Berkley
By Laurie Lawlor, from Muddy as a Duck Puddle
Black as midnight,
Bad as the devil
With eyes like pieces of dark chocolate,
He thinks he’s king of the world,
My dog Berkley.
He’s very much like a pig
With his pudgy stomach and all.
Like a leech, he’s always attached
To his next meal.
Even though he’s as bad as the devil,
Berkley is my best fellow.
Daisies
by Evaleen Stein
At evening when I go to bed
I see the stars shine overhead;
They are the little daisies white
That dot the meadow of the Night.
And often while I'm dreaming so,
Across the sky the Moon will go;
It is a lady, sweet and fair,
Who comes to gather daisies there.
For, when at morning I arise,
There's not a star left in the skies;
She's picked them all and dropped them down
Into the meadows of the town.
WEEK ONE: POETRY
MATERIALS NEEDED: Paper, markers, unruled 5”x8” index cards, pencils
Readings: Berkley and Daisies
Poetry: A piece of writing with focus on expression of feelings. It usually has a distinctive style that focuses
on things such as rhythm or sound.
Have students talk about the kinds of poetry they have seen before. What kind of structures
have they seen before? How is it different from prose? Prompt them with ideas about
structure, rhyming, topics, etc. Have they heard of acrostics? Haikus? Limericks? Have they
heard of any famous poets before?
Terms of the week
Metaphor: First, have the students try to brainstorm what this term means. Then, provide them
with the standard definition. Ask them to come up with a few examples, and provide them with
some, e.g. “when he runs he is a cheetah,” “when he swims he is a fish,” “time is a thief.”
Metaphor: A comparison of two seemingly unlike things.
Simile: Have the students try to brainstorm what this term means. Then, provide them with the
standard definition. Ask them to come up with a few examples, and provide them with some,
e.g. “he runs as fast as a cheetah,” “he swims like a fish a fish,” “he popped out of bed like a
bagel from the toaster.”
Simile: A comparison of two seemingly unlike things using “like” or “as.”
Sample Discussion Questions (you do not have to do all of these!)
1. On your own: Go through Berkley and underline all the similes you see. Compare with the
other students in the group. Did you find all of them?
2. The narrator uses words like “pig,” “leech,” and “devil” to describe the dog. What do these
3.
4.
5.
6.
similes suggest about the dog?
The title of Evaleen Stein’s poem is Daisies. Are the daisies in her poem really flowers? If
they are not, why would she call them “daisies?” What figure of speech is she using?
Evaleen Stein mentions two meadows in her poem. Which is a real meadow and which is
metaphorical?
Write: Compare and contrast Berkley and Daisies. What is similar and different about
these poems? Think about structure, rhyming, subject matter, use of figurative language
(e.g. metaphors and similes).
Does either poem rhyme? Does either follow a rhyming pattern?
Interactive Activity!
Invent a character who you think would be interesting to write about. Is it a person? An animal?
How old is it? What does it look like? Is it colorful? Does it have a family? Does it like to play
sports? Is it big or small? For the next few months, we will be learning about different genres,
and each week the interactive activity will involve writing about this character in each of the
genres, so make sure it is something you could talk about for a long time!
This week, write a poem about your character. Include at least one simile and one metaphor,
but be as creative as possible! When you are done, draw a picture of your character as you
described it in your poem.
At the end of the session, collect all of the students’ notes and put them in your group’s
folder in the Main Office for next week.
The Sun and the Moon (Viking Legend)
Now the story of the sun and moon is a different one. In the days of old the sun and moon, like the
other stars and planets, swung unguided across the heavens. During this time there was a man that lived on
Earth by the name of Mundilfari. It is unknown whether he was of the race of giants or a poor relation to
the gods. Mundilfari had two children so bright and beautiful that he thought nothing could compare to them
except the sun and the moon, so he named the girl Sun and the by Moon. As can be expected when the
gods heard of this they were less than pleased. The gods snatched the children from their Father and put
them to work.
They made the girl, Sun, ride on one of the horses pulling the chariot of the sun. The horses are
known as Early­Wake and Supreme­in­Strength. So now year turns to decade and decade to century and
still they follow their path across the heavens till the end of time. Because of the intense heat of the sun that
would burn anything living to cinder the gods placed an indestructible shield between the horses and the
chariot, this shield is known as Svlin or Iron­cool, to protect both the horses and Sun from the heat of the
sun.
