Young Children - March 2008 - (Page 15) Integration across the Curriculum through a Class Newspaper Reading The newspaper process encourages reading through review of daily reports, the weekly newspaper itself, and recommended books. Children connect information from books to what they are learning. Writing Children learn to express ideas, thoughts, and feelings in writing, and they experience writing as a process by analyzing, synthesizing, and prioritizing information. Math Children use calendar skills and other math skills, such as skip counting, tally marks, addition and subtraction, and place value. Children apply math vocabulary: most, least, highest, lowest. Science Children observe and record changes in the contexts of habitats, solids and liquids, and weather and seasons. Children gain an awareness of nature. Social Studies Children develop an understanding of belonging, roles and responsibilities, and people who make a difference. Creative Arts Children learn to express their ideas through art. They create symbols and illustrations for the newspaper. Social/Emotional The newspaper fosters self-esteem, belonging, empathy, helping, cooperation, and diversity. Children become aware of ethical values (from the Heartwood curriculum) in their daily actions and have greater appreciation of actions that are appropriate, safe, and kind. Support reporters during the week All day long, children come up with ideas for the newspaper from what they are learning. Anne suggested I establish anchor charts (Miller 2002) to record their noteworthy ideas and organize their thinking. Anchor charts make “thinking permanent and visible” (Miller 2002, 57). Having previous ideas visible helps children make connections and think more deeply about their experiences and how these are related to the unifying concepts they are studying. I hang anchor charts with the same titles as many of the newspaper headlines on one wall of the classroom. Stories from outside of school (which could be used for “A family moment” or “Changes outside”) often come up at Rug Time, when each child may share some news. Writing their news on the anchor charts tells children their actions, thoughts, and ideas are important. Refer to the charts often during the week. If children need some direction during reporting time, lead them to the chart with the matching job and read the notes together. Children have discussions on their own too, and they understand the importance of maintaining a newsroom atmosphere by interacting quietly. Some walk around the room with clipboards and their notebooks, gathering news by asking classmates questions like, “Do you have a book to recommend?” or “Did you help someone this week?” Others may initiate a conversation to tell a classmate reporter about important news. Young Children • March 2008 15
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