6th Grade Classroom Episode: Collaborative Language Arts

The 6th Grade Classroom Episode depicts students engaged in several collaborative language arts activities, including writing and editing autobiographies, sharing book reviews, creating a myth, and writing free verse poems. These activities are supported by a variety of technologies.

Note: While the concepts demonstrated in the video remain valid, the video was created in 2000 and may use obsolete technologies such as diskettes. In addition, the video may not demonstrate modern technologies that are now commonplace.

This video is part of SEDL's Active Learning with Technology Video Series.

Text Transcript of Video

TEACHER: Since today is Monday, I’m going to go over what each group is going to do for the week. And I’m going to start with grammar and writing group. You’ve all been working on your autobiography. And each person will read their autobiography to the group and this will be your group editing session. So you’ll go ahead and let the person know what they need to improve on or what you think might help them to better their story. Accelerated reading group and art group, today you’re giving your book talk so you should have your book talk prepared. When you meet in the group, go ahead and choose who’s going to begin. Each student will give their book talk. Literature group this week, you’ll be doing some interesting things. The first thing we’re going to do is review the mythology that you’ve already read. We’re going to do a little activity. When we finish that activity, you’re going to write your own myth. And you’re going to write your own myth using the Alpha Smart (?). You are wrapping up your poetry folders so you’re just about done. You’ll be writing your last poem that will go in your poetry folder which is a free verse poem. I’d like you to go to the computer. I’ve pulled up Cyber Kids site and just look over some of the poems the students have written on that site. Then you’re free to go to Microsoft Word, type up your poem, and then let me know when you’re done and we’ll print them out. Does everyone understand?

STUDENT: Yes, ma’am.

TEACHER: You can go ahead and get started. What we’re going to do is go over mythology. And this morning I’m going to read you a little story and I’ve titled it “Punny Mythology.” What do you think punny means? Funny. So I want you to close your eyes and picture Aphrodite. Now when you open your eyes, you’re not going to see my face. You’re going to see Aphrodite’s. Okay? Okay, go ahead and open your eyes. Hello, my name is Aphrodite. I am the goddess of love and beauty. I understand that you’ve read a story where Cupid shot his arrow. We were having a carefree day and I was sitting on the side of a mound talking with my son when I saw Hades, god of the underworld. I said now or later. I told Cupid to shoot his arrow and I wanted Hades to feel the pangs of love just as everyone else had. I have to snicker to myself now that I think about it. Cupid did as I said. I want you to think about what I just read to you and write down as many names of characters from mythology as you can and as many candy bar titles as you can. Try to think back to the story and remember where the candy bars were and what they stood for. And that’ll help you remember the story. Okay? And are you doing this together? Are you relying on your group members? So if you have a question, who are you asking? Okay, and everyone’s doing fine. Everyone understands. Chad, what are you doing to help you remember?

STUDENT: Trying to remember what the poster looked like.

TEACHER: Like what about the poster? The words?

STUDENT: The candy bars. And what the story was about.

TEACHER: Jasmine, what about you? How are you remembering parts of the story?

STUDENT: Trying to figure out where the candy bars were.

TEACHER: No, no, what color were the characters? What were their names? What color where their names written in?

STUDENT: Red.

TEACHER: Red. Start adding up how many characters you have and how many pieces of candy you have. [Students working and talking together]

TEACHER: How many characters did you remember?

STUDENT: Five.

TEACHER: Five. And how many pieces of candy?

STUDENT: Eight.

TEACHER: Eight? Jonette, how many characters?

STUDENT: Three.

TEACHER: Good. And candy?

STUDENT: Seven.

TEACHER: Very good. And Chive (?)?

STUDENT: Five characters.

TEACHER: And how many pieces of candy?

STUDENT: Ten.

TEACHER: Okay, very good. Name some of the characters that you remember. Give me one, Jasmine.

STUDENT: Helen.

TEACHER: Helen. Very good. And what did Helen have to do with? Do you remember what Helen had to do with?

STUDENT: The Greek and the Trojan War.

TEACHER: Very good. And give me a name that you remember.

STUDENT: Cupid.

TEACHER: Cupid. And who was Cupid?

STUDENT: He shot arrows into people’s hearts.

TEACHER: Very good.

STUDENT: Persophene (?).

