Author Study: Cynthia Rylant
English Language Arts and Literacy, Grade 3 This two-­ three-­week unit will focus on studying the author Cynthia Rylant, a prolific writer of books for readers ranging from preschool to young adult. Many of her books reflect her own life experiences, illustrating the concept that writers write about what they know. In addition, she has created many books in a series, affording readers the opportunity to continue reading books about favorite characters and settings. Third-­grade students will listen to and read both picture books and chapter books to develop an understanding of the DXWKRU¶VOLIHDQGKRZKHUH[SHULHQFHVLQIOXHQFHGWKHVWRULHVDQGWKHPHVin her books. Using a Gradual Release of Responsibility model of instruction, students will move through the unit by reading a whole-­class book during the first week, and participate in small, guided-­reading groups during the second week. In the third week, students will write letters to Cynthia Rylant and one of the illustrators that she worked with demonstrating their knowledge and understanding of her work. (See Curriculum Embedded Performance Assessment). Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Page 1 of 47 Table of Contents Unit Plan ««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««.««p. 3 Lessons 1, 2, 3, & 4 ««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««.«..p. 8 Handouts Lessons 1, 2, 3, & 4 ««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««« p. 17 Lesson 5««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««« p. 19 Handouts Lesson 5 «««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««.«««. p. 23 Lessons 6, 7, 8, & 9««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««.p. 24 Handouts Lessons 6, 7, 8, & 9«««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««. p. 32 Lesson 10 ««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««« p. 33 Handouts Lesson 10 «««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««. p. 36 CEPA Teacher Instructions «««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««. p. 39 CEPA Student ,QVWUXFWLRQV««««««««««««««.«««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««.. p. 41 CEPA Rubric «««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««.. p. 43 Unit Resources ««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««« p. 45 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Page 2 of 47 Stage 1 Desired Results
ESTABLISHED GOALS
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RL.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures;; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text. RL3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events. 5/([SODLQKRZWKHVSHFLILFDVSHFWVRIDWH[W¶V
illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting). RL3.9 Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters (e.g., in books from a series). W3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. W3.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined Transfer 6WXGHQWVZLOOEHDEOHWRLQGHSHQGHQWO\XVHWKHLUOHDUQLQJWR« T T1. Read and comprehend a range of increasingly complex texts and media written for various audiences and purposes. T2. Generate open-­ended questions and seek answers through critical analysis of text, media, interviews, and/or observations. T3. Communicate ideas effectively in writing to suit a particular audience and purpose. Meaning UNDERSTANDINGS
U ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Q
6WXGHQWVZLOOXQGHUVWDQGWKDW« Q1. Where do writers get their ideas? U1. Authors use their experiences to create stories. Q2. :KDW¶VVSHFLDODERXWERRNVLQDVHULHV" U2. Books in a series often have continuity in Q3. How do illustrators help readers understand the characters, settings, and themes words and ideas in a book? U3. Illustrations help the reader comprehend the setting, characters, plot, mood and tone of a book. Acquisition K 6WXGHQWVZLOOEHVNLOOHGDW« 6WXGHQWVZLOONQRZ« K1. The basic story elements expected in any narrative text (setting, characters, problem, solution). S1. Identifying and describing the setting, characters, sequence of events in a story. S2. Comparing and contrasting characters, setting, and plot in several books in a series by the same author. K2. Characteristics of books in a series (continuity of characters, settings, and themes) Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 S
Page 3 of 47 experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. W3.4 With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. K3. 7KHPHDQLQJRIWKHWHUP³DXWRELRJUDSKLFDO´as applied to literary works WKDWUHIOHFWDQDXWKRU¶VOLIH. W.3.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-­specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. .7KHPHDQLQJRIWKHWHUP³WKHPH´DVthe central idea or ideas in a literary work. L3.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking L3.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. Note: There are no Reading Informational Text Standards used, although some of the texts are auto-­biographical. At the same time, the autobiographical texts also have a narrative structure, thus the selection of the Reading Literature Standards. S3. Making connections between literary texts and authorV¶DXWRELRJUDSKLHVELRJUDphies, or their statements about how their experiences influenced their writing K4. That illustrators make choices about how to illustrate a story (e.g., what to emphasize visually about characters and settings, how to convey tone and mood through color, shape, and line). S4. Examining illustrations and explaining how they support understanding of the text. S5. Inferring the central message or theme and supporting their ideas with evidence from text or illustrations. K6. The differences between narrative and analytical writing. S6. Writing personal narratives and analyses of the FKDUDFWHULVWLFVRIDQDXWKRU¶VRULOOXVWUDWRU¶VZRUN Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Page 4 of 47 Evaluative Criteria
Standards and Criteria for Success: Your letters or email should be clearly written and should demonstrate what you have learned from the study of Rylant and her illustrators. They should show what you already know about the books and what questions you still have. You may write the letters by hand or on the computer and you can add illustrations if you wish. The letters should have a standard format, with a date, greeting, body, closing, and signature. They should be carefully proofread, revised, and edited so that your words are precise and well-­chosen, sentences complete, and spelling and punctuation correct. The letters will be evaluated using a rubric on the development of your topic (the clarity of your main idea, the way the details and examples you use support your main idea, the variety of your sentences and the precision of your vocabulary) and your control of conventions for writing standard English. Stage 2 -­ Evidence
Assessment Evidence
CURRICULUM EMBEDDED PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT (PERFORMANCE TASKS)
P You have read and listened to several books written by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by a number of artists. Your task is to choose one of the books that you liked a lot and write a letter or email to Cynthia Rylant and the illustrator of that book. You are going to tell them what you enjoyed about the writing and the artwork and explain why you think the words and the pictures were a really good match for each other. Start your letter with a paragraph stating what you liked about the book. In the next paragraph, comment RQWKHZULWHU¶VFKRLFHRIVXEMHFWPDWWHUDQGVW\OHRIZULWLQJ8VH quotations from the book as examples what you liked and explain what you liked about the way the author used words. If you have questions for the author, you could add those as well. Your next paragraph is about the pictures. Choose a specific illustration, tell the illustrator what you QRWLFHGDQGH[SODLQKRZWKHLOOXVWUDWRUKHOSHG\RXXQGHUVWDQG5\ODQW¶VLGHDVIn this part of the letter you may also ask questions about the process of making the pictures for this book or any other questions you have for the artist. Conclude your letter by sharing an observation on the book, comparing it to others you have read, talking about other books by the author or illustrator that you plan to read, or asking a related question. Goal: Your goal is to share your thoughts as a reader and gain more information about the book of your choice by asking questions and by showing how closely you have read these books and noticed details in the illustrations. Role: You are a third-­grade student who has been studying the author Cynthia Rylant and the illustrators of her books.. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Page 5 of 47 Audience: The author and the illustrator are the first audience, but you should also think people who will VHH\RXUOHWWHUZKHQLWLVSODFHGLQDGLVSOD\LQWKHOLEUDU\DVSDUWRIDFHOHEUDWLRQRI5\ODQW¶VERRNV Situation: You are communicating to people whose writing and artwork you admire. <RXGRQ¶WNQRZWKHVH
people personally, so you want to make sure to create a good impression by showing how much you have already learned about them in school and by your independent reading. Writers and artists are often glad to get mail from readers who appreciate their work. They are likely to respond to you with letters of their own, particularly if you ask some good questions. Product Performance and Purpose: Your letter will be sent to the author and illustrator. The books you studied, your letter and the responses you receive will also be made into a display for the school library or WKHFKLOGUHQ¶VURRPLQWKHSXEOLFOLEUDU\ZKHUHSDUHQWVWHDFKHUVDQGRWKHUFKLOGUHQZLOOEHDEOHWRUHDG
them. The library will have this display in order to interest more people in reading these books. OTHER EVIDENCE:
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OE1. Reading Response Journals (written responses to questions after reading) OE2. Participation in whole-­class or small-­group discussions. OE3. Narratives about your own life based on the style RI&\QWKLD5\ODQW¶VERRN,, The Blue Hill Meadows. Stage 3 ² Learning Plan
Summary of Key Learning Events and Instruction x
x
Lessons 1, 2, 3, & 4 are a four lesson series that introduces students to the author Cynthia Rylant: her life and her books. Students learn how her books reflect the people and places in her life through teacher read-­alouds and a whole-­class reading text. They should take a week. Lesson 5 is a one-­day lesson that focuses on writing a short personal narrative based on the style and structure of The Blue Hill Meadows read in the previous four lessons. Students plan their writing by thinking of their favorite season and a special time or activity that they engaged in with family or friends during that season. This planning may be started as homework or in class. In class, they draft their narrative and revise and edit it for basic components to be Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Page 6 of 47 included. This lesson should take one or two days. Lessons 6, 7, 8, & 9 are a four lessons series to H[SORUH(VVHQWLDO4XHVWLRQ7ZR:KDW¶VVSHFLDODERXWERRNVLQDVHULHV7Key will learn that books in a series often have continuity in characters, settings, and themes. In addition to daily read-­alouds, students will participate in guided reading groups, reading the first books in three different series written by Cynthia Rylant. These books will range in readability from grade 2 through grade 3. Students will respond in writing each day to their reading in their Reading Response Journals (RRJs). x Lesson 10 is a one or two day lesson that focuses on writing a letter to the author DQGRQHRIWKHLOOXVWUDWRUVRI&\QWKLD5\ODQW¶VERRNV7KLVOHWWHUZULWLQJLV
also the curriculum embedded performance task, or CEPA which will provide students with an opportunity to showcase all of their learning about Cynthia Rylant and her books. Students will have a chance to read a letter that Cynthia Rylant has written to her readers before they start drafting their own letters. Students may reread some of her books or read a new one for independent reading. Adapted from Understanding by Design 2.0 © 2011 Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe. Used with Permission. July 2012 x
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Page 7 of 47 Lessons 1, 2, 3, & 4
Brief Overview: Lessons 1, 2, 3, & 4 are a four-­day lesson series that introduces students to the author Cynthia Rylant: her life and her books. Students learn how her books reflect the people and places in her life through teacher read-­alouds and a whole-­class reading text. Prior Knowledge Required: 1. Knowledge of story structure (beginning, middle, and end) and story elements (setting, characters, problem, events, solution) 2. Written responses to a question should be supported by details from the text Estimated Time: 80 minutes each day Instructional Model:
In these lessons, the focus is on whole-­class, community learning: listening to stories, reading stories, and responding to reading. A flexible-­grouping model for a whole-­class text allows you to determine which students need little or no support, some support, or significant support in reading the grade-­level text. Each day, students should have opportunities to listen to and read books by the author and respond orally and/or in writing to the DXWKRU¶VVWRULHVDQGWKHPHV5HVSRQVHVKRXOGIRFXVRQKRZWKHVWRULHVUHODWHWRWKHSHRSOHDQG
SODFHVLQWKHDXWKRU¶VOLIHDQGKRZWKHVHHOHPHQWVFRPSDUHWRWKHLURZQOLYHV. Resources for Lesson: (please see Unit Resources, p. 46 for a complete list of all of the titles used in the unit). 1. Teacher Read-­aloud books by Cynthia Rylant: (one copy of each title) x
x
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x
2.
