These simple stories with strong picture support are
wonderful for introducing five and six year olds to the joys of reading. Rebus
pictures provide an easy and engaging way to share the responsibility of
creating meaning with beginners. The rebus images provide markers that ground
the youngest reader in what the book is about. Simple syntax and natural
language help youngsters develop an ear for what sounds right. Well-chosen
photographs provide strong support for comprehending the important
ideas.
The Rebus books make it possible for emergent readers to
"read." What a perfect format for a gradual release of
responsibility--from fluent adult and dependent child to fluent child and
celebrating adult! Young readers who struggle with language have pictures to
keep them focused on the meaning. For children experiencing English as a new
language and those whose language proficiency is underdeveloped have exciting
opportunities to "read" high interest materials and grow their
personal vocabularies and experience natural, repeating syntax.
Two
instructional threads run through the teacher support materials for each series:
a repeating
Concept of
Print
strand and a repeating
Making
Sense
strand. The first focuses on the basic understandings of
how we organize and write stories and books. The other focuses on how we create
meaning from stories and books.
Each series presents possibilities for
rich
Concept
Development
. Learning stations that extend the concept as well
as language opportunities for enriching children’s oral and written
communication skills are suggested for each group of
books.
Developmentally appropriate
Assessment
Ideas
for each series encourage teachers to observe their
students and document their growth as they read the six books in the series. And
suggestions for extending the understanding at home are included in
Home
Connections
.
A brief list of specific suggestions for
high-frequency words, an interactive writing activity, and a familiar song or
poem is provided for each book in the series. Teachers can create word walls
with the high-frequency words, provide charts with these words used by the
children in meaningful content, and write the words to childhood classic songs
and poems that foster the love of language.
The Fun Times books take youngsters to familiar and perhaps
unfamiliar places of childhood fun--the fair, a picnic, the beach, a park, the
zoo, and a farm. Approximately ten picture words are introduced in the beginning
of the book so supportive conversations can provide young readers with the
vocabulary needed to understand the stories and participate in reading the book.
Young readers feel successful with the repetitive sentence structure and have
many opportunities to read carefully selected high frequency words. By changing
the syntax on the last page, children learn to pay attention to the print on the
page. The rebus images help children self-monitor their "one-on-one
match" or spoken word and written
word.
Concept of
Print
Strand
The
title of a book is on the cover and the title page.
The title helps us know
what the book is about.
Before reading each book in this series,
point out the title of the book on the cover and the title page. Use the "I
Do, We Do, You Do" strategy to teach children where to locate the title and
what its function
is.
"I
Do" (Teacher models strategy)
Teacher:
"Boys and girls, today we are going to read this book. We get an idea of
what it is about by reading the title and looking at the picture on the cover. I
wonder what the book is called. Oh, I see the big colorful letters. I bet this
is the title (At the Beach). Yes! It sounds like what a book could be about and
it even matches the picture. This looks like a book about having fun at the
beach because all three girls look really
happy."
"We
Do" (Teacher and students practice
together)
Turn to the title page and ask if anyone
can find the big colorful words on the page. Ask if they remember what it is
called. "We did it! Together we found the title on the title page."
Throughout the series, have the children point out the title and make statements
about what they expect to find in each book. Most children should be ready for
"You Do" after one or two modeling
experiences.
Making
Sense
Strand
The
pictures and the words help tell the
story.
Often the pictures
help us figure out the words in the story.
Use a think aloud to
help children see how thinking about the picture will help them figure out the
text. "Look at the picture. As I look at it, I see a whole family going to
the beach. They have all their beach toys and towels. The words on this side say
‘Let’s go to the beach.’ That is just what they are doing!
Read it with me, ‘Let’s go to the beach.’ Thumbs up if you
think the words and pictures match." Turn the page, read the text, and
state, "Thumbs up if you think the words and pictures match." Continue
to highlight the match of text and pictures throughout the book, adjusting
frequency to match needs and interest of
children.
Concept
Development
There
are lots of places to play and to explore.
Learning
Stations
Drama Center:
Provide prop boxes for socio-dramatic play from some of the different places
mentioned in the books (hay bale, stuffed animals, and picnic basket and
blanket,).
Science Center:
A shell collection, an ant farm, magnifying lenses, and science notebooks
encourage children to observe, discuss, categorize, and record
information.
Math Center:
Create a sand table by filling two new kitty litter boxes with sand and various
measuring cups and spoons as well as objects to fill with sand. Have a place for
children to record their experiences (For example: It took 4 cups from the
yellow cup to fill up the red
bowl).
Listening Center:
Let the children listen to tape recordings of the books. To prepare the tapes,
have student volunteers take home each book and recording supplies. The practice
will promote fluency and their fluent reading will support their
classmates’ skill
development.
Language
Development
Photograph/Picture
Display: Have students bring photographs or draw pictures of themselves
at a favorite place to play and explore. They can write (or an adult can scribe)
about this activity. Make a bulletin board and/or scan the pictures and text
into a class book.
Vocabulary
Development: Enlarge the rebus pictures and words on the introductory
pages. Print on card stock paper. Cut into simple two piece puzzles for each
word.
Take a Trip and Make a
Book: Take a class trip to some place fun (from the school playground to
a children’s museum to an apple orchard). Record the events with a digital
camera. Make a class book following the format of the rebus book. Be sure to
decide on a title! Don’t forget the Picture Words
pages.
Assessment
Monitor
your students’ growth during the six instructional periods as well as
periodically hereafter. Provide multiple opportunities for students to
demonstrate their skill during the semester during regular class activities.
Keep an assessment clipboard with you during instructional times
Home
Connections
Send a letter home before beginning this
unit on
Fun Times
encouraging families to talk about the places they like to visit. What makes
them special? Your students might enjoy drawing or making photographic picture
words to go with their own special place. An interactive bulletin board can have
children match the picture words with the place name and
photograph.
Plan a family/class outing to a new place such as a
strawberry farm, high school athletic event, or children’s concert. When
you return to school, let each group make their own book. They may follow the
pattern developed in the series.
Provide recordings of the stories for
children whose families do not read English. Encourage bilingual children to
bring in the picture words in their native languages.
Circulate a
traveling book entitled,
There’s No Place Like
Home
. Have each family add a page. The first page can be
yours; provide a model by writing and drawing what you do for fun at your
house!