Sun's brother's duties were more complicated in nature, for the moon waxes and wanes each
month and is never the same for two straight days. Moon could not manage his work by himself so he
kidnapped two children from earth. The children were Bil and his sister Yuki who had been sent up a high
mountain by their Father to fetch water from the well. As Moon drove by on his glowing chariot he
snatched the unsuspecting children off the mountain top. On a clear night one may still see them, people on
Earth call them the children in the moon. It is they who make the moon wax and wane although no one is
quite sure how.
And yet there is another more sinister side to the story. There is more to the fact of the sun and
moon racing across the heavens than the simple fact that they are being drawn by galloping horses, no they
also have a far more dangerous reason for their haste and that is that they are being chased by wolves.
Now, a long way away to the east of Midgard, where winter and darkness reign, dwell evil witches­troll
women known as Ironwooders. The worst of these witches became the mother of dozens of giants who
were all born in the form of wolves. The Father of these wolves was himself a wolf or at least a werewolf
and he was known as Fenrir. His cubs grew to such enormous size that the powers of evil were able to set
them like dogs onto the sun and moon. The sun and moon posses no escape from the giant wolves and so
are doomed to flee till the end of time.
WEEK TWO: LEGENDS
MATERIALS NEEDED: Pencils, Paper
Readings: The Sun and the Moon
What is a legend? Have they heard any legends before? What kind of story do they think a
legend is ­ a true story or a fictional story? Have the students predict the kind of stories these
legends will be before reading.
Legend: In this case, a historical­type story of origins that serves to explain how things came
to be the way that they are, though there is no proof that these events actually happened.
Terms of the week:
Characterization: Have the students brainstorm what this means, perhaps by using it in a
sentence.
Characterization: Creating characters for a particular narrative; giving characters
particular traits in order to create a specific narrative
Sample Discussion Questions (you do not have to do all of these!)
1. What is this story trying to explain?
2. Find and underline the word “sinister”. “Sinister” almost nearly means: a) interesting b)
wicked c) complicated
3. Is this origin story convincing? Do you think this is a true story? Why or why not?
4. Write: Make lists of the way the sun and the moon are characterized in the story. What
are the similarities and differences between the moon and the sun?
Interactive Activity!
Create a legend of origins using your character from last week. This legend can explain
anything ­ why the grass is green, why turtle shells are hard, etc. Write a short story, and then
share the story with your classmates. Be creative!
At the end of the session, collect all of the students’ notes and put them in your group’s
folder in the Main Office for next week.
The Three Dogs
By Andrew Lang
There was once upon a time a shepherd who had two children, a son and a daughter. When he
was on his death­bed he turned to them and said, 'I have nothing to leave you but three sheep and a small
house; divide them between you, as you like, but don't quarrel over them whatever you do.'
When the shepherd was dead, the brother asked his sister which she would like best, the sheep or the little
house; and when she had chosen the house he said, 'Then I'll take the sheep and go out to seek my fortune
in the wide world. I don't see why I shouldn't be as lucky as many another who has set out on the same
search, and it wasn't for nothing that I was born on a Sunday.'
And so he started on his travels, driving his three sheep in front of him, and for a long time it
seemed as if fortune didn't mean to favour him at all. One day he was sitting disconsolately at a cross road,
when a man suddenly appeared before him with three black dogs, each one bigger than the other.
'Hullo, my fine fellow,' said the man, 'I see you have three fat sheep. I'll tell you what; if you'll give
them to me, I'll give you my three dogs.'
In spite of his sadness, the youth smiled and replied, 'What would I do with your dogs? My sheep
at least feed themselves, but I should have to find food for the dogs.'
'My dogs are not like other dogs,' said the stranger; 'they will feed you instead of you them, and will
make your fortune. The smallest one is called "Salt," and will bring you food whenever you wish; the
second is called "Pepper," and will tear anyone to pieces who offers to hurt you; and the great big strong
one is called "Mustard," and is so powerful that it will break iron or steel with its teeth.'
The shepherd at last let himself be persuaded, and gave the stranger his sheep. In order to test the
truth of his statement about the dogs, he said at once, 'Salt, I am hungry,' and before the words were out of
his mouth the dog had disappeared, and returned in a few minutes with a large basket full of the most
delicious food. Then the youth congratulated himself on the bargain he had made, and continued his journey
in the best of spirits.
