An adapted alternating treatments design was used to compare the expressive use of thematic vocabulary by three preschool children with developmental delays during Dialogic Reading, a shared book reading intervention, and Activity-Based Intervention, a naturalistic play-based teaching method. The design was replicated across two early childhood…

Shares two methods for teaching themes (giving and jealousy are used as examples) to elementary students. (MG)

Describes collaborating with preschool children in the development of themed reading and writing activities in a travel agency play center in the classroom. Discuss collaboration rather than prescription, literacy in the travel agency, making plans with literacy-related materials, and developing a successful collaboration. (SR)

Describes a procedure used with second graders which teaches analogies and analogic thinking to aid in reading instruction tied to a thematic unit. (SR)

Describes an integrated thematic unit designed for readers in grades 8 to 10. Contains a four- to six-week plan that encompasses reading strategies, inquiry projects, and assessment tools and includes an activity map (based on Jennifer Armstrong's "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the…

Fourteen examples are given of teacher-created day-long celebrations which are designed to sharpen students' thinking skills and incorporate math, science, reading, and language arts. The special days include Janus Day, Twins Day, Friendship Day, Interactive Reading Fair, Sixties Day, Clash Day, Generation Day, and Back-to-the-Future Day. (IAH)

Argues that the unique interrelationship of art, reading, and writing offers teachers a variety of opportunities to nurture students' artistic imagination. Describes several strategies that can be used to explore images through writing and to explore images through reading. (SR)

With the current emphasis on whole language, the use of children's literature as the basis for reading instruction is widespread. Theme units have been suggested as one way to provide stimulating opportunities for children to explore and learn. Whole language based literature theme units emphasize process more than product. Units are designed to…

This book employs a whole language-critical thinking approach to teaching reading, writing, listening, speaking, and thinking using Caldecott books (with their story-enhancing illustrations) as the literature base. The book uses 15 Caldecott books to model specific instructional strategies, critical thinking strategies, and extended language…

Encouraging interactive learning and motivating K-5 students, this book presents step-by-step directions, drawings, black line masters, and photographs for 48 thematic classroom projects that use everyday items. The first chapter discusses the history of the "bag ladies." The second chapter describes how to gather, make, and store classroom…

This collection of 180 poems was assembled with classroom needs in mind. Intended to delight students every day, the collection's poems span the school year from September to summertime. Its introduction gives teachers before-, during-, and after-reading ideas. Sections in the collection include: Me and My World, Primary Concepts, Seasons and…

Describes the organization, design, and implementation of a two-week thematic unit for sixth-grade students, which was designed to stimulate critical and creative thinking about environmental issues through integrated reading, writing, listening, and speaking in the context of their reading-language arts, social studies, science, and mathematics…

This unit is designed as a planning guide for a literature-based approach to teaching reading, writing, vocabulary, and reasoning. The subject of diversity is taught using Eric Carle's "Animals, Animals." Carle's illustrated anthology of poetry captures the similarities, the differences, and the wonder of animals. In this unit, the poetry…

Arguing that picture books have much to offer students in the upper grades (including middle school and even high school students), this book discusses using picture books to stimulate students' thinking in a variety of topic areas. Chapter 1, Using Picture Books in the Middle School To Stimulate Thinking, introduces the topic of using picture…

This book presents practical, theoretically sound guidance about using literature to develop literacy. The prologue to the book describes some aspects of whole language programs at work, relates research findings that underlie the whole language philosophy, and presents scenes of teachers actively using literature in their classrooms. The book is…