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Unit 1: Lesson 5Introduce Part 2, Investigate Characters & Story Elements

Unit 1

Character Clues in Action!

 

                

 

Common Core State Standards

Arts for Learning is aligned with the Common Core State Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language. This Overview describes the scope of the standards and this Quick Reference Guide provides each of the standards fully or partially met within this A4L Unit, followed by the charts that specifically identify the standards addressed in each lesson and step in the Unit. The standards are also coded and listed at the beginning of each lesson in the unit. Arts for Learning also provides a comprehensive student assessment program in each unit. This A4L Assessment Toolkit Quick Reference Chart indicates an overview of the locations of the tasks to be scored in the unit.
 
Each A4L unit is developed on a common framework and contains a 3-part sequence of instruction that educational research suggests will help students become more self-directed, independent learners. There is a gradual hand-off of responsibility--from teacher to students-- that is supported by assessment and teacher help as needed. Throughout A4L units the arts serve as motive and means to advance reading for meaning and writing thoughtfully.
 
 
 

Part 2

Exploring

Unit 1: Lesson 5

Introduce Part 2, Investigate Characters & Story Elements

UNIT 1: LESSON 5

Introduce Part 2, Investigate Characters & Story Elements for Toys Go Out

 

 

LITERACY OBJECTIVE

By the end of this lesson students will be able to identify characters, problem, setting, events, and resolution in a story. Students will be able to identify clues in the text that inform the reader about character traits and perspectives.
 
 

LITERARY "I CAN" STATEMENT

“I can identify characters, setting, problem, events, and resolution in a story. I can identify clues that tell me what characters are like and what they are thinking and feeling.”
 

 

LESSON OVERVIEW

 

Steps Pacing: 40-50 Minutes
Step 1: Introduce Part 2 
Step 2: Introduce Lesson 5
5 Minutes
Step 3: Pre-reading Discussion of Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins
10 Minutes
 
Step 4: Read Aloud Chapter 1 of Toys Go Out, Act It Out! with Sitting Statues & Discuss Story Elements 20-30 Minutes
Step 5: Close Lesson 5 – Treasure Pile of Books
 
5 Minutes

 

STANDARDS ALIGNMENT

 

Targeted CCSS update

 

Secondary CCSS 

 

TEACHING RESOURCES

 

Classroom Charts

 

A4L Student Notebook

 

Text

 

Life & Learning Skills

 

  Differentiation Options 

 

  Leveraging Moments

 

 

 

STEP 1: Introduce Part 2

 
 

Process: Introduce Part 2 and review the Unit Overview for Students (see below). There are many ways to use Toys Go Out. Make decisions about how to use the text and how to structure the reading for your students. Since the reading groups in Part 2 of the unit will also be the final performance groups in Part 3, keep in mind students’ strengths for both reading and acting. See below drop down menus - Differentiation Options: Reading Toys Go Out and Performing Toys Go Out.

 

Part 2 lessons are written with the highest level of scaffolding. Guide the whole class to read Chapter 1, track story elements, and begin the character study. Then, read aloud Chapter 3 and guide students to do a more independent close reading and create talking tableaux.

 

 

Unit Overview for Students

 

In this unit, students act like both reading detectives and real actors as they read stories closely for clues about characters. To begin, students read the classic tale of The Three Little Pigs and a fractured version, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, and engage in a theater technique called statues as they learn how to identify story elements and find clues to characters. Students learn the dramatic technique of tableau and engage in vocal expression to help them both think about and show their understanding of a character’s traits and perspective. In the next part of the unit, students work more independently as they read selected chapters from Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins, engage in close reading, and create talking tableaux that reflect their understandings. Those talking tableaux are then expanded for a final performance for an invited audience.

 

Each A4L unit contains a common 3-part sequence of instruction that educational research suggests will help students become more self-directed, independent learners. There is a gradual hand-off of responsibility--from teacher to students-- that is supported by assessment and teacher help as needed. Throughout A4L units the arts serve as motive and means to advance reading for meaning and writing thoughtfully.

 

Teaching Tip: Section Dividers in A4L Texts

 

 Differentiation Options: ReadingToys Go Out

 

  Differentiation Options: PERFORMING Toys Go Out

 

ELL Support Comprehensible Input 

 

Suggested Dialogue

 

Introduce Part 2

 

 
 

STEP 2: Introduce Lesson 5

 
 

Process: Give an overview of the lesson objectives. Read a new story, use theater to interact with the text, and identify character traits.

 

Introduce Lesson 5

 
 
 

STEP 3: Pre-Reading Discussion of Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins

 
 

Process: Look at the cover and subtitle. Engage the class in a discussion about their relationships with stuffed animals and toys. Review the table of contents. Feel free to make connections to other books and films about toys.

 

Suggested Dialogue

 

Pre-Reading Discussion

 

 

 

STEP 4: Read Aloud Chapter 1 of Toys Go Out, Act it Out! Wth Sitting Statues & Discuss Story Elements

 
 

Process: Read aloud Chapter 1, “In the Backpack, Where It Is Very Dark.” Have students get out their Unit 1 Texts on page 9 to follow along. During the read-aloud, have students make Sitting Statues at points that reveal character traits. Target dialogue, actions, and descriptions for each character to help students make inferences about what these characters are like. This will support students as they work more independently with subsequent chapters. Feel free to mark your text before the read-aloud for sitting statue stopping points.

 

Stop after each section, prompting students to pair-share what is happening in the story and what they are learning about the characters. Then, engage in whole class discussion. As the chapter and discussion unfolds, record the story elements—characters, setting, problem, events, and resolution on a Class Story Map.

 

Focus on the problem as a way to understand each character’s traits and perspective. Sting Ray, Lumphy, and Plastic share the same problem— they don’t know where they are going. Each, however, has a different perspective, or different thoughts and feelings, about their problem. Feel free to have students take notes on their own story maps for this chapter in their A4L Student Notebooks, pages 11-13. The ultimate goal of reading Chapter 1 is for the class to gain an understanding of each character’s traits and record them so they can be carried forward into subsequent reading. Post the Story Map in the classroom for students to reference as they read other chapters.

 
 
 

STEP 5: Close Lesson 5—Treasure Pile of Books

 
 

Process: Send students to the Treasure Pile to practice reading like detectives and looking for clues about characters. Have students select books to take home.

 

Close the lesson by having students make statues of their favorite characters, a look forward describing the next lesson, and an optional closing ritual.

 

Suggested Dialogue

 

Exploring the Treasure Pile of books

 

Looking Forward

 

Perform the Closing Ritual (Optional)

 

 

 

 

CONGRATULATIONS ON COMPLETING LESSON 5! YOU ARE NOW READY TO MOVE ONTO LESSON 6 OF UNIT 1.

 

 

 

 

You've now reached the end of our ArtsforLearning Curriculum preview.