One day he met a carriage and pair, all draped in black; even the horses were covered with black
trappings, and the coachman was clothed in crape from top to toe. Inside the carriage sat a beautiful girl in
a black dress crying bitterly. The horses advanced slowly and mournfully, with their heads bent on the
ground.
'Coachman, what's the meaning of all this grief?' asked the shepherd.
At first the coachman wouldn't say anything, but when the youth pressed him he told him that a
huge dragon dwelt in the neighbourhood, and required yearly the sacrifice of a beautiful maiden. This year
the lot had fallen on the King's daughter, and the whole country was filled with woe and lamentation in
consequence.
The shepherd felt very sorry for the lovely maiden, and determined to follow the carriage. In a little
it halted at the foot of a high mountain. The girl got out, and walked slowly and sadly to meet her terrible
fate. The coachman perceived that the shepherd wished to follow her, and warned him not to do so if he
valued his life; but the shepherd wouldn't listen to his advice. When they had climbed about half­way up the
hill they saw a terrible­looking monster with the body of a snake, and with huge wings and claws, coming
towards them, breathing forth flames of fire, and preparing to seize its victim. Then the shepherd called,
'Pepper, come to the rescue,' and the second dog set upon the dragon, and after a fierce struggle bit it so
sharply in the neck that the monster rolled over, and in a few moments breathed its last. Then the dog ate
up the body, all except its two front teeth, which the shepherd picked up and put in his pocket.
The Princess was quite overcome with terror and joy, and fell fainting at the feet of her deliverer.
When she recovered her consciousness she begged the shepherd to return with her to her father, who
would reward him richly. But the youth answered that he wanted to see something of the world, and that he
would return again in three years, and nothing would make him change this resolve. The Princess seated
herself once more in her carriage, and, bidding each other farewell, she and the shepherd separated, she to
return home, and he to see the world.
But while the Princess was driving over a bridge the carriage suddenly stood still, and the
coachman turned round to her and said, 'Your deliverer has gone, and doesn't thank you for your gratitude.
It would be nice of you to make a poor fellow happy; therefore you may tell your father that it was I who
slew the dragon, and if you refuse to, I will throw you into the river, and no one will be any the wiser, for
they will think the dragon has devoured you.'
The maiden was in a dreadful state when she heard these words; but there was nothing for her to
do but to swear that she would give out the coachman as her deliverer, and not to divulge the secret to
anyone. So they returned to the capital, and everyone was delighted when they saw the Princess had
returned unharmed; the black flags were taken down from all the palace towers, and brightly coloured ones
put up in their place, and the King embraced his daughter and her supposed rescuer with tears of joy, and,
turning to the coachman, he said, 'You have not only saved the life of my child, but you have also freed the
country from a terrible scourge; therefore, it is only fitting that you should be richly rewarded. Take,
therefore, my daughter for your wife; but as she is still so young, do not let the marriage be celebrated for
another year.'
The coachman thanked the King for his graciousness, and was then led away to be richly dressed
and instructed in all the arts and graces that befitted his new position. But the poor Princess wept bitterly,
though she did not dare to confide her grief to anyone. When the year was over, she begged so hard for
another year's respite that it was granted to her. But this year passed also, and she threw herself at her
father's feet, and begged so piteously for one more year that the King's heart was melted, and he yielded to
her request, much to the Princess's joy, for she knew that her real deliverer would appear at the end of the
third year. And so the year passed away like the other two, and the wedding­day was fixed, and all the
people were prepared to feast and make merry.
But on the wedding­day it happened that a stranger came to the town with three black dogs. He asked
what the meaning of all the feasting and fuss was, and they told him that the King's daughter was just going
to be married to the man who had slain the terrible dragon. The stranger at once denounced the coachman
as a liar; but no one would listen to him, and he was seized and thrown into a cell with iron doors.
