Critical+Literacies+Edana





__ Critical Literacy Working Definiton __
With the influx of infomation via the internet, and the manner in which information is now presented, teaching Critical Literacy is....well, critical. It is thinking outside of the box, reading in- between the lines and delving deeper. Critical Literacy is the the practice of going beyond being literate by simply decoding words. It is expanding to uncover the underlying message of the text. Critical literacy is inferencing, implying and analyzing by activating prior knowledge and relating it to the text. It is the ability to interprete and evaluate information, based on experience whether limited or extensive. A key component of critical literacy for students is the ablity to determine the relationship of the text to the themselves and their external and global world. Critical literacy is not limited to text, but can music, video, web based materials, artwork and other media. It must involve taking in the information, and then questioning it, challenging it, formulating opinions about it and discovering the different perspectives within it. The process includes, but is not limited to, predicting, anaylzing, synthesizing, relating, reflecting and retelling. The questions to elicit critical literacy should be deep, thinking based, problem solving, questions with multiple answers.

__ Fractured Fairy Tales Lesson Idea __ ( Laurie A. Henry, Ph.D Read, Write, Think) [|International Reading Association]

__**Materials**__ "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs" By Jon Scieszka "The Three Little Pigs" original Story Interactive Venn Diagram [|Get it here!]

__**Grades**__: 6-8

__**Main idea:**__
 * Have students read the version through the eyes of a narrartor which is in favour of the three little pigs and the version told through the eyes of the "Big Bad Wolf". By reading the two versions of the same tale, they are not only recognizing the differences in the two stories, but the differing points which need to be considered.
 * Complete the interactive Venn diagram and extend the lesson by having a debate with the wolves vs. the pigs.
 * The same lesson can also be taught using "The Wizard of Oz" and "Wicked". (The musical Wicked is told from the perspective of the Wicked Witch)

**__ The Rainbow Fish Lesson Idea __**
__**Materials:**__ The Rainbow Fish by: Marcus Pfister Sparkly paper, Paper, paint and scissors __**Grades**__: 1-3

__**Summary of book:**__ The Rainbow Fish is the most beautiful fish in the entire ocean but after he is rude to a little blue fish one day, all of the other fish ignored him. He gives away all of his beautiful scales and discovers the value of personal beauty and friendship. The main point that the children are supposed to come away with is about the beauty of sharing.

__**Main idea:**__ For this "think aloud" lesson you can discuss the ethical problems with the story "The Rainbow Fish".


 * First read the story without giving any opinion and have the students answer the question "What is lesson did the author want us to learn from the story?" This will elicit responses such as "It is nice to share", "If you're mean to people they won't be your friend and you'll be all alone".
 * In order to have them think critically however, we can have them consider a differing viewpoint from the story. The Rainbow fish is portayed unfairly as the other fish are the ones snubbing him just because he won't give away his shiney scales. In the end the poor Rainbow fish is stripped of his scales because that's the only way they'll talk to him.
 * In order to make them think we ask "Put yourself in the place of the Rainbow Fish. How would you feel if someone refused to be your friend because you wouldn't give them something." This will elicit responses such as "It's not fair that the rainbow fish was ignored by all of the other fish because he wouldn't give one of his shiney scales away". "You shouldn't give people things just so they will like you." " A true friend would not ask you for things. It's not true friendship." "You don't have to give someone something that's yours just because they want it."
 * Wrap up with an art actvity. I usually paint fish for an art lesson and give everyone a shiny scale to paste on their fish.

__ Four Corners Activity Idea: __

 * __Materials__:** Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, four card labels for each corner of the room
 * __Grades__:** 4-8

__**Main idea**__:
 * This acitivty is adapted from the Media strand of the Ministry of Educaiton documents, 2006. First you must label the four conrers of the library with the words //Strongly Agree//, //Strongly Disagree//, //Agree// and //Strongly Disagree//, somewhat like a survey.
 * Then the students are asked a //thinking// question relevant to the book they are reading. A good example is //Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone//; "Harry and his friends break the rules. Do you think they are justified?"
 * Once they have committed to a corner they must explain their reasoning and provide proof.
 * Follow up questions could be "Is it ever alright to break the rules? If so, what would the circumstances be?." Or "What type of rule-breaking have you heard of in the news."

__ On-Line Resources __
[|Negotiating Critical Literacies] By: Joanne HIndley Salch and Marianne Marino, co-editors Vivan Vasquez

[|The Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat: Capacity Building Series] Ontario Curriculum based

[|International Reading Association] Fractured Fairy Tale ideas.

[|Webcasts for teachers. Nov. 29th. 2007] This is a 41 minute webcast with excellent inclass strategies

[|Constructing Critical Literacy Practices Through Technology Tools and Inquiry] Jamie Myers and Richard Beach

__ Print Resources __
//__Critical Literacy: Enhancing Student's Comprehension of Text__// by: Maureen McLaughlin [|Find it on Amazon]

__//Getting Beyond "I Like the Book" Creating Space for Critical Literacy in K-6 Classrooms//__ by: Vivian Maria Vasquez[| Find it on Amazon]