Language One: Fun with Mixed-up Words

Learning Outcomes

Students will:

1. Use a variety of strategies to create meaning while reading.
2. Develop an understanding of the conventions of written language through
interactive writing activities.

Activity

Read a whale fact book to the whole class. When finished discuss what was learned. 
Choose two or three sentences to write on chart paper. 
The sentences can be written "interactively" by inviting the children to help with the 
spelling, 
e.g., whale : "How will I start it?"

When the sentences are written, cut them apart and provide opportunities for children
to sequence the words back into sentences. 
Pocket charts and index cards are ideal for this activity.

NOTE: Be sure to write each sentence in a different color
– especially important for emergent readers who are just beginning to match one-to-one.



EXAMPLE:

Two scrambled sentences:

[green words on cards]: are Whales mammals, fish. not

[red words on cards]: have whales very Beluga white skin. 


ANSWERS: "Whales are mammals, not fish."
and: " Beluga whales have very white skin."


Assessment
Old Tom the Turtle gives some hints for assessment:

1. Note students' responses to questions asked in the context of interactive writing – are 
they able to predict beginning sounds, word endings, letter clusters etc?

2. Observe children as they manipulate and sequence the words into sentences. 
Are they beginning to monitor their own reading by using cues from beginning letters
of a word, knowledge of high frequency words, rereading to determine what makes sense? 
Are they pointing to each word as they read?