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Cori Timmons
Devan Whitaker
Abby Schwendeman
EDUC340: Literacy Block
April 27, 2011

3rd Grade Literature Focus Unit:

Mary Pope Osborne

Featured Selection:

  • APA Citation: Pope Osborne, M. (1999). Magic tree house: tonight on the titanic. New York: Random House.
  • Summary: Like other books in this series, sibling duo Jack and Annie travel back in time using their magical tree house. Morgan le Fay, the magical librarian who owns the tree house, leaves them a note asking them to help a dog who has been put under a magic spell. Taking the dog (whom they name Teddy) and a book about the Titanic, Jack and Annie travel back in time to 1912 on the Titanic to find a “gift from a ship lost at sea’ to help break the spell. On the ship, Jack and Annie meet another brother sister duo, Lucy and William, who are travelling in a third class cabin and help them safely evacuate the ship and make it on to a lifeboat. To show their appreciation, Lucy gives them her father’s pocket watch—which becomes the “gift from a ship lost at sea” to help break the spell that Teddy is under. Jack and Annie make it safely back to the tree house before the Titanic sinks.
  • How to Read: We would read the prologue and first couple chapters aloud to the class as a whole to engage them in the book. Students would then read individually/in partners over the course of a couple days—keeping Post-It note markers in their book for questions/passages that they liked. After the class finished the book, the class would discuss it all together in a grand discussion.

Related Books:

  • Osborne, W, & Pope Osborