COESW.5.1

Course Profile English for School and Work ESL Level 3, open, Catholic

Unit 1

Course Profiles are professional development materials designed to help teachers implement the new Grade 9 secondary school curriculum. These materials were created by writing partnerships of school boards and subject associations. The development of these resources was funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training. This document reflects the views of the developers and not necessarily those of the Ministry. Permission is given to reproduce these materials for any purpose except profit. Teachers are also encouraged to amend, revise, edit, cut paste, and otherwise adapt this material for educational purposes.

Any references in this document to particular commercial resources, learning materials, equipment, or technology reflect only the opinions of the writers of this sample Course Profile, and do not reflect any official endorsement by the Ministry of Education and Training or by the Partnership of School Boards that supported the production of the document.

©Queen’s Printer for Ontario

Acknowledgments

Margaret Bick - Toronto Catholic District School Board

Angelo Bolotta - Institute of Catholic Education

Patrick Collins - York Catholic District School Board

Paula Mamo - York Catholic District School Board

Jan Noonan - Toronto Catholic District School Board

Dan Samoyloff - Toronto Catholic District School Board

Lead Boards

Toronto Catholic District School Board

York Catholic District School Board

Course Profile Writing Team

Michelle Asselstine - Toronto Catholic District School Board

Lucy Bacchet - York Catholic District School Board

Maureen Bachetti - York Catholic District School Board

Maureen Cassidy - Toronto Catholic District School Board

Word Processor

Anna Maria Di Carlo - York Catholic District School Board

Graphics

Gary Dominick - Printed Word Art

Unit #1: In Our Own Voices - Transitions and Transformations

Time: 30 Hours

Unit Developer(s)

Michelle Asselstine, Toronto Catholic District School Board

Lucy Bacchet, York Catholic District School Board

Maureen Bachetti, York Catholic District School Board

Maureen Cassidy, Toronto Catholic District School Board

Development Date: April 1999

Unit Description

Through participation in a variety of activities, students will find their voice as they integrate into the diverse Canadian society. The unit activities provide opportunities for the individual to grow spiritually, intellectually, and socially as a reflective, creative thinker. By reading and responding to fiction and non-fiction, students will demonstrate their understanding of the elements of these genres and gain understanding, empathy and sensitivity to a variety of cultures within the Canadian mosaic. Activities in this unit will support students in becoming independent, self-directed learners who use a variety of strategies, visual tools and metacognitive skills to enhance their learning in all subjects. The language focus in this unit is: the language structures used for making comparisons, interrogative constructions and figurative language.

Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations: CGE 1a, 2a, c, 3c, d, 4a, 5a, 6c, 7f, g, i, j

Strand(s): Oral and Visual Communication, Reading, Writing, Social and Cultural Competence

Overall Expectations: CORV.01, 02, 03, 04, CREV.01, 02, 03, 04, CWRV.01, 02, 03, 04, CSCV.01, 02

Specific Expectations: COR1.02, 03, 04, 05, 07, 2.01, 02, 3.01, 4.01, 03, CRE1.01, 02, .03, 04, 2.01, 02, 3.01, 02, 03, 05, 4.02, 03, CWR1.01, 02, 03, 04, 2.01, 02, 03, 06, 3.01, 02, 03, 06, 07, CSC 2.02, 04

Activity Titles (Time + Sequence)

Activity 1	Reflections - Then and Now	300 minutes
Activity 2	Immigrant Voices	300 minutes
Activity 3	Novel Study: Seedfolks - Understanding Characters	525 minutes
Activity 4	Novel Study: Seedfolks - Portraying Characters through Reader’s Theatre	150 minutes
Activity 5	Novel Study: Seedfolks - The Gibb Street Garden: A Microcosm of the Neighbourhood	375 minutes
Activity 6	Novel Study: Seedfolks - Making Connections to our Faith and Lives	150 minutes

Unit Planning Notes

• Teachers should collect a variety of contemporary materials that reflect the cultural and linguistic diversity of Ontario. Although the videotape series entitled, “A Scattering of Seeds - The Creation of Canada” is the primary resource for Unit 3 - “Building a Sense of Community - Contributions of Immigrants to Canada”, teachers could select any of the twenty-six titles to introduce the theme of the immigrant experience in Canada.

• A set of cultural profiles from the University of Toronto, which provides a snapshot of over thirty countries, is a rich and user-friendly resource to raise students’ awareness of the cultures and traditions of their peers.

• Teachers should contact community agencies (Catholic Cross-Cultural Services) for materials and speakers.

• Teachers are encouraged to help the students see the parallels to and connections with gospel values and Biblical stories in the literature studied in this unit. The key visual, “What are the Gospel Values - Guiding Principles of a Christian Way of Life” (see Appendix A), is an invaluable tool for teachers to help students see that the content of Paul Fleischman’s novel, Seedfolks, reflects the social teaching of the Catholic church.

• Teachers should select supplementary activities from an ESL series in order to reinforce/consolidate specific language structures introduced in the unit activities. Some sample series are: Canadian Concepts and Grammar Connections.

Prior Knowledge Required

• requisite skills of ESLBO

• some familiarity with gospel values

• some knowledge of Biblical stories

Teaching/Learning Strategies

• conferencing • reporting/representing

• brainstorming • performances

• scaffolding • formal written assignment

• cooperative learning structures • writing folders

• graphic organizers • video clips

Assessment/Evaluation

• portfolio • logs

• self-assessment • anecdotal notes

• student - teacher conferences • checklists

• journals • rubrics

• role-playing • graphic organizers

Resources

Print:

Student Resources:

Busby, B. and Brock, P. Coming to Canada: Authentic Readings for ESL Students. Scarborough, Ontario: Prentice Hall Allyn Bacon Canada, 1997.

