Integrated Literacy Plan

Victoria Pecot

EDCI 3000

Louisiana Stata University

Rationale.

Literacy can fit into almost every topic in school. A teacher could use literacy to

implement curriculum in his/her science class, math class, and so on. In the past, literacy “…was

once known simply as the ability to read and write. Today it’s about being able to make sense of

and engage in advanced reading, writing, listening, and speaking,” (Bales, 2019) Also,

technology is also heavily included in today’s schools and classroom, and literacy has also

expanded to this as well. There are four different types of literacy: visual, textual, digital, and

technological. Each are important to curriculums for teachers in their classes. Visual literacy is

described by Bales as “An individual’s ability to understand and evaluate information presented

through images such as pictures, photographs, symbols and videos,” (Bales, 2019). In other

words, this means using types of images that should convey a message that we want to evoke

throughout the class. One way students can do this is through digital media, and art as well.

Teachers definitely use visual literacy to communicate a topic better to their students. Textual

literacy is described by Bales as skills that include being able to analyze and respond to books or

websites through essays, opinion writings, etc. Teachers can use this in their curriculum to be

able to assess a topic that they are learning about during a lesson. Digital literacy is described by

Bales as “an individual’s ability to locate, evaluate, and interpret information found through

digital sources, such as websites, smartphones, and video games,” (Bales, 2019). Teachers may

be able to use digital literacy to teach students how to evaluate the author’s point of view, and

purpose. Lastly, technological literacy is described by Bales as “a person’s ability to use a

variety of technologies (such as social media, online video sites, and text messages)

appropriately, responsibly, and ethically,” (Bales, 2019). Teachers may only start to use this type
of literacy when their students are older, to teach them how to properly use the laws of citations,

etc.

Literacy is exceedingly important to be involved in curriculums. With every lesson plan,

literacy can be used. Teachers can engage in these four different types of literacies throughout

almost every subject and topic! There is one quote that is really nice on a website that says,

“Content is what we teach, but there is also the how, and this is where literacy instruction comes

in,” (Alber, 2014). This is a great quote because it shows the importance of emphasis on literacy

in class. Schools will most likely always involve literacy, because it builds students’

comprehension, communication, and writing skills. If someone were to think about school, all of

the assignments students do have to do with writing, or comprehension. However, teachers do

have to scaffold this for students until they become independent in topic pertaining to it. In order

for students to be able to have conversation about higher-thinking, and class discussions,

teachers need to build literacy throughout the curriculum, so that it is not just lecture-based.

Literacy can come in any type of form, such as books, articles, games, websites, videos,

etc. Anything that will be used for communication, counts as literacy. However, literacy can

come in many levels, all the way up to graduate levels. Because of this, teachers must

appropriately pick types of literacy that their grade can effectively use and understand. Schools

are constantly changing the term of literacy, “The change in what literacy means has come about

because of the explosion of the number of new ways to communicate as technology has

developed,” (Brooks, 2020). Examples of using literacy in a classroom would be to come up with

a topic to learn about, and then involve books, videos, or games that can teach your students a

further understanding of this topic. This is all about comprehension, and being able to make

curriculums in an effective way to reach all of your students’ skill levels. Students in lower
grades should be started off with a “basic level of literacy” (Brooks, 2020), and then go up to an

“advanced level of literacy” (Brooks, 2020). This is because literacy is about comprehension and

communication, and students that are not on an advanced level that have to use advanced literacy

will not understand symbolism, or deeper understandings of topics.

Furthermore, literacy should be used in every curriculum. It helps round out the

curriculums that teachers make for their students about different topics. Students need literacy to

build on their communication and comprehension skills, which is why literacy should be

involved in every subject of learning. This is good for their cognitive development, and prepares

them for the future of doing things like this on their own.

Unit Topic.

Geography: Maps, Communities, and Environment

Grade Level.

Second Grade.

Anchor Text.

Nonfiction

What Are Different Types of Communities? (Let’s Find Out! Communities) by Josie

Keogh

Keogh, J. (2017). What Are Different Types of Communities? (Let’s Find Out!

Communities). Britannica.

- Lexile Score: 850

 - This book would not cover my entire unit topic of maps, communities, and

environments but it does cover a larger part of communities that other books

that I found would not. This book discusses urban, suburban, and rural

communities, and compares/contrasts them. I chose this book as my anchor

text because the Lexile score is far above their second-grade level, so it would

be a smart book to read closely and provide instructional support with. Also,

this book covers the largest topic of communities, which is a big chunk of our

unit.

