Vygotskian Viewpoint:
Technology & Constructivism in the 
English Language Arts Classroom

The following links support the constructivist english language arts classroom.

Primary

• Butterfly Family Reunion
  Students plan a party. In doing so they use math, language arts, and geography skills.

• The BookRead Project and BR_Match (WCU MicroNet)
  This project links students and teachers with partner classrooms, and with the authors of books they are reading in the classroom. BR_Match is an Internet mailing list that was formed to help teachers and students find partner classes with which they can discuss the books they are currently reading.

  

  
  

Middle

• What If: The Seed of the Story
  In this lesson the students read and comprehend a piece of fictional writing. Then they analyze how setting, characterization, and plot affect the theme of a story. Students work in a group to create a new writing assignment. This will give the students an experience of the creative process as a concrete method of working and writing.

• Holo Mai Pele: Oral Histories & Timelines
  This site chronologically displays the events of Pele from her arrival to Hawaii through her battles, her relationships, her victories and her despairs. This lesson helps students gain a clear understanding of components of specific historical events through personal and family experiences and beliefs and to put such into perspectives that allow for more informed decision making to take place. Students will create a chronological timeline for the events in Holo Mai Pele, then gather oral histories to create both a personal and familial timeline.

• TV Critic
  Students decide on one TV program that the whole class will watch. Then they collaboratively write reviews based on quesstions they brainstormed before watching the program. They compare their reviews with those of other students online and professional reviewers.

   

  

Secondary

• The Poetry of Form: Frank Lloyd Wright and Haiku
  In this lesson, students will have an opportunity to explore the connection between the visual art of architecture and poetry. This will lead students to examine man's relationship to the natural world as embodied in haiku, Zen philosophy, and the buildings of Frank Lloyd Wright.  

• Poetry Patterns 
  We have been learning about patterns in numbers, but are you aware that there are mathematical patterns in poetry, too? This activity involves students in writing two forms of poetry--diamante and cinquain--which involve mathematical word patterns.

Midwestern State University
West College of Education
Updated: April 2004