3.
4.
5.
When I Was Young in the Mountains (illustrated by Diane Goode) The Relatives Came (illustrated by Stephen Gammell) Appalachia: The Voices of Sleeping Birds (illustrated by Barry Moser) Best Wishes Class set of The Blue Hill Meadows Reading Response Journal: Add DSDJHIRUWKH³Books by Cynthia Rylant´FKDUW to be completed by students after each book is finished (p. 19) Class set of handouts: Cynthia Rylant Biography Handout (p. 18) In preparation for this author study unit, research the author, related websites, and reviews of books. Some examples include: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Page 8 of 47 x
x
x
x
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A comprehensive biography for teacher information on Cynthia Rylant can be found at: http://biography.jrank.org/pages/1628/Rylant-­Cynthia-­1954.html. A more student-­friendly biography can be found at: http://www.orrt.org/rylant. 7KHDXWKRU¶VZHEVLWHLVhttp://www.cynthiarylant.com.
For information on Appalachia, visit http://www.arc.gov (Appalachian Regional Commission) For information on illustrators of books this week: o Diane Goode: http://www.dianegoode.com o Stephen Gammell: http://www.childrensliteraturenetwork.org/aifolder/aipages/ai_g/gammell.php o Barry Moser: http://www.moser-­pennyroyal.com/moser-­pennyroyal/Biography.html Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Page 9 of 47 Content Area/Course: English Language Arts and Literacy, Grade 3 Unit: Author Study: Cynthia Rylant Time (minutes): 80 minutes each day Lessons 1, 2, 3, & 4: Meet the Author: Cynthia Rylant Overview: Lessons 1, 2, 3, & 4 are a four-­day lesson series that introduce students to the author, Cynthia Rylant, her life, and her books. The focus of this lesson is on learning about WKHDXWKRU¶VEDFNJURXQGDQGLWVLPSDFWRQKHUVWRULHVEach day, the teacher reads aloud RQHRI5\ODQW¶VSLFWXUHERRNVthat are autobiographical stories. Students begin reading a whole-­class chapter book by the author that is not autobiographical but reflects her life and family values. Students will determine the common themes in both the read-­alouds and the whole-­class text that they read. By the end of this lesson students will know and be able to: x
x
x
x
Understand that Cynthia Rylant uses her experiences to create stories. Identify and describe the settings and characters in stories listened to and read. Discuss the elements of setting including characters. Compare story elements between different books written by Cynthia Rylant. Essential Question addressed in this lesson:
Q1. Where do writers get their ideas? Q3. How do illustrators help readers understand the words and ideas in a book? Standard(s)/Unit Goal(s) to be addressed in this lesson: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 RL3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events. 5/([SODLQKRZVSHFLILFDVSHFWVRIDWH[W¶VLOOXVWUDWLRQVFRQWULEXWHWRZKDWLV
conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting). RL3.8a Identify elements of fiction (e.g., characters, setting, plot, problem, solution) and elements of poetry (e.g., rhyme, rhythm, figurative language, alliteration, onomatopoeia) RL3.9 Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters (e.g., in books from a series). W.3.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-­specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. Instructional Resources/Tools Anticipated Student Preconceptions/Misconceptions 1. Authors¶ stories are not related to their lives. They write only from their imagination. 2. Students may believe that the setting of a story is just the place and time of the story. They may not know that setting can be related to charDFWHUV¶DFWLRQVRU
feelings. Instructional Tips/Strategies/Suggestions: Page 10 of 47 x
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and books. Use this to introduce the author at the beginning of the unit. Students can DGGWRWKH$XWKRU¶V&RUQHUZLWKWKHLURZQwork throughout the unit. Encourage students to read and reread the books from each lesson that are GLVSOD\HGLQWKH$XWKRU¶V&RUQHU. Before the lesson/unit, make a grouping chart, listing which students will work together in small groups and with partners, or independently throughout the unit. This should be based on those students needing little support, those needing some support, and those who will need significant support. Vocabulary: o When I Was Young in the Mountains: okra, johnny-­house, congregation. autobiography/auto-­biographical (not in the book). o Discussions: slice of life, autobiography/autobiographical o The Blue Hill Meadows: Chapter One: vinegar (as a characteristic). Chapter Two: hauled, partial, reeled, satisfied. Chapter Three: iguana, aquarium, telescope. Chapter Four: extraordinary, revelation, inspiration³6OLFHRIOLIH´
(not in the book). List each of the three Essential Questions on a separate piece of chart paper. These will serve as anchor charts. You or the students will add to them as your understanding of the three Essential Questions deepens as you progress through the unit. Make a copy of the Cynthia Rylant biography handout, (see p. 18), for each student. Internet option: If you have access to computers, students could read one of the biography links on line, even a couple of days before you start the XQLW,I\RXGRQ¶WKDYHDFFHVVIRUWKHZKROHFODVVWRXVHFRPSXWHUVDWWKHVDPH
time, you could always print out the biographies. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 What students need to know and are able to do coming into this lesson (including language needs): 1. Knowledge of story structure (beginning, middle, and end) and story elements (setting, characters, problem, events, solution) 2. Write responses to a question that are supported by details from the text Lesson Sequence Lesson 1:
Before Reading ,QWURGXFLQJWKH$XWKRU¶V6WXG\ (20 minutes) x
x
x
x
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x
Class Discussion: Begin by explaining that in this unit, students will shift their focus from the genre to the author. Discuss with students their favorite authors. For example, \ o Who has a favorite author? o How many of you have read more than one book by this author?
o Why did you choose to read more books by this author? o List authors on the board and reasons for reading books by that author. Explain to students that in this unit they will be reading and learning about an author that many of them already know, Cynthia Rylant. Tell students that she writes for all readers, from preschool to adult. Some of her books for early readers are the Poppleton series and Mr. Putter and Tabby books. o Ask students, if anyone has read these books? o Who has read some of the Henry and Mudge books? Explain that Cynthia Rylant writes a lot of books in a series so students who like them can read about new and different stories and adventures of the same characters. She also writes single books about people, family, places, animals, and nature. Tell students they are going to learn about her life and how she uses her experiences to write her books. Point out the new corner of the room that is devoted to Cynthia Rylant, her life, and her books. Tell students that you will continue to add to this corner as you read more books by Cynthia Rylant. Page 11 of 47 x
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Review the Essential Questions for the unit listed on three separate pieces of chart paper. Explain that you will use these questions to guide your study of Cynthia Rylant. By the end of the unit, these charts will be filled up with their ideas and answers to these questions. Explain that at the end of the unit, students will use their knowledge about Cynthia Rylant, her books, and the illustrators that she worked with to write a letter to Cynthia Rylant and one of the illustrators. Give students a chance to read the biography handout about Cynthia Rylant. (Pick a reading option that best supports your readers). You may want to point out West Virginia and the Appalachia Mountains on a classroom map. Note: There is a difference between the Appalachian Mountains and Appalachia. While the Appalachian Mountains run from Georgia to Maine, Appalachia is also a cultural description referring to the people who live in the mostly mountainous southern states such as West Virginia and Tennessee. Teacher Read-­aloud and Discussion When I Was Young in the Mountains
(15 minutes)
x Set a purpose for reading. Tell students that this book is an autobiography, an DFFRXQWRIVRPHRQH¶V&\QWKLD5\ODQW¶VOLIH written by Cynthia Rylant, but it is written to sound like a story. o Point out the dedication. o Briefly review the illustrations throughout the book and ask students what they notice about the illustrations. x Start the interactive read-­aloud, stopping periodically to clarify word meanings, including okra, johnny-­house, congregation, and to ask students how Cynthia Rylant felt about her experiences when she was young in the mountains. x After reading, discuss the book based on story elements: o Who were the main characters in her story? o What is the setting in the story? Follow-­up question: Could this story take place somewhere else than West Virginia? o How do you think Cynthia Rylant felt about her life in the mountains? What events did she describe? Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 How do the pictures in the story, and the type of illustration, choice of color etc. help you to understand the story? x Place the book in the Author Center for students to read and enjoy. x Ask students to add When I Was Young in the Mountains WRWKH³%RRNVE\
&\QWKLD5\ODQW´FKart in their 5HDGHUV¶5HVSRQVH-RXUQDOV. As a group, write one sentence describing what the book is about and one sentence that explaining what they learned about Cynthia Rylant. Reading of Whole-­class Text: The Blue Hill Meadows: (25 minutes)
x Introduce the book with an overview of the structure (four chapters, one for each season). Tell students they will be reading one chapter (a season) each day. Ask what they notice about the style illustrations in this book and how the illustrations differ from When I Was Young in the Mountains. x Read page 1 aloud as students follow along. Ask if they were surprised that ³Meadows´ is the name of a family, not the setting. Explain that each chapter will GHVFULEHD³VOLFHRIOLIH´LQWKHWRZQ x Tell students they will be finishing the chapter to find out what happened after father found the dog and how the family changed. Students read Chapter One, ³7KH0XFK-­ORYHG'RJ´ o
After Reading (15 minutes):
x
