A World of Wild, Wacky,
Wonderful Words
By: Denise Zacherl and Lara Kessler
Office of Access and Opportunity/GT
Language Arts Curriculum Goals
Goal 1: To develop analytical and interpretive skills in
literature
Goal 2: To develop an understanding of author’s craft
Goal 3: To develop writing skills
Goal 4: To develop linguistic competency
Goal 5: To develop a playful curiosity about language
Goal 6: To develop an understanding of the concept of
systems, especially related to language
Learner Characteristics and Corresponding
Emphases in the Curriculum
THE LEARNER
THE CURRICULUM
Advanced content
Precocity
Process/product depth
considerations
Intensity
Issues/concepts/themes/
ideas across domains of
learning
Complexity
Center for Gifted Education
College of William & Mary
- VanTassel-Baska, 1986
Research-Based
William and Mary ELA Teaching Models
Conceptual Inquiry
Concept Development Model – Taba Model
Literature Web
Word Web
Hamburger Model
Reasoning Model
Vocabulary Web
•
Engaged Classroom Discussions
Chapter 1- Language Patterns
Students are developing a deeper language
sense by investigating a variety of ways letters,
words, and sentences are constructed. Students
utilize models and discover patterns to make
sense of our system of language, building a
foundation for investigating other languages.
Lesson One: Intro to Words & Writing
•
Share Ancient Clay Tablet - transform the students into
linguists deciphering the ancient language on the
mysterious ancient clay tablet.
M. Katherine Gavin, Tutita M. Casa, Suzanne H. Chapin, and Linda J.
Sheffield (2013). Mentoring Mathematical Minds curriculum Grades K-2.
Dubque, IA: Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.
Lesson One: Language Origins
Discuss what is the concept of what is a “word”. Capture student
thinking of where they think words and language came from.
Horse
Types of Writing Systems
Linguist At Work!
Engaged Discussion Questions
Should…
Focus on an important idea
Require more than recall of a fact or skill
Encourage students to reason
Encourage students to justify their responses
Have either different solution strategies and/or
various correct answers
Chapin, S. H., O’Connor, C., & Anderson, N. C. (2008). Classroom Discussions: Using math
talk to help students learn, grades K-6. Sausalito, CA: Math Solutions Publications.
Lesson 1: Engaging in Word Play
•
Introduce and model using the Student
Linguist Field Journal and have
students record facts and create
drawings as they research and learn
about different languages.
•
Read and discuss “Word Wizards”.
Rearrange letters from the story in
word play.
Lesson 2: Concept of Systems
Taba Model
A system is a collection of things and processes that
interact with each other and together constitute a
meaningful whole. All systems share certain properties.
Cite examples.
Categorize.
Cite non-examples.
Generalize.
Generalizations About Systems
Systems have parts (elements).
Systems have boundaries.
Systems have inputs and outputs.
A system’s elements interact with
each other and a system’s inputs.
System Model
Systems have
inputs.
Systems have parts
(elements)
System
Systems have
Outputs.
Systems have
boundaries.
System elements
Interact with each other
and system’s inputs.
System Generalizations:
Outcome:
Elements can be in more than one
Systems have parts (elements).
system at a time.
Boundaries can change as input and
Systems have boundaries.
interactions change.
Input can be in the form of material
Systems have inputs.
or information from outside the
system boundaries.
Output is generated from interactions
Systems have outputs.
with the input to the world outside
their boundaries.
The interaction of a system’s
elements with each other and their
A system’s elements interact
response to input from outside the
with each other and a system’s
system combines to determine the
inputs.
overall nature and behavior of the
system.
Lesson 3: Language & Systems
Review - Generalization about systems
Picturing Words – When our mind can form a picture
to represent the word, then we can “see” or picture
the word.
Exploring Ancient Writing – Sumerian Cuneiform symbol chart; Cuneiform Tablets – how to make
Discuss Language & Systems – “The War Between
the Vowels and the Consonants”; Venn Diagram
Comparison between language and the fish bowl
systems
Name __________________________________
Cut and paste or copy the words and phrases onto the Venn diagram. Add your own ideas. (These are just suggestions.)
Compare:
Language System
and
Terrarium System
letters
words
sounds
sunlight
water
fish
outputs
interactions
boundaries
consonants
food
fishbowl
letters
inputs
words
vowels
plants
outputs
sentences
consonants
fish
water
sunlight
interactions
sounds
fishbowl
food
boundaries
Chapter 2: Language Sounds
This chapter features play-on-words
in riddles, jokes and verse as students
discover differences and similarities
in patterns of alliteration, rhyme,
synonyms, antonyms, homonyms,
palindromes, tongue twisters and the
sounds of onomatopoeia.
Lesson 6: Figures of Speech - Rhyming
Exploring Rhyme and Song Patterns “Down By
The Bay”
Create Rhyming Lists
Exploring Rhyme and Poetry –Scraminals by
Jack Prelutsky
Exploring Ancient Writing Systems – Egyptian :
Author Glenn Dixon and the Rosetta Stone;
Hieroglyph Typewriter
Chapter 3: Writing and Unit Project
•
This chapter focuses on the
exploration of the language systems;
focusing on, comparing and contrasting
various elements of the language
systems, writing, and creating their
own writing system.
Lesson 13: For the “Pun” of It!
Explore and create puns using homonyms and homophones
in jokes
Read the poem “An Ode to the Spelling Chequer” by Janet E.
Byford highlighting misspelled and misused words.
Read and discuss the first three paragraphs of “About the List”
sharing his enthusiastic interest in homonyms and
homophones.
Use the Weighty Word Organizer to analyze the word
Ingratiate and other mysterious words.
Investigate Secret Code Number 3 - the Grid.
Literature Web - Primary
Key Words
Feelings
READING
Images
Ideas
Symbols
Center for Gifted Education
Vocabulary Web
Synonyms:
Source (sentence
where you saw
the word):
Definition:
WORD:
Example:
Antonyms:
Analysis
Word
Families:
Origin:
Center for Gifted Education
Part of
Speech:
Stems:
Hamburger Model for Persuasive
Writing(primary)
Introduction (State an
opinion.)
Reason
Reason
Conclusion
Center for Gifted Education
Reason
Quote
The most important outcome of education is to help
students become independent of formal education.
— Paul E. Gray