Literacy within History

Literacy within History Lessons

       Although in today’s day and age there is a noticeable shift from handwriting to technology (i.e. Word documents, texting, email; Integrated Learning Strategies, 2016 ), literacy is just as important as it once was and it is critical that students are given meaningful literacy experiences. Literacy does not only encompass writing but also verbal communication, symbolic representation, analysing texts and even using ICT to express meaning (Alber, 2010). Therefore, this lesson will be developing student’s literacy skills in analysing texts and creating their own.

Why are students learning this?

       This lesson draws on a number of Australian Curriculum content descriptors for grade 1 (ACARA, 2012. See Figure 1) and aims to develop student’s literacy skills in text analysing and interpreting and then in drawing on their knowledge to create their own narrative about the past. Literacy is recognised as being one of the fundamental human rights and is recognised as being imperative to human development and function within society. Stromquist (2005, as cited in UNESCO, 2006) states that literacy is critical to developing informed decision making, active participation within society and personal empowerment, as well as self-esteem, communication skills and success within future schooling.

Figure 1. Australian Curriculum Content Descriptors that are used to Develop this Lesson

The Lesson…

        We will begin the lesson by first reading, as a class, the picture book Homeplace by Anne Shelby (See Figure 2). This text tells the story of how families roles and structure change over time. Students will be asked about their own families and what similarities and differences they see between each family and when compared to their own families. Students will be asked to think about how the roles and jobs have changed as the years go by.

Figure 2. Homeplace by Anne Shelby. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Homeplace-Anne-Shelby/dp/053106882X 

       Students will then be asked to choose a time period and using ICT perform research on the family structure and roles within the family during that period. Students will present their findings to the class.

        As homework, students will be asked to talk to someone older than them, grandparents, parents, neighbours or family friend and find out about their family and the differences between their own family now and the family of their research subject.

Students will then be asked to choose a person, whether it is the person that they spoke to or the families that they researched and write their own narrative about family life. Students will be asked to think about the day to day life of their character, what their character’s family might look like, what their chores might be in the family, do their parents work, what sort of home might they live in.

These stories will then be bound and presented within our classroom for parents and visitors to look at.

How can you help?

         You can help to support your children’s learning by assisted them in researching their subject’s family and by encouraging your children to express and develop their literacy skills within the home. You can do this by reading texts with your children and by fostering their creativity in writing their own narratives.

References:

Alber, J. (2010). How important is teaching literacy in all content areas?. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/literacy-instruction-across-curriculum-importance

ACARA. (2012). History. Retrieved from http://v7- 5.australiancurriculum.edu.au/humanities-and-social-sciences/history/curriculum/f-10?layout=1

Integrated Learning Strategies. (2016). Handwriting: is handwriting dying out? - why lack of handwriting could cause impulsive behaviors and high emotions in the classroom. Retrieved from http://ilslearningcorner.com/2016-08-handwriting-handwriting-dying-lack-handwriting-cause-impulsive-behaviors-high-emotions-classroom/

UNESCO. (2006). EFA Global Monitoring Report: Literacy for Life. Retrieved from             http://www.unesco.org/education/GMR2006/full/chapt5_eng.pdf

Education for Sustainability

Education for Sustainability – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

                Children of today will be the adults of the future and will be growing up in a world damaged by past generations, (Littledyke, Taylor & Eames, 2009). With climate change being an ever increasing debate, and the increase in human population meaning an increase in waste and rubbish going into landfills (The World Bank, 2013), teaching sustainability to our primary students has never been so important. By teaching sustainability and developing students understanding of how to care for their planet we are setting students up to right the wrongs that past generations have inadvertently caused. Therefore, the following lesson has been developed to follow on from our last lesson on active citizenship.
                This lesson is developed in alignment with the Early Years Learning Framework outcome 2 (See Figure 1). Through this lesson students will develop their knowledge and understanding of recycling and therefore become more socially aware of how much waste they create and how much it pollutes our earth. By teaching this to our students, we are promoting a more sustainable lifestyle.

Figure 1. Outcome 2 of the Early Years Learning Framework.

What will students be learning?

                The lesson will start off with students examining an image that I will present to them (See Figure 2). Students will be asked to identify what the image is and are asked whether they have ever been to the tip and what ends up at the tip, for example, rubbish, scraps, etc. After students have examined the image a class discussion will then be started about what might get thrown away at their house.

Suggestions might include:

-          Paper

-          Food scraps

-          Bottles

-          Cans

Figure 2. Image of landfill that will be shown to students. Retrieved from https://chuffed.org/project/barista

Students will be shown an image of a recycling bin (See Figure 3) and will be asked if they are familiar with this and what they think might go into this kind of bin.

Figure 3. Image of recycling bin that will be shown to students. Retrieved from http://www.homedepot.com/b/Cleaning-Trash-Recycling-Recycling-Bins/N-5yc1vZcb26

I will then be presenting students with a range of items that may go in either the rubbish bin or the recycling bin. They will then be asked to sort the items according to which bin they think it should go in and why. This activity allows students to get a hands-on experience with what it means to recycle and how they can help to maintain a sustainable lifestyle, decreasing the amount of ‘rubbish’ that goes to the landfill that could be recycled.

How can you help at home?

It is true that majority of a child’s first learning experiences happen within the home and parents and caregivers are children’s first teachers (Bandura, 1997, as cited in Lynch, 2002). Therefore, it is just as important that students learning is consolidated, supported and continued at home (Herold, 2011). Students might be able to assist with the recycling at home if you recycle and if you do not perhaps now would be the perfect time to start to allow children to be able to help sort the recycling from the rubbish and from the compost. Perhaps even joining you if you are planning a trip to the tip would be a valuable consolidation for their learning in the classroom.

References

Herold, J. (2011). Beginning and struggling readers: engaging parents in the learning process. Literacy Learning: The Middle Years, 19(3), 40-50. Retrieved from <http://search.informit.com.au/fullText;dn=188732;res=AEIPT>

Littledyke, M., Taylor, N., & Eames, C. (2009). Education for Sustainability in the Primary   Curriculum: A Guide for Teachers. South Yarra: Palgrave Macmillan.

Lynch, J. (2002). Parents' self-efficacy beliefs, parents' gender, children's reader self-perceptions, reading achievement and gender. Journal of Research in Reading, 25(1), 54-67

The World Bank. (2013). Global waste on pace to triple by 2100. Retrieved                            from http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2013/10/30/global-waste-on-pace-to-triple