THEME FOCUS WALL

Every K-6 Newport-Mesa classroom needs a Theme Focus Wall.

The Theme Focus Wall is an interactive language arts bulletin
board that reflects the daily learning in the classroom. Its purpose is to serve as a visual aid for students, to focus their learning and to help them make connections with language arts elements and the new concepts presented in the theme. As you launch each theme , the Focus Wall becomes the focal point for new learning. As the theme progresses, the Focus Wall evolves to reflect a deeper understanding of the ideas discussed in the theme.

For continual reference during a lesson, it is recommended that the Focus Wall be located behind the teacher when she is presenting direct instruction.

The print for the Focus Wall needs to be large enough to be visible by students across the room.

Model using the Focus Wall during your direct instruction lessons as a classroom resource for students.

COMPONENTS of A FOCUS WALL

•    Theme Title
•    Theme Concept: Found on the “Theme at a Glance” page in your Teacher’s Edition or in your Scope Sequence.
•    Title, Author, Illustrator:/Selection Stories Some teachers add copies of the title page of the anthology selections as well as pictures of the authors illustrators. Story Covers of all the Anthology selections are provided in 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade Files.
•    Selection Genre: Genre posters are available in Grade Files.
•    Comprehension Strategy: Usually all comprehension strategies are listed with an arrow indicated the strategy that is highlighted in a a particular selection. Pictures of the Comprehension Strategies are also available on the Grade Files.
•    Comprehension Skills: All the Comprehension Skills are listed with a dot or an arrow indicating the focused comprehension skill for the particular selection. Comprehension Skill cartoons are available on the Grade Files.
•    Key Vocabulary: Key story vocabulary from the current story selection. Some of the grade level files have clip art of the key vocabulary words that may be put on the Focus Wall. You may also obtain  clip art of the vocabulary words on www.google.com (images tab). Remember, there may be additional vocabulary words in the selection  that your students are unfamiliar with, so you may add these to your focus wall. Student generated definitions, synonyms, and antonyms can also be added to provide additional support.
•    Spelling Words with Sound Cards/High Frequency Words: You may obtain additional lists of spelling words using the same spelling patterns on www.eduplace.com/state/ca.
•    Language Arts Standards
•    Realia Information related to the theme:    
•    GREAT WEBSITE:  http://www.smb.org

THANK YOU  Tanya Madero and Rose Steiner for contributing your focus wall.

(There are additiional sample Focus Walls on the Focus Wall Powerpoint)