Running Head: Content Literacy Project

Content Literacy Project Erica J. DuRossette Missouri Southern State University

Content Literacy Project

Description The purpose of this project is to have a collection of texts and resources as well as a variety of instructional tools pertaining to a subject matter. For this project I selected the topic of Mark Twain by using the GLE Identify and describe the significance of individuals from Missouri who have made contributions to our state and national heritage; examples include Lewis and Clark, Mary Easton Sibley, John Berry Meacham, George Washington Carver, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Mark Twain, Harry S. Truman and Thomas Hart Benton. When creating my content text set for this project I had the concept of interdisciplinary teaching in mind. I wanted to do something I could closely intertwine Communication Arts, Reading and Social Studies together. The topic of Mark Twain allows me to cover the aspect of a famous Missourian while intertwining the aspect of his writing and literature at the same time. That being said I selected text that not only gave biography information and history of Mark Twains life but I also included his writing such as Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom and Huck. The examples in this project will be very helpful to set the foundation of the subject matter and allow for a smooth transition between the Communication Arts aspect and the Social Studies aspect. I can use graphic organizers to organize the information about Twain and how he came to write the literature he wrote and then take the literature do the same and expand the graphic organizers we built during the social studies aspect. Strategies such as the word sort and self awareness chart will allow me to analyze where my students are concerning the content vocabulary Twain uses in his writing. A word sort can allow me to help my students distinguish the vocabulary that is key to understanding Twains life versus Twains literature. Using the QAR I can scaffold my students into higher order thinking

Content Literacy Project

situations concerning our content in not only this subject matter, but any other subject matter we work with by allowing the QAR table to be a framework for students to use. The content text set is the biggest part of the project and the foundation to all other parts. The text found in the text set, are pre-checked valid sources for myself and students to use. I am now able to give my students these resources and I can trust that the information they get from these resources will be valid.

Content Literacy Project

Annotated Bibliography Baetzhold, H. G., & McCullough, J.B. (Eds.). (1995). The bible according to Mark Twain. New York, NY: Touchstone. This book is a compilation of essays, letters, diaries and excerpts of Mark Twains takes on things concerning the bible.

Blount, R. Jr. (2008, July 3). Mark twain: Our original superstar. Time, 171, 26-27. This article talks about the ways in which Mark Twain changed America with the things he did and wrote.

Huso, D. (2011, September 7). The first truly America writer. Success. Retrieved from http://www.success.com/article/the-first-truly-american-writer This article takes some of Mark Twains quotes and expands on them with facts about his life.

Kerley, B. (2010). The extraordinary mark twain (according to susy) Life with father. New York, NY: Scholastic. Funny picture book biography of Mark Twains life told from the point of view of Susy Clemens, Mark Twains daughter. Kupperman, M. (2011). Mark twains autobiography 1910-2010. Seattle, WA: Fantagraphics.

Content Literacy Project

A mix of illustrated writing and comics, this volume follows Twain as he navigates the Twentieth Century and makes his way into the Twenty-First.

Mark twain is dead at 74.(1910, April 22). The New York Time. Retrieved from http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9803E4DF1530E233A25751C2A9629C 946196D6CF&scp=1&sq=samuel+clemens+mark+twain+dead&st=p This article is the original obituary in the New York Time of Mark Twains death and can be easily found online at http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9803E4DF1530E233A25751C2A9629C946196 D6CF&scp=1&sq=samuel+clemens+mark+twain+dead&st=p but also in paper form. This is a great resource for students to read.

Mark Twain. (2014). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved from http://www.biography.com/people/mark-twain-9512564. This site is full of information and great video clips that are interesting to watch and not boring like some historical clips.

Mark twain. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/marktwain/

Content Literacy Project

This is a fun website for kids, with videos and interactive things for kids to look at. The website has a great scrapbook that kids and click through.

Rasmussen, R. K. (2004). Mark twain for kids: His life and times, 21 activities. Chicago, IL: Chicago Review Press. This book is full of information about various times in Mark Twains life as well as having tons of activities to go along with the information presented.

