How To:
The following is excerpted from Five in a Row. © 1994 - 1998 by Jane Claire Lambert, all rights reserved.

There are many techniques for teaching Language Arts using children's literature. Increasing vocabulary, learning literary devices, learning list-making skills, composing short stories, acting out dramas, are just a few of the ways. Teaching Language Arts is a natural extension of the enjoyment of children's literature.
Vocabulary is enriched by hearing new words like belfry (Paul Revere's Ride), or junction, eureka and chortle (The Bee Tree). A child's vocabulary is much greater than just the words he can read or spell, and reading a story which contains new words five times in a row will help increase his recognition and understanding of those words.
Two methods for organizing vocabulary words are the file box and the notebook. The file box uses 4X6, unlined index cards with alphabet dividers. Either the teacher or the student can print the word at the top left of the card. Write in a short definition at the left and add an illustration, either drawn or cut from a magazine to show the word visually. Keep the words alphabetized and encourage your student to go through the cards frequently, remembering which story to word was from. (To help in remembering, write the name of the book on the back of the card.)
A second method of keeping track of vocabulary words is to list them on a page in the Language or Vocabulary section of a notebook. Print the word (large if necessary) and illustrate the page with a drawing or magazine picture as a visual. Each separate list could be alphabetized. Review these words from time to time while remembering your favorite incidents in the corresponding stories.
A notebook is good for more than just vocabulary words. In fact, it's a great way for your student to keep his work organized and ready for quick review and easy reference. For the grade level student, this isn't unusual. But for your pre-schooler to have his own notebook is special. For him, use colored dividers so he can find the subjects just by the color alone, even if he cannot yet read. Science is green, art is red, etc. In this way, he can proudly find his science section and show someone his drawings or projects. He'll be able to look up his vocabulary section with all of his illustrations and share his art work with others.
List-making is another Language Arts skill that develops vocabulary, memory, associations and creativity. It is also a skill that has lifetime value in many different areas, from grocery lists, lists of people to invite to a party, "to do" lists, lists of ways to solve a problem, descriptive lists to inform and many others. There have been great eloquent lists made by famous people of the things they liked, disliked, or the things they wished for. Once, while traveling together in a car, a friend's family began an oral list of methods of transportation. Many miles down the road, the list had grown to gigantic proportions with the hilarious inclusions of walking on stilts and walking on your hands added to the regular methods of riding in a car, bus, taxi, etc. What began as a list-making exercise became entertainment. The art, or skill of good list-making is included in this curriculum to provide both a learning experience and a good time.
There are many Literary Devices explained in this book and tied in to the lessons from children's literature. Certainly not all of them will be used, but they are included to remind the teacher of them and give opportunities for casual inclusion in the reading lessons.
As you come to each new Literary Device, a list can be made with examples and pictures. Keep your list in the Language Arts section of the student's notebook. For instance, Personification (giving human qualifications to non human things) might be defined and then illustrated with a magazine picture of the Pillsbury doughboy - a lump of dough made into a person. There are many examples of Personification in such pictures. The other devices can be illustrated as well. Keeping a chart or list of these words makes reviews easy and interesting and can be used by the student as an inspirational list when he is creating his own works.
Ideas for leading your student into writing include letting them tape record their stories which the teacher transcribes. Often the student will enjoy listening to his own story tape. Writing Rebus stories, where a picture takes the place of a certain word throughout the story, is an interesting way to begin writing skills. As you follow the curriculum, you'll find lessons in what makes a good story, different elements and ways to achieve variety. Your student will begin to appreciate the choices an author makes to create a story and the careful thought that goes into writing.
Many times in this curriculum these types of questions are asked: "How did the author make the story exciting? What words did he use? How did he ...?" Eventually, as he see these techniques modeled before him, the student will begin to include such elements in his own writing. The suggestions after every lesson to imitate an aspect of the author's work is optional, depending on the interest and abilities of the student. Try it, and if the response is not favorable, then concentrate on the appreciation aspect of the lesson. In time the rest will follow.
If, however, your student enjoys writing "after the manner of", imitating aspects of the author's story, he will like the suggestions to try a fable, an instructional story or a poem. He'll also begin to include in his own stories, a good setting, interesting characters, an exciting climax, or an important denouement (final outcome of story), personification or repetition. Each of these is a separate lesson in the curriculum. Again, keeping a chart with definitions and examples or a good list in a notebook, will give your student ready reference when he is writing his own stories and makes review easy. Just add to the list or chart on an on-going basis as you come to different lessons. You might title the chart or list: To Write A Good Story or Choice Writers Can Make.
Remember, there are too many language topics to be covered in a single day. Choose the ones appropriate for your student and jot them briefly on the planning sheet under the day you think best. Remember, if you are going to teach vocabulary it is a good idea to do this at the beginning of the week, perhaps Tuesday, so as the book is read and re-read throughout the week, the words will be spotted and understood providing a built-in review. And remember, choose only a few words from each story.

Sample Lesson:
The following is excerpted from Volume 1 of Five in a Row. © 1994 - 1998 by Jane Claire Lambert, all rights reserved.

Here's a sample Language Arts lesson taken from Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel. Each Tuesday you'll find many ideas to help children examine the author's use of language including: vocabulary, technique, style, etc.

Language: Literature - Personification