TEACHER: Okay, good. Persophene. And what did Persophene do? Someone help Jonette out. What happened with Persophene?

STUDENT: She was tricked into eating the fruit.

TEACHER: She was tricked into eating the fruit. Correct. How do you remember it was a fruit?

STUDENT: I don’t know.

TEACHER: How do you remember?

STUDENT: Because it had a pack of Juicy Fruit gum.

TEACHER: Okay, very good. What name did you remember?

STUDENT: Aphrodite’s.

TEACHER: Aphrodite. Why did you remember Aphrodite?

STUDENT: It was Cupid’s mother.

TEACHER: Cupid’s mother. Since you all remembered things so well and did a good job, I’m going to let you go ahead and pick one candy off the candy board and you can eat that while you write your myth. Okay? Does anyone have a choice? What are you finding at this site?

STUDENT: Free verse poems.

TEACHER: Free verse poems. Are they all free verse poems? And after you write your poem, we’re going to publish it. So when you go to the site, you’ll see your poem’s name and your name on the side of it. You’re going to be using the Alpha Smart. Go ahead and pass out your characters and read over your characters and you begin your story. What are you doing in this group with your reports? What’s the purpose of a book talk?

STUDENT: It’s like to get other people to read that book that you like. You tell what the book is about and the main idea of the story.

TEACHER: Okay, good. Would anyone like to start?

STUDENT: My book is by . It was written by Cynthia White. Where it takes place is . Some of the characters are . It also teaches a lesson. It teaches you not to give up.

TEACHER: Good. I like his reason why you should read the book. It taught a lesson and taught a very good lesson. Did you enjoy the book?

STUDENT: Yes, ma’am.

TEACHER: What makes you like her books?

STUDENT: They’re fun to read and they teach you lessons.

STUDENT: and she was so pretty, every person wanted her.

STUDENT: What are you going to write about?

STUDENT: . She tries to kick Helen out of Greece but she didn’t.

STUDENT: We should put what Helen . Maybe we could put that she broke out a couple of years later.

STUDENT: And some people are looking for her but they couldn’t find her.

STUDENT: You type it.

STUDENT: Okay.

TEACHER: Precious is going to teach you how to use the digital camera. So you’re going to take your picture and this picture is going to go inside your autobiography. So she’s going to take Shawn’s picture, then she’ll show Shawn how to use the camera. And Shawn will take Danny’s and Shawn will show Danny. And Danny will take Brandon’s and Brandon —. Got it? Okay. What are you making?

STUDENT: A book cover.

TEACHER: A book cover for what?

STUDENT: An autobiography.

TEACHER: So you’re going to take your box and cut it. Cut this off and then cut this off. And cut this side off to where it’ll open to be a book. From then on, it’s your activity. You do whatever you need to do. And this cart right here is full of supplies, so you use whatever you need to use. Yes, Casey?

STUDENT: How do you do different colors?

TEACHER: Okay, where in Word Art did you go? Press okay and let’s see what it looks like. Okay. Put it where you need it to go. I like your border. Okay. You want to keep it highlighted and right-click on it. There you go. Go to cancel and then edit. Now go to more line colors. No, that’s not it either. Danielle, help us out here.

STUDENT: Click on . Click it twice. Cancel, okay. Go to your color, do an arrow, and then pick the color you want it.

TEACHER: We’re having trouble because it’s a filler. Yes, try that. Very good. She figured it out on her own.

STUDENT: I was born on February 20, 1988. There was nothing wrong with me. My parents are nice to me. My dad is . My mom is . I am glad they are my parents.

TEACHER: Okay, so what do we know from the first part of his autobiography? What have we learned about Brandon?

STUDENT: He was a healthy baby.

STUDENT: We learned his mama and his father’s name.

TEACHER: Okay, we know his mother’s and his father’s name.

STUDENT: From kindergarten to first grade I went to Elementary. And I was a bad kid but I tried to improve myself. Then in second grade to fifth grade, I was also bad there, too, and I tried to be good but I couldn’t stay out of trouble.

TEACHER: His school part. Is there anything we can improve on in this school part?

STUDENT: He needs to improve on his behavior.

TEACHER: Well, no, we don’t want to change anything about his life.

STUDENT: He didn’t tell about where he went, like a field trip.

