Intro to Environmental Print and Making Scrapbooks

Grade Level(s): K or 1

Subject(s):  Reading

Learner Outcomes:  Children can feel successful "reading" at an early age because they can often read environmental print in context, surrounded by familiar shapes, colors, and pictures.  This early success motivates young children to read more and more.

Duration of Lesson:  1 to 3 hours plus time spent at home searching for environmental print

Materials:  Construction paper, examples of environmental print from home and school, scissors, glue, ribbon, computer, printer

Technology Tools/Courseware:  Students, with the help of parents, can download examples of environmental print to print out.  In the classroom, we search for more examples of environmental print online.

Teacher Notes:  Teacher will need to format this letter, explaining environmental print and asking parents to start collecting it.  The print that each child can "read" depends on his/her environment and experiences.  Environmental print should be used in as full a context as possible, surrounded by familiar colors, pictures, and shapes.

Procedures:
1.  Discuss with children what environmental print is--the print in our environment.  It is the print on commercial signs, billboards and labels of all kinds and the logos of the products we use everyday.  It's the print we recognize not so much because of the letters or words, but because of the colors, pictures, and shapes surrounding the print.

2.  Discuss examples of environmental print.

3.  Ask students to start collecting samples of environmental print to bring to school.  Send home this letter.  Provide each child with a special place, such as a folder, to save the samples.

4.  After a few weeks, have individual conferences with the child.  Decide on what type of book he/she will make (ABC books, What I Can Read books, Tt books, Tommy's Favorite Things, What I do with Mom on Saturdays, etc.).  Make a list of what examples you and him/her need to search for on the internet.

5.  When children are able to read their samples and have sufficient samples, they can begin to publish individual books of their own environmental print.  Mount print samples in/on

6.  Use these ideas to learn and have fun with your environmental print books!

Modifications:  Students without computers at home can work one on one with you to have the experience of searching for environmental print.

Enrichment Activities:  When you remove the color from the print by making black and white copies, you change the context.  This should be done with only more advanced children.

Evaluation/Assessment:  Observation using this rubric

West Virginia Content Standards:

RLA.1.1.6  Understand level appropriate sight words and vocabulary.
RLA.1.1.11 Use meaning clues to aid comprehension and make predictions about content.
RLA.1.1.13  Read aloud familiar stories, poems, and passages with fluency and expression and self select a variety of literary works.
RLA.1.1.16  Use reading skills and strategies to understand a variety of informational resources to support literacy learning ( e.g., environmental print; written directions; signs; caption; labels; informational books).
RLA.1.1.17  Increase amount of independent reading.
RLA.1.2.5  Use a  variety of sources to gather information to share thoughts and ideas.
RLA.1.2.11  Use complete sentences in written composition.
 

TEC.1.1.1  Use a keyboard to input information using letters, numbers, arrow key and delete key: begin to use left/right hand position.
TEC.1.1.2  Use a mouse to click and drag.
TEC.1.1.3  Start and exit programs as well as locate files.
TEC.1.3.1  Type words and / or sentences using word processing software.

National Standards:
1.  Use input devices and output devices to successfully operate  computers and other technologies.
2.  Use variety of media and technology resources for directed and independent learning activities.
3.  Communicate about technology using developmentally appropriate and accurate terminology.
4.  Use developmentally appropriate multi-media resources to support learning.
5.  Work cooperatively and collaboratively with peers, family members, and others when using technology in the classroom.

Job/Career Clusters:  N/A

References

Author:
Liza Jonczak
Pam Chambers
Stephanie Unger
Shepherdstown Elementary
 
 
 
Overview Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 3 Lesson 4 Lesson 5

 










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