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.

Note: This week’s lesson can be found in:

• Carrol, J.A., Gladhart, M.A., & Petersen, D.L. (1997). Character building: literature-based theme units. Carthage, IL: Teaching and Learning Company, p.39.
• I have simply modified the authors’ lesson plan to fit my district’s SIOP lesson plan format. It’s a good source for books to teach core values and has plans to extend books in the bibliography with cross-curricular activities.

Grade/Class/Subject:

• K-3/Harrison/Media Skills

Unit/Theme:

• Students will understand the district’s core values and describe their importance.

Standards (AASL):

• 1.1.2 Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning.

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

• Content Standard #5: A student who has been educated in library media information skills and who is an independent learner appreciates literature and other creative expressions of information.

Language Objectives (Michigan Department of Education, K-8 GLCE English Language Arts, v. 12.05, http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-28753_33232—,00.html):

• R.NT.[01].03 identify problem/solution, sequence of events, and sense of story (beginning, middle, and end).

Key Vocabulary:

• Listen, respond (review), respect (new)

Supplementary Materials:

• Cannon, Janell. Stellaluna. Orlando: Harcourt, 1993.
• Eastman, P. D. Are you my mother?. New York: Beginner Books; distributed by Random House, 1960.

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:

• Tell students we will read the book and talk about respect. Review with students what the word means. Ask how they show respect when listening and responding to stories.

Anticipatory Set:

Before reading, show the cover of the book, “Stellaluna:”

Read the Bat Notes at the end of the book:

• Do bats really fly?
• What do bats eat?
• Where do bats live?
• Should people be afraid of bats?
• How do bats help people?

Instruction/Check for Understanding:

Read to the part of the story in which Stellaluna is separated from her mother.

• How are bats similar to birds?
• What will the birds’ reactions be to Stellaluna?
• What should the birds do?

Read to the point in the story in which the Mama Bird orders Stellaluna to obey her rules.

• What habits does Stellaluna learn from the birds?
• Why is the Mama Bird upset with Stellaluna when she teaches the birds to hang upside down? Do different people have different rules? What rules do children have that adults don’t have?

Finish the story. Discuss ways people can be very different, yet be good friends.

• What would happen if everyone were alike?
• How can being different make a person special to others?

If there’s time:

• Read “Are You My Mother?”

Closure/Summary:

• Ask students what values they recognize in the stories.