Language Three: Paragraph Fun

Learning Outcomes

Students will:

1. Explore, with assistance, the forming of phrases into sentences, and
sentences into paragraphs.

2. Begin to use simple paragraphing.

Activity

Have the children tell you everything they learned about whales from the Did 
you Know? section of Leap into Language 2. Write their responses on the
chalkboard or chart paper.

Invite them to tell about things they know themselves. Record this information
too.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
We know and learned from Leap into Language that whales:

* love to spyhop
* have blowholes to help them breathe
* live in the ocean
* eat krill, fish, squid
* are threatened by pollution

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *



Read whale information books to the children over a 2 - 3 day period. 


Remind them to listen for information that can be added to the chalkboard or
chart paper. They should also listen for information which might verify or
invalidate any of the previously recorded information.

If the information facts were recorded on chart paper cut them apart. If the
information is on the chalkboard, write each fact on a sentence strip. 

Discuss how the information might be sorted, e.g., description of whales, whale
habits, food they eat, dangers to whales.

Print each heading on a strip of paper. 

Give some of the children a "heading" sentence strip and have them stand up in
front of the classroom.

Give the information strips to the rest of the class. Each child should read their
strip(s) and stand behind the correct "heading".

When the groups are formed check to see that each fact matches the heading. 
Have each group orally put their information into sentences e.g. Whales eat krill,
fish and squid. Some whales like to eat herring. (the teacher will need to model
writing phrases into sentences)

Later have each group write their information into a paragraph. Put all the
information together and generate some discussion about forming paragraphs.

Assessment
Old Tom the Turtle gives some hints for assessment:

* Note the ease with which the children form into the correct "heading" group

* Involve students in a reflection of what they have learned about forming
paragraphs. Generate a list of paragraph rules for Little Blue. As much as
possible, use the children's own language.
* Record in anecdotal records students' use of paragraphs in their own writing


* * *

Paragraph Rules:
Each paragraph must stay on the topic

e.g. if you are writing about dangers 
to whales, everything must be about that.


* * *