLOGY: This syllabus and other relevant information for EDU 306 will be posted on the WebCT VISTA site that supports this course,. When submitting assignments or posting information for others online, please remember to put your user name as the first word in the file name of each assignment, (for example: smithj read-aloud paper).
As you will remember from EDU 305, you can acces s WebCT VISTA from anywhere you have access to the Web. You need to check WebCT VISTA at least once a week for relevant information.
ECSU students have a campus e-mail address. Please check your e-mail there periodically so that you get the notices of password changes before you lose access to the Web CT site. Passwords expire 90 days after they are first set up and it is your responsibility to change yours before this happens in order to avoid problems submitting work and getting course information.
COURSE PURPOSE: This course presents an integrated approach to the teaching of the language arts (reading/language arts/children’s literature) and social studies. We coordinate activities and work closely with the math and science methods course as well. Both the theoretical and the practical aspects of teaching will be explored and curriculum materials developed based upon common concepts. You will be engaging in a field experience for a three-hour block each week and will be assigned a variety of lessons and experiences for each of these course components of Core II. Your field experience will be in grades 4, 5, or 6 and the focus for this course is on upper elementary students. However, the activities and content may be differentiated for lower grades.
VI. COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The course objectives are aligned with the Connecticut English Language Arts Curriculum Framework file://localhost/(http/::www.sde.ct.gov:sde:cwp:view.asp%3Fa=2618&q=320866&sdenav_gid=1757)
Standard 1: Reading and Responding
Overarching Idea: Students read, comprehend and respond in individual, literal, critical and evaluative ways to literary, informational and persuasive texts in multimedia formats.
Guiding Question: How do we understand what we read?
Component Statements:
1.1 Students use appropriate strategies before, during and after reading in order to construct meaning.
1.2 Students interpret, analyze and evaluate text in order to extend understanding and appreciation.
1.3 Students select and apply strategies to facilitate word recognition and develop vocabulary in order to comprehend text.
1.4 Students communicate with others to create interpretations of written, oral and visual texts.
Standard 2: Exploring and Responding to Literature
Overarching Idea: Students read and respond to classical and contemporary texts from many cultures and literary periods.
Guiding Question: How does literature enrich our lives?
Component Statements:
2.1 Students recognize how literary devices and conventions engage the reader.
2.2 Students explore multiple responses to literature.
2.3 Students recognize and appreciate that contemporary and classical literature has shaped human thought.
2.4 Students recognize that readers and authors are influenced by individual, social, cultural and historical contexts.
Standard 3: Communicating with Others
Overarching Idea: Students produce written, oral and visual texts to express, develop and substantiate ideas and experiences.
Guiding Question: How do we write, speak and present effectively?
Component Statements:
3.1 Students use descriptive, narrative, expository, persuasive and poetic modes.
3.2 Students prepare, publish and/or present work appropriate to audience, purpose and
task.
Standard 4: Applying English Language Conventions
Overarching Idea: Students apply the conventions of standard English in oral, written and visual communication.
Guiding Question: How do we use the English language appropriately to speak and write?
Component Statements:
4.1 Students use knowledge of their language and culture to improve competency in English.
4.2 Students speak and write using standard language structures and diction appropriate to audience and task.
4.3 Students use standard English for composing and revising written text.
Remember to consider the five (5) major topics in reading as outlined by the National Reading Panel (2000)
-1. Phonemic Awareness: The ability to hear and manipulate sounds in words.
-1. Alphabetic Principle: The ability to associate sounds with letters and use these sounds to
-1. form words.
-1. Fluency with Text: The effortless, automatic ability to read words in connected text.
-1. Vocabulary: The ability to understand (receptive) and use (expressive) words to acquire
-1. and convey meaning.
Comprehension: The complex cognitive process involving the intentional interaction
between reader and text to convey meaning.
The course objectives are aligned with the Connecticut Social Framework (http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/PDF/curriculum/curriculum_Root_Web_Folder/frsocst.pdf)
Standard 1: Historical Thinking
Overarching Idea: Students develop historical thinking skills, including chronological thinking and recognizing change over time; contextualizing, comprehending, and analyzing historical literature; researching sources; understanding the concept of historical causation, competing narratives and interpretation; and constructing narratives and interpretation.
Guiding Question: How do we develop historical thinking?
Component Statements:
1.1 Students will formulate historical questions based on primary and
secondary sources.
1.2 Students will gather and analyze information from multiple sources.
1.3 Students will distinguish between primary and secondary sources.
1.4 Students will interpret data in historical maps, and other artifacts.
1.5 Students will examine current events from historical perspectives and identify conflicting ideas.
1.6 Students will develop written narratives from investigations of sources.
Standard 2: Local, United States, and World History
Overarching Idea: Students will use historical thinking skills to develop understanding of major historical periods, issues, and trends in these three areas of history.