Annotated Bibliography of Related Texts.

Books

1. Follow that Map: A First Book of Mapping Skills! By Scot Ritchie

Ritchie, S. (2009). Follow that Map: A First Book of Mapping Skills! Kids

Can Press, Limited.

a. Lexile Score: 590

b. This book is a helpful book to second graders because it is interactive

and helps with demonstrating key mapping concepts and skills. They

will learn many map vocabulary terms, and be able to learn how to

make a map of their own bedroom at the end of the book. The

character of the book takes the children on a trip though the

neighborhood, city, and country. It also involves search and find

techniques, and is non-fiction.

c. I chose this book because I believe it stuck to the purpose of my map

concept that is apart of my unit. It fits perfectly into map skills, and it
 seems like a very engaging book that the students would have fun

reading, and would make learning about maps more fun. This also is

perfect to lead into my lesson of constructing a map of school.

2. There’s a Map on My Lap! All About Maps by Tish Rabe, illustrated by

Aristides Ruiz

Rabe, T. Ruiz, A. (2002). There’s a Map on My Lap! All About Maps.

Random House Books for Young Readers.

a. Lexile Score: 580

b. This book is so great for 2nd graders being introduced to maps because

it is another book that describes what maps are, how they are helpful,

what cartographers are, and so on. It is a children’s non-fiction

literature book, that may be classified under poetry since it is rhyming.

It includes many facts throughout every page, with ways to sound out

these hard words for students.

c. I chose this book because I love cat in the hat books, and I love how it

incorporates rhyming. I love this detail because it keeps students

engaged about what they are learning, and because it allows them to

learn bigger topics by rhyming. I also love the details of the book, and

how it includes a fact about maps on every page.

3. Helpers in My Community (My World: G) by Bobbie Kalman

Kalman, B. (2011). Helpers in My Community (Bobbie Kalman’s Leveled

Readers: My World: G). Crabtree Pub.

a. Lexile Score: 590

 b. This non-fiction informational book introduces community helper jobs

to students. It goes through services that jobs like firefighters, doctors,

garbage men, and police do. It connects the unit topic by discussing

other jobs in the communities that we live in, such as ones they may

not know about.

c. I chose this book because it seems like a book I would want to read to

my students, or have them read. It is age-appropriate, and I believe I

could come up with a great lesson plan centered around this text. It is

very factual, and perfect for my unit topic to wrap up learning about

communities.

4. Look Where We Live! A First Book of Community Building by Scot Ritchie

Ritchie, S. (2015). Look Where We Live! A First Book of Community Building

(Exploring Our Community). Kids Can Press.

a. Lexile Score: NC620

b. This is a non-fiction picture book that is labeled as non-conforming,

under Lexile. This book teaches about the importance of our

community, and how we can even help it. It expands children’s minds

by explaining good causes, going one step further like volunteering,

and talking about what our community does for us as well. This also

discusses the community helper jobs, but is not so focused on that. It

describes what it takes to be a good citizen, and even goes further by

talking about the economy of a community, and teamwork and

responsibility.
 c. I chose this book because I believe it is highly developmentally

appropriate to be read in the classroom. It combines many things that

students should know as beginning to understand communities. It

allows room for classroom discussions, and even engages students by

adding an interactive experience, where students have to find things or

people within the pictures at times.

5. Little Turtle and the Changing Sea: A Story of Survival in our Polluted

Oceans by Becky Davies, illustrated by Jennie Poh

Davies, B. Poh, J. (2020). Little Turtle and the Changing Sea: A Story of

Survival in our Polluted Oceans. Tiger Tales.

a. Lexile Score: AD640

b. This book is a lyrical fiction book, that is also described as adult

directed by Lexile. This book is amazing because it talks about the

emotional journey of a sea turtle growing up in the ocean. However, it

shows how one day, she notices that there is waste all over her home

(the ocean). It emotionally connects with children because it shows

how this sea turtle is struggling with plastic hurting her. This book

shows children how there is an issue with pollution in our marine life,

and how it can affect the ocean and us. It also discusses what we can

do to help this problem.

c. I chose this book because it fits well into the lesson plans and unit

topic of the environment. I like how this book makes students

emotionally attach to this turtle in a way to talk about the

 environmental issues, which is smart to me because children (and

humans) are very empathetic and this would make them want to help

the environment. I love how this book is filled with facts about reduce,

reuse, and recycle, talks about the plastic problem, and fills students

minds with exploration about this topic.

