RE 3030 Lesson Plans

Text Talk Lesson Plan for Goldilocks and the Three Bears:

• Goldilocks and the Three Bears
• Retold and Illustrated by James Marshall
• Dial Books for Young Readers, 1998.
• ISBN # 0-8037-0542-5

SUMMARY: The story of Goldilocks is as traditional as they come and this particular story followed the traditional story almost perfectly. The story begins with Goldilocks’ mother sending her to get muffins from the next village. Everything would have been fine if Goldilocks would have followed her mother’s instructions and not taken the shortcut. Goldilocks of course disobeys and takes the forbidden path. What to our surprise is at the end of the path? The Three Bears’ House and their porridge, chairs and comfy beds; all of which Goldilocks gets a feel of. Right before Goldilocks arrives the bears take a morning stroll on their bike to let their porridge get just right. When Goldilocks enters the house she manages to taste test all the porridges and devours Baby Bears. After destroying the kitchen with porridge she makes herself at home testing all three bears’ chairs and ends up breaking Baby Bears to pieces. Goldilocks then becomes tired and decides to take a nap in one of the beds and falls asleep in Baby Bears’ bed. Of course while Goldilocks was in the house she did not know that it was the Bears’ home and at one point in the story she finds fur and states that this family must have a cat. Little did she know that after she would fall asleep in Baby Bears’ bed the Bears would return. To the Bears surprise they find their porridge eaten, chairs sat in, beds laid in and of course, Goldilocks sleeping in Baby Bears’ bed. Goldilocks wakes up and literally jumps head first out of the window! The story ends with the Bears curious as to whom that was and commenting that they hope she never returns and the last page states that they never saw her again!

FOCUS: The focus of this story is to get the point across that Goldilocks learned her lesson but she would have benefited greatly if she just had listened to her mother. Another focus would be on brainstorming whether the students think that Goldilocks was a different girl after that.

COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS:

Cover: Show cover and read the title making sure to acknowledge who the author and illustrator is. Ask the students what they know about Goldilocks and if they think this will be a traditional story?

Page 1:

1. Do you think Goldilocks has a good reputation? (No) How do we know that she is full of trouble? (The neighbor told the new neighbor otherwise. Goldilocks is fixing to land in a barrel of water that will splash a group of perfectly relaxed cats right next to the barrel.

Page 2:

1. Before showing the class the pictures ask: Do you think Goldilocks will listen to her Mom’s instruction? (No because of the last statement on the page that naughty girls do exactly as they please)

Page 6:

1. Vocabulary word: Scalding: If Papa Bear hurt his tongue on the hot porridge what do you think scalding means? (If he hurt his tongue on something hot then it burnt him so scalding must mean that something is really hot and dangerous to touch!)

Page 7:

1. What do you think will happen next? (Goldilocks will arrive right after they peddle away)
2. Why are the bears leaving? (To let their porridge cool down and become just the right temperature.)

Page 11:

1. Whose porridge is Goldilocks eating? (Baby Bears’)

Page 12:

1. Vocabulary Word: Satisfied: If Goldilocks was feeling full and satisfied with porridge what do you think satisfied means? (Since she was full with porridge she was happy and content similar to the feeling we have after we eat a meal.)

Page 15:

1. Whose chair did Goldilocks break? (Baby Bears’)

Page 17:

1. Check out Papa Bears’ bunny slippers! He must have some big feet!!

Page 23:

1. Vocabulary Word: Smithereens: If Goldilocks broke the chair to smithereens then what do you think smithereens means? (Broke it to pieces, destroyed it)

Page 27:

1. Who is it in Baby Bears’ bed? (Goldilocks)

*******All pages’ pictures will be shown after each section!******

Wrap-Up: Ask the class if they think that Goldilocks will ever go through the shortcut again. Brainstorm together wondering if Goldilocks would have went home a changed girl and obedient to what her mother advises! Emphasize that when adults give us strict instruction that it is important for the child to obey.

