DOCUMENT RESUME ED 346 440 CS 010 964 AUTHOR Sandel, Lenore Exploring the Solar System: A Literature Unit within TITLE. a Whole Language Context. PUB DATE 92 NOTE 7p. PUB TYPE Guides - Classroom Use - Teaching Guides (For Teacher) (052) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Class Activities; Elementary Education; Integrated Activities; Music Education; Reading Material Selection; Science Education; *Thematic Approach; Units of Study; *Whole Language Approach IDENTIFIERS *Solar System ABSTRACT A useful framework for literature-based instruction is the curriculum related literature unit which provides a total resource for content area teaching. Such a unit could be based on the science curriculum, "Exploring the Solar System," and could be developed thematically through topics of space or the solar system. The teacher's initial step is to create a collaborative graphic plan or organizer for a satellite display synthesizing the students' prior knowledge, reading text, literature, and curriculum goals. This organizer or mapping becomes the key to the selection of books and planning of literature activities. A unit can be organized to include science, math, social studies, and language arts content through development of research reports, time lines, distance calculations, creative writing, and drama and art projects. Class activities and suggested books demonstrate how, in the music classroom, music appreciation and skills are taught and learned in this unit design in concert with the arts of language and other curriculum areas. Whether the point of departure in developing a teaching unit at any level is a specific subject, book title, or current interest, webbing the unit themes within all areas of language and learning emerges as a whole language approach in instructional concert, interweaving impressive and expressive language within the context of literature. (Twenty-eight references are attached.) 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EXPLORING THE SOLAR SYSTEM: A LITERATURE UNIT WITHIN A WHOLE LANGUAGE CONTEXT Lenore Sandel Hofstra University Spring 1992 BEST COPY AVAILABLE The focus in the Whole Language classroom is on children's literature, correlating reading and writing activities, with literature !n all its forms as the material of instruction, and relating information to the content area (Goodman, 1986). Language growth through immersion in literature supports the idea that language is acquired through use, not practice (Altwerger, 1987). Literature-based learning stems from exploration and discovery, opportunities for use of oral and written language, research and experimentation, and expres- sive and performing arts activities. A useful framework for literature-based instruc- tion is the curriculum related literature unit which provides a total resource for content area teaching. Such a unit could be a literature unit based on the science curriculum, "Exploring the Solar System," which may be developed thematically through topics of space or of the solar system. The teacher's initial step is to create a collaborative graphic plan or organizer for a satellite d:splay synthesizing the students' prior knowledge, reading text, literature alid curriculum goals. This organizer or mapping becomes the key to the selection of books and planning of literature activi- ties. 3 In one instance, the classroom discussion can center on the launching of a satellite which is viewed on television. The teacher then launches the literature resources as the base of curriculum development. Sally Ride explains about traveling in space in To Space and Back. Alan Bean speaks of his experience in Life as an Astronaut. The story of Christa McAuliffe is told by Charlene Billings in Pioneer Space Teacher. Space shuttles are explained by Don Dwiggins in Flying the Space Shuttles. Seymour Simon adds to his titles with Stars and a book about star-watching, Look to the Sky. Roy Gallant explains the solar system in a book using The Solar System as its title. Simor adds the individual planet books of text and photographs, Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars. The Paul Westman biography Neil Arm- strong: Space Pioneer highlights a reference to "the Eagle has landed," broadening the concept of space while creating symbolic allusion. The mysteries of outer space are posed by Franklyn Branley in Is There ItaNIIMINEMOMMIPCIONOWNIMINIr r`4.," 4-Y:,;1` 1.5rv:vve;14' 4 - Life in Outer Space? which invites the reading of science fiction as well as engaging in a variety of creative writing activities. The unit is organized to include science, math, social studies, and language arts content through development of research