While he was lying on his straw pallet, pondering mournfully on his fate, he thought he heard the
low whining of his dogs outside; then an idea dawned on him, and he called out as loudly as he could,
'Mustard, come to my help,' and in a second he saw the paws of his biggest dog at the window of his cell,
and before he could count two the creature had bitten through the iron bars and stood beside him. Then
they both let themselves out of the prison by the window, and the poor youth was free once more, though
he felt very sad when he thought that another was to enjoy the reward that rightfully belonged to him. He
felt hungry too, so he called his dog 'Salt,' and asked him to bring home some food. The faithful creature
trotted off, and soon returned with a table­napkin full of the most delicious food, and the napkin itself was
embroidered with a kingly crown.
The King had just seated himself at the wedding­feast with all his Court, when the dog appeared
and licked the Princess's hand in an appealing manner. With a joyful start she recognised the beast, and
bound her own table­napkin round his neck. Then she plucked up her courage and told her father the
whole story. The King at once sent a servant to follow the dog, and in a short time the stranger was led into
the Kings presence. The former coachman grew as white as a sheet when he saw the shepherd, and, falling
on his knees, begged for mercy and pardon. The Princess recognized her deliverer at once, and did not
need the proof of the two dragon's teeth which he drew from his pocket. The coachman was thrown into a
dark dungeon, and the shepherd took his place at the Princess's side, and this time, you may be sure, she
did not beg for the wedding to be put off.
The young couple lived for some time in great peace and happiness, when suddenly one day the
former shepherd bethought himself of his poor sister and expressed a wish to see her again, and to let her
share in his good fortune. So they sent a carriage to fetch her, and soon she arrived at the court, and found
herself once more in her brother's arms. Then one of the dogs spoke and said, 'Our task is done; you have
no more need of us. We only waited to see that you did not forget your sister in your prosperity.' And with
these words the three dogs became three birds and flew away into the heavens.
WEEK THREE: FAIRY TALES
MATERIALS NEEDED: Paper, Pencil, Colored Pencil
Readings: The Three Dogs
Fairy Tale: A story, usually for children, about magical and imaginary beings and lands.
What is the difference between a legend and a fairy tale? Have the students discuss what they
think the differences may be both before and after the story. Are there fairy tales that they’ve
read before? Are they modern, like Disney movies, or are they older, like Hans Christian
Anderson?
Terms of the week
Motif: A distinctive feature or dominant idea that is recurring in a literary composition.
Sample Discussion Questions (you do not have to do all of these!)
1. What is the dominant motif of this story? Is it just about the main character, or is there
a larger point?
2. Find the word “disconsolately” in the second paragraph of the story. This word most
nearly means: a) confusedly; b) quietly; c) gloomily
3. Why did the shepherd boy collect the two dragons teeth? Use context clues from the
story to support your argument.
4. What does the author mean when he says the princess “plucked up her courage” in the
second­to­last paragraph? How do you know?
5. On Your Own: Using 3 different colors, make a venn diagram using what you’ve
learned about legends and fairytales. Compare your diagram with your classmates. What
do you have in common? Is there anything you missed?
Interactive Activity!
Write a legend using the character you created. Give the character three animal sidekicks, like
the boy in the story, and send them on a meaningful mission. Be creative!
At the end of the session, collect all of the students’ notes and put them in your group’s
folder in the Main Office for next week.
Goodbye, Books?
A school in Massachusetts has gotten rid of most of its library books. Now the collection is online. School
leaders say it's the way of the future.
November 20, 2009
By Jaime Joyce, Time for Kids
Cushing Academy used to have 20,000 books in its library. But over the summer, this small Massachusetts
high school began to replace printed books with electronic books, or e­books. Why? "The school wanted
to put its focus on 21st­century learning," Tom Corbett, the library's executive director, told TFK. Few
students were using library books to do their school assignments. Most did their research online.
Transforming the library seemed like the best way to meet students' needs. Without a print collection to
care for, Corbett says librarians can now concentrate on helping students use the online collection in new
and better ways. They can also work with teachers to bring technology into the classroom.
More Books, More Reading
Teacher Nancy Boyle says her students still enjoy regular books. But they're also testing out the Kindle, an
electronic reader (see "Meet an E­Reader"). So far, it's been a success. "It's great," Boyle told TFK. "The
kids are reading more."
Sixteen­year­old Meghan Chenausky was skeptical at first. "I love the feeling of books," she told TFK. "I
really thought I was going to be missing out when I started using a Kindle. But now I absolutely love using
it. It's so convenient. You can have so many books right at your fingertips."