Cisneros S. The House on Mango Street. New York: Vintage Books, 1991.

Dresser, N. Our Own Stories: Readings for Cross-cultural Communication. White Plains, NY: Addison-Wesley, 1995.

Fleischman, P. Seedfolks. New York: Joanna Cotler Books, 1997.

Linklater, L. Canadian by Choice. Citizenship and Immigration Canada., 1994.

Porter, J. Ed. New Canadian Voices. Toronto: Wall and Emerson Inc., 1991.

Teacher Resources:

Day, F.A. Latina and Latino Voices in Literature. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1997.

Day, F.A. Multicultural Voices in Contemporary Literature. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1999.

Kagan, S. Cooperative Learning. San Clemente, CA: Kagan Cooperative Learning, 1994.

North York Board of Education. In the Immigration Process: Strategies for Schools. Toronto, 1994.

Videotapes:

“A Scattering of Seeds - The Creation of Canada”. Produced by White Pine Pictures. 1998. ( 26 half hour videotapes)

Activity #1 Reflections - Then and Now

“We are the hero of our own stories.” (Mary McCarthy)

Time: 300 minutes (4 X 75)

Description

Through participation in reading personal stories of immigrant students, oral discussion and written reflection, students will demonstrate their understanding of the immigrant experience in Canada. This unit activity will heighten students’ awareness of the similarities and differences between their current and former educational systems and develop their confidence and skill in expressing personal experiences and viewpoints. Through these activities, students will be supported in developing an understanding of the acculturation process, self-awareness in relation to this process and the role of the Church in school life. Students will reinforce/refine their usage of the past tense and conditionals and expand their vocabulary related to the topic.

Strands and Expectations:

Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations: CGE1a, 7f, g

Strand(s): Oral and Visual Communication, Reading, Writing, Social and Cultural Competence

Overall Expectations: CORV.01, 02, CREV.02, 03, CWRV.01, 03, 04, CSCV.01, 02

Specific Expectations: COR1.01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 07, COR2.01, 02, COR3.01, CRE1.01, CRE2.02, CRE3.02, 03, CRE4.03, CWR1.02, 03, CWR2.02, 03, CWR3.01, 02, 03, 07, CSC1.03, 04, CSC2.02, 04

Planning Notes

• Teachers should familiarize themselves with the stages of an immigrant’s adaptation to a new culture. In order to obtain more information about the stages, the following teacher resource is recommended: In the Immigration Process: Strategies for School. North York Board of Education, 1994.

• Teachers should provide students with their own copies of the following key visuals: “What are the Gospel Values - Guiding Principles of a Christian Way of Life” (see Appendix A) and “Stages in the Acculturation Process” (see Appendix B).

• Teachers should familiarize themselves with the education systems and cultures/traditions of students in their class by referring to resources such as : Education Systems of Immigrant Students. North York Board of Education, 1990 and Cultural Profiles. University of Toronto. School of Social Work. AMNI Centre. 1998.

• Teachers may choose to invite a guest speaker from within the Catholic faith community (e.g. community liaison worker, social worker, a member of a religious community or Scarboro Foreign Missions Society, or a member of a community agency, such as “CultureLink” or Catholic Family Services) to make a presentation to the students about the process of acculturation.

• Teachers may use a videotape series, such as “A Scattering of Seeds – The Creation of Canada” to introduce the concept of acculturation.

• Teachers may wish to establish mentorships between ESL students in different classes to support their adjustment to the school and community. This cross-age mentorship could form part of the Christian service component of the Religion program.

• Teachers will need to familiarize students with the specialized vocabulary of this topic area. (i.e. culture, beliefs, traditions, customs, curriculum, strategies, cultural retention, push/pull factors).

• Teachers should create a writing centre in the classroom containing a variety of writing and reference tools (e.g. dictionaries, learner dictionaries, bilingual dictionaries, thesauri, editing checklists and symbols, computer and appropriate software programs, highlighters, post-it notes and flags, etc.).

Prior Knowledge Required

• some familiarity with the educational system of the student’s country of origin

Teaching/Learning Strategies

Selections representative of a cross-section of languages and cultures should be used in the reading component of this activity. The following anthologies, Canadian by Choice and New Canadian Voices, contain some suggested readings.

Linklater, L. Canadian by Choice. Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 1994.

• “My Grandmother was my Idol - I have Empathy for Seniors” (p. 9): A student from Haiti reflects on her adjustment to Canada, her career goals and her involvement in community work.

Porter, J. Ed. New Canadian Voices. Toronto: Wall & Emerson Inc., 1991.

• “The First Day” (pp. 54 - 55): A student from China reflects on the challenges she faced in adjusting to a new language and school system.

• “Freedom to Speak” (pp. 65 - 66): A student from China reflects on the differences between the two cultures with regards to freedom of speech and how this has impacted on her personality.

• “Human Relations and Political Systems” (pp. 47 - 48): A student from Romania reflects on the impact of political systems on the attitudes of people towards each other.

• “Big Man” (pp. 57 - 58): A student from Korea reflects on the challenges he faced (while adjusting to a new language) in understanding teachers and interacting with classmates.

• “Learning Languages”: (pp. 197 - 198) A student from Vietnam reflects on his previous schooling, his learning in a variety of languages, and the positive impact these experiences have had on his vision of himself as a life-long learner.

• “Special Teacher” (p. 200): A student from Greece reflects on the positive influence a teacher had in helping him to develop self-confidence by introducing him to a wide variety of literature from authors of different backgrounds.