Discuss Chapter One, ³7KH0XFK-­ORYHG'RJ´ Ask: o Where did the chapter in the book take place? What season was it? o Who were the main characters? o How do you think the characters felt about each other? How do you know-­ use the text to support your answers. o How do the illustrations help to communicate Cynthia Rylant¶VIHHOLQJVabout her early life in the mountains (e.g., warm colors, smiling faces on every page, gentle scenes of nature). Page 12 of 47 x
5HDGHUV¶5HVSRQVH Journal: (This could be done as homework if student can take their books and Response Journals home.) Directions: o Write a paragraph of 5±7 sentences: o Describe what you learned about the Meadow family. o Include what happened, how they felt about the events o How you think they felt about each other. Closure (5 minutes)
x
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Ask students questions to review the outcomes of the lesson. For example: o How does Cynthia Rylant use her experiences to create stories? o What did you learn about the settings and characters she writes about? o Do you see any connections between the two books, When I Was Young in the Mountains and The Blue Hill Meadows? o Add any insights to Essential Question Chart: Where do writers get their ideas? Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Tomorrow, I will do a read aloud of another book Cynthia Rylant, The Relatives Came. Then, you will read the second chapter (fall) in The Blue Hill Meadows. x
Interactive Read-­aloud The Relatives Came and Discussion (15 minutes)
Formative Assessment (after the lesson)
x
x
x
Reflect on students¶ participation and comments when you were reviewing the outcomes. Lesson 2:
Before Reading Teacher Lesson (15 minutes)
x Ask several students to share their written responses to Chapter One, in The Blue Hill Meadows. o FRFXVRQWKHWKLUGTXHVWLRQ³How you think they felt about each other?´ x
x
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Remind students that The Blue Hill Meadows is not a true story. Return to When I was Young in the Mountains, and remind students that it was autobiographical. o Ask students: How were the characters in this book similar to the characters you read about in The Blue Hill Meadows? How were they different? Show students the next read-­aloud The Relatives Came. Explain that it is based on &\QWKLD5\ODQW¶Vmemories of her early life, but it is not as purely autobiographical as When I Was Young in the Mountains. o Review the pictures of both books and ask how they different. o Elicit from students that pictures in When I Was Young in the Mountains are more realistic and illustrate real events that happened in her life;; pictures in The Relatives Came are more cartoonish and silly, which may indicate that the story is not totally autobiographical or is just more silly. o Explain that both books received a Caldecott Honor award for best illustrations. o
Set a purpose for listening to the story. Ask students to think about how the narrator (a child) feels about all the relatives visiting. Begin the interactive read-­aloud, stopping regularly to discuss how the child WHOOLQJWKHVWRU\IHHOVDERXWKHUUHODWLYHV¶YLVLW After reading, discuss the story based on story elements: o What was the setting of the story? Does it include a season? o Who do you think the relatives were (aunts, uncles, cousins)? o :KDWGLGWKHUHODWLYHVGRLQWKHLUYLVLWRI³ZHHNVDQGZHHNV´" o How did the narrator (storyteller) feel about her relatives visiting? How do you know? Can you give an example from the text? Put The Relatives Came in the Author Center. Remind students that they may read or reread these books during independent reading time. $VNVWXGHQWVWRDGGWRWKHLU³%RRNVE\&\QWKLD5\ODQW´FKDUWLQWKHLU5HDGHUV¶
Response Journals. Students should write ask one sentence that describes what Page 13 of 47 the book is about, and one sentence that tells what they learned about Cynthia Rylant from that book. x Ask a few students to share sentences that they wrote. Reading of Whole-­class Text The Blue Hill Meadows (30 minutes):
x
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x
Briefly review the first chapter. Remind students that the next chapter is set in a different season. Review vocabulary words that may be new or unfamiliar to students (e.g., hauled, partial, reeled, satisfied). Vocabulary option: After discussing the word meanings, ask students to use the words in their own sentences. x Begin reading Chapter Two. Read aloud page 11 and the first paragraph on page 12 as students follow along. Ask students what they know about the setting²what do they see, hear, and VPHOOEDVHGRQWKHDXWKRU¶VGHVFULSWLRQ" x $VNVWXGHQWVDVWKH\ILQLVKLQJUHDGLQJ&KDSWHU7ZR³2FWREHU/DNH,´WR focus on how Willie and his father spent the day together and how each character felt about this special day. After Reading (15 minutes):
x Ask students to use examples for the chapter to answer the following questions in their Reading Response Journals: o Why was it important for both Willie and his father to spend this day together? o What do you think Cynthia Rylant was trying to say about family members and their relationships (theme)? x Homework Option: Ask students to talk to their parents or another older family member about what it was like when they were young: o Where did they live? o What did they do for fun? o What are their favorite memories? x If students can take their books home, they can reread Chapter Two alone, or to a family member or with a family member. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Closure (5 minutes)
x Ask students questions to review the outcomes of the lesson. Add to add ideas and insights to the Essential Question Chart: How do illustrators help readers understand the words and ideas in a book? x Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Tomorrow, you will read another semi-­
autobiographical book by Cynthia Rylant describing Appalachia and the people who live there. They will read the third chapter in The Blue Hill Meadows, a story that takes place in the winter. Lesson 3:
Before Reading Teacher Lesson (10 minutes)
x
x
x
Begin by discussing WKH5HDGHUV¶5HVSRQVH-ournal entry from the last lesson. Ask: o Why was it important for both Willie and his father to spend this day together? o What do you think Cynthia Rylant was trying to say about family members and their relationships (theme)? o What was the mood or feeling of the story (e.g., warm, loving, caring family relationships)? Tell students WKDWWRGD\¶VUHDG-­aloud Appalachia: The Voices of Sleeping Birds, is about where Cynthia Rylant grew up. Locate the Appalachian region on a map. Point out that Appalachia includes all of West Virginia and parts of twelve other states that run from southern New York State to northern Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama. Tell students that both author and illustrator are from Appalachia and read the author/illustrator notes at the back of the book. Page 14 of 47 Teacher Read-­aloud Appalachia: The Voices of Sleeping Birds and Discussion
(25 minutes) x
x
After Reading (15 minutes):
x Ask students to answer the following questions in their 5HDGHUV¶Response Journals+RZLV³%OL]]DUG3DUW\´GLIIHUHQWIURPWKHother two chapters we have read, and how is it the same? Use examples from the text to support your answers. x
x
x
x
x
Set a purpose for reading: Explain to students that this is not a story, but it is not an informational text, either. It is a description of rural life in Appalachia including the setting, people, pets, jobs, houses, food, religion, and activities of families and friends who live in this region. Ask students to listen as you read the book and think about how this story is similar to the ones they have read or listened to so far by Cynthia Rylant. Do an interactive read-­aloud, stopping at several points in the book to discuss the setting, people, animals, and parts of nature described and illustrated in the book. After reading, ask students: o According to this book, what would it be like to live in Appalachia? o How does this compare with their lives? o How is this book like the stories read so far by Cynthia Rylant? How is it GLIIHUHQW"$UHWKHUHDQ\FRQQHFWLRQVEHWZHHQWKHGLIIHUHQWERRNVZH¶YHUHDG
so far by Cynthia Rylant? o How does the style of the illustrations match the story? Ask students to add Appalachia WRWKH³%RRNVE\&\QWKLD5\ODQW´FKDUWLQWKHLU
Response Journals. They should include one sentence describing what the book is about and another sentence that tells what they learned about Cynthia Rylant. Place the book LQWKH$XWKRU¶V&RUQHr. Reading of Whole-­class Text The Blue Hill Meadows (25 minutes):
x Review vocabulary words that may be new or unfamiliar to students (e.g., iguana, aquarium, telescope). Check that students know the meaning of the word blizzard. x %HJLQ&KDSWHU³%OL]]DUG3DUW\´Read aloud page 23 and page 24 up WR³«DQG
sent all the children KRPHHDUO\´ Ask students what they think the problem might be in this chapter. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Tell students they will finish reading the chapter to find out why the chapter is FDOOHG³%OL]]DUG3DUW\´DQGhow this chapter is different from the first two. Closure (5 minutes)
x
x
Ask students questions to review the outcomes of the lesson. Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Explain that you will read-­aloud an autobiography Cynthia Rylant wrote for children and finish The Blue Hill Meadows. The final chapter that takes place in the spring! Students will start to think about writing their own personal narrative set in a season. Lesson 4: Before Reading Teacher Lesson: (10 minutes)
x Ask several students to read their responses ³%OL]]DUG3DUW\´ x Briefly review the settings/seasons they have read about so far in The Blue Hill Meadows. Teacher Read-­aloud and Discussion (20 minutes)
x Review what an autobiography is and explain how it is different from a biography. Then, introduce the book, Best Wishes. x Tell students that this autobiography of Cynthia Rylant was published in 1992, so other things have happened in her life since then. x Review the photographs in the book. Ask students to tell you any connections that they think of between the photographs and the other stories and pictures ERRNVE\&\QWKLD5\ODQWWKDWWKH\¶YHUHDG Page 15 of 47 x
x
x
x
Do an interactive read-­aloud, stopping at several points in the book to discuss the settings, people, animals, and nature she talks about in her autobiography. After reading, ask students what they have learned about how Cynthia Rylant gets her ideas for her writing. This could include references to the text or inferences that they are making. Ask students WRFRPSOHWHWKHLU5HDGHUV¶5HVSRQVH-RXUQDOV after they finish reading the last chapter in Blue Hill Meadows. Ask students to add Best Wishes to the ³%RRNVE\&\QWKLD5\ODQW´FKDUW in their journals. They should include one sentence describing the book and one sentence explaining what they learned. Reading of Whole-­class Text The Blue Hill Meadows (25 minutes):