Twain, M. (1862, December 30-31). Territorial enterprise. Mark Twain Newspaper Correspondent. Retrieved from http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks09/ 0900821h.html#TOC3_17 This is a collection of newspaper articles that can be found in print or online versions that were written by Mark Twain himself. The online link is as follows: http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks09/0900821h.html#TOC3_17

Twain, M. (1996). Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York, NY: Random House. A fiction well known book written by Mark Twain. Twain, M. (2005). The adventures of tom sawyer. New York, NY: Sterling. A fiction well known book written by Mark Twain

Content Literacy Project

Twain, M. (2009). The prince and the pauper. Colorado Springs, CO: Piccadilly Books, Ltd. A fiction well known book written by Mark Twain.

Twain, M. (2011). The complete non-fiction of mark twain. Hustonville, KY: Golgotha Press. A collection of the non-fiction works Mark Twain published over the course of his life.

Twain, M.(2011, November 30). Warm summer sun. Poem Hunter. Retrieved from http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/warm-summer-sun/ One of the many poems that Mark Twain wrote during his lifetime. The subject of the poem is summer.

Twain, M. (2012). Autobiography of mark twain: Readers edition. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. This is a book about Mark Twains life story told by him personally in a readers edition format.

Content Literacy Project

Word Sort Mark Twian The First Truly American Writer

Huso, D. (2011, September 7). The first truly America writer. Success. Retrieved from http://www.success.com/article/the-first-truly-american-writer GLEIdentify and describe the significance of individuals from Missouri who have made contributions to our state and national heritage; examples include Lewis and Clark, Mary Easton Sibley, John Berry Meacham, George Washington Carver, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Mark Twain, Harry S. Truman and Thomas Hart Benton. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area.

Directions: Each group will review the categories provided and into which you will sort the vocabulary terms/concepts. (For an Open Word Sort, instruct the student teams to suggest categories for organizing the words.) You will have about 10 minutes to assign the words to the appropriate categories. We will have a class discussion with each group presenting your word list for one of the categories. You will be asked to defend your sorting of terms by sharing the common features of the categories and how each specific term/concept meets the criteria.

Content Literacy Project

Periods of time Imperialism Reconstruction Industrialism

Social Issues/ Historical Term Bankruptcy Hypocrisy Slaves Spirituals vernacular

Depiction of Twain. Influence Embittered Apprentice Prospector Exposure Stature Heirs philosophies

This word sort could be given before students read the article written about Mark Twain. This would be a way to make sure students have an understanding of the words in the sort to be able to fully comprehend the article. Then after the students have read the article the class could have a group discussion on whether the understanding of the words in the sort impacted the understanding they had of the article.

Content Literacy Project

10

Vocabulary Self-Awareness Chart The First Truly American Writer

Huso, D. (2011, September 7). The first truly America writer. Success. Retrieved from http://www.success.com/article/the-first-truly-american-writer GLEIdentify and describe the significance of individuals from Missouri who have made contributions to our state and national heritage; examples include Lewis and Clark, Mary Easton Sibley, John Berry Meacham, George Washington Carver, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Mark Twain, Harry S. Truman and Thomas Hart Benton.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.4.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.4.3a Use combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, and morphology (e.g., roots and affixes) to read accurately unfamiliar multisyllabic words in context and out of context.

Student Directions: 1. Examine the list of words you have written in the first column 2. Put a + next to each word you know well, and give an accurate example and definition of the word. Your definition and example must relate to the unit of study.

Content Literacy Project

11

3. Place a check next to any words for which you can write only a definition or an example, but not both. 4. Place a ? next to words that are new to you. 5. Add any additional words you feel are important to know or are unfamiliar to you.

You will use this chart throughout the unit. By the end of the unit should have the entire chart completed. Because you will be revising this chart, write in pencil. +

Word Bankruptcy

Hypocrisy

Example "many companies were facing bankruptcy" At this point the utter hypocrisy of The New Statesman should be noted

Definition the state of being bankrupt. the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform; pretense

Apprentice Influence

an apprentice electrician the influence of television violence -

Embittered

This is useful to students to help them to monitor their knowledge of the terms/concepts throughout a unit. The classroom teacher is also able to monitor student responses throughout the unit. This would be a great tool to use during a unit by keeping a chart like this throughout the entire unit and update it as new words pop up as well as when students knowledge of words change.