Teachers may also wish to consult an evocative anthology of personal stories written by a group of adolescents in California. Their book entitled, Freedom Writers’ Diaries will be published in September 1999 by Bantam Dell Doubleday. ABC Prime Time News has produced a video clip of Erin Grunwell, the novice teacher who inspired these minority students to tell their own stories. The videotape is available for purchase.

Before Reading

1. As a pre-reading activity, teachers will activate students’ prior knowledge by asking them to reflect on their first day in an Ontario school. Teachers will lead a discussion and elicit from the students their emotional responses to their experiences. “How did you feel when you first entered an Ontario school?”

2. Teachers will instruct students to turn to a partner and share their experiences and reflections.

3. Teachers will invite each pair to share their experiences with the class.

4. Teachers will elicit from the students information about the Ontario education system and record the data on a chart paper version of the graphic organizer, “A Comparison of Educational School Systems” (see Appendix D).

• language/s of instruction • subjects studied

• number of years in high school • extracurricular activities

• length of school year • approaches to teaching and learning

• length of school day • assessment and evaluation

• structure of school day • role of parents

• number of subjects studied • gospel values

5. During the information gathering activity, teachers will need to clarify any new terms with the students. Teachers will model the use of the vocabulary organizer (see Appendix C) and instruct students to record new vocabulary introduced throughout the course on this visual tool. Teachers will model the appropriate use of a thesaurus.

6. Individually, students will compare their previous school systems with the Ontario Catholic school system by completing their copies of the graphic organizer “A Comparison of Educational School Systems” (Appendix D). In small groups, students will share and compare their findings.

During Reading

7. Teachers will select one story from the list of suggested titles above or any other stories dealing with the theme of adjustment and acculturation.

8. Teachers will read aloud the selection while the students listen attentively. Teachers will pose a focus question and set the purpose for this listening activity. “What challenges did this immigrant student have to face in his/her new environment?”

9. Teachers will elicit from the students their responses to the focus question.

10. Teachers will repeat steps 7, 8 and 9 with several more stories until they are sure that students have sufficient background knowledge to be introduced to the stages of acculturation.

11. Teachers will highlight the following language structures related to the reading material: the past tense and conditionals.

After Reading

12. Using an overhead transparency, teachers will introduce the key visual, “Stages in the Acculturation Process”.

13. Students will discuss as a group some of the adjustments they have had to make in their transitions to the Ontario Catholic school system and individually reflect upon their own experience identifying their stage in the acculturation process.

14. Students will write a reflective journal about their personal experiences in their current schools with a focus on their likes/dislikes, adjustments that they have had to make, challenges that they are facing and their suggestions as to how schools can further help ESL students. Teachers will use this writing sample as a diagnostic tool, analyzing the piece for: word choice, sentence fluency, organization, ideas and conventions.

Assessment/Evaluation

1. Summative assessment - “A Comparison of Educational School Systems” graphic organizer (see Appendix D)

2. Diagnostic assessment - writing sample: anecdotal comments with suggestions for improvement

Accommodations

1. Teachers should take into account students’ cultural backgrounds and level of maturity in selecting the reading material to be used.

2. Some students will need a review of dictionary skills.

3. Some students may be quite familiar with the use of a thesaurus in their first language, while others will need time to consolidate these skills throughout the course.

Resources

Student Resources

Grunwell, E. Ed. Freedom Writers’ Diaries. New York: Bantam Dell Doubleday, 1999.

Linklater, L. Canadian by Choice. Citizenship and Immigration Canada., 1994.

Porter, J. Ed. New Canadian Voices. Toronto: Wall & Emerson, Inc., 1991.

Teacher Resources

Cultural Profiles. University of Toronto. School of Social Work. AMNI Centre. 1998.

North York Board of Education. In the Immigration Process: Strategies for Schools. Toronto, 1994.

Uhl Chamot, A. and O’Malley, J. Michael. The CALLA Handbook. Reading, MA: Addison Wesley, 1994.

Videotapes

“A Scattering of Seeds – The Creation of Canada”. Produced by White Pine Pictures, 1998. (26 half hour videotapes).

“From Survival to Adaptation: The Adolescent Refugee Experience”. International Counselling Centre, 1990. (22 minute videotape).

“Between Two Cultures: Refugee Adolescents in Transition”. International Counselling Centre, 1990.

(22 minute videotape).

Web Site

The Canadian Ethnocultural Council http://www.web.net/~cec

Appendices

• “What are the Gospel Values - Guiding Principles of a Christian Way of Life”

• “A Comparison of Educational School Systems”

• “Stages in the Acculturation Process”

• Vocabulary graphic organizer

Activity #2: Immigrant Voices

“God’s mosaic is the true painting for eternity.” (Ghirlanadio)

Time: 300 minutes (4 X 75)

Description

By examining immigrant stories, students will be introduced to characters with whom they will be able to identify in their journey to find their own voice in their new language. Students will gain an understanding of their changing roles in the family, school, and the Catholic faith community. Through the concept of story, students will respond to two probe questions: “What is my story?” and “What does my story have to do with the Christian story?” As well, they will examine elements and literary devices which an author uses to effectively bring the written word to life. The language focus of this activity will be: the past tense, conditionals, negative constructions and contractions as well as vocabulary related to this theme.