x
x
Review vocabulary words that may be new or unfamiliar to students (e.g., extraordinary, revelation, inspiration). Vocabulary Option: Explain that each of these words is a form of a base or root word. After discussing the word meanings and pronunciations, ask students to use the words in their own sentences. Ask students to read chapter 4³The Perfect Gift´and then to complete the folORZLQJ5HDGHUV¶5HVSRQVHLQWKHLUMRXUQDOV o :KDWZDV:LOOLH¶VSUREOHP"What did he want to do? o :KDWZDVKLV³UHYHODWLRQ"´ o Why did he plant a garden for his mother? o Which chapter/season did you like to the best? Why? o Note: Students could read the last chapter and dLVFXVVWKHLU5HDGHUV¶
Response in pairs. However, each student should complete his or her own journal entry. x
x
o :KDWZDVKLV³UHYHODWLRQ"´ o Why did he plant a garden for his mother? o Which chapter/season did you like to the best? Why? Explain to students they will be writing a personal narrative about a season and special event in their own lives²D³VOLFHRIOLIH´OLNHWKHVWRULHVLQThe Blue Hill Meadows. Homework option to prepare for this writing assignment: Ask students to do some pre-­writing planning: o Think about a season that is special to you. o Write down the season and then write down a special time you had or an activity you did in that season with family or friends. o Make a list including words and ideas for the setting, characters, and events. o You can include a problem or goal in the writing if relevant. Closure (5 minutes)
x Ask students questions to review the outcomes of the lesson. x Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Tomorrow, we will begin by discussing the stories from your own lives that could be turned into a personal narrative building on the style and structure of The Blue Hill Meadows. Then, you will write a short story of two-­four paragraphs describing a story in a favorite season you have chosen. Formative Assessment
x Collect studentV¶ 5HDGLQJ5HVSRQVH-RXUQDOVDQGUHYLHZWKHLU³%RRNVE\&\QWKLD
5\ODQW´FKDUWDQGWKHLUZULWWHQUHVSRQVHV. After Reading (20 minutes):
x
Once students have completed their journal entries, discuss Chapter 4 using the following questions: o :KDWZDV:LOOLH¶VSUREOHP"What did he want to do? Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Page 16 of 47 Biography Handout -­-­ Cynthia Rylant
Directions: Review the underlined words prior to reading the entire text
Cynthia Rylant was born in Hopewell, Virginia, but she grew up in rural West Virginia. Cynthia calls her childhood simple and unadorned7KHKRXVHVKHOLYHGLQGLGQ¶WKDYHLQGRRUSOXPELQJ
until she was eight years old. The small township VKHOLYHGLQGLGQ¶t have a bookstore or a library. +RZHYHU&\QWKLDVD\VWKDWKHUFKLOGKRRGZDV³DVPDOOVSDUNOLQJXQLYHUVHWKDWJDYHPHD
OLIHWLPH¶VZRUWKRIPDWHULDOIRUP\ZULWLQJ´ As a child, Cynthia spent a lot of time thinking about what people do in their kitchens and living rooms and paying attention to what people say. These experiences, as she calls them, appear in her writing ± family, friends, pets, and memories of growing up. Many of her books revolve around change: a realization or self-­discovery by the main character. Her books often contain a moral thread. Rylant writes in the genre of realistic fiction. &\QWKLDZHQWWRFROOHJHDQGEHFDPHDZULWHU$IWHUFROOHJHVKHZRUNHGLQDOLEUDU\LQWKHFKLOGUHQ¶V
URRP$WQLJKWVKHWRRNKRPHFKLOGUHQ¶VERoks and read them. When she began writing, she was afraid that she would fail. But after she wrote her first book, it was published. When Cynthia writes, she uses her inspiration, memory, and her love of language. She has ³FUHDWLYHEXUVWV´ZKHUHVKHMXVWVLWVGRZQDQGZULWHVXQWLOVKH¶VFRPSOHWHGWKHVWRU\0DQ\RIKHU
picture books were written in just one hour. Ms. Rylant has written all types of books: young adult novels, easy-­to-­read chapter books, picture books, biography, and poetry. She has received many awards for her writing, including the Newberry Medal. But Cynthia feels that her biggest reward is that her writing has given her a sense of self-­ZRUWKWKDWVKHGLGQ¶WKDYHDVDFKLOG+HUERRNVKDYHKHOSHGKHUWKURXJKVRPHEDG
times and they make her IHHOOLNHVKH¶V³ZRUWK\RIKDYLQJDSODFHRQWKLVHDUWK´ 1 1
(Information for this biography taken from The Big Book of Picture-­Book Authors and Illustrators by James Preller, published by Scholastic. 2001) Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Page 17 of 47 Books by Cynthia Rylant
Book Title
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Description
What I Learned about CR
Page 18 of 47 Lesson 5
Brief Overview: Lesson 5 is a one-­day lesson that focuses on writing a short personal narrative based on the style and structure of The Blue Hill Meadows read in the previous four lessons. Students plan their writing by thinking of their favorite season and a special time or activity that they engaged in with family or friends during that season. This planning may be started as homework or in class. In class, they draft their narrative and revise and edit it for basic components to be included. Prior Knowledge Required: 1. Knowledge of story structure (beginning, middle, and end) and story elements (setting, characters, problem, events, solution or conclusion). 2. Understanding of the four stories/chapters in The Blue Hill Meadows. Estimated Time: 85 minutes Instructional Model: In this lesson, the focus is on writing personal narratives in the style of the stories and autobiography by Cynthia Rylant that students have read. Before this lesson, you should consider the structure of the classroom that will provide the most conducive environment for writing. The lesson moves from 1) whole-­class instruction to 2) modeling and demonstrating planning and organizing a personal narrative to 3) individual writing with varying levels of teacher support to 4) students drafting their own narratives. If possible, have specialists or paraprofessionals available to work with individual students or small groups to assist them in their planning, drafting, and revising of narratives. Some students may also need to work outside of the classroom with a specialist to focus on their writing. If these specialists are not available, you can enlist the support of paraprofessionals or parents to meet with individual students as they write. English Language Learners may need explicit instruction and prompting to elicit ideas about their stories during the planning phase. Some students may prefer to write on a computer. If possible, allow students to work on computers in the classroom or computer lab with adult guidance.
Resources for Lesson: Books read and listened to in the previous four days of Lesson One should be available in the Author Corner: The Blue Hill Meadows, When I Was Young in the Mountains, The Relatives Came, Appalachia: The Voices of Sleeping Birds, Best Wishes. x Student respoQVHMRXUQDOVLQFOXGLQJWKH³%RRNVE\&\QWKLD5\ODQW´FKDUW. x Chart paper. x Graphic organizer for writing a Personal Narrative²student worksheet.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Page 19 of 47 Content Area/Course: English Language Arts and Literacy Standard(s)/Unit Goal(s) to be addressed in this lesson:
Unit: Author Study: Cynthia Rylant W3.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. Time (minutes): 85 minutes Lesson 5: Writing a personal narrative Overview: Lesson 5 is a one-­day lesson that focuses on writing a short personal narrative based on the style and structure of The Blue Hill Meadows read in lessons 1 through 4. Students plan their writing by thinking of their favorite season and a special time or activity that they engaged in with family or friends during that season. You will need to allow time for the pre-­writing planning, unless students completed the planning as homework. In class, they will fill out a graphic organizer, draft their narrative and revise and edit it for basic components to be included. Students can illustrate their narratives if time permits, but if they do, should be urged to think about the style of illustration to emphasize the tone of the story. W3.4 With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. Instructional Resources/Tools
Anticipated Student Preconceptions/Misconceptions 1. Writers do not make connections between what they read and what they write. 2. Personal narratives have to have the story elements of problem or goal. Instructional Model, Tips/Strategies: x
By the end of this lesson students will know and be able to: 1. Identify and use the style of an author¶VZULWLQJWRVWUXFWXUHWKHLURZQ drafts. 2. Plan and draft a short narrative about a personal memory in a favorite season. 3. Revise and edit for inclusion of description of setting, important characters, and events. Essential Question addressed in this lesson:
Q1. Where do writers get their ideas? Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education x
x
x
It is important to plan an adequate amount of time for students to work through all of the writing steps: planning (if not done via homework), graphic organizer, draft the narrative, and revise the narrative. During the lesson, you may want to announce when students should be concluding each of these phases of writing to keep them on track and to identify those students who are not. You may want to partner some students or work with a small group of students to assist them in brainstorming and planning ideas for their narratives. Finally, if needed you can allow some time for students to skim, reread, or review the pictures in the Cynthia Rylant books read in Lesson One to provide them with ideas for their own writing. Be prepared to model and demonstrate for students how to plan their stories. Demonstrate how to complete the graphic organizer by filling it in as you share personal narrative about a favorite season and an event that you remember from that season Page 20 of 47 What students need to know and are able to do coming into this lesson (including language needs): 1. Knowledge of story structure (beginning, middle, and end) and story elements (setting, characters, problem, events, solution) 2. Steps in the writing process: planning, drafting, revising, editing Lesson Sequence
Lesson 5
Writing: Planning (20 minutes)
