ALEX Learning Activity

  

I Like Myself Self-Portrait and Writing Activity

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  This learning activity provided by:  
Author: Leann Bryan
System:Calhoun County
School:Calhoun County Board Of Education
  General Activity Information  
Activity ID: 2214
Title:
I Like Myself Self-Portrait and Writing Activity
Digital Tool/Resource:
I Like Myself Self-Portrait and Writing Worksheet
Web Address – URL:
Overview:

Students will demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English grammar and usage when writing when they write a paragraph about themselves. Students will practice self-respect by identifying characteristics they like about themselves.

This activity was created as a result of the ALEX Resource Development Summit.
  Associated Standards and Objectives  
Content Standard(s):
Character Education
CE (1995)
Grade: K-12
9 ) Self-respect
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 1
32. Follow the rules of standard English grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling appropriate to grade level.

a. Identify the required features of a sentence, including capitalization of the first word and end punctuation.

b. Transcribe spoken words to demonstrate that print represents oral language.

c. Compose a simple sentence, including a subject and a predicate, that expresses a complete thought.

d. With prompting and support, identify the role or purpose of a noun, verb, and adjective within a sentence and describe the type of the information it conveys.

e. Write the correct number of words, with proper spacing, for a spoken phrase or sentence.

f. Begin each sentence with a capital letter.

g. Capitalize the pronoun I and names of individuals.

h. Use commas in dates and words in a series.

i. With prompting and support, recognize, name, and correctly use end punctuation, utilizing appropriate academic vocabulary.

Example: period for declarative sentences, question mark for interrogative sentences, exclamation mark for exclamatory sentences
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
32.
  • Rules of standard English grammar
  • Punctuation rules
  • Capitalization rules
  • Spelling rules
32a.
  • Identify
  • Required features of a sentence
  • Capitalization
  • End punctuation
32b.
  • Transcribe
  • Spoken words
  • Demonstrate
  • Print
  • Oral language
32c.
  • Simple sentence
  • Subject
  • Predicate
  • Complete thought
32d.
  • Identify
  • Role
  • Purpose
  • Noun
  • Verb
  • Adjective
  • Sentence
  • Describe
  • Information
32e.
  • Correct number of words
  • Proper spacing
  • Spoken phrase
  • Sentence
32f.
  • Begin
  • Sentence
  • Capital letter
32g.
  • Capitalize
  • Pronoun I
  • Names of individuals
32h.
  • Commas
  • Dates
  • Words in a series
32i.
  • Recognize
  • Name
  • End punctuation
  • Appropriate academic vocabulary
  • Prompting
  • Support
Knowledge:
32. Students know:
  • The rules of standard English grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling appropriate to the first grade level.
32a.
  • The required features of a sentence.
32b.
  • Words that are spoken orally can be written using printed letters.
32c.
  • The features of a simple sentence.
  • The purpose of a subject and a predicate in a complete sentence.
32d.
  • Role or purpose of a noun, verb, and adjective within a sentence.
  • The type of information nouns, verbs, and adjectives convey.
32e.
  • Spoken phrases or sentences are composed of words that must be spaced properly when writing.
32f.
  • Sentences begin with a capital letter.
32g.
  • The pronoun I and names of individuals are capitalized.
32h.
  • Commas should be used in dates and in a series of words.
32i.
  • Types of end punctuation.
  • When to use end punctuation.
  • Academic vocabulary to describe the correct use of end punctuation.
Skills:
32. Students are able to:
  • Use proper grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling by following the rules of standard English.
32a.
  • Identify the features of a sentence including, capitalization of the first word and end punctuation.
32b.
  • Write spoken words.
32c.
  • Combine a subject and predicate to compose a simple sentence that expresses a complete thought.
32d.
  • Identify the role or purpose of a noun, verb, and adjective in a sentence.
  • Describe the type of information a noun, verb, and adjective provide in a sentence.
32e.
  • Count the number of spoken words in a spoken phrase or sentence.
  • Write the correct number of words for a spoken phrase or sentence with proper spacing between each word.
32f.
  • Use a capital letter to begin each sentence.
32g.
  • Capitalize the pronoun I and names of individuals when writing.
32h.
  • Identify a list of three or more items.
  • Identify dates.
  • Correctly use commas in dates and in a series (list) of three or more words.
32i. With prompting and support,
  • Recognize, name, and correctly use end punctuation.
  • Utilize appropriate academic vocabulary when using end punctuation, such as period for declarative sentences, question mark for interrogative sentences, exclamation mark for exclamatory sentences.
Understanding:
32. Students understand that:
  • Using standard English grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling in their writing will help them clearly communicate with a variety of audiences.
32a.
  • A sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with punctuation while expressing a complete thought.
32b.
  • Print represents oral language.
32c.
  • To express a complete thought, a simple sentence must contain a subject and a predicate.
32d.
  • Nouns, verbs, and adjectives are parts of speech.
  • Nouns identify people, places, things, or ideas in a sentence.
  • Verbs are action words that tell what a noun does in the sentence.
  • Adjectives are words that describe attributes of a noun in the sentence.
32e.
  • A spoken phrase or sentence is composed of individual words, and they should show where one word ends and the next begins by including proper spacing in their writing.
32f.
  • All sentences should begin with a capital letter.
32g.
  • Names of individuals and the pronoun I should be capitalized in their writing.
32h.
  • Commas are used to separate words in a series.
  • Commas are used to separate numbers in dates.
32i.
  • There are three types of ending punctuation.
  • Question marks are used for questions.
  • Periods are used for statements.
  • Exclamation marks are used for exclamatory statements.
  • Sentences have different end punctuation based on the meaning of the sentence.
Learning Objectives:

Students will use personal pronouns, frequently occurring adjectives and conjunctions in their writing.

Students will practice self-respect by listing things they like about themselves. 
  Strategies, Preparations and Variations  
Phase:
During/Explore/Explain
Activity:

During: Students will color their own self-portrait on the worksheet provided below. After coloring their self-portrait, they will write a paragraph about themselves using the sentence starter: “I like myself because ________.” Students should elaborate on all the reasons they like themselves using first-person pronouns, adjectives, and conjunctions. It is important that students write in the first-person point of view. 

 

"I Like Myself" worksheet: https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/120OATtj0BLf-6G1RHfNuAsLcnXeMdLsR7XYI29xBxb8/edit?usp=sharing
Assessment Strategies:

The teacher will evaluate the students' writings to ensure they reflect an understanding of the common conventions of Standard English grammar specifically related to their usage of personal pronouns, adjectives, and conjunctions. The teacher will also evaluate the self-portrait and the content of the students' writing to ensure they reflect a practice of self-respect.  
Advanced Preparation:

Students must be familiar with the children’s book “I Like Myself” by Karen Beaumont. If you do not have access to "I Like Myself," here is a read-aloud available on Youtube. (less than 5 minutes). https://youtu.be/J6liHdYi-3U

The teacher should review personal pronouns, adjectives, and conjunctions.
Variation Tips (optional):

Depending on the ability of your learners, you could add requirements for writing a particular amount of sentences. You could differentiate your grammar requirements based on the ability of your learners.
Notes or Recommendations (optional):

There is an "After" activity to accompany this "During" activity available on ALEX.  
  Keywords and Search Tags  
Keywords and Search Tags: adjectives, conjunctions, personal pronouns, selfrespect, writing