Strand(s) and Expectations

Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations: CGE 2c, 6c

Strand(s): Oral and Visual Communication, Reading, Writing, Social and Cultural Competence

Overall Expectations: CORV.01, 02, 03, CREV.01, 02, 03, CWRV.03, CSCV.01

Specific Expectations: CORV1.01, 02, 03, 04, 2.01, 02, CRE1.01, 02, 03, 04, CRE2.01, 02, CRE3.02, 03, CWR1.03, CWR2.01, 02, 03, CWR3.01, 02, 03, 06, 07, CSC1.03, 04

Planning Notes

• In preparation for this activity, teachers will need to collect a variety of stories representative of a cross- section of languages and cultures. In choosing texts, teachers should locate material dealing with the themes of change, acculturation and relationships. Teachers should use the following criteria in making selections: student interest, linguistic accessibility and cultural relevance. All literature chosen should provide models of high-quality language which is expressive, figurative and evocative and reflects gospel values.

• Teachers should present new vocabulary for each story and encourage students to record the information on their vocabulary graphic organizer (see Appendix C).

• Teachers should teach the following language structures: past tense, conditionals, negative constructions and contractions within the context of the selected stories.

• Teachers should provide a contextual framework for each story (e.g. pertinent geographical, historical and/or cultural information) to support students’ understanding of the text.

• For this activity, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, has been selected as a model of a language rich text. However, teachers may choose alternative materials that meet the selection criteria. Some suggestions are provided in the list of resources.

• Prior to the lesson, teachers should analyze the selected text to determine: language structures, unfamiliar vocabulary, idiomatic expressions and stylistic features (e.g. word choice). The language structures that will be addressed in “My Name”, one of the stories taken from The House on Mango Street are: conditionals (e.g. I wonder if...., I would have liked....), contractions and negative constructions (e.g. wouldn’t, couldn’t and don’t).

• All students should have a copy of The House on Mango Street.

• Teachers may wish to access additional support materials to extend activities related to the short stories selected. Two sample resources are the Living Literature Series and Novel Units. See resource list at the end of this activity for specific details.

• Teachers may wish to choose to view the videos “Building Literacy in the Classroom - Literacy Strategies for Teachers by Teachers: Key Features of Guided Reading (Grades 9 - 12) - 1c” and “Building Literacy in the Classroom - Literacy Strategies for Teachers by Teachers: Key Features of Teaching Conventions in Context (Grades 9 - 12) - 3c”.

Prior Knowledge Required

• requisite reading and writing skills acquired in ESLBO

• some knowledge of world geography

• use of learner dictionaries, dictionaries and bilingual dictionaries

Teaching/Learning Strategies

Before Reading

1. Teachers may use any of the videotapes from a series, such as “A Scattering of Seeds - The Creation of Canada” to activate prior knowledge about the immigrant experience and to set the stage for future discussions and activities.

During Reading

2. As teachers read aloud “My Name”, an excerpt from The House on Mango Street, they will set

focus questions and a purpose for listening. “Who is this person?” “What are her fears?” Teachers will instruct students to try to visualize Esperanza.

3. In small groups, students will discuss the focus questions and share their responses with the class.

After Reading

4. Using an overhead transparency containing the quotation:
“I would like to baptize myself under a new name, a name more like the real me, the one nobody sees. Esperanza as Lisandra or Martiza or Zeze the X. Yes. Something like Zeze the X will do,” teachers will pose this question: “What do these words mean to you?” (Draw students’ attention to the reference to the sacrament of baptism in the quotation).

5. Teachers will lead a discussion and elicit responses from the students about the quotation. (whole class)

6. Using an overhead transparency of the “Stages in the Acculturation Process”, teachers will pose a focus question: “What stage of acculturation does the narrator appear to be at?” Support your point of view.

7. Teachers will repeat steps 2 and 3 using “No Speak English”, another excerpt from The House on Mango Street.

8. Using an overhead transparency containing the quotation:
“Whatever her reasons, whether she is fat, or can’t climb the stairs, or is afraid of English, she won’t come down. She sits all day by the window and plays the Spanish radio show and sings all the homesick songs about her country in a voice that sounds like a seagull”, teachers will pose this question: “Why is Mamacita afraid of English?” Students will share their responses. (whole class)

Writing

9. Using an overhead transparency of the story map graphic organizer (see Appendix F), teachers will model the structure of a short story, such as “Speak No English” with regards to the key elements: setting, character, conflict, point of view and theme(s).

10. Teachers and students will complete the graphic organizer collaboratively and the students will record the information on their individual graphic organizers.

11. As a follow-up to the reading of these stories, teachers will instruct students to write a reflective response to the question: “What are your personal fears?”

12. Teachers will give students copies of the key visual “A Model of the Writing Process” (see Appendix E) to keep in their notebooks. Teachers will guide the students through all the stages of the writing process using this key visual. Teachers will model each step by thinking aloud.

13. Teachers will introduce the learning log (see Appendix H), illustrating its use as a tool for reflection.

14. Students will complete a learning log.

Assessment/Evaluation

1. Summative assessment - reflective response (see Appendix 1.0 for writing rubric).

2. Summative assessment - learning log

Accommodations

1. Teachers should take into account students’ cultural backgrounds and level of maturity in selecting the reading material to be used.

2. Some students will require more individual support in order to complete their personal reflections. Teachers will address these concerns during the conferencing component of the writing process.

Resources

Student Resources

Busby, B. and Brock, P. Coming to Canada: Authentic Readings for ESL Students. Scarborough, ON: Prentice Hall Allyn Bacon, 1997.

Butler, L. The ESL Reader’s Companion to The House on Mango Street. New York: The McGraw Hill Companies Inc., 1996. ISBN 0-07-009429-2

Cisneros, S. The House on Mango Street. New York: Vintage Books, 1989.