Note: If students completed the planning as homework, skip this section. x Explain to student that today that they will write a ³SHUVRQDOQDUUDWLYH´a true story about events in their personal lives, set in a season, in the style of Cynthia Rylant. x Divide students into partners. Ask each of them to complete the following steps. They can use their partner as a resource if they get stuck: o Think about a season that is special to you. o Next, pick a special time you had or an activity you did in that season with family or friends. o Now fill in the graphic organizer. o Make a list including words and ideas for the setting, characters, and events. x Give students about 10 minutes to write, and then about 5 minutes to share their ideas with their partner. The partner should listen for these details: o The name of the season o The setting (places) o The events or activities o The characters (people) involved in these events o Note: The partner may have to remind the student to write down some of these details. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Writing: Planning and Drafting (35 minutes)
x Model and demonstrate transforming the writing from the ideas on the graphic organizer into a narrative: o Start by modeling and demonstrating an opening sentence. Explain that openLQJVHQWHQFHVVKRXOGLQWURGXFHWKHUHDGHUWRWKHVWRU\)RUH[DPSOH³,W
ZDVWKHODVWGD\RIVFKRRODQGWKHILUVWGD\RIVXPPHU´$VNVWXGHQWVWR
suggest other possible opening sentences for their narratives. o Demonstrate how you will use the other boxes on the graphic organizer to create your narrative. Stop after modeling a paragraph or so. x Circulate among the students to clarify the assignment, answer questions, and assist them in generating ideas, and key words. Writing: Revising (10 minutes)
x
x
Once students have completed their narrative (2 or 3 paragraphs), students should reread their narratives to check that they have included specific information for the setting, characters, and events (and problem/solution, if applicable). Remind students to check that every sentence begins with a capital letter and includes ending punctuation (period, exclamation point, question mark). After Writing: (15 minutes)
x Convene the whole class, ask several students to share their stories and ask the rest of the students to listen for the setting, characters, and events. x Ask students if any of these stories are similar to the people and places in her &\QWKLD5\ODQW¶V stories. x Students could also continue to share their stories in groups of 3±4. Closure: (5 minutes)
x Ask students questions to review the outcomes of the lesson. Page 21 of 47 x
Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Explain to the students that they will learn about some of the series of books that Cynthia Rylant has written. Formative Assessment: x Student written personal narrative including setting, characters, and events in the SHUVRQDOQDUUDWLYHRU³VOLFHRIOLIH´ style of Cynthia Rylant. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Page 22 of 47 Graphic Organizer for Personal Narrative
Setting (Places) Characters (People) Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Events Conclusion Page 23 of 47 Lesson 6, 7, 8, & 9
Brief Overview: In Lessons 6, 7, 8, & 9 students will take four lessons to H[SORUH(VVHQWLDO4XHVWLRQ7ZR:KDW¶VVSHFial about books in a series. They will learn that books in a series often have continuity in characters, settings, and themes. In addition to daily read-­alouds, students will participate in guided reading groups, reading the first books in three different series written by Cynthia Rylant. These books will range in readability from grade 2 through grade 3. Students will respond in writing each day to their reading in their Reading Response Journals (RRJs). Prior Knowledge Required: 1) IPSRUWDQWSHRSOHDQGSODFHVLQ&\QWKLD5\ODQW¶VOLIH 2) Knowledge of story structure (setting, characters, problem, events, solution);; 3) The ability to understand characters because of what they say or do/think;; 4) Written responses to a question should be supported by details from the text 5
Estimated Time: 85 minutes each day Instructional Model: While all students read a whole-­class book during the first week of lessons, this second week focuses on small-­group, guided reading instruction. Place students in reading groups to read books at their instructional reading levels. Before each group meets, read aloud a picture book or short story and provide whole-­class instruction to introduce, model, and demonstrate topics or strategies students could use when reading their guided reading books. Students interact with peers in these whole-­class and small-­
group settings. Before the start of these lessons, review reading levels of all students and create three groups: students reading on grade level, above grade level, and below grade level (You may want to administer an Informal Reading Inventory or the DRA to determine levels of some students). Consider those students needing little support, those needing some support, and those who will need significant support. Since there will be three reading groups for these lessons, it would be helpful to enlist the support of specialists or paraprofessionals to meet with a reading group during guided reading time. If specialists are not available, make a schedule for two groups to meet with you each day. The lowest-­
performing students should meet with you each day, and the other two groups rotate. Resources for Lesson:
x Teacher Read-­aloud books by Cynthia Rylant: o The Old Woman Who Named Things o Every Living Thing VKRUWVWRULHV³6ORZHU7KDQWKH5HVW´3DSD¶V3DUURW´ o The Bookshop Dog x Books for student reading in small groups: o The Storm (Lighthouse Family series) GR Level M;; Lexile Level 700L o ,Q$XQW/XF\¶V.LWFKHn (The Cobble Street Cousins series) GR Level L, Lexile Level 550L o Henry and Mudge: The First Book (GR level J, Lexile Level 420L);; Henry and Mudge Get the Cold Shivers (GR Level J, Lexile Level 480L) Note: All of the Henry and Mudge books are at the same approximate level, and any one of them may be used. x Reading Response Journals Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Page 24 of 47 Comment [SCS1]: Need to include? x
For information on illustrators of books read this week: o Kathryn Brown: http://www.kathrynbrownbooks.com/ o Sucie Stevenson: http://www.suciestevenson.com/bio-­artist.html Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Page 25 of 47 Content Area/Course: English Language Arts and Literacy, Grade 3 Unit: Author Study: Cynthia Rylant RL3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events. Time (minutes): 85 minutes each day RL3.9 Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters (e.g., in books from a series). Lessons 6, 7, 8, & 9: Instructional Resources/Tools:
Overview: In this series of four lessons students explore Essential Question Two, ´:KDW¶VVSHFLDODERXWERRNVLQDVHULHV"´DQGOHDUQWKDWERRNVin a series often have continuity in characters, settings, and themes: . In addition to daily read-­alouds, students participate in guided reading groups, reading the first books in three different series written by Cynthia Rylant. These books will range in readability from grade 2 through grade 3. Students respond in writing each day to their reading in their Reading Response Journals (RRJs). Anticipated Student Preconceptions/Misconceptions By the end of this lesson students will know and be able to: x
x
x
Define the term series, in reading, as a group of books usually written by the same author with the same characters appearing in the different books. Discuss how a character¶Vtraits, motivations, or actions contribute to the plot. ,GHQWLI\WKHDXWKRU¶VWKHPHEDVHGRQFKDUDFWHUVsetting, and story events. Essential Question addressed in this lesson:
Q2. :KDW¶VVSHFLDODERXWERRNVLQDVHULHV" Q3: How do illustrators help readers understand the words and ideas in a book? Standard(s)/Unit Goal(s) to be addressed in this lesson: RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures;; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 1. Story elements of setting, characters, and plot (events) are not related. 2. The theme of a story is the moral or lesson to be learned. Instructional Tips/Strategies/Suggestions: x Use a guided reading model of instruction where students read silently and you ³OLVWHQLQ´WRLQGLYLGXDOVWXGHQWVDVWKH\UHDG Provide necessary instruction/support as you listen to ensure that students understand the characters and their relationships. x 8VHD³WKLQNSDLUVKDUH´IRUUHVSRQVHVWRVRPHTXHVWLRQVUHODWHGWRWHDFKHUUHDG-­
aloud and guided reading books. This will allow all students important time to think about the questions, share their ideas with a partner, and share with the whole class. x Make a list of activities for students to engage in independently when they finish group work (e.g., independent reading, journal writing) while other groups are still reading. Review these activities and your expectations with all students. Encourage students to read and reread the picture books used for each lesson WKDWDUHGLVSOD\HGLQWKH$XWKRU¶V&RUQHU²independently or with a partner. x Academic vocabulary: the meaning of the word ³series´ when used to describe a group of books. o The Old Woman Who Named Things: outlive Page 26 of 47 x
o ³6ORZHU7KDQWKH5HVW´IURPEvery Living Thing: sympathetic, congenial, grateful, beckoning, plaque See ³Suggested Daily Reading Schedule´p. 32 for chapters to read each day What students need to know and are able to do coming into this lesson (including language needs): 1. The basic story elements expected in any narrative text (setting, characters, problem, solution). 2. Strategies for understanding a character in a story by identifying: how the character acts, what the character says and/or thinks, and what others say about the character. 3. Rules for effective speaking and listening when discussing and sharing ideas from texts. 4. How to write responses to a question using the text to support their answers. x
Explain to students the new format. They will read their own books in a small group. Each group will read the first book in one of &\QWKLD5\ODQW¶V series. After reading, they will respond in their Reading Response Journals to a question about the characters in their books. Interactive Read-­aloud The Old Woman Who Named Things and Discussion (20
minutes) x
x
x
Lesson Sequence
Lesson 6:
Before Reading Teacher Lesson (10 minutes)
x
x
x
x
Remind students that they have previously focused WKHTXHVWLRQ³:KHUHGR
ZULWHUVJHWWKHLULGHDV"´7KH\KDYHOHDUQHGDERXWWKHRYHUODSEHWZHHQ&\QWKLD
5\ODQW¶VH[SHULHQFHVDQGKHUZULWLQJ Explain to students that they will be focusing on characters in the next lessons. Discuss the following questions: o Who has read a book in a series? Who were the characters? o Has anyone read a book in a series by Cynthia Rylant? o Has anyone read the Poppleton Series or Mr. Putter and Tabby? ,IVWXGHQWVGRQ¶WFRYHUWKHIROORZLQJLQIRUPDWLRQHxplain that Cynthia Rylant has written several series and that they may have already read some of these in second grade (e.g., Poppleton series, Mr. Putter and Tabby). Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 x
