The philosophy, direction and foundational objectives for educational programming have been established by Saskatchewan Education, Training and Employment in various documents.
Saskatchewan Education, Training and Employment has also established policy that provides a mandate for including Indian and Métis content and perspectives in all curricula.
Teachers should be aware of the following resources from Saskatchewan Education, Training and Employment that could be utilized as guidelines when choosing literature for students:
Selecting Fair and
Equitable Learning Materials (March 1991)
Teachers can establish outlines for units and lessons with the above information; however, specific needs (variables) must also be considered before lessons can become detailed.
The following elements determine the specifics for each unit and lesson:
student's developmental needs
Consideration of the needs and abilities of the students within their community is essential.
A Framework For Creating a Unit
(Refer to ELA pp. 72-74 for further information.)
While this document and the ELA provide a number of sample units for use at various grade levels, teachers, for the most part, will be involved in creating integrated units of study with their students. They may find the following steps helpful:
Review Foundational Objectives for Language Arts (ELA pp. 18-20)
Specify Developmental Language Arts Objectives (ELA pp. 21-36) (general/individual needs)
Gather all curriculum guides for the level(s) to be taught. (For multigrade classrooms, decide on which grade level will be the focus.)
Determine the broad concept (theme) to be studied. (This can lend itself to authentic learning if it is formulated into a question.)
Create a tentative integrated web outlining how the foundational objectives from various areas of study can be put together to create a theme.
Brainstorm, seek out, gather and order possible resources. Although over time most resources will be gathered with the students, it will be useful, particularly in isolated communities, to order general materials ahead of time from appropriate agencies such as the school division, library services, Saskatchewan Education, Training and Employment, and Media House Productions.
Present content focus (theme or question) to students. This establishes clear parameters for the unit rather than leaving it vague or nebulous.
Discuss and map out ideas and information that students present. Students share their background knowledge and understanding of the theme or concept.
Negotiate specific areas of focus with the students. Note areas of contradictory or sparse information. Depending on student interest, assist students with posing specific questions they would like to research.
Determine what strategies and activities will be done as a whole class, small group, or individually as well as how students will be evaluated and how they will learn about self-evaluation. Students must be a part of this process.
Create or establish a Unit Overview. Consider possible lessons for the unit based on specific questions asked by the students.
Assist students as they seek out information and resources. Students may have resources at home or in the community. Model how to access resources and information in the school or community library or from other appropriate agencies.
Through ongoing assessment, adjust lessons, activities, strategies, and resources to meet individual developmental needs of students. Along with the students, present new information via lessons and activities for ongoing discussion, and followup.
Students develop in depth understanding of concepts by using materials and resources for research, projects, and presentation (reading, writing, reflecting). Students read for a variety of reasons, write for a variety of purposes and audiences.
Review original mapping with information and questions. Reflect.
Add new information to the chart. Discuss and evaluate.
Reflect upon the learning process. Evaluate.
A Framework For Adapting a Unit
Teachers may wish to use the sample units provided in this document and in the ELA and adapt them to accommodate the needs of their students and the resources available.
Review the sample unit for appropriate grade level. (ELA)
Reflect upon students' developmental needs.
Choose specific behaviours to observe and support those which will meet the needs of students in general. These will be adjusted to meet the individual needs of each student. (ELA pp. 21-36)
Reflect upon availability of specific resources.
Turn the broad concept or theme to be studied into a question or into concrete subtopics that will facilitate authentic learning and accommodate other content area information.
Adjust the webbing (if one has been developed) to meet the needs of the students.
Search for possible resources; focus on Indian and Métis content or relevance.
From the original sample, determine which activities to maintain, to adjust, to substitute or to omit.
Review curriculum guides for the level(s) to be taught. Determine which foundational objectives integrate well with the established ELA unit of study.
(The following steps are the same as for Creating a Unit)
Present content focus (theme or question) to students for discussion.
Map out ideas and information that students present onto chart paper. These could be added to your own web and documentation of students' background knowledge and understanding of the theme or concept.
Negotiate specific areas of focus with the students. Note areas of contradictory or sparse information. Where interest is shown, assist students with posing specific questions they would like to research.
Create or establish a unit overview. Determine what strategies and activities will be done as a whole class, a small group, or individually. Include methods, strategies and activities for ESL/ESD students. Consider possible lessons for the unit based on specific questions asked by students.
Establish how students will be evaluated, and how they will learn about self-evaluation. Students must be a part of this process.
