Mrs. Harrison’s Blog (what students see) 

Grade/Class/Subject:

K-2/Harrison/Library Information Skills

Unit/Theme:

• Elements of fiction(i.e., characterization)/Valentine’s Day

Standards (AASL):

• 4.1.3. Respond to literature and creative expressions of ideas in various formats and genres.

Content Objectives (Dearborn Public Schools Department of Media Services, K-12 Information Literacy Media Curriculum, 2004):

• Content Standard #4: A student who has been educated in library media information skills and who is an independent learner pursues information related to personal interests.

Language Objectives (Michigan Department of Education, K-8 GLCE English Language Arts, v. 12.05):

• Kindergarten: R.AT.00.02: choose books… in their free time.
• 1st Grade: R.AT.01.02: do substantial reading… in their free time.
• 2nd Grade: R.AT.02.02: do substantial reading… in their free time.

Key Vocabulary:

• Predict, Holiday Section (both are reviews)
• Character (new)

Supplementary Materials:

• Brown, M. T. (1980). Arthur’s valentine. Boston: Little, Brown.
• Brown, M. T. (2001). Arthur’s first kiss. New York: Random House.
• McNamara, M., & Gordon, M. (2003). Too many valentines. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks.

Preparation:

• Adaptation of content
• Links to background
• Links to past learning
• Strategies incorporated

Scaffolding:

• Modeling
• Guided practice
• Comprehensible input

Group Options:

• Whole class

Integration of Processes:

• Reading
• Speaking
• Listening

Application:

• Linked to objectives
• Promotes engagement

Assessment:

• Group
• Oral

Lesson Sequence

Transition:

• Review what students know about patterns from their math assignments and from last week’s lesson using “The Hat” by Jan Brett.

Anticipatory Set:

Show students the cover of “Arthur’s valentine” by Marc Brown. Discuss the clues the illustrator uses on the cover to give readers an idea of the story. The characters in the Arthur series have evolved and students tend to like the way he’s currently being drawn. This story has the older version of Arthur. I tell students that he’s changed as he’s gotten older just like they have, which lessens the discussion about how he looks.

Instruction/Check for Understanding:

1. Read the first page, including the white note with the red heart next to the word “lips” with the arrow pointing to the heart.
2. Read to the page which begins, “Arthur hoped it might be chocolate…” Point out who each character is and ask what their expressions indicate. Ask students what they can predict from the illustration.
3. Read the next spread which begins, “After school, Arthur took off his coat…” Point out all the valentines that Arthur has received.
4. Read to the spread that begins, “Arthur went to school…” Point out the characters in the illustration and asked students to describe the characters’ expressions; has their prediction changed
5. Turn to the next spread and explain xoxo if necessary.
6. Finish the story.

How did the illustrations help to predict the story?

If there’s time:

• Show students the cover of “Arthur’s First Kiss.” What can they predict about this story based on “Arthur’s Valentine” and Francine’s mushy valentines?
• Read “Too many valentines” if you need something else.

Closure/Summary:

• Ask students what theme the books have in common.  (Ans: they’re about Valentine’s Day).

Preview for Next Week:

• Tell students we will read more books about Valentine’s Day next week.

Grade/Class/Subject:

• K-2/Harrison/Media Skills

Unit/Theme:

• Literary Devices/Holidays

Standards (AASL):

• 4.1.2. Read widely and fluently to make connections with self, the world and previous reading.

Content Objectives (Dearborn Public Schools Department of Media Services, K-12 Information Literacy Media Curriculum, 2004):

• Content Standard #1, A student who has been educated in library media information skills accesses information efficiently and effectively.

Language Objectives (Michigan Department of Education, K-8 GLCE English Language Arts, v. 12.05, http://www.michigan.gov/documents/ELAGLCE_140483_7.pdf):

Students will:

• R.NT.[00].04 identify how authors/illustrators use literary devices including pictures and illustrations to support the understanding of settings and characters.