VOCABULARY:

Scalding

Satisfied

Smithereens

Scalding: In the story when Papa Bear tastes his porridge he yelps that the porridge is scalding! Scalding means, very hot or burning! Say the word scalding!

• I am going to name some objects and I would like for you to clap your hands if you think the object is scalding:
  • A stove or oven
  • A sock
  • The sun
  • Grass
  • Clothes
  • Fire

What’s our word? Scalding

Satisfied: In the story Goldilocks managed to taste Papa and Mama Bears’ porridge and continue to eat all of Baby Bears’. After she ate she was full and satisfied meaning that she was very happy with the way that she felt so satisfied means: pleased, content

• Let’s think about what might make us feel satisfied:
  • Finishing a cone of your favorite ice cream
  • Finished your homework on time
  • Waiting in a long line
  • Having a cold or fever
  • Studying really hard and getting a good great on your test
  • Visiting your favorite vacation spot

What’s our word? Satisfied

Smithereens: in the story when Baby Bear sees his chair broken he states that whoever sat in his chair broke it to smithereens! Smithereens means small pieces.

• What other objects could Goldilocks had broken to smithereens and how?
  • The beds? If so, whose bed?
  • The porridge?
  • The floor?
  • The muffins she was supposed to bring back home?

What’s our word? Smithereens

We talked about three great words: scalding, satisfied and smithereens. Let’s think about them a little bit more.

• What would make you feel more satisfied? A brand new puppy or a new chore given by your parents?
• What is more likely to be scalding? Boiling water or a fork?
• What could be blown to smithereens? A rock or a piece of paper?

Text Talk Lesson

For

Rumble in the Jungle

By Giles Andreae

Illustrated by David Wogtowycz

Little Tiger Press, 1996

ISBN#: 0-590-02432-9

SUMMARY:

This is a really cute story about “Rumble in the Jungle”. The narrator takes the reader through the jungle introducing a lot of different jungle animals and they all talk about some unique characteristics of themselves. The book goes from chimpanzees to gorillas and everything in between. This book is a great informational book however it does not tell many facts about each animal rather only one or two. The story begins in the morning of what a typical jungle day is like and ends at night. I really enjoyed reading this book and the pictures were awesome and very colorful.

FOCUS:

The focus of this book is on the different characteristics of the various jungle animals listed within this book. Another focus of this book would be the animals habitats and where they mostly roam and live.

COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS:

Cover

Show the cover of the book and read the students the title. Ask the students “What do you think that means: Rumble in the Jungle?  Get a few ideas of what the students think is going to happen within this story.

Page 5

1. Look at the picture and can someone raise their hand and tell me an animal that they see on this page? (The students would anxiously raise their hand telling me various animals that they can partly see on the page some being a tiger, monkey, zebra, hippo, crocodile, etc.)

Page 8

1. What do you think they monkeys are doing by munching on each other’s fleas? (The monkeys are eating each other’s fleas!)

Page 10

1. The story tells us that “everyone quivers and shudders and shivers as soon as he opens his jaws” so why do you think that everyone does that? (Everyone is scared of him because he is so powerful and strong)

Page 15

1. VOCAB word: The boa constrictor “swallows his prey” What do you think that “prey” means in this context of the story? (Prey is an animal that is hunted and killed for food)

Page 18

1. From the description given of the crocodile do you think that he is a friendly animal? (No) Why not? (Because he hides in the water when animals are drinking it and then jumps out and attacks one)

Page 20

1. VOCAB word: If the rhino is ravenous then what do you think the word ravenous means? (Ravenous means to be very hungry)
2. Since the rhino has a flower in his mouth do you think it is a vegetarian meaning it only eats plants? (Yes it is a plant-eating animal!)

Page 23

1. VOCAB word: If the gorilla wants to look ferocious and scary what do you think the word ferocious means? (It means fierce, cruel and violent)
2. Knowing this would you want to be around a gorilla?