Dresser, N. Our Own Stories: Readings for Cross-cultural Communication. White Plains, NY: Addison-Wesley, 1995.

McCloskey, M.L. and Stack, L. Voices in Literature. Bronze, Gold and Silver. Boston, MA: Heinle and Heinle, 1996.

Teacher Resources

Green, P. The House on Mango Street. Teacher’s guide. San Antonio, TX: Novel Units, Inc., 1998. ISBN 1-56137-4830.

Snodgrass, M.E. The House on Mango Street. Living Literature Series Teacher’s guide. Willowdale, ON: Perma-Bound Canada, 1998.

Audiotapes

The House on Mango Street. Westminster, MD: Random House Audiobooks. (contains 30 of the 44 vignettes).

Videotapes

“A Scattering of Seeds – The Creation of Canada”. Produced by White Pine Pictures, 1998. (26 half hour videotapes).

Web Sites

“Sandra Cisneros” http://www.ollusa.edu/alumni/latinos/cisneros.html

“Sandra Cisneros’ ‘The House on Mango Street’” http://odin.english.udel.edu/josephk/usia/maf/apr.html

Zumwalt, D., “A House of My Own”: Sandra Cisneros and the Art of Storytelling,” http://twu.edu/www/twu/lirary/zumwalt.html

Appendices

• Story map

• Writing rubric

• Learning log

Activity #3 Novel Study - Seedfolks: Understanding Characters

“And a young child shall lead them.” (Isaiah 11: 1-9)

Time: 525 minutes (7 X 75)

Description

Through the study of the novel, Seedfolks, students will be introduced to the elements of a novel. By participating in this unit activity, students will develop an understanding of point of view, characterization and the related vocabulary. They will demonstrate this understanding by using the “Character Web” graphic organizer (see Appendix G) to record specific information about the attributes of the thirteen diverse characters in the novel. The vocabulary embedded in this graphic organizer will help students to consolidate concepts taught in class.

Strand(s) and Expectations

Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations: CGE 2a, c

Strand(s): Oral and Visual Communication, Reading, Writing, Social and Cultural Competence

Overall Expectations: CORV.01, 02, 03, CREV.03, CWRV.01, CSCV.02

Specific Expectations: COR1.04, CRE1.01, 02, 03, 3.03, CRE4.03, CWR1.01

Planning Notes

• An effective approach to teaching novels to ESL students is modelled in Activities 3, 4, 5 and 6 of this unit. Seedfolks has been chosen for this novel study because it is a good example of an authentic language rich text which addresses themes that are of interest to adolescents (e.g. relationships, community, change). Paul Fleischman’s novel, Seedfolks, is a collection of interwoven vignettes representing the voices of thirteen immigrants from diverse backgrounds who through their common interest in gardening, develop relationships, experience personal growth and build a sense of community in their urban neighbourhood in Cleveland, Ohio. This novel provides opportunities to see parallels to and connections with gospel values and Biblical stories.

• Teachers may choose an alternative novel that meets all of the selection criteria as outlined in Activity 2. Some suggested titles are: Kowaga, J. Obasan; Yee, P. Tales from Gold Mountain.

• A collection of authentic tools such as gardening objects should be set up in the classroom on a display table (e.g. soil, seeds, gardening tools, brochures from local nurseries and Agri-Food Canada, reference books on gardening) as well as pictures of gardens (floral, vegetable) (private, communal).

• Teachers should consult their school librarian and the library in the community for assistance in collecting resources.

• For schools with greenhouses, a visit should be arranged through the science department.

• Depending on student interest, the class may consider growing some seeds or caring for some plants for the duration of this unit/course.

• Wall maps of the world, the state of Ohio and the city of Cleveland will be required to locate the setting of the novel and the characters’ countries of origin.

• All students should have a copy of Seedfolks and the key visual “What are the Gospel Values - Guiding Principles of a Christian Way of Life” (Appendix A).

• Students may consult the Cultural Profiles to learn more about the cultural background of the Seedfolks characters.

Prior Knowledge Required

• Some previous experience in working in groups

• Some basic map reading skills

Teaching/Learning Strategies

Before Reading

1. Teachers will prepare the students for this novel study by determining their understanding of and experiences with gardening. Using the gardening objects as props (and where possible, a visit to a greenhouse, nursery, gardening centre or botanical garden), teachers will engage the class in a discussion of gardening. Some questions may include: “What attracts people to gardening?” “How popular is this hobby in your country? in Canada?” “What kinds of vegetables, fruits and flowers are grown in your home countries? in Canada? Why?”

2. As a whole class, students will make predictions about what the novel may be about, based on the title, cover illustrations (visuals, colours used), thumbnail sketches throughout the text, as well as the format (e.g. number and organization of chapters). Students will brainstorm possible meanings for the title “Seedfolks” while the teacher records the information on the board, chart or overhead transparency. They will examine the organization of the novel and discuss its format (each chapter is titled by a character’s name, and includes a thumbnail sketch and symbol as illustrated on the book cover; the size and the shape of the book give the appearance of a diary, a collection of vignettes, etc.)

3. Students will be invited to hypothesize about why the author made these choices.

4. Teachers will provide background information about the writer.

During Reading

5. Students will follow along in their novels while the teacher reads aloud “Kim”, the first chapter of Seedfolks and models pronunciation, phrasing, intonation and volume. Teachers will draw attention to the portrait of Kim and pose focus questions: “ Who is Kim?” “ What kind of a person is she?” “ What is she trying to do?” “Where is Kim?”

