Creating a Pop Culture Literacy Workstation for Gr. 2 and 3

[Julie Johnson]

I was inspired this summer after reading this Ministry of Ed booklet “Me Read? No Way: A Practical Guide to Improving Boy’s Literacy”.

This booklet recommends using pop culture, multi-media, art & music to engage reluctant readers (especially boys)—to which I thought, why not put all of that on a website? Perhaps as an all in one, paperless, easy to access literacy workstation for the regular
classroom?

So I created my ‘Pop Lit’ literacy workstation/website for my Gr. 2 and 3 teachers to try this coming school year.  Check out http://www.poplit.net/

While it targets low/disengaged students (the vast majority of whom are boys), it is also meant for all students, male and female. It can be used as a literacy workstation—or as a whole class lesson on the Smartboard or via the laptop cart.

For more info check out my blog site where I discuss it in more detail: http://bit.ly/c8diiy
 
I thought you might find this interesting? I'm interested in any feedback!

Julie Johnson
Ontario, Canada

PS I'm also on Twitter at @JulieeJohnsonn

[Susan Stephenson, the Book Chook]

Julie, my feedback is all positive! I know you haven't actually tested it with your students yet, but I was struck by the clear, uncluttered interface, the carefully thought out and clear instructions, the variety of clips, and the engaging and relevant to curricula tasks. I didn't know DipDive, but I like the uniform "look" it gives, adding to that lack of clutter.

I'm writing a series of articles about responding to prompts for my blog, and I'd forgotten the Duck Song, so thanks for that!

[Julie Johnson]

Thanks for the feedback! I really wanted it to be user-kid friendly, so I was deliberate about how I organized it visually. Dipdive.com is easy to use and it allows access to youtube material that we can't otherwise see (youtube it blocked at our school)...also embedding it in a website means I control the material.


I'll be updating it as the years goes. Teachers are welcome to use it wholeclass if they like (just don't submit the docs or I'll be overloaded!)

Thanks!
Julie Johnson

[Sandy Stevens]

Julie,
I love what you have done on your website. I will have some fun with my kids with this in the early weeks of school. You have inspired me to maybe do something similar, if you don't mind. I have been very interested in using pop culture to reach my struggling boys in third grade. I will have 10 boys out of 14 students students this year. It's ideas like this that will keep those boys (and girls) going this year. Thank you so much for sharing!

[Julie Johnson]

Absolutely, please make use of this! I would love if other teachers used it. I think it could work very well whole class on the smartboard. I only ask that you not submit the docs, as they are tailor made for our particular school and also so I won't be overwhelmed with them in my inbox!

Glad you like the idea and are inspired!

Julie Johnson

[Kelly Farrow]

Julie, I realize this lesson has been up on the Ning for a LONG time, but I've had it in my "must check out" file for a super long time, too. I finally got a chance to look at it in depth this week, and I'm in love!!! What a wonderful bunch of tasks, no matter who's doing them. Do you mind if I have my kids look at your tasks and answer some of them on paper? (I won't have them submit, of course, b/c I don't want to mess w/ your kids' data.) After trying your masterful work out w/ some classes, I'd love to sit down over a break period and create my own tasks!!! Thank you so much for sharing!!