6. Our House Is on Fire: Greta Thuberg’s Call to Save the Planet by Jeanette

Winter

Winter, J. (2019). Our House Is on Fire: Greta Thunberg’s Call to Save the

Planet. Beach Lane Books.

a. Lexile Score: 680

b. This picture book is a non-fiction, biography about the TIME

PERSON OF THE YEAR Greta Thunberg. Greta Thunberg, if you do

not already know, is an 18 year old environmental activist that has

started a movement years ago to force world leaders to do something

about the global climate change. This book talks about Greta

Thunberg, and gets students riled up about climate change.

c. I chose this book because I absolutely love Greta Thunberg. This fits

well into my unit of the topic of environment because it is about a

famous environmental activist. I want students to gain the point out of

this book that you can be any age and make a difference in the

environment, or anything (because Greta was 15 when she started this

movement).

7. Why Should I Recycle? By Jen Green, illustrated by Mike Gordon

 Gordon, M. Green, J. (2005). Why Should I Recycle? B.E.S.

a. Lexile Score: AD550

b. This book is classified as an informational book and is also classified

as adult directed by Lexile. This book discusses recycling and why we

should do it. It discusses important parts in the environment, and the

value of recycling, such as how to do it. The kids in the book go on a

field trip to a recycling plant, and they all have different questions that

are related to the environment, and recycling. The book answers each

one, which is important to see for more information.

c. I chose this book because it fits in well with my environment topic of

my unit. Also, this book is very informational, consisting of students

learning about this topic, which allows the students to relate to

themselves learning about this as well! I believe this is

developmentally appropriate, and is perfect for my lesson plan of

recycling, where I want the students to make a craft out of recycled

materials.

Digital Media

1. Natural Resources for Kids | Teach your kids and students about Earths

Natural Resources - YouTube

a. Lexile Score: N/A

b. This YouTube video is perfect to open up a discussion about natural

resources in the environment. This video goes through each natural

 resource of the Earth, and discusses what it does and why these are

important. It also defines what natural resources are.

c. I chose this because it is perfect to fit into my unit for learning about the

environment. The students can watch this, learn about natural resources,

and go into a discussion or worksheet about this.

2. Make Your Own Compass! - YouTube

a. Lexile Score: N/A

b. This YouTube video is an engaging one that shows students how to

make their own compass. It goes through a cartoon character that

wants to make a compass, and they learn how to together.

c. I chose this YouTube video because I can show it to the class, and then

we could do a project to make a compass. It branches off of the topic

of learning about maps, and would be a fun learning activity for

students.

Organizational Chart.

Read Aloud Shared Reading Independent Guided Research

Reading Reading
Why Should I Follow that Little Turtle and What Are Our House is On
Recycle? By Jen Map: A First the Changing Different Fire: Greta
Green, Book of Sea: A Story of Types of Thunberg’s Call
illustrated by Mapping Skills! Survival in our Communities to Save the Planet
Mike Gordon By Scot Ritchie Polluted Oceans ? (Let’s Find by Jeanette
by Becky Davies, Out! Winter
illustrated by Communities)
Jennie Poh by Josie
Keogh

Look Where We Helpers in My There’s a Natural Resources

 Live! A First Community (My Map on My for Kids | Teach
Book of World: G) by Lap! All your kids and
Community Bobbie Kalman About Maps students about
Building by by Tish Rabe, Earths Natural
Scot Ritchie illustrated by Resources -
Aristides Ruiz YouTube

Make Your Own

Compass! -
YouTube

References.
Alber, R. (2014, January 15). How Important Is Teaching Literacy in All Content Areas?

Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/literacy-instruction-across-curriculum-

importance.

Bales, K. (2019, July 3). How to Utilize Multiple Literacies to Maximize Learning. ThoughtCo.

https://www.thoughtco.com/multiple-literacies-types-classroom-strategies-4177323.

Says, J., & Janice. (2019, April 16). The Importance of Multiple Literacies. Online Tutoring

Adelaide. https://www.highperformancelearning.com/the-importance-of-multiple-

literacies/.