|
The curriculum consists of an introductory unit and five curriculum units. Each of the curriculum units is designed to last 4-6 weeks and is organized similarly as follows:
- Introduce the unit.
- Activate prior knowledge.
- Build context as well as model and teach cognitive/literacy strategies as students.
- Read the book.
- Study the genre.
- Study the topic and practice literacy strategies appropriate to the genre.
- Exchange letters between students and adult pen pals.
- Assess student work using the specially designed in In2Books Rubric.
Because the lessons across the five units are organized similarly, the processes and strategies become “habits of mind” for students and teachers, allowing them to focus on content learning and literacy learning. By studying students’ letters, teachers develop a greater understanding of their students’ reading, writing and thinking abilities. Since the curriculum progresses through the grades, a consistent method of teaching and learning helps students adapt to work that is more complex each year and enables teachers to share substantive student work.
|
|