Creating Poetry Artists and Developing Literacy Skills
Coach: Monica Sims, Pershing West Magnet School Adaptable for grade levels: 4-8 Key Subject Area(s): Language Arts Also incorporates: Art, Music, Drama
Study Group Teaching Method Description:
This strategy teaches students how to analyze music as a means of learning and utilizing literary devices in the development of reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Study Group members will learn how to use examples from music in order to demonstrate to students the functionality and importance of rhyme, hyperbole, alliteration, and personification.
The strategy of analyzing music is a key component to mastering this method, as it requires that teachers to seek student input on music in order to increase the level of engagement throughout the project. After this information is received, teachers will use music samples as the foci for mini-lessons used to show students how to accurately utilize various literary devices throughout their own writing.
Illinois State Standards and Benchmarks:
State Goal 1: Read with understanding and fluency State Goal 3: Write to communicate for a variety of purposes State Goal 4: Listen and speak effectively in a variety of situations State Goal 5: Use the language arts to acquire, assess and communicate information
About the Coach:
Monica Sims teaches fifth grade at Pershing West Magnet School. Monica has extensive leadership experiences include leading a previous CFE Study Group, mentoring National Board Certification candidates, and serving as a Rochelle Lee Fund Teacher Leader. Nationally Board Certified, Monica has received many awards including a Teachers Network Leadership Institute (TNLI) Fellowship, two Oppenheimer Grants, and a Fulbright-Hays Fellowship.
Meeting Times:
The Study Group meeting
schedules are determined together at the Study Group Program Kick-Off Dinner on
Thursday, June 4, 2009.
