Once Upon a Time (Lesson Plan 5)

Once Upon a Time…
Grade Level: Kindergarten and 1st Grade

Goal: students will use picture clues to understand story meaning and sequence.
National Educational Standards:
Language Arts
Standard 1. Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
Standard 5. Uses the general skills and strategies of the reading process


Materials Needed
picture books, predictable books, and fairy tales

Objectives
-use strategies to organize written work (e.g., includes a beginning, middle, and ending; uses a sequence of events)
-use meaning clues (e.g., picture captions, title, cover, headings, story structure, story topic) to aid comprehension and make predictions about content (e.g., action, events, character’s behavior)


Procedures

1. Read a predictable storybook together as a class
-discuss what kind of language signals different parts of the book (transitional language, language that signals the beginning, middle and end of the book) and brainstorm a list of words and phrases
-talk about information that is presented at different parts of a book (beginning may establish setting, character personalities and relationships, and time; middle may develop personality traits and describe events; end may offer a moral or a lesson)
2. Choose a picture book with no words to “read” to the class. Model how to use picture clues and logical sequencing to create a story that matches the drawings. Utilize words from the list of signal words brainstormed by the class.
3. Make a selection of picture books without words available and pair students up to practice story telling based on logical sequencing and picture inferences.

Assessment/Verification
-circulate around the room while students are working in pairs to listen to stories and check for comprehension of sequence and picture clues
-check for utilization of transitional words and signal words
-send a picture book without words home with each student and ask parents to sign a sheet saying their child created a story to go along with the picture book sent home


Reinforcement/ Expansion Activities
-send students home with some small picture books and ask students to “read” them with their parents
(make sure that a note explaining the activity to parents is sent home as well)

Adaptations
-students with behavioral disorders or ADD may complete the in-class pairs activity with an older reading buddy or classroom volunteer
-students who have ADD may complete the activity in the hall or in a quiet place with less distractions
-students with language or hearing disorders can complete the activity in a quiet place with fewer auditory and visual distractions



Bibliography: http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/activityDetail.asp?activityID=35