After Reading

6. Teachers will elicit responses to the focus questions from the whole class.

7. As a whole class, students will discuss the geographic setting (Cleveland, Ohio) and use a wall map to locate the state, city and Gibb Street and determine their location in relation to where the students live.

8. As a whole class, students will discuss Kim, the first character introduced in the novel. Using a graphic organizer (Character Web - see Appendix G), students will describe Kim in terms of: age, gender, language, country of origin, values, beliefs, characteristics and interests while the teacher records the information on the board. Students will record this information on their copies of this graphic organizer.

9. Through character analysis, teachers will draw students’ attention to related vocabulary, language structures and elements of the novel.

10. Teachers will repeat steps 5 to 9 for the next three chapters (“Ana”, “Wendell”, “Gonzalo”) until they are sure that students have sufficient understanding of the text.

11. Teachers will use a variety of strategies to support the students as they read the remainder of the novel and become independent readers of this level of the text: teacher read-aloud, shared reading, choral reading, paired reading, reciprocal reading, chunking, jigsaw and silent reading.

12. Teachers will conduct continuous comprehension checks (e.g. relating, retelling, reflecting, questions and cloze) to determine or assess the students’ understanding of the text.

Assessment/Evaluation

1. Formative assessment - anecdotal comments on individual students’ participation in group work

2. Summative assessment - completion of “Character Web” (see Appendix G)

3. Formative assessment - completion of vocabulary graphic organizer (see Appendix C)

Accommodations

1. Any students who have no or very limited experience working in groups will need teacher guidance to facilitate their participation (e.g. strategies, gambits, social skills). Teachers should consult Conversation Gambits or Kagan’s Cooperative Learning for ideas to support students in these areas.

Resources

Teacher Resources

Fleischman, P. Seedfolks. New York: Joanna Cotler Books, 1997.

Kagan, S. Cooperative Learning. San Clements, CA: Kagan Cooperative Learning, 1994.

Keller, E. and Warner, S. Conversation Gambits. London: Language Teaching Publications, 1988.

Student Resources

• pamphlets and brochures from Ontario Agri-Food Education, the Ministry of Agriculture, University of Guelph, Communities in Bloom Millenium Project, and agricultural districts of Ontario

Human Resources

• speaker from the Communities in Bloom Millenium Project or a horticultural society

• speaker from Ontario Agri-Food Education Inc., P.O. Box 460, 144 Town Line Road, Milton, ON (905) 878-1510

Appendices

• Vocabulary graphic organizer

• Character web graphic organizer

• “What are the Gospel Values - Guiding Principles of a Christian Way of Life”

Activity # 4 Novel Study - Seedfolks: Portraying Characters through Reader’s Theatre

Time: 150 minutes (2 X 75)

Description

Through participation in “Reader’s Theatre”, students will deepen their understanding of characterization and develop skill in using voice to communicate. Students will further develop their oral fluency and become more confident readers and speakers by participation in this activity. Through collaborative planning, rehearsing and dramatization, students will develop an awareness of the function of punctuation, tone, stress, intonation, emphasis, volume and word usage, in developing strategies to convey each Seedfolks character’s unique voice.

Strand(s) and Expectations

Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations: CGE 4a, 5a

Strand(s): Oral and Visual, Reading, Social and Cultural Competence

Overall Expectations: CORV.01, 02, CREV.03, CSCV.01, 02

Specific Expectations: COR1.02, 05, 2.01, 3.01, CRE1.02, 03, CRE2.02, CSC1.03

Planning Notes

• Teachers should view the video “Building Literacy in the Classroom - Literacy Strategies for Teachers by Teachers: Key Features of Reader’s Theatre (Grades 9-12)” and read the corresponding teacher’s notes in preparing to introduce the students to this teaching/learning strategy.

• If the video is unavailable, teachers should consult with members of the school drama department and community resources (e.g. local theatre company) to arrange for a live performance. Teachers may wish to invite drama students to coach ESL students during the “Reader’s Theatre” activity.

• Teachers will need to build a supportive environment in which students will be willing to take risks.

Prior Knowledge Required

• some fluency in oral reading

• some awareness of punctuation signals

• some awareness of an audience’s expectation of a reader’s theatre performance

• comprehension of the reading material

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1. Teachers will read aloud a character script such as “Ana” (female) or Gonzalo (male), modelling the use of volume, phrasing, pausing, emphasis, intonation, expression and projection.

2. Teachers will reread the text as a shared reading activity to increase the students’ confidence.

3. Teachers will introduce the concept of “Reader’s Theatre” by showing the video or arranging a performance by a guest speaker from the school or community.

4. After viewing the video/performance, the teacher or guest performer will name and model each of the elements of oral delivery: volume, phrasing, pausing, emphasis, intonation, expression and projection. Teachers will brainstorm with the students a variety of ways to enhance a “Reader’s Theatre” performance (e.g. sound effects, minimal props).

5. Depending on the class size, students will work in small groups or pairs to prepare or rehearse the script of either Ana or Gonzalo.

6. Each group/pair performs the reading as rehearsed and elicits feedback from the class.

7. Teachers can extend this activity to include other dramatic performances of other characters in the novel.

8. Students will complete a learning log.

Assessment/Evaluation

1. Formative assessment - anecdotal comments on individual students’ participation during the preparation for the dramatic reading

2. Summative assessment - learning log (see Appendix H)

Accommodations

1. Teachers may need to make allowances for students who are unable to participate fully in this activity due to a lack of confidence in their ability to present in front of a group. Some possible accommodations include: helping someone else prepare his/her presentation in lieu of performing, additional coaching from the teacher and drama students, rehearsal, practice and tape presentation.