Content Literacy Project

12

Question Answer Relationship (QAR) APA Reference(s) Huso, D. (2011, September 7). The first truly America writer. Success. Retrieved from http://www.success.com/article/the-first-truly-american-writer Content Standards Identify and describe the significance of individuals from Missouri who have made contributions to our state and national heritage; examples include Lewis and Clark, Mary Easton Sibley, John Berry Meacham, George Washington Carver, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Mark Twain, Harry S. Truman and Thomas Hart Benton. CCSS ELA Standards CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.2 Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.3 Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.

Content Literacy Project

13

Student directions: After reading the article The First Truly American Writer, from Success Magazine, students will answer the following questions. IN THE TEXT Right There questions (2) (think who is, where is, list, when is, how many, when did, name, what kind ofRemember that the answer will be in one location in the text) Question 1. What is Mark Twains real name? Answer Samuel Clemens

2. Born in Missouri in 1835, he grew up in Where and what year was he born? the small town of Hannibal. When Twains father died, he only had completed his education through the fifth grade. Twain left school and became a printers apprentice, arranging type for news stories. He furthered his literacy education this way. Twain went to work for the Territorial Enterprise in Virginia City, Nev., and began using his pen name, Mark Twain, a term he borrowed from his riverboat days and which meant two fathoms. Sample response: Yes I feel that his solution to his problems was a good choice, the article says that To pay off his debts, Twain and his family went on a worldwide lecture tour. His travels made him even more critical of Western powers domination of weaker nations. I think that a person is most successful when they embrace heir talent and a lecture tour allowed Mark Twain to embrace his

Think and Search questions (2) (require students to "search" through the entire passage they read to find information)

1. Explain how Mark Twain became a printers apprentice.

2. How did Mark Twain get the pen name of Mark Twain.

IN YOUR HEAD Author and You questions (1) (require students to answer with information not in the text; however, students must read the text material to understand what the question is asking then use the information from the text and explain what you know or have experienced)

1. Do you feel Twains solution to his series of bad investments and bankruptcy was the right choice? Why or Why not? Support your answer.

Content Literacy Project

14

On Your Own questions (1) (can be answered with information from the students' background knowledge and do not require reading the text

1. What's a tough decision you've had to make in order to come up with a solution to correct a bad decision youve made?

talents and to use them at their max capacity. Sample response-use rubric below A tough decision I had to make was whether to make up my missing rough draft assignments or to continue on with the final drafts. If I went on with the final draft I would not get any feedback, but if I did the rough drafts first I would save time. I ended up skipping the rough drafts to save time. I will find out if it was the right choice when I get my grades back.

Rubric for Author and Me (adjust your rubric to match your question) 4 Student states if they feel Twains solution to his series of bad investments and bankruptcy was the right choice? Pieces of information from the text are used to support the answer. The student thoroughly explains background knowledge or experiences to further support their answer. 3 Student states if they feel Twains solution to his series of bad investments and bankruptcy was the right choice? Pieces of information from the text are used to support the answer. The student attempts to explain background knowledge or experiences to further support their answer. 2 Student states if they feel Twains solution to his series of bad investments and bankruptcy was the right choice? Pieces of information from the text are used to support the answer. OR uses background knowledge/experiences to support and explain, 1 Student states if they feel Twains solution to his series of bad investments and bankruptcy was the right choice? but does not use information from the text or personal knowledge/experience to support or explain.

Rubric for On My Own (adjust your rubric to match your question) 4 Student stated a problem they had to solve. They explained options and reasons for the various choices. Student states the final decision with a thorough explanation of their choice. 3 The student stated a problem they had to solve and provided at least two options with an adequate explanation of their final choice. 2 Student presented a vaguely stated problem and what they decided with only minimal explanation. 1 Student failed to clearly present a problem. No clear decision was stated. Student vaguely responds to the problem. No explanation was provided.