x
x
x
Preview some of the pictures before reading The Old Woman Who Named Things. Ask students what they notice about the pictures of the chair, the car, and the house (they all look like they have faces). 3UHVHQWDQGGLVFXVVWKHZRUG³RXWOLYH´:KDWGRHVLWPHDQWRRXWOLYHVRPHWKLQJ
or someone? Do an interactive read-­aloud, stopping periodically to ask students what they know about the character of the old woman. For example: o Why did she name some things but not the puppy? o Why was she afraid to name the puppy? o How did she feel when the puppy did not come around anymore? o How is she changing because of the dog? o :KDWLV&\QWKLD5\ODQW¶VPHVVDJHDERXWWKHFRQQHFWLRQEHWZHHQDQLPDOV
and people? After reading, discuss the book, focusing on what students learned about the character of the old woman. List responses on the board (e.g., she was lonely, she was old, she was afraid to lose things or people in her life, she named only those things she could outlive). Review the list of characteristics and ask why she decided to name the puppy ³/XFN\´DWWKHHQG Ask students what this tells about the old woman and how the puppy changed her (she was finally willing to take a risk to be happy). 6WXGHQWVVKRXOGDGGWKLVERRNWRWKH³%RRNVE\&\QWKLD5\ODQW´FKDUWLQWKHLU
journals and complete the entry for this book. Page 27 of 47 Reading Guided Practice Books (30 minutes):
o
x
Explain to students the reading group format and expectations. Introduce the books to each group. Remind them that each book is the first in a series by Cynthia Rylant. For example: o Group One: Henry and Mudge, The First Book, and Henry and Mudge and the Cold Shivers. Both books tell the story of a boy and the adventures he shares with his dog. o Group Two: ,Q$XQW/XF\¶V.LWFKHQ the first book in the Cobble Street Cousins series. This book introduces readers to three cousins who live with their Aunt Lucy while their parents are on a world tour with the ballet. They decide to start a cookie company and their experiences in delivering the cookies help them to meet lots of people. o Group Three: The Storm is the first book in the Lighthouse Family Series. It tells the story of a cat, Pandora, and a dog, Seabold. They live in a lighthouse in a harbor and have many adventures. x Students read in their books with you or on their own. Begin with the below-­grade level group and then moving on to the other two groups. Students not meeting with you may read silently or with a partner in their group. After Reading: (20 minutes) x Ask students to complete the following assignment in their Reading Response Journals, once they are finished reading: o List the main characters o Describe who they are and what they are like. o What did you learn about them? x Reconvene the whole class to discuss the characters in their books. Ask students to refer to their Reading Response Journals for examples. Some starter questions are: o Who are the main characters in your book? o Describe the characters. What are the characters feeling? o How do you know this? Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Do you find any connections or similarities among the characters in the three books? Closure
x
Review outcomes of the lesson. Add ideas or insights to the Essential Question &KDUW:KDW¶VVSHFLDODERXWERRNVLQDVHULHV" x Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Explain that you will read aloud another Cynthia Rylant book, Slower Than the Rest. They will continue to read in their small groups. Lesson 7:
Before Reading Teacher Lesson (10 minutes)
x
Class Discussion: Ask students to think about the books they read and listened to yesterday and answer these questions: o Based on what you know about Cynthia Rylant, why do you think so many of her books have animals in them? o :KDWLV&\QWKLD5\ODQW¶VPHVVDJHDERXWWKHFRQQHFWLRQEHWZHHQDQLPDOV
and people? Teacher Read-­aloud and Discussion (25 minutes)
x
x
x
Introduce the story³6ORZHU7KDQWKH5HVW´IURPEvery Living Thing. Explain to students that this is a story about Leo, a fourth-­grade boy who has problems learning in school. He finds a turtle that becomes his pet and changes the way he thinks about himself. Preview some of the vocabulary before reading (e.g., sympathetic, congenial, grateful, beckoning, plaque). Do an interactive read-­aloud, stopping periodically to ask students what they know about the character Leo and why he loves his pet turtle, Charlie. Page 28 of 47 x
After reading, discuss the story, focusing on how Leo felt about himself at the beginning of the story, and then how Leo felt about himself at the end of the story. Ask students to explain their ideas with references to the text. o Discuss how Leo helped Charlie and how Charlie helped Leo. o What is Cynthia Rylant saying about the relationship between Charlie and Leo? o What is she saying about people and animals? Reading: Guided Practice (25 minutes):
x Set the reading assignment for each group. (See the chart p. 32 for suggestions). x Students continue reading in their small groups. Begin by working with the group WKDW\RXGLGQ¶WPHHWZLWKWKHSUHYLRXVGD\ x Students not meeting with you may read silently or with a partner in their group. x Ask students, when they are finished to answer the following question in their 5HDGHU¶V5HVSRQVH-RXUQDOV o How are the characters in your book helping each other? Use examples from the text to support your answers. After Reading: (15 minutes)
x
After students finished their 5HDGHUV¶Response Journals, have a class discussion about the different characters in the books that they read today. Closure (5 minutes)
x
Review outcomes of the lesson. x
Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Tomorrow, I will read you another story from Every Living Thing, called, ³3DSD¶V3DUURW.´ You will continue to read in your small-­group books. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Lesson 8:
Before Reading Teacher Lesson (10 minutes)
x
x
Ask students,Q\HVWHUGD\¶VVWRU\³6ORZHUtKDQWKH5HVW´ZKDWGLG/HROHDUQ
about himself because of Charlie? Explain that authors often write about characters and events to illustrate a theme, or message, for a story. Ask: o How do the characters you have read about illustrate (tell you about) C\QWKLD5\ODQW¶VIHHOLQJVDERXWSHRSOHDQGDQLPDOV" Teacher Read-­aloud and Discussion (25 minutes) x ,QWURGXFHWKHVWRU\³3DSD¶V3DUURW´IURPEvery Living Thing. Ask students to listen as you read to find out how the parrot helped Harry to understand his father. x Do an interactive read-­aloud, stopping periodically to discuss what they know about Harry and his father. x After reading, discuss the story, focusing on the relationship between Harry and his father and the events that helped Harry to understand how his father was feeling. For example: o How did Harry change when he became older? o Why did his father get a parrot for the candy store? o What did Harry learn about his father because of the parrot? o +RZLVWKLVVWRU\OLNH³6ORZHU7KDQWKH5HVW´"+RZLVLWGLIIHUHQW" x $VNVWXGHQWVWRDGG³3DSD¶V3DUURWW´WRWKHERRNVE\&\QWKLD5\ODQWFKDUWDQG
put Every Living Thing in the Author Corner. Reading Guided Practice Books (25 minutes):
x 6HWWKHGD\¶VUHDGLQJDVVLJQPHQWV x Students meet with their groups to read in their books with you or on their own. Meet with the Henry and Mudge group to introduce the new book they will be reading. Assign chapters and conduct a guided reading of the assigned pages. Page 29 of 47 x
x
Meet and/or check in with the other two groups. Briefly discuss with each group the information they may want to include in their written responses. Ask students when they finish reading to answer this question in their Reading Response Journals: o Who are the main characters in your book? o How did one character help another to understand him/herself or to understand others? o Use one or more examples from their texts to support their answers. After Reading: (15 minutes)
x Once students have finished their 5HDGHUV¶5HDGHUV¶5HVSRQVHDVNWKHPWR
share their writing with a partner. Closure (5 minutes)
x
x
x
Teacher Read-­aloud and Discussion (20 minutes)
x
x
x
x
Review outcomes of the lesson. Preview outcomes for the next lesson: ([SODLQWKDWWRPRUURZ¶VUHDG-­aloud will be The Bookshop Dog by Cynthia Rylant, and they will also have time to finish their small group reading books. Formative Assessment:
x
Collect the Reading Response Journals from one or more of the groups to assess their comprehension of their stories and written expression of their ideas. Lesson 9: Before Reading Teacher Lesson (10 minutes)
x
x
Review the concept of reading about characters and events as a way of XQGHUVWDQGLQJWKHDXWKRU¶VPHVVDJHRUWKHPH
Ask several students to share what they have learned about the characters in their books and the relationships between those characters (at least one student from each group). Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Encourage students to read the books that their classmates in other groups are reading. x
Introduce the story, The Bookshop Dog. Point out that, unlike the other picture books you have read, Cynthia Rylant both wrote and illustrated this book. Tell students to listen as you read to find out what they know about Martha Jane and her owner, and how all of the people in the community (town) helped when there was a problem. Do an interactive read-­aloud, stopping periodically to discuss what they know about the characters in the story. After reading, discuss the story. o What did you learn about the bookshop owner? o What did you learn about Martha Jane? o How did Martha Jane unite the community? o Why do you think Cynthia Rylant decided to illustrate this book herself?
o What do you think the message or theme was that Cynthia Rylant was trying to tell? o Did this story remind you of any other books we have read by Cynthia Rylant?
$VNVWXGHQWVWRFRPSOHWHWKH³%RRNVE\&\QWKLD5\ODQW´FKDUWZLWKThe Bookshop Dog. Place the book in the $XWKRU¶V&RUQHU
Reading Guided Practice Books (25 minutes):
x
x
x
Tell students they will be completing their group books today. Set DSXUSRVHIRUWRGD\¶VUHDGLQJ$VNVWXGHQWVDVWKH\DUHUHDGLQJWRthink about how Cynthia Rylant wrote about characters and events to give the reader her message about people and animals. Ask students to respond to the following questions, once they have finished reading: Page 30 of 47 ³,WKLQN&\QWKLD5\ODQWLVWU\LQJWRJLYHWKHUHDGHUWKHPHVVDJHWKDW
_____________________. I think this because____________________ JLYHH[DPSOHV´
o You may want to discuss possible answers to this question with the whole class or with a group that needs assistance, using a book that has already been read.