TEACHER: Okay. Special events for each year. So you might want to pencil that in, Brandon. You have that added in in the back?

STUDENT: Um-hmm.

TEACHER: Can I see yours, Shawn? Wow! Show it to everyone in the group. Explain to us how you did that.

STUDENT: Well, I was at the computer and I went to a font and it was called . And I clicked on it.

TEACHER: Shawn is going to be your support person. He can help you with your font.

STUDENT: Can I use your scissors?

STUDENT: Put the paper in and then . And then it’ll just be like that .

STUDENT: I think I have a good personality. I have a strength and knowledge. Sometimes I don’t want to use it. I have a small talent in art. I can draw pretty good. That’s what I can do. When we get to school, I’m not good in class. I’m also not good in science or math. I am also not good in social studies.

TEACHER: Give me some comments.

STUDENT: I think it’s good.

TEACHER: It was very good. What can he add to the part where he talked about his weaknesses? To end on a good note, how can he end that paragraph?

STUDENT: I will try to improve in my weaknesses.

TEACHER: How can you improve your weaknesses. So you might want to jot that down to add that to the end of your paragraph, Danny. Do you have a pen? Okay, you did a good job.

STUDENT: My future plans are to go to college and become a kindergarten teacher. I plan to get married and have children after being settled down. I want to become a teacher because I love to be with children and help them.

TEACHER: Okay, very good. What can she add to her last chapter?

STUDENT: She can say why she wants to get married. What kind of children she’ll want. Like good or bad children.

TEACHER: Do you have a choice whether you have good or bad children?

STUDENT: Well, yeah, you’ve got to teach them. You’ve got to teach them.

TEACHER: Just spell it the way you think and then you can spell check. Are you close to being done?

STUDENT: Yes.

TEACHER: When you are finished, let me know and we’re going to go to the computer. And you’re going to hook the Alpha Smart up and you an send it to Microsoft Word and you’ll be able to edit it as a group. Okay, so just let me know when you’re done.

STUDENT: a beautiful butterfly dancing in the sky. She glides through the trees till the morning light comes. And as a butterfly glides back and forth to a new day.

TEACHER: Awesome! Awesome job! [Students working and talking together]

STUDENT: . They are my friends to the end. They are like beautiful that I will always treasure. They are always in my heart and we will never be pulled apart. They are my friends to the end.

STUDENT: You know what you’re doing there?

STUDENT: Yes. [Students working and talking together]

TEACHER: Now that we’re finished today’s lesson, I want you to give me your highs and lows. What was good? What did you enjoy? And what can we improve on? Because tomorrow you all switch groups. So let us know what was good and what was not so good. Dawn?

STUDENT: I liked making the cereal boxes because they’re fun to make and you can decorate them.

TEACHER: Let’s go to mythology group. What was your high? What was your good point?

STUDENT: I enjoyed working on the computer.

TEACHER: What do you like about that computer?

STUDENT: It was small and it was neat.

TEACHER: Okay, what was your down side to this group? Lakisha?

STUDENT: We didn’t know what to write in the story.

TEACHER: Okay. So what can I do to help that?

STUDENT: Everybody think what they’re going to write before the computer comes to us.

TEACHER: Okay. So you should have a small group talk where you all discuss what’s going to be written and then start writing, right?

STUDENT: Yes, ma’am.

TEACHER: So tomorrow, this group, when you’re in mythology, you go ahead and discuss what’s going to be written and then start typing. You think that will help?

STUDENT: Yes, ma’am.

TEACHER: Okay, good. Poetry group?

STUDENT: We worked on the computer and the Internet and we read poems from other children around the world.

TEACHER: Okay, and what did you like about that?

STUDENT: Because it shows you like examples of a free verse poem.

TEACHER: Last group, grammar?

STUDENT: Working on the computers, helping do the autobiography.

TEACHER: Okay, good. So Shawn was our kind of mentor in this group. He helped. He was our leader and helped with the font and the different things. How did you enjoy that? When you read your autobiography to the group and worked on your autobiography, how was that? Danny?

STUDENT: It was fun to learn about my friends’ life and stuff.

TEACHER: You all did great today. You did wonderful work in groups and you were all successful. So I’ll look for the same thing tomorrow. And you all have a great day. Go ahead and pack up your books. [End of video]