Resources

Student Resource

Fleischman, P. Seedfolks. New York: Joanna Cotler Books, 1997.

Teacher Resource

Davies, A., Cameron, C. and Gregory K. Reader’s Theatre. Winnipeg: Peguis Publishers, 1994.

Videotape

“Building Literacy in the Classroom: Literacy Strategies for Teachers by Teachers: Key Features of Reader’s Theatre (Grades 9-12)”. The Metropolitan Toronto School Board, 1997.

Appendices

• Vocabulary graphic organizer

• Learning log

Activity # 5 Novel Study: Seedfolks - The Gibb Street Garden: A Microcosm of the Neighbourhood

“Blessed are you who are poor for yours is the kingdom of God.” (Luke 6:20)

Time: 375 minutes (5 x 75)

Description

Through an analysis of “Sam”, the sixth chapter in Paul Fleischman’s novel Seedfolks, the students will demonstrate their rich understanding of a single writer’s work by interacting with the text. As they examine Sam’s description of the garden, they will discover important aspects of his personality. Sam is clearly disturbed by what he sees happening in the Gibb Street communal garden. The description of the garden reveals information not only about the physical setting, but also about the themes of the novel. In this activity, students will explore the meaning of metaphor and theme as they annotate the text to deepen their understanding of its meaning. The language structures addressed in this activity are conversation gambits for problem solving.

Strand(s) and Expectations

Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations: CGE 7f, i, j

Strand(s): Oral and Visual, Reading, Writing, Social and Cultural Competence

Overall Expectations: CORV.01, 02, 03, CREV.02, 03, CWRV.03, CSCV.02

Specific Expectations: COR1.02, 04, 2.01, 3.01, CRE1.02, 03, 04, 2.02, 3.01, 02, 03, CWR3.02, 07, CSC1.03

Planning Notes

• Prepare an overhead transparency containing Sam’s observation about the Gibb Street communal garden:

“One Saturday, when the garden was fullest, I stood up a minute to straighten my back. And what did I see? With a few exceptions, the blacks on one side, the whites on another, the Central Americans and Asians toward the back. The garden was a copy of the neighbourhood. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. A duck gives birth to a duckling, not a moose. Each group kept to itself, spoke its own language, and grew its own special crops. One man even put up a pole and flew the Philippine flag above his plot.” (Fleischman, Seedfolks, p.26)

• Prepare a handout of this passage and distribute it to the students so that they can annotate the text during the lesson.

• Provide dictionaries and thesauri so that students can consult these reference materials to locate the meaning of new vocabulary.

• Supply paper and markers for the map exercise.

• Teacher should photocopy the Seedfolks faces (see Appendix I) and Seedfolks symbols (see Appendix J) for each student to be used in role-playing.

Prior Knowledge Required

• Students will need to recall descriptive details about the garden provided by all the characters in the novel.

• Dialogue skills acquired in ESLBO

Teaching/Learning Strategies

Before Reading

1. Teachers will prepare the students for this activity by activating their prior knowledge of the Gibb Street communal garden. Through questioning, teachers will lead the discussion to assess and evaluate students’ understanding of ideas, concepts and characters introduced in the first five chapters.

2. Teachers will set a focus question before Sam’s words are read: “Why was Sam not surprised by what he saw in the Gibb Street garden?”

3. Silently, students will read the quotation printed on the overhead or the handout as the teacher reads Sam’s words aloud modelling the use of inflection, intonation, phrasing and attention to punctuation marks. The teacher needs to stress that the quotation marks around the passage denote that the words are taken directly from the text and are referred to as a “quotation”. Teachers may also encourage some students to read aloud.

During Reading

4. Students use the focus question to guide their reading and make mental pictures while reading.

After Reading

The follow-up activities will focus on: the visual representation of the garden, the concept of metaphor and role- play.

Visual Representation of the Garden

5. Individually, students will create a map of the garden using Sam’s words to help them visualize it.

6. Upon completion of the task, students will turn to a partner in the class and share their creations noting similarities and differences in their maps. In pairs, students will add symbols to represent Sam’s feelings about the garden.

7. As a pre-writing activity, students will re-read Sam’s words and annotate their texts, highlighting key words, phrases or descriptive details to clarify understanding and ascertain the accuracy of their maps. Teachers model with the passage on chart paper.

8. Teachers will instruct the students to highlight one sentence in the passage that contains Sam’s discovery about the garden.

9. Through questioning, teachers will elicit from the students the sentence: “The garden is a copy of the neighbourhood”. “ What does this sentence mean?” “ Why was Sam not surprised by what he saw in the garden?”

The Concept of Metaphor

10. Teachers will introduce the term metaphor by using concrete examples and realia (e.g. “Her hair is silk.”). Teachers will draw students’ attention to the two things being compared. Using contrastive analysis, teachers will elicit from the students the difference between a simile and a metaphor by examining sample sentences in juxtaposition (e.g. “Her hair is silk.” “Her hair is like silk.” ). These examples will be written on chart paper. Teachers will model these language structure patterns (e.g. __________ is __________; _________ is like _________). Teachers will discuss the literal meaning of the garden and then ask students to hypothesize about alternative meanings. Teachers will need to remind students that a metaphor is a comparison of two unlike things. “To what is Sam comparing the garden?” “What other gardens are mentioned in this chapter?” “What is the significance of the reference to the Garden of Eden?”

11. Using an overhead transparency of the mind map graphic organizer, teachers will brainstorm with the students the theme of community in the novel and record their responses. “How does the garden unite these diverse people?” “How are they transformed by the act of communal gardening?” “Which characters undergo the greatest transformation? Why?”

