Structure
The week-long course will focus on guiding first grade students to identify the key elements of informational, or non-fiction books. Students will have assignments to complete each day, with a final unit assignment of developing an informational book/report due at the conclusion of the unit. This unit will take place in a blended learning environment. Students will have the option of coming into class on Day 1 to complete the introductory lesson in a face-to-face environment. Twice during the week, students will be required to work with the teacher in an online classroom synchronously. The rest of the lessons will be done completely online or at home, with the option for students to meet online with the teacher as needed.
Pedagogical Approach
When designing this course, it was determined that a combination of constructivism and connectivism learning style would be used. Young children are still forming their connections with information, which makes it all that more important to make learning real. According to Voogt and Knezek (2009), the pedagogy of this course fits in with the pedagogy in the information society. Students will work at their own pace, depending on needs, make connections between different subject areas, support each other, and participate in different activities (Voogt and Knezek, 2009). Also, most of the assignments students would be completing during the week, as well as the final assignment, require students to show their knowledge by applying it, rather than memorizing. According to Simonson, Smaldino, Albright and Zvacek, “student assessment must be designed to reflect the specific behaviors identified in the course outcomes” (Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education, 2012). This is especially true with young children. Through allowing students to create their own final product, students have more ownership over the learning, and can truly make long-term connections. This type of assessment also shows which students have really learned the material by applying their knowledge rather than just guessing at correct answers.
Learning Justification
These skill are essential for 1st grade students, especially with the stress placed on informational text in the Common Core State Standards. Kindergarten students are only required to identify the “front cover, back cover, and title page of a book” (MD Common Core State Curriculum Framework: English Language Arts, 2005). First grade students may come in with various amounts of background knowledge on informational text, especially depending on the depth they were covered in Kindergarten. This unit, therefore, provides many differentiation opportunities for students based on their background knowledge. Students can work on more sophisticated text elements, such as the main idea, key details and connection between two texts. For students who need more support with informational texts, this unit can be extended and more time can be spent with teacher support. Many of these skills are needed in 2nd grade, so allowing students to move on in their learning, or slow down to gain more meaning, can reduce the time spent on such lessons in 2nd grade. This unit concludes with students writing a non-fiction/informational book, which should allow them to apply their learned knowledge from science/social studies, writing, and reading curricula.