Integrated Literature Plan

Carsyn Guitrau

Louisiana State University

Rationale

It is very important to use multiple kinds of literacy throughout the curriculum. Literacy

is the ability to read, write, communicate effectively, and absorb information. Multiple literacies

“recognizes that there are many ways to relay and receive information, and students need to be

proficient in each one” (Bales). Multiple literacies need to be taught throughout the curriculum

because each kind of literacy, book, video, or magazine, is absorbed by the students in a different

way. This means that some students might learn better from some literacies than other. However,

if throughout the curriculum I expose the students to many different types of literacies, they will

eventually be able to acquire information adequately from all of them. The first type of literacy is

visual literacy. Visual literacy would be gaining information through images, such as videos or

pictures. With visual literacy, students will learn to observe and analyze to find a purpose of the

image. The next literacy is textual literacy. Textual literacy is traditional literacy, such as books

or magazines. With textual literacy, students learn how to analyze a text, as well as interpret and

evaluate it. The next literacy is digital literacy. Digital literacy includes sources that are found

digitally, such as websites. This type of literacy helps students to learn about credibility, author’s

intent, and bias in writing. The last literacy is technological literacy. Technological literacy is

using social media or online video sites. With this literacy, students learn about copyright and

privacy. In early childhood elementary, the main literacies that will be utilized throughout the

curriculum are visual literacy and textual literacy. The other two will be used sometimes, but not

as often because those topics are not developmentally appropriate to teach at the early childhood

education level.

Also, it is important to teach multiple kinds of literacy throughout the curriculum so that

literacy is integrated in every other domain of learning. “Curriculum requires students to have
literacy skills which enable them to interpret and compose texts across different disciplines”

(Literacy across the curriculum). For example, in a science lesson I could play a video or in a

math lesson I could read them a book on numbers. This will allow the students to always be

practicing and developing their ability to read, write, communicate, and comprehend different

kinds of literacy.

Another reason that using multiple kinds of literacy across the curriculum is important is

because “literacy development starts early in life and is highly correlated with school

achievement” (Early literacy). If a student falls behind in language and literacy early on, they

will most likely exhibit troubles in school growing up. This is why integrating literacy into every

part of the classroom is very important. It will allow each child to grow in literacy every day. It

will also allow each child to grow in literacy using different methods, which will help them when

learning different things. Some students might learn better through a book, while other

students might learn better through a video. This is another reason to use multiple kinds of

literacy. Each child has a different way of learning information, so it is important that all

methods are used in the classroom. This is especially important when it comes to literacy

because being proficiently in literacy skills will help the students to succeed in school as they

grow up.

Overall, literacy in early childhood education very important. Teacher should use visual

literacy, textual literacy, digital literacy, and technological literacy throughout the curriculum to

teach different methods of understanding literacy, as well as providing each child with the way

of learning that fits them best. If multiple kinds of literacy is taught throughout the curriculum, I

believe it will help each child succeed in the future.

Unit Topic: Famous American of the Past and Present

Grade Level: 2nd Grade

Anchor Text

1. Tales of Famous Americans by Connie and Peter Roop

2. The Lexile score is 740L.

3. This text is a nonfiction biography that highlights seventeen diverse famous Americans

from the past and present. In this book, it talks about the lives and achievements of these

seventeen famous Americans. The famous Americans that are mentioned are Pocahontas,

Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Davy Crockett, Abraham Lincoln, Susan B.

Anthony & Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Harriet Tubman, Sitting Bull, Thomas Edison,

Madam C. J. Walker, the Wright Brothers, Helen Keller, Jackie Robinson, Martin Luther

King Jr., Dolores Huerta, Yo-Yo Ma, and Mia Hamm.

4. I chose this anchor text because it includes many of the famous Americans that I will be

covering in my integrated thematic unit. Also, the students will gain insight into other

famous Americans that I will not be able to cover. Also, I like how this text covered

many people, instead of a biography on just one person. This will allow us to learn about

many different people from history and today.

Annotated Bibliography of Related Texts

Nonfiction

1. What’s Your Story, Amelia Earhart by Jen Barton

a. Lexile score: 680

 b. This text is about the life of Amelia Earhart. It talks about how she overcame

adversity to become the first women to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. It also

discussed how she stood up and fought for gender equality.

c. I chose this text because she is one of the famous Americans that I planned to talk

about. Also, this could be a great text to show the students that they should always

follow their dreams and fight for them. This text will show the students how

Amelia Earhart changed society for all females who wanted to do the same thing.

2. Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books by Kay Winters

a. Lexile score: 700L

b. This text is a children’s biography on Abraham Lincoln. This book is about a kid

who loved to read who grew up to become the 16th president of the United States.

It talks about how books changed his life, and then how he changed the world.

c. I chose this book because part of my topic is how famous American changed

society, so this book would be a great way to display that. Also, it will hopefully

help the students gain a love for books.

Fiction

3. Neil Armstrong and Nat Love, Space Cowboys (Time Twisters) by Steve Sheinkin

a. Lexile score: 520L

b. This text is a children’s fiction book about a young cowboy names Nat Love. He

wanted to trade his horse for a trip to the moon and causes time to get twisted.

When Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin leave on their spaceship, the end up

getting stuck in Texas in a different time period. Now, the characters have to try

to fix history.
 c. I chose this book because Neil Armstrong is one of the famous Americans that I

am going to be teaching about. Also, this book is fiction, but also contain some

real history in it. This will allow the students to learn some real facts as they go on

this journey in the book. I also think this book will be very engaging for my class

because they are interested in space.

Digital Media

4. https://www.cyark.org/projects/mount-rushmore-national-memorial/overview

a. This website is a website on Mount Rushmore National Memorial. The website

provides a brief description of the monument, what it entails, and what it

represents. The website also provides other resources such as a guided tour, 3D

explorer, virtual tour, in depth information, and videos.

b. I chose this resource because it included 4 famous Americans from the past. As a

class, we could gain knowledge on this national monument, as well as learn

information about the famous Americans that are included.

5. https://www.biographyonline.net/people/america/famous-americans.html

a. This website is called Biography Online. It includes biography of countless

famous and influential people from America. It has a section where the people are

broken down into different categories, such as writers, royalty, scientists,

musicians, inspirational people, and women. It also includes a blog with more in-

depth categories, such as people who made a difference in health care and famous

spies.

b. I chose this website because it has an abundance of information for the students to

look and learn about. This will deepen the students’ knowledge about the topic by
 not only providing us with countless famous Americans to discuss, but also giving

them a resource to look at any time. Also, this will help them to remember what

the people are famous for because they are broken down into categories.

Other

6. https://sn1.scholastic.com/issues/2018-19/020119.html

a. When you go to this website, it provides you with the Scholastic News Magazine

Article on Ruby Bridges called “Brave Ruby.” The website will play it for you, as

well as providing extra materials to extend the lesson. This text talks about

Ruby’s story and how she changed the world for all children.

b. I included this resource because Ruby Bridges was a first-grade student when she

faced adversity and helped changed the world for all African American children. I

think my students will be able to find ways to related to Ruby because she was an

early childhood student as well, which will deepen their understanding on the

topic. Also, the site provides extra resources, including vocabulary and videos,

that will help to deepen the students’ knowledge on the topic.

7. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/10/28/the-real-nature-of-thomas-edisons-

genius

a. This is a magazine article by The New Yorker called “The Real Nature of Thomas

Edison’s Genius.” In this article, they discuss Thomas Edison’s life and how he

accomplished the things that he did.

b. I chose this article because it not only goes into details about what Thomas Edison

accomplished that changed society, but it also talks about how he did those things.

I think this will deepen the students’ knowledge on the topic because they will
 understand his accomplishments on a deeper level by learning about how and why

he did the things that he did.

Organizational Chart

Reading Aloud

 Tales of Famous Americans by Connie and Peter Roop

 Website on Mount Rushmore National Memorial

Shared Reading

 What’s Your Story, Amelia Earhart by Jen Barton

 Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books by Kay Winters

Research

 Website is called Biography Online.

 Scholastic News Magazine Article on Ruby Bridges called “Brave Ruby.”

 A magazine article by The New Yorker called “The Real Nature of Thomas Edison’s

Genius.”

Independent Reading

 Neil Armstrong and Nat Love, Space Cowboys (Time Twisters) by Steve Sheinkin
 References

Bales, K. (n.d.). How to utilize multiple literacies to maximize learning. Retrieved April 22,

2021, from https://www.thoughtco.com/multiple-literacies-types-classroom-strategies-

4177323

Literacy across the curriculum. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2021, from

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/english/liter

acy/readingviewing/Pages/litfocuslitacrosscurriculum.aspx

Early literacy: Policy and practice in the preschool years. Retrieved April 22, 2021, from

https://www.readingrockets.org/article/early-literacy-policy-and-practice-preschool-years