Assist students as they seek out information and resources. Students may have resources at home or in the community. Model how to access resources and information in the school or community library or appropriate agencies.
Through ongoing assessment, adjust lessons, activities, strategies, and resources to meet the individual developmental needs of the students. Along with the students, present new information through lessons and activities for ongoing discussion, and followup.
Students develop indepth understanding of concepts by using materials and resources for research, projects, and presentation (reading, writing, reflecting). Students read for a variety of reasons and write for a variety of purposes and audiences.
Review original student mapping with information and questions. Reflect. Add new information to the chart. Discuss and evaluate.
Reflect upon the learning process. Evaluate the unit.
Language Arts Routines and Activities
Although the timetable and ideas for the first day may be specific to grade one, they can easily be adapted to other grade levels.
A Possible Timetable or Schedule
It is important to establish certain routines to provide consistency and a predictable structure for the day. While routines vary greatly in classrooms, depending upon a number of variables, teachers may find the following possible timetable helpful when creating their own schedule. For more information, refer to ELA p. 82.
While Saskatchewan Education, Training and Employment supports the integration of core subjects (Directions: The final report, 1984), teachers should be aware of the required minutes of study per week for each particular subject area as set forth in Core Curriculum Plans for Implementation, 1987.
Circle Routines (9:00 - 9:30)
News, Sharing time
(Talking Circle). The unspoken language
rules that govern some routines such as Show and Tell may inhibit
student participation, particularly for some Indian and Métis students
(Ward, 1992). An alternative activity, such as a Talking Circle,
provides students with the opportunity to share their own stories or
experiences if they so desire. Small groupings also facilitate discussions.
Integrated Thematic Lesson (9:30- 10:00)
Activity
Table Routines (10:00- 10:30)
Dialogue journals
(encourage drawings, labelling, invented spellings)
Writing Strategies or Reading Strategies (10:45- 11:05)
Writing Workshop
Integrated Thematic Lesson (11:05-12:00)
Math
Integrated Thematic Lesson (1:00-2:15)
Science, Social Studies, Arts Education, Health Education, Physical Education.
Activities or Centres (2:30-3:10)
Finish off or Free Choice Activities.
Circle (3:10-3:30)
Wrap up
Ideas for the First Day of School
The first day holds many uncertainties and expectations for both teachers and students alike. It is important to use this day to establish the atmosphere and expectations for the rest of the year.
Suggested Student Resources
Alfred's First Day At School,
Darrell W. Pelletier
Teacher Resources
Classroom Focus:
Important Names and Labels (ELA pp. 206)
Greet children as they come in the door (in their first language if possible; check with the community). Have them sit around the circle area with you. Chat informally. Also encourage students to interact with each other in their language even though you may not understand it.
Become familiar with students' names. Present them with name tags. You can also have these on cards in the pocket chart. Discuss length of names, number of letters, sounds (beginning and ending). Play a game that incorporates the oral and visual (sound and symbol association). "I'm thinking of a name that has the MMMMM sound at the end."
Create an attendance chart together (see ELA p. 207).
Read Alfred's First Day At School, The First Day or Morris The Moose Goes To School. Share experiences, expectations and comments informally. Students can respond to the story by drawing or writing about the story either in Story Response notebooks or on sheets to post in the room. These can be captioned and shared with the other students.
Ask students about their kindergarten year. Encourage them to share stories, experiences, songs and fingerplays with you. Let them teach one to you and then print it on chart paper. Read it with them.
School Walk-About Activity
Discuss with students:
Who has brothers/sisters in school? How old are they? What grade are
they in? Do their parents work in the school? Predict what they will
see, the route to take when they walk. Join up in partners. Visit
classrooms, introduce the class as a whole, wave to or greet
siblings, and introduce teachers, and support staff. Create a short
chart story about the experience but keep it simple; add visual cues
whenever possible.
Have personal letters or notes ready for each student. Encourage students to find their own mailbox and predict what their special message will say. Have paper and markers, pens and pencils available for students who wish to write notes.
Read Brown Bear, Brown Bear or Polar Bear, Polar Bear with the students (see ELA p. 208). You may wish to model a similar book and have copies of it available for each child to take home that day.
As you move through the various activities, establish rules and expectations for the routines (journal writing, key words, silent sustained reading, writing workshops, shared reading, use of various centres, areas, materials, wrap up time).
Encourage the students to view the classroom as theirs. Let them help to establish rules and activities throughout the year whenever possible.
Wrap up
Before leaving for the
day, reflect on the activities and routines (these can be written on
chart paper).