Guiding Question: How do we learn about local, United States, and World History?
Component Statements:
2.1 Students will demonstrate understanding of major trends and events of
Local, United States History and World History.
2.2 Students will locate the events, peoples, and places they have studied in
time and place.
2.3 Students will explain the relationships among the events and trends
studied in local, state, national, and world history.
Standard 3: Historical Themes
Overarching Idea: Students will apply their understanding of historical periods, issues, and trends to examine such themes as ideals, beliefs, and institutions; conflict; human movement and interaction; and science and technology.
Guiding Question: How did the world come to be the way it is?
Component Statement:
3.1 Students will explain the origins of American religious diversity.
3.2 Students will explain how roles and status have differed and changed.
3.3 Students will describe the emergence of select governmental systems, principles, and institutions.
3.4 Students will describe the more common forms of government found in the past.
3.5 Students will explain the significance of achievements of scientists and inventors from around the world.
3.6 Students will explain how economic factors influenced world events.
Standard 4: Applying History
Overarching Idea: Students will recognize the continuing importance of historical thinking and historical knowledge in their own lives and the world in which they live.
Guiding Question: How do we develop connections with historical events?
Component Statements:
4.1 Students with initiate questions and hypotheses about historical events.
4.2 Students will analyze the options available to conflicting parties.
4.3 Students will be active learners and display empathy for people in history.
4.4 Students will describe relationships between current events and the past.
Standard 5: United States Constitution and Government
Overarching Idea: Students will apply knowledge of the Constitution, how the U.S. system of government works and how the rule of law have an impact on how we make decisions.
Guiding Question: What does it mean to be an American?
Component Statements:
5.1 Students will be able to explain the historical context of the Great Documents and how
they impact our lives.
5.2 Students will explain how an individual’s rights to life, liberty, and property are
protected by the Constitution and criminal and civil laws.
5.3 Students will describe how the public agenda is shaped by political leaders, parties,
interest groups, the media, public opinion, state and federal courts, and individuals.
Standard 6: Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens
Overarching Idea: Students will demonstrate knowledge of the rights and responsibilities of citizens to participate in and shape public policy, and contribute to the maintenance of our democracy.
Guiding Question: What are our Rights and Responsibilities as citizens and what do they have to do with being a good citizen?
Component Statements:
6.1 Students will explain the meaning of political rights as distinguished from personal ones.
6.2. Students will evaluate situations involving conflicts between rights and propose
solutions to these conflicts.
6.2 Students will identify characteristics of effective citizens and know how to influence
public policy by participating in the government of their school.
6.3 Students will research an issue of interest and defend a position on the issue.
6.4 Students will identify and apply criteria useful in selecting political leaders.
Standard 7: Political Systems
Overarching Idea: Students will explain that political systems come from the need of humans for order, leading to compromise and the establishing of authority.
Guiding Question: What’s the purpose of government in society?
Component Statements:
7.1 Students will describe and compare unlimited and limited government.
7.2 Students will compare and evaluate forms of government outside the US.
7.3 Students will describe the role of the Constitution in the limitation of government.
Standard 8: International Relations
Overarching Idea: Students will demonstrate an understanding of how the major elements of international relations and world affairs affect their lives and the security of their community, state, and nation.
Guiding Question: Why do we need to know and try to understand other countries and cultures?
Component Statements:
8.1 Students will explain what foreign policy is and give examples of US foreign policy.
8.2 Students will describe the influence of US political, economic, and cultural ideas on other nations and the influence of other nations’ ideas on the US.
8.3 Students will evaluate the impact of significant international events on the US and other nations.
8.4 Students will describe the roles of the three branches of government in developing and conducting foreign policy.
8.5 Students will describe how foreign policy decisions may affect domestic groups and vice versa.
Standard 9: Places and Regions
Overarching Idea: Students will use spatial perspective to identify and analyze the significance of physical and cultural characteristics of places and world regions.
Guiding Question: Why do we need to understand world geography and its different peoples and on the earth?
Component Statements:
9.1 Students will describe human and natural characteristics of places and how they shape or place identity.
9.2 Students will examine ways regions are interconnected.
9.3 Students will explain and assess how culture affects places and regions.
9.4 Students will use longitude and latitude to locate places and calculate differences between places.
9.5 Students will locate natural and cultural features in local, state, US, and world areas.
Standard 10: Physical Systems
Overarching Idea: Students will use spatial perspective to explain the physical processes that shape the Earth’s surface and its ecosystems.
Guiding Question: What are the Earth’s physical processes and are/were they formed?
Component Statement:
10.1 Students will understand how concepts of physical geography are applied to explain
natural processes.
10.2 Students will use basic climatic and other physical data to understand how natural