reports, time lines, distance calculations, related world develop- ments, creative writing, real and authored interviews, and drama and art projects. In the music classroom, the unit theme of "Ex- ploring the Solar System" is developed with the music curriculum strand. The subjects of stars, moon and night surface as they are integrated with the musical knowledge of pitch and discrimination of mood and style. Students can learn the letter names to identify pitch with" Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," then play in- struments to learn words and rhythm, and finally read and sing parts of lyrical verse. Books suggested for the music unit are Bran ley's A Book of Stars for you, Enchantress from the Stars and The Sky is Full of Stars , . Additional books include Goodnight, Goodnight by Eve Rice, Margaret Wise Brown's Goodnight Moon and Lost Star, Meg on the Moon by Helen Nicoll, and MoonTiger by Phyllis Root. The books with music and lyrics for reading and reflecting mood and setting in discriminating musical accompaniment, include Lull- aby Songbook, edited by Jane Yolen, Lullabies and Night Songs by Wilder, with illustrations by Maurice Sendak, Once a Lullaby, illustrated by Anital Lobel, and A Week of Lullabies, by Helen Plotz. Isaac Aismov's Stars and Nancy Larrick's When the Dark Comes Dancing are recommended for students' crea- tive musical activities as well as for their ability to relate to other subject areas. Creative writing while listening, expository writing about the music, and/or journal entries enrich the unit. Music can further to be selected or composed to accompany the reading of poctry or the dramatic performance of selected scenes from favorite readings. teacherlink These specific putposes of the music classroom science him or her to the Whole Language mobiles of planets in study of astronomy, in creating travel posters to the planets, the solar system, preparing calculations, developing math concepts of distance extending language growth appreciation of poetic qualities through creative writing, distinguishing be- tween expository writing in research reports and narra- tive writing in journals, incorporating facts about the solar system, using imagery effectively in reading and writing and interpreting language growth through oral reading and creative movement. Music appreciation and skills are taught and learned in this unit design in concert with the arts of language and other curriculum areas. Whether the point of departure in developing a teaching unit at any level is a specific subject, book title all or current interest, webbbing the unit themes within areas of language and learning emerges as a Whole Language approach in instructional concert, inter- weaving impressive and c .pressive langauge within the context of literature. References Altwerger, B. C., & Flores, C. Whole lan- (1987). guage, what's new? Reading Teacher, 41 , 144- 155. Asimov, I. (1968). Stars. Chicago: Follett. Bean A. (1988). My life as an astronaut. New York: Pocket Books. Billings, C. (1986). Christa McAuliffe, pioneer space teacher. Hillside, NJ: Enslow. Branley, F. (1967). A Book of stars for you. New York: Crowell. Enchantress from the stars. New (1970). . York: Ath enum. s there life in outer space? New (1984). . York: Cro well. New York: (1981). The sky is full of stars. . fi Crowell. Brown, M. W. (1975). Goodnight moon. New York: Harper & Row. The lost star. New York: Viking. . Buncombe, F. (1988). Literature-based learning: One school' s journey. New York: Scholastic. Dwiggins, D. (1985). Flying the space shuttles. New York: Dodd, Mead. Gallant, R. (1982). The planets: Exploring the solar system. New York: Four Winds. Goodman, K. (1986). What's new inwhole language? New York: Scholastic. Larrick, N. (1983). When the dark comes dancing. New York: Philomel. Nicoll, H., & Pienkowski, J. (1980). Meg on the moon. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Plotz, H. (1988). A week of lullabies. New York: Greenwillow. Rice, E. (1980). Goodnight, goodnight. New York: Greenwillow. (1986). To Ride, S. space and back. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard. Root, P. (1985). Moon t iger. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. Simon, S. (1985). Jupiter. New York: Mon ow. (1977). Look to the night New York: sky. Viking. (1987). Mars. New York: Morrow. . (1985). Saturn. New York: Morrow. (1986). Stars. New York: Morrow. . Westman, P. (1980). Neil Armstrong: Space pioneer. Minneapolis: Lemer. Wilder, A. (1965). Lullabies and night songs. Illus- trated by Maurice Sendak. New York: Harper & Row. Yolen, J. (1986). Lullaby songbook. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.