Page 28

1. Wrap-Up: Do you think that the jungle is somewhere we can roam anytime we want to? (No) Why not? (Because there are animals in there they eat meat, and that includes us)
2. What do you think that animals will be doing tomorrow? (Let the class brainstorm what they just learned about animals in the jungle to come up with ideas of what the jungle will be like the next day)

******All pages’ pictures will be shown after each section!!******

Vocabulary:

1. • Prey
   • Ravenous
   • Ferocious

Prey in the story when the boa constrictor squashes and swallows his prey. Prey spelled with an ‘e’ is an animal that is hunted and killed for food.

I am going to name a few things that could be prey. If you think they are I want you to stand up. If you think they are not I want you to remain seated.

• Rabbit
• Paper bag
• Grass
• Bird
• Tree limb
• Doritos
• Zebra
• Donkey

What’s our word? Prey

Ravenous in the story refers to the rhino. The word ravenous means to be very hungry and we know that the rhino is a vegetarian so what types of food do you think that the vegetarian rhino is hungry for? (Allow the students to name off types of plants that the rhino would be hungry for) Here are a few of those: Leaves, flowers, limbs, grass, bushes, etc.

What’s our word? Ravenous

Ferocious is referred to in the story with the gorilla. The gorilla wants to be ferocious and scary. Ferocious means fierce, cruel and violent. I am going to name a few things below that are or are not ferocious. If you think that it is ferocious I want you to beat your chest like a gorilla. If you think it is not ferocious I want you to scratch under your arms like a monkey.

• Lion
• Butterfly
• Rabbit
• Elephant
• Squirrel
• Leopard
• Panther
• Gorilla

What is our word? Ferocious

We talked about three vocabulary words. Let’s think about them a little bit more.

• What is prey a jungle animal’s leafy supper or an animal that is eaten for supper?
• If you were ravenous what would you be-really mad or really hungry?
• What kind of an animal is more ferocious- a Leopard or a Squirrel?

DRTA LESSON PLAN

Frog and Toad Together

Written/Illustrated by Arnold Lobel

Harper Collins Publishers: 1972

ISBN# 978-0-06-444-21-9

Model of a Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA)

Frog and Toad Together: The Garden (pgs 18-29)

1. Before Reading
   • Read the title of the book–What do we know about Frog and Toad?
     • What could they be doing together?
   • Look at the picture on the front cover–Who do you think is Frog? What are the two of them doing?
     • Notice that they are together.
2. Stop # 1: pages 18-23
   • What did Toad wish he had? (a garden, pg 18)
   • What did Frog give toad? (seeds pg 18)
   • How does Toad think that seeds grow?
     • How do you know this? (by commanding, he shouts at them to grow. pg 21-22)
   • What are the essential elements of plant growth that Frog informs us of? (pg 23, sun shine, rain fall)
   • (Prediction) Do you think the seeds are really afraid to grow like Frog said?
     • Why did Frog say that the seeds are afraid? (because Toad was yelling at them, pg 22)
3. Stop #2: pages 24-27
   • What made Toad read a story to the seeds? (pg 24, he thought the seeds were afraid of the dark)
   • What do you notice in the picture where Toad is singing? (pg 26, rain falling)
     • Do you think that the rain helps seeds to grow? (yes, Frog told us)
   • Why was Toad so tired? (pg 27, because he had been busy serenading and reading to the seeds for the past 3 days)
     • Do you think what he did to the seeds will help them to grow? (no)
4. Stop #3: pages 28-29
   • Did Toad’s plants ever grow? (pg 28, yes)
     • How do we know this? (picture and Frog tells Toad to look at his garden)
   • Who woke Toad up to show him his garden? (pg 28, Frog)
   • Do you think that Toad still thinks that seeds are sometimes ‘afraid’ to grow? (Who knows? Frog did not correct Toad’s thinking about plant growth so we will never know)
   • What have we learned about plant growth? (Plants need water/rain and sunshine)