Students meet with their groups to finish reading their books with you or on their own. o
x
After Reading: (20 minutes)
x $IWHUVWXGHQWVKDYHILQLVKHGWKHLU5HDGHUV¶ Response, ask students to discuss the following questions: o What else have you learned about Cynthia Rylant through your reading this week? o What messages or themes was she trying to convey in these books? o Which books have you liked the most? o Be sure that students support their opinions with examples from the text. x Write their responses on the board and so students can make comparisons across groups. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 x
x
Present several additional books included in each of the three series the students read (e.g., The Whale, from The Lighthouse Family series;; A Little Shopping, from the Cobble Street Cousins series;; any of the Henry and Mudge books. Place these and other books in the series in the Author Corner for students to read independently. Closure (5 minutes)
x Review outcomes of the lesson. x Preview outcomes for the next lesson: Explain that you are done reading new books by Cynthia Rylant. Next, you will start working on letters to Cynthia Rylant. Formative Assessment Collect the Reading Response Journals from another group to assess their comprehension of their stories and written expression of their ideas. Page 31 of 47 Author Study: Cynthia Rylant
Week 2 Small-­group Reading Suggested Schedule Day
The Storm (Lighthouse
Family series) ,Q$XQW/XF\¶V.LWFKHQ (The Cobble
Street Cousins series) Henry and Mudge The First Book 1 Ch. 1±2 Ch. 1 Ch. 1±4 The First Book 2 Ch. 3±4 Ch. 2 Ch. 5±8 And the Cold Shivers 3 Ch. 5±7 Ch. 3 Ch. 1 And the Cold Shivers 4 Ch. 8±9 Ch. 4 Ch. 2±3 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Page 32 of 47 Lesson 10
Brief Overview: Lesson 10 is a one or two day lesson that focuses on writing a letter to the author DQGRQHRIWKHLOOXVWUDWRUVRI&\QWKLD5\ODQW¶VERRNV. This letter writing is also the curriculum embedded performance task, or CEPA which will provide students with an opportunity to showcase all of their learning about Cynthia Rylant and her books. Students will have a chance to read a letter that Cynthia Rylant has written to her readers before they start drafting their own letters. Students may reread some of her books or read a new one for independent reading. Prior Knowledge Required: 1. Knowledge of the people and places in her stories;; knowledge of the relationships between people and people and animals in her stories 2. Understanding of the message or themes in her books. Estimated Time: 80 minutes, one or two days Instructional Model: Before this lesson, consider the structure of the classroom that will provide the most conducive environment for writing. Consider any students who will need a differentiated level of support to accomplish the letter writing as outline in the curriculum embedded performance assessment, or CEPA. Resources for Lesson: 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Copies for the class of the CEPA instructions. CEPA instructions for the teacher. Books read and listened to from all of the previous lessons should be available in the Author Corner. Copies for the class of the ³/HWWHUIURP&\QWKLD5\ODQW+HOORWRDOOP\IULHQGV´.) Another biography can be found on her website, http://www.cynthiarylant.com XQGHU³$ERXW&\QWKLD´ This site also includes an address where letters can be sent. 7KHVWXGHQWV5HDGHUV¶5HVSRQVH-RXUQDOVZLWKWKH³%RRNVE\&\QWKLD5\ODQW´FKDUW The Essential Questions Charts For information on illustrators of books read aloud this week: a. Lauren Stringer: http://www.laurenstringer.com/Home.html b. Lisa Desimini: http://www.lisadesimini.com/ c. Jill Kastner: http://www.jillkastner.com/ Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Page 33 of 47 Content Area/Course: English Language Arts and Literacy, Grade 3 Unit: Author Study: Cynthia Rylant Time (minutes): 85 minutes Lesson 10: A Letter to Cynthia Rylant
Overview: Lesson 10 is a one or two day lesson that focuses on writing a letter to the author and the illustrator of one of her books. Students read a letter she has written to her young readers. Then, they plan a written response according to the directions and criteria outlined in the Curriculum Embedded Performance Assessment or CEPA. Students may reread some of &\QWKLD5\ODQW¶V books or read a new one for independent reading. By the end of this lesson students will know and be able to: x
Plan and draft a letter to Cynthia Rylant and an illustrator that includes favorite books, favorite characters, and questions about her life and other books. Edit for correct capitalization, punctuation, and underlined book titles. x
Essential Question addressed in this lesson:
Q1. Where do writers get their ideas? Q2. :KDW¶VVSHFLDODERXWERRNVLQDVHULHV" Q3. How do illustrators help readers understand the words and ideas in a book? Standard(s)/Unit Goal(s) to be addressed in this lesson:
RL.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures;; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text. RL3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events. RL3.9 Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters W3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. W3.4 With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. L3.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. Instructional Resources/Tools:
Anticipated Student Preconceptions/Misconceptions 1. Authors just write books;; they are not interested in what people think about their books. Instructional Tips/Strategies/Suggestions: x
The CEPA is designed to a completed independently. Think about the supports that will help your students to complete this task by themselves. You may need to re-­write the directions for certain students etc. Any support that will help the Page 34 of 47 x
x
students to draw on his or her knowledge of &\QWKLD5\ODQW¶VERRNVDQG
completely the performance task independently is permitted. Students should have access to the books the class has read by Cynthia Rylant in order to write their letters. Allow some time for students to skim, reread, or review the pictures in the Cynthia Rylant books in the Author Corner to provide them with ideas for their own writing. 7KH\FDQFRPSOHWHWKH³3HRSOHDQG3ODFHV´
chart as they review the books. $QDGGUHVVLVSURYLGHGRQ&\QWKLD5\ODQW¶VZHEVLWHIRUVWXGHQWOHWWHUs. What students need to know and are able to do coming into this lesson (including language needs): x
x
x
Knowledge of story structure (beginning, middle, and end) and story elements (setting, characters, problem, events, solution) Steps in the writing process: planning, drafting, revising, editing Letter-­writing format x
x
Students who finish their letters, should be reminded to look through the directions for the criteria and re-­read their letter focusing on mechanics. Encourage students to edit their writing for capitalization, punctuation, and spelling as well. After Writing (10 minutes)
x
Convene the whole class to share the ideas from their letters. Closure (5 minutes)
x
If extending into a second class period, remind students what they will need to accomplish in the next lesson to finish the letter writing. Summative Assessment:
x
Read the letters and use the rubrics supplied to assess the writing and idea. Lesson Sequence
Before Writing: (10 minutes)
x
Give students a copy of the letter from Cynthia Rylant to read. Students can read the letter in pairs and talk about their questions. Now give the students the CEPA instructions to read. $QVZHUDOORIWKHVWXGHQWV¶TXHVWLRQVDERXWWKH&(3$ x
x
Writing: (30 minutes), one or two days
x
x
If students need a pre-­ZULWLQJJUDSKLFWKH\FDQILOOLQWKH³3HRSOHDQG3ODFHV chart. If students need help with the directions, try to see if they can read through the sequence of directions on the CEPA. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Page 35 of 47 Letter from Cynthia Rylant
Hello to all my friends! As some of you may know, I grew up in West Virginia. Growing up, I loved comic books, cats and dogs, pajama parties, and the Beatles. ,ZDVQ¶WYHU\FUHDWLYH I liked to play too much, and preferred playing cops and robbers on bikes, or tin can alley, or dolls, instead of doing something that showed results, like writing a story or drawing a picture. Playing is still the greatest training you can have, I think, for being a writer. It helps you love life, it helps you relax, it helps you cook up interesting stuff in your head. I loved animals as a child, I put a lot of animals in my books today, and I live with some wonderful animals. Martha Jane is my big white dog, and she loves pizza, chasing tennis balls, and sleeping on the couch. Leia is my little black-­and-­white dog, and she likes running in circles. My cat Blueberry likes only one thing: food, and lots of it. My other cat, Edward Velvetpaws, likes FKLSPXQNVEXWWKH\GRQ¶WOLNHKLP,OLYHZLWKall these good pets, and my good son, Nate, in Oregon. Oregon is a long way from where I grew up, but it has mountains and, for me, it is new, and that is fun. My favorite thing to do is to go to movies in the afternoon. I buy popcorn and chocolate, and for two hours I am lost and happy. I also like to go for walks with my dogs. Sometimes we have adventures ² someone will fall into a lake or someone will meet a raccoon ² but mostly we just have lovely, quiet walks. This helps my writing. I think probably most writers need to take walks. I love being a writer for many reasons. I am free, and this means very much to me. I am free to write whenever I wish, and I may write whatever I wish. I am free to be lazy and watch old cartoons on TV, and I am free to stay up all night writing a book of poetry. I especially love writing books that are illustrated. They are so beautiful to see, the paper is so nice and shiny, the colors so beautiful and rich. Picture books glow in your hand, and they never get boring (if they are done well). And they last all your life. I love sending my books to friends and relatives. They are all so SURXGDQGKDSS\WRUHFHLYHWKHPH[FLWHGWRVHHZKDWQHZVWRU\,¶YHZULWWHQ,W¶VQLFHWRKDYHDMRE
people are so enthusiastic about! And I love being a writer because I want to leave something here on earth to make it better, prettier, stronger. I want to do something important in my life, and I think that adding beauty to the world with books like The Relatives Came or Waiting to Waltz or Henry and Mudge and the Forever Sea really is important. Every person is able to add beauty, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Page 36 of 47 whether by growing flowers, or singing, or cooking luscious meals, or raising sweet pets. Every part of life can be art. I am so grateful to be a writer. I hope every child grows up and finds something to do that will seem important and that will seem precious. Happy living and, especially, happy playing2. Your friend, Cynthia 2
http://teachersites.schoolworld.com/webpages/BScanlon/resources.cfm?subpage=1213443. December, 2012. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Page 37 of 47 Name:
Date: Cynthia Rylant: People and Places
Comment [SCS2]: Skip this chart and just fill out the graphic organizer? Cynthia 5\ODQW¶V/LIH &\QWKLD5\ODQW¶V%RRNV People Places Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Page 38 of 47 Curriculum Embedded Performance Assessments (CEPA) for Author Study: Cynthia Rylant
Teacher Instructions
Students will write a letter to Cynthia Rylant and the illustrator of one of her books to explain what the student enjoyed about both the writing and the artwork in one of her books. Students will also discuss how the words and the pictures were a really good match for each other. Students will ask questions and share details about from other Cynthia Rylant books to show how closely they have read her books. Your class may not have covered letter writing, but here are some steps to guide the process: 1. Ask students to choose one of the books by Cynthia Rylant for which they liked both the writing and the illustrations. 2. Students should start the letter with a greeting. 3. In the first paragraph, students should state what they liked about the book. 4. In the second paragraph, students should FRPPHQWRQWKHZULWHU¶VFKRLFHRIVXEMHFWPDWWHUDQGVW\OHRIZULWLQJ o Use quotations from the book as examples of what you liked. o Be sure to explain what you liked about the way the author used words. o If you have questions for the author, you could add those as well. 5. In the third paragraph, students should discuss the pictures in the book: o Choose a specific illustration. o Tell the illustrator what you noticed, and explain how the illustrator helped you XQGHUVWDQG5\ODQW¶VLGHDV o In this part of the letter you may also ask questions about the process of making the pictures for this book or any other questions you have for the artist. 6. In the conclusion, students can end the letter several ways: o Share an observation about the book. o Compare it to other books by that author or illustrator that you have read or plan to read. o Ask a related question. 7. Students should conclude the letter with a salutation and their signature. Audience: The author and the illustrator are the audience. Writers and artists are often glad to get mail from readers who appreciate their work. They are likely to respond to students with letters of their own, particularly if they ask some good questions. Standards and Criteria for Success: x The letter or email should be clearly written and should demonstrate what students have learned from the study of Rylant and her illustrators. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Page 39 of 47 x