Content Literacy Project

15

When and why I would use this strategy This strategy is something I could use in my classroom anytime I am requiring the students to read a text and take factual information from the text. I could also use this to get my students thinking more in depth into a subject matter. The way the questions are set up they scaffold them into questions that require them to think more on their own and add to the text they are reading, yet still requires them to know the information they are commenting on.

Content Literacy Project

16

Graphic Organizer APA Reference(s) Huso, D. (2011, September 7). The first truly America writer. Success. Retrieved from http://www.success.com/article/the-first-truly-american-writer Content Standards Identify and describe the significance of individuals from Missouri who have made contributions to our state and national heritage; examples include Lewis and Clark, Mary Easton Sibley, John Berry Meacham, George Washington Carver, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Mark Twain, Harry S. Truman and Thomas Hart Benton. CCSS ELA Standards CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.2 Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.3 Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.

Content Literacy Project

17

Student directions: After reading the article The First Truly American Writer, from Success Magazine, students will create a graphic organizer depicting the main points of the article.

Childhood Work History Family Writing

Born in Missouri in 1835

grew up in the small town of Hannibal

His father owned a few slaves

his father died in 1847

Completing his education only through the fifth grade

Twain left school to work as a printers apprentice

he worked at newspapers in Philadelphia and New York

in 1857 a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi

He experienced his big break in 1865 with the publication of his now famous short story, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.

Olivia Langdon his bride in 1870

had four children

The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.

The Innocents Abroad in 1869

The Gilded Age

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

When and why I would use this strategy This strategy is something I could use in my classroom anytime I am requiring the students to read a text and take factual information from the text. This helps students organize information they need to keep in a way in which the events occurred as well as into categories.

Content Literacy Project

18

Note Taking APA Reference(s) Huso, D. (2011, September 7). The first truly America writer. Success. Retrieved from http://www.success.com/article/the-first-truly-american-writer Content Standards Identify and describe the significance of individuals from Missouri who have made contributions to our state and national heritage; examples include Lewis and Clark, Mary Easton Sibley, John Berry Meacham, George Washington Carver, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Mark Twain, Harry S. Truman and Thomas Hart Benton. CCSS ELA Standards CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.2 Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.9 Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

Content Literacy Project

19

Student directions: As you read the chapter the article The First Truly American Writer, from Success Magazine, you will create a three-column notes organizer. Your notes will be organized according to the headings and subheadings of the chapter. Include 1-2 points under each section. Heading/Subheading I have never let my schooling interfere with my education. Main Points Completing his education only through the fifth grade, Twain left school to work as a printers apprentice, where he arranged type for newspaper stories. Twain spent many summers on his uncles farm, listening to the stories and spirituals told and sung in the slave quarters, establishing his appreciation for AfricanAmerican rights and culture. Failing as a prospector, he went to work for the Territorial Enterprise in Virginia City, Nev., and began using his pen name, Mark Twain, a term he borrowed from his riverboat days and which meant two fathoms. Twain became a partner of and editor for the Buffalo Express. The first American novelist to employ common language in his works, published more books based on his personal experiences and his commentary on post-Civil War America. While Twain enjoyed great popularity as a writer and lecturer because of his wit and intelligence, he spent the latter portion of his career increasingly focused on social issues. Twain was an active critic of American and European imperialism and served as vice president of the American Congo Reform Association, using his fame as an author to draw attention to the impact of imperialism on native people in the Philippines, Africa and China. To pay off his debts, Twain and his family went on a worldwide lecture tour. By the end of his life, Twains literary style was less about poking fun at hypocrisy and became more direct and embittered. When he died in 1910, Twain had already established himself as one of Americas literary greats, and his influence has been far-reaching. Writers from Ernest Hemingway to Norman Mailer

When in doubt, tell the truth.

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great. Always do right. That will gratify some of the people, and astonish the rest.

Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didnt do than by the ones you did do.

Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.

Content Literacy Project

20

considered Twain their literary forefather.

When and why I would use this strategy This strategy is something I could use in my classroom anytime I am requiring the students to read a text and take factual information from the text. This helps students organize information they need to keep in a way in which the events occurred as well as into categories or topics especially when they are reading a text book and need to recall what section certain information came out of.