12. Teachers will draw students’ attention to the Biblical parallels found in Genesis 2:1-25 (The Garden of Eden). “What is the significance of this allusion?”

Role-Play

13. In preparation for this cooperative learning activity, teachers will number off the students in the class #1 through #4 to ensure a heterogeneous group composition. Students numbered #1 will be assigned the role of Sam. All other students will select one of the Seedfolks face cards and assume the role of the character drawn.

14. In groups of four, the students will reread the quotation and participate in an interactive problem- solving activity. Teachers will direct students to problem solve solutions to Sam’s observations about the garden by posing a focus question. “How can the Seedfolks characters help to break down the walls and begin working together to build a sense of community?” (handout)

15. Using the roundtable strategy, each group member offers a solution to the problem while the others listen. Then teachers initiate a group sharing of the solutions. (whole class)

16. Teachers ask for a student volunteer to participate in a model role-play activity to be performed in front of the class. The volunteer assumes the role of the Seedfolks face card selected at the beginning of this activity. Teachers lead the role-play activity by assuming the role of Sam and engage the student volunteer in a dialogue to generate some possible solutions to the situation.

17. After the modelling of the role-play activity, teachers will highlight some useful conversation gambits for problem-solving (e.g. “In a case like this...”, “In a situation like this...”, “In this sort of situation...”, “How about ...”, and “Why not ...”).

18. Teachers will instruct students to work in pairs and role-play a conversation between Sam and one other character. Some students may require further clarification of the gambits before they begin to role-play. Students rehearse their role-play in groups, eliciting feedback from their peers.

19. Teachers ask for volunteers to share their performance with the class.

Assessment/Evaluation

1. Summative assessment - garden maps.

2. Summative assessment - anecdotal comments about students’ participation in group work

Accommodations

1. Senior ESL students who have been exposed to the concept of metaphor in their first language should be able to apply this knowledge to English. However, younger ESL students will require more support in order to grasp the concept of figurative language. Use of first language and dictionaries and thesauri will facilitate their understanding.

Resources

Student Resources

Fleischman, P. Seedfolks. New York: Joanna Cotler, 1997.

Wansborough, H. Ed. The New Jerusalem Bible. New York: Doubleday, 1990.

dictionaries and thesauri

Teacher Resources

Brown, R. The New Jerome Bible Handbook. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1992.

Lane, B. Reviser’s Toolbox. Shoreham, VT: Discover Writing Press, 1999.

Activity # 6 Novel Study: Seedfolks - Making Connections to our Faith and Lives

Time: 150 minutes (2 X 75)

Description

In this culminating activity, students will make connections with and draw parallels to Biblical allusions in the novel and explore the relevance of the themes of Seedfolks to their own lives. Through discussion and reflection, students will gain an understanding of the values embedded in literature and develop critical thinking skills.

Strand(s) and Expectations

Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations: CGE 7 f, i

Strand(s): Oral and Visual, Reading, Writing, Social and Cultural Competence

Overall Expectations: CORV.01, 02, 03, CREV.01, 02, 03, CWRV.01, 03, CSCV.01

Specific Expectations: COR1.03, 05, CRE1.01, 02, 04, CRE2.02, 3.01, 05, 4.02, CWR1.01, CSC1.04, 2.06

Planning Notes

• Provide students with a Bible for this activity.

• Ensure that all students have a copy of the key visual “What are the Gospel Values - Guiding Principles of a Christian Way of Life”

Prior Knowledge Required

• Students should have some familiarity with the “What are the Gospel Values - Guiding Principles of a Christian Way of Life”

• Students should have some familiarity with the structure of the Bible to facilitate the exercise of locating Luke 8:4-15 and some understanding of the concept of parables.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1. Teachers will prepare the students for this activity by setting a focus question prior to showing a part of “The First Seeding”- the thirteenth video in a series entitled, “A Scattering of Seeds: The Creation of Canada”. In this film, the life of Louis Hebert - the first farmer to sow wheat and vegetables in Quebec - is depicted. The focus question is: “What was Louis Hebert’s legacy to Canada?”

2. Following the film, teachers will lead a discussion about the role of a sower. As students brainstorm ideas, teachers will record them on the blackboard. Teachers will elicit from students the reason why agriculture is important in any country.

3. Teachers will read aloud Luke 8:4-15, “The Parable of the Sower and the Seeds” and determine how familiar they are with this parable and review it if necessary.

4. Students will reread Chapter Thirteen, entitled “Florence”, using focus questions to guide their reading. “What is the significance of the word “seedfolks”? and “How is the parable similar to the theme of the novel Seedfolks?”

5. Teachers will lead a discussion with the whole class addressing these questions and record their responses.

6. Teachers will chart students’ input regarding the similarities and differences between the parable and the novel using a Venn diagram.

7. Teachers can extend this activity by drawing parallels between Seedfolks and the Beatitudes.

8. Students will confirm their predictions about the significance of the title of the novel.

9. Using the learning log graphic organizer, students will record their reflections about what they have learned and how they have grown.

Assessment/Evaluation

1. Summative assessment - learning log (see Appendix H)

Accommodations

1. Senior ESL students who have been exposed to the concept of parable in their first language should be able to apply this knowledge to English. However, younger ESL students will require more support in order to grasp the concept of parable. Use of first language and dictionaries and thesauri will facilitate their understanding.

Resources

Fleischman, P. Seedfolks. New York: Joanna Cotler, 1997.

Wansborough, H. Ed. The New Jerusalem Bible. New York: Doubleday, 1990.

dictionaries and thesauri

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