x
x
x
The letter should show what the students already know about the books and his or her remaining questions. Students may write by hand or on the computer and illustrate if they wish. Students will need to use standard letter format, with a date, greeting, body, closing, and signature. The letters should be carefully proofread, revised, and edited so that your words are precise and well-­chosen, sentences complete, and spelling and punctuation correct. The letters will be evaluated using a rubric on the development of the topic. It will include the following criteria: o Clarity of main idea, o The way the details and examples support the main idea o Variety of sentences and the precision of vocabulary o Control of conventions for writing standard English. Standards addressed in this CEPA are: RL.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures;; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text. RL3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events. RL3.9 Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters W3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. W3.4 With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. L3.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, and punctuation. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Page 40 of 47 CEPA Student Instructions:
Each of you is going to write a letter to Cynthia Rylant and the illustrator of one of her books to tell them what you enjoyed about both the writing and the artwork in one of her books. Be sure to explain why you think the words and the pictures were a really good match for each other. Ask questions and share details about from other Cynthia Rylant books to show how closely you have read her books. Here are some of the steps: Directions 1. Choose one of the books by Cynthia Rylant that you liked a lot and write a letter or email to Cynthia Rylant and the illustrator of that book. 2. Start your letter with a greeting. 3. The first paragraph should explain what you liked about the book. 4. ,QWKHVHFRQGSDUDJUDSKFRPPHQWRQWKHZULWHU¶VFKRLFHRIVXEMHFWPDWWHUDQGVW\OHRIZULWLQJ o Use quotations from the book as examples of what you liked. o Be sure to explain what you liked about the way the author used words. o If you have questions for the author, you could add those as well. 5. In the third paragraph, discuss the pictures in the book: o Choose a specific illustration. o 7HOOWKHLOOXVWUDWRUZKDW\RXQRWLFHGDQGH[SODLQKRZWKHLOOXVWUDWRUKHOSHG\RXXQGHUVWDQG5\ODQW¶VLGHDV 6. In this part of the letter you may also ask questions about the process of making the pictures for this book or any other questions you have for the artist. 7. In the conclusion, you can end your letter several ways: o Share an observation about the book. o Compare it to other books by that author or illustrator that you have read or plan to read. o Ask a related question. 8. Finish your letter with a closing salutation such as: Yours Truly, Regards, Sincerely, Sincerely Yours, Best Regards, or Thank You and then sign your name. Audience: The author and the illustrator are your audience. Writers and artists are often glad to JHWPDLOIURPUHDGHUVZKRDSSUHFLDWHWKHLUZRUN<RXGRQ¶WNQRZWKHVHSHRSOH
personally, so you want to make sure to create a good impression by showing how much you have already learned about them in school and by your independent reading. They are likely to respond to you with letters of their own, particularly if you ask some good questions. Standards and Criteria for Success: x Your letter or email should be clearly written and should demonstrate what you have learned from the study of Rylant and her illustrators. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Page 41 of 47 x
x
x
x
The letter should show what you already know about the books and what questions you still have. You may write the letters by hand or on the computer and you can add illustrations if you wish. Use standard letter format, with a date, greeting, body, closing, and signature. Your letter should be carefully proofread, revised, and edited so that your words are precise and well-­chosen, sentences complete, and spelling and punctuation correct. Your letter will be evaluated using a rubric on the development of your topic. It will include the following criteria: o Clarity of your main idea, o The way the details and examples you use support your main idea o The variety of your sentences and the precision of your vocabulary o Your control of conventions for writing standard English. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Page 42 of 47 CEPA Rubric:
Topic Development, Use of Evidence, and Accuracy, and Illustrations Topic development and clarity of the main idea: explain how the words and the pictures in the book were a really good match for each other Evidence and Content Accuracy: the writing includes questions, examples, and details that support your main idea Organization: the paragraphs cover the content outlined in the directions 1 Little topic/idea development, organization, and/or details Little or no awareness of audience and/or task 2 Limited or weak topic/idea development, organization, and/or details Limited awareness of audience and/or task Little or no evidence is included and/or the details are inaccurate Use of evidence and details is limited or weak The writing is not organized into 3 paragraphs outlined in the directions The writing is loosely organized into 3 paragraphs outlined in the directions Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 3 Rudimentary topic/idea development and/or organization Basic supporting details Simplistic language Use of evidence and details is included but is basic and simplistic The writing is organized into 3 paragraphs outlined in the directions 4 Moderate topic/idea development and organization 5 Full topic/idea development 6 Rich topic/idea development Logical organization Careful and/or subtle organization Effective/rich use of language Adequate, relevant details Some variety in language Strong details Appropriate use of language Use of evidence and details is relevant and adequate Use of evidence and accurate details is logical and appropriate A sophisticated selection of and inclusion of evidence and details contribute to an outstanding submission The writing is loosely organized into 3 paragraphs outlined in the directions with a connection between paragraphs The writing is loosely organized into 3 paragraphs outlined in the directions with a smooth connection between paragraphs The writing is loosely organized into 3 paragraphs outlined in the directions with a sophisticated connection between paragraphs Page 43 of 47 Standard English Conventions, Variety of Sentences, and Use of Vocabulary 1 2 3 4 Standard English Conventions Errors seriously interfere with communication Errors interfere somewhat Errors do not interfere with communication with communication and Little control of sentence structure, grammar and usage, and mechanics and/or Too many errors relative to the length of the submission or complexity of sentence structure, grammar and usage, and mechanics Variety of Sentences There is no variety in the sentences There is little variety in the The sentences are varied, sentences adding to the ease of the reading experience of the letter There is lots of sentence variety, enhancing the reading experience of the letter Precise Use of Vocabulary Vocabulary is used imprecisely Vocabulary is used somewhat precisely Vocabulary is used precisely, adding to the understanding of the letter Control of sentence structure, grammar and usage, and mechanics (length and complexity of submission provide opportunity for student to show control of standard English conventions) and/or Few errors relative to length of submission or complexity of sentence structure, grammar and usage, and mechanics Vocabulary is used precisely Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Page 44 of 47 Resources for the Unit
Lessons: 1-­4
1. Teacher Read-­aloud books by Cynthia Rylant: a. When I Was Young in the Mountains (illustrated by Diane Goode) b. The Relatives Came (illustrated by Stephen Gammell) c. Appalachia: The Voices of Sleeping Birds (illustrated by Barry Moser) d. Best Wishes 2. Whole-­class book for student reading (one copy for each student): The Blue Hill Meadows;; 3. Reading Response Journal. 4. Websites: a. For teacher research/information on Cynthia Rylant, visit the following website: http://biography.jrank.org/pages/1628/Rylant-­Cynthia-­1954.html b. For information on Appalachia, visit http://www.arc.gov (Appalachian Regional Commission) c. For information on illustrators of books this week: x Diane Goode: http://www.dianegoode.com x Stephen Gammell: http://www.childrensliteraturenetwork.org/aifolder/aipages/ai_g/gammell.php x Barry Moser: http://www.moser-­pennyroyal.com/moser-­pennyroyal/Biography.html Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Page 45 of 47 Lesson 5: 1. Books read and listened to in the previous four days of Lesson 1 should be available in the Author Corner: The Blue Hill Meadows, When I Was Young in the Mountains, The Relatives Came, Appalachia: The Voices of Sleeping Birds, Best Wishes. 2. Author Chart created each day for each book read. 3. Graphic organizer to model planning ideas for narrative²chart paper. 4. Graphic organizer for students to plan ideas for their narrative ± student worksheet. Lessons: 6-­‐9 1. Teacher Read-­aloud books by Cynthia Rylant: a. The Old Woman Who Named Things (illustrated by Kathryn Brown) b. Every Living Thing VKRUWVWRULHV³6ORZHU7KDQWKH5HVW´³3DSD¶V3DUURW´ c. The Bookshop Dog (illustrated by Cynthia Rylant) 2. Books for student reading in small groups: a. The Storm (Lighthouse Family series) GR Level M;; Lexile Level 700L b. ,Q$XQW/XF\¶V.LWFKHQ(The Cobble Street Cousins series) GR Level L, Lexile Level 550L c. Henry and Mudge: The First Book (illustrated by Sucie Stevenson) (GR level J, Lexile Level 420L);; Henry and Mudge d. Get the Cold Shivers (GR Level J, Lexile Level 480L) [Note: These books are for students who are significantly below grade level in reading. Any of the Henry and Mudge books are at the same approximate level and may be used] 3. Reading Response Journal Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Page 46 of 47 4. For information on illustrators of books read this week: a. Kathryn Brown: http://www.kathrynbrownbooks.com/ b. Sucie Stevenson: http://www.suciestevenson.com/bio-­artist.html Resources for Lesson 10 and 11
1. Books read and listened to from Lessons 1±3 should be available in the Author Corner. 2. Brief biography of Cynthia Rylant written for third graders and including a letter to her readers. This can be downloaded by going to http://teachersites.schoolworld.com/webpages/BScanlon/resources.cfm?subpage=1213443 or by doing an internet search for ³/HWWHUIURP&\QWKLD5\ODQW+HOORWRDOOP\
friends´(Note: a copy of the text for these documents is included in the Resources for Lesson 4 section after the lesson.) 3. Another biography can be found on her website, http://www.cynthiarylant.com XQGHU³$ERXW&\QWKLD´7KLVVLWHDOVRLQFOXGHVDQDGGUHVVZKHUHOHWWHUVFDQEHVHQW 4. Author Chart 5. For information on illustrators of books read aloud this week: a. Lauren Stringer: http://www.laurenstringer.com/Home.html b. Lisa Desimini: http://www.lisadesimini.com/ c. Jill Kastner: http://www.jillkastner.com/ Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education December 2012 Page 47 of 47