Charlie vs. Willie: a lesson plan incorporating VoiceThread

By: Krista Bowen, Sheila Blocher, and Leah Doughman

Assessment(s): (What evidence will show that students understand?)

Students will be able to create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the movie (Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) to the book (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). They will demonstrate their understanding by commenting to a class VoiceThread for which they will share two similarities and two differences between the book and movie.

Content Standards:

GPS Standards:

ELA2R3 The student acquires and uses grade-level words to communicate effectively. The student

a. Reads a variety of texts and uses new words in oral and written language.

b. Recognizes grade appropriate words with multiple meanings.

c. Recognizes and applies the appropriate usage of homophones, homographs, antonyms, and synonyms.

d. Determines the meaning of unknown words on the basis of context.

ELA2R4 The student uses a variety of strategies to gain meaning from grade-level text. The student

a. Reads a variety of texts for information and pleasure.

b. Makes predictions from text content.

c. Generates questions before, during, and after reading.

d. Recalls explicit facts and infers implicit facts.

g. Interprets information from illustrations, diagrams, charts, graphs, and graphic organizers.

h. Makes connections between texts and/or personal experiences.

l. Recognizes plot, setting, and character

ELA2W1 The student begins to demonstrate competency in the writing process. The student

b. Uses traditional organizational patterns for conveying information (e.g., chronological order, similarity and difference, answering questions).

d. Begins to create graphic features (charts, tables, graphs).

h. Pre-writes to generate ideas orally.

j. Rereads writing to self and others, revises to add details, and edits to make corrections.

k. Creates documents with legible handwriting.

NETS●S:

  1. Creativity and Innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students:
  2. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
  3. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
  4. Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.
  5. Identify trends and forecast possibilities.
  6. Communication and Collaboration: Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:
  7. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
  8. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
  1. Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.

Essential Question(s):

  1. How do you compare and contrast?
  2. How do I use a Venn diagram to help me compare and contrast?

MATERIALS:

  • a mystery box
  • Hershey candy bar
  • one copy of the book: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
  • chart paper
  • marker
  • the video Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
  • Venn diagram (pre-made or teacher created)
  • pencils
  • paper
  • computer (with VoiceThread application downloaded and set-up by teacher)
  • microphone

PROCEDURES:

Activating Strategy:

Introduce the unit with a mystery box. Put a wrapped Hershey bar inside the box. Have students guess what is inside the box through the use of “yes” or “no” questions. For example, Student: "Is the mystery item something you can drink?"Teacher: "No the mystery item isn't something that you can drink." Continue until students correctly identify the mystery item (clues may be given).

Procedures:

  • After the candy bar is revealed, tell students that we will be doing a unit on chocolate. They will begin the unit by listening to the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (this will be completed by the teacher over several days). Each day have the students recall important information from the text. Teacher will record responses onto chart paper for students to recall.
  • After reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, show the movie, Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Afterwards, orally communicate the similarities and differences between the movie and the book. As a group create a Venn diagram to display the differences and similarities between the two.
  • Have the students use the Venn diagram to construct sentences stating one difference and one similarity between the book and movie.
  • Have students work in pairs to peer edit each other’s sentences. Once edited, students will record their responses to the class VoiceThread.