The purpose of this unit is to develop students’ understanding that texts have different language features, depending on their purpose. Students learn about words in texts by conducting a statistical investigation, and by using their data to answer the question they pose.
The English language poses many challenges for language learners. For example, it has been calculated that, because of the exceptions, the spelling of 3700 common words must be rote-learned. As students come to understand the common word types, and begin to recognise the comparative frequency of these in different genre, they begin to see how language is shaped for different purposes.
We can use a mathematical approach to assist with developing this understanding. As students participate in a simple statistical exercise of sorting words, justifying their categories, displaying these and explaining their data displays, they are consolidating their understanding of the names of the kinds of words we use and their usage. Their first display in this series of lessons is a pictograph (with a word instead of a picture). In creating this, they are reviewing display features learned in level one: The vertical axis is numbered to match the words, and the horizontal axis names the categories (nouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs). A space is left between the categories and the graph is given a title.
Their exploration of words types can give rise to wondering statements about the way we use particular word types for different purposes and audiences. A further investigative question naturally arises from this developing awareness and leads to an investigation of word use in different genre. Students plan how they will gather data to answer their investigative question, and present this information on a bar graph. They are further developing their understanding of this display type, and its similarities and differences to the pictograph: the numbers on the vertical axis label points, not spaces, the height of the bar shows the total in the category and the columns have spaces between them because the data are discrete (note that all category data are discrete).
The student is also learning to discuss the findings, give an appropriate answer to the investigative question and suggest the effects of their findings. When students are immersed in a meaningful investigation, their findings will often generate further investigative questions, as they want to know more. This is to be supported and encouraged.
It is very important that students have opportunities to critique the data displays of others, comparing the statements that others have made about their displays with the features of the display. Beginning to develop statistical literacy, and having the disposition of questioning and critiquing, is fundamental for students who live in our data saturated world.
Associated Achievement Objectives
English
Purposes and audiences
Language features
Structure
Whilst this unit is presented as sequence of five sessions, it is expected that any session may extend beyond one teaching period.
This session is about classifying nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs, and making a pictograph and a bar graph to display data.
SLOs:
Activity 1
Begin by writing the letters d, o, r, s, w on the class chart. Explain that these letters together are the focus of this session. Give students a few moments to rearrange the letters. (sword, no, words, yes.)
Highlight the fact that the words we use are often taken for granted but that they are the fundamental ‘tools’ of communication.
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4
Activity 5
Have students share and discuss both of their displays, highlighting the differences between them.
Activity 6
Conclude the lesson by having students write several sentences, using words from their display. (For example: The red kite soared gracefully. Or, The rusty robot banged noisily.) Highlight that the purpose of this is to see the parts of speech ‘in action’ within a text.
This session is about applying their knowledge of display types, considering verb types, and designing an investigative question about words.
SLOs:
Activity 1
Begin the session by reviewing the difference between the data displays created in Session 1.
Activity 2
Have student share some of the sentences written in Session 1, Activity 6, focusing discussion on parts of speech.
Activity 3
Distribute Attachment 2 to the students.
Have student pairs discuss the words and suggest categories for these.
As a class, discuss and agree that they are all verbs and that these are in three categories: past tense (an action that has happened) present tense (an action that is happening now) and an imperative (or bossy) verb that tells someone to act in some way.
Activity 4
Make graph paper available. Explain that students will not be cutting up Attachment 2. Rather they will be counting the word types and presenting this information on a simple bar graph in which they demonstrate their knowledge of the key features of this type of display.
Activity 5
Upon completion of their graphs, have them share their displays with a partner, checking display features and results (the graphs should be the same).
Activity 6
Activity 7
Conclude the session by having students identify texts (within School Journals, from book in the library corner etc.), check these out and make predictions.
This session is about carrying out an investigation into words in texts, and presenting findings.
SLOs:
Activity 1
Review the investigation plan designed in Session 2.
Activity 2
Distribute a copy of Attachment 3 (or of chosen texts) to each student.
Read and enjoy each text together. Identify the genre of each: explanation (recipe) and narrative (ballad). Discuss.
Identify the word type (for example, the ‘bossy’ verb, or the verb in the past tense or the adjective) and locate examples of this within each of the texts.
Activity 3
Activity 4
Activity 5
Conclude the session by discussing and evaluating the investigation process and record on the class chart any suggestions for changes that could/should be made in the future.
This session is about students asking their own investigative question about the format and language of text types, planning and carrying out an investigation and displaying their findings.
SLOs:
Activity 1
Have students share their data displays and their answers to the class investigative question. Discuss reasons for their results with reference to the purpose of the text and the desired effect upon the audience.
Activity 2
Suggest that this class investigation may have prompted ideas for students to conduct a text investigation of their own. Give students time to discuss and consider this then record ideas on the class chart. These could include investigating the same word type but in different genre, a different word type in at least two genre, sentence length, the number of conjunctions (for example, explore the frequency of the word ‘and’).
Activity 3
Have students choose to work alone or with a partner to write an investigative question and carry out their investigation.
Have student understand that they will be critiquing each other’s data displays and their answers to their questions.
Activity 4
Allow time for students to plan their investigation and select their texts.
Suggest that they could analyse their own writing in two different genre.
Make it clear that book texts should not be marked with highlighter and that pencils should be used.
Activity 5
Students complete their investigations during the remainder of the session.
This session is about students carrying out a guided critique of other students' data displays.
SLOs:
Activity 1
Begin by having the students pair share their investigation process and results from Session 4.
Activity 2
Make paper and pencils available.
Have each student write a brief critique of another student’s data display and findings, using these interrogative questions as a guide:
Activity 3
Activity 4
Conclude the session by reviewing key learning about how texts are constructed for different purposes, audiences and situations, and their learning about the statistical investigation cycle and how it is important to look closely at the data displays and findings of others to check that they make sense.
Dear parents and whānau,
In maths this week we have been investigating different texts, by carrying out an investigation into the numbers of certain kinds of words we use in different kinds of texts.
Discuss with your child their investigation findings and have them show you how to carry out a statistical investigation of two texts that you have at home. Your child will be keen to teach you.
Thank you for your interest.
We would welcome your visit to our classroom to see the display of our investigation results. We have learned that English helps us with mathematics, and mathematics helps us with English!
Printed from https://nzmaths.co.nz/resource/words at 3:58pm on the 19th April 2024