Key Vocabulary:

• Listen
• Respond

Supplementary Materials:

• Groat, D. (1996). Roses are pink, your feet really stink. New York: Morrow Junior Books.
• Koscielniak, B. (1995). Geoffrey Groundhog predicts the weather. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
• London, J., & Remkiewicz, F. (1998). Froggy’s first kiss. New York: Viking.

Preparation:

• Adaptation of content
• Links to background
• Links to past learning
• Strategies incorporated

Scaffolding:

• Modeling
• Guided practice
• Comprehensible input

Group Options:

• Whole class

Integration of Processes:

• Reading
• Speaking
• Listening

Application:

• Meaningful
• Linked to objectives
• Promotes engagement

Assessment:

• Group
• Oral

Lesson Sequence

Transition:

• Review what they know about patterns from their math assignments and from the lesson on “The Hat” by Jan Brett and the clues the illustrator uses to help make predictions in the story.

Anticipatory Set:

• Show students the cover of “Froggy’s first kiss.” Discuss the clues the illustrator uses on the cover to give readers an idea of the story.

Instruction/Check for Understanding:

• What can they predict about this story based on “Arthur’s First Kiss” from last week? Read the story and engage students in active listening.

Preview for Next Week:

• Tell students we will watch Valentine’s Day videos next week.

1st, 2nd, 3rd Grades/Media Skills:

Unit/Theme:

• Arthur for Valentine’s Day, eBook and Video

Standards

American Association of School Librarians, Standards for the 21st Century Learner:

• 1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.

Content Objectives

Dearborn Public Schools Department of Media Services, K-12 Information Literacy Media Curriculum, 2004:

• Content Standard #3: A student who has been educated in library media information skills uses information accurately and creatively.

Language Objectives

Michigan Department of Education, K-8 GLCE English Language Arts:

• 1st Grade: 1. Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
• 2nd Grade: 1. Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate an understanding of key details in a text.
• 3rd Grade: 3. Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.

Key Vocabulary:

• eBook
• Promethean Board
• DVD

Supplementary Materials:

• Brown, Marc Tolon. Arthurs Thanksgiving. Little, Brown, 1980.
• Arthur and the square dance,  https://www.wco.tv/arthur-season-2-episode-12-arthurs-faraway-friend-arthur-and-the-square-dance.) Season 2, airdate January 28, 1998.  (Currently unavailable for purchase but you can find it online.)

Preparation:

• Adaptation of content
• Links to background
• Links to past learning
• Strategies incorporated

Scaffolding:

• Modeling
• Guided practice
• Comprehensible input

Group Options:

• Whole class

Integration of Processes:

• Reading
• Writing
• Speaking
• Listening

Application:

• Meaningful
• Linked to objectives
• Promotes engagement

Assessment:

• Group
• Oral
• Lesson Sequence

Transition:

• Review vocabulary.

Anticipatory Set:

• Review procedures for reading an eBook on the Promethean Board. Review descriptive words that the author uses.

Instruction/Check for Understanding:

• Read “Arthur’s Valentine” and point out clues in the text for how to read the book aloud.
• Show “Arthur and the Square Dance.”
• After reading the book and seeing the video, discuss how the characters are similar and different from one medium to the other.

Preview for Next Week:

• Tell students we will be in the computer lab next week and will start to work on using the library database..

3rd Grade:

I had an instructor in my library program who was a big proponent of instructional design and for the class we were required to develop a lesson plan that taught lower elementary students a simple task.  We were told that we should repeat the lesson plan until students understood the task; one of the students asked how we would know that.  The instructor replied, “They’ll tell you that they’re bored.”

I’ve used the Bored Paradigm as I plan the OPAC Face-Off Game.  So far this year, I haven’t heard the I’m Bored Song, so I’ll repeat the game again this week.

Grades K – 2:

This is one of my favorite read aloud weeks of the year because this is the week I read “Froggy’s First Kiss,” a very popular book with the younger set. The lesson plan can be found here.

K-2: Froggy valentine’s