Meet an E­Reader
Can your backpack fit 1,500 books? An e­reader can. Most e­readers are pencil­thin and weigh less than
a pound. They can download an e­book in 60 seconds. Don't understand the meaning of a word? Click on
it to get the definition. Is the print too small? An e­reader can adjust the size.
E­readers aren't cheap, but it costs the school just $5 or $10 to download an e­book on as many as six
e­readers. "Now, students have access to a million titles," Corbett says.
Still, regular books have one big advantage over e­readers: They don't use electricity. E­readers have to be
charged, like cell phones.
Britannica Goes Digital
The world’s best­known encyclopedia will stop publishing books
March 14, 2012
By Katy Steinmetz for TIME with additional reporting by Stephanie Krauas
The earth’s best­known encyclopedia announced today that it would no longer publish print editions. Like
so many newspapers and publishing houses, Encyclopedia Britannica is going completely digital—after 244
years of providing some of the finest page­flipping man has ever seen.
Jorge Cauz is the President of Encyclopedia Britannica. He says the company is now focused on digital
learning. “We’re digital, we’re mobile, and we’re social,” said Cauz in a press release. “We’re a very
different company from 20 or 30 years ago.”
Britannica’s History
In the mid­1900s, salesmen would go door­to­door to sell the encyclopedias.
Britannica encyclopedias were first published in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1768. Americans started buying
them at the turn of the 20th century. In the mid­1900s, salesmen would go door­to­door to sell the books.
The company’s first digital reference was created in 1981. CD­ROMs came out in 1989 and Britannica
went to the Web in 1994. The final hardcover encyclopedia set is for sale on Britannica's website for
$1,395.
But Britannica didn’t take the electronic world very seriously during the last 20 years. Because people
turned to the Internet with questions, the company’s sales went down. Britannica’s decision to stop the
presses will save the company money in the long run.
Trustworthy Source
What hasn’t changed is the way Britannica creates its material. The company has thousands of expert
writers and more than 100 editors. They fact­check the information to make sure it is accurate, reliable and
up­to­date. Contributors include many scholars, Nobel laureates and world leaders, such as Bill Clinton
and Desmond Tutu.
Britannica’s website also provides educational tools. At Britannica Online School Edition PreK­12,
teachers share lesson plans. Britannica Online allows readers to make revisions directly to the
encyclopedia. Experts review the changes before they are posted to make sure they are accurate.
Online versions of the encyclopedia serve more than 100 million people around the world. A new app
delivers the whole encyclopedia to mobile devices, such as the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.
The company plans to mark the end of the print version by making the contents of its website available free
for one week starting today, March 14.
WEEK FOUR: REFERENCE
MATERIALS NEEDED: Paper and pencils
Readings: Goodbye, Books?, Britannica Goes Digital
Prompt the students to talk about what “non­fiction” means. Ask them to provide examples of
non­fiction which they have seen before (newspaper articles, magazine articles, encyclopedias,
dictionaries, biographies, autobiographies, biographies, memoirs, histories, book/movie
reviews, news broadcasts). Be sure that they know what each of these genres means, and review
them if they do not. Remind them that it does not have to be written to be non­fiction. Have
they seen non­fiction things on television?
Terms of the week
Non­Fiction: First, have the students try to brainstorm what this term means. Then, provide
them with the standard definition. Ask them to come up with a few examples, and provide a few
yourself if they are having trouble.
Non­Fiction: Any kind of factual narrative.
Sample Discussion Questions (you do not have to do all of these!)
1. What is the motif of the first article? Of the second?
2. What strategies do the two passages use to present the arguments for and against the
use of e­readers?
3. When was the first article published? When was the second article published? Do you
think things have changed during the time between the two articles? Why or why not?
4. Write: Make a list of pros and cons of electronic books. You will use this in the
interactive activity.
Interactive Activity!
Tutors can participate in this activity! Divide into two teams. Choose one team to represent
for­electronic books, and one to represent for­print books. You do not have to actually
agree with your argument, but you must be able to argue your side. Using the lists you
made earlier, each member of each team will make an argument for their side.
After the debate, each team member must write two short paragraphs: one must argue why
electronic books would be good, and the other why print books would be good. These
paragraphs must be written in the style of the readings.
At the end of the session, collect all of the students’ notes and put them in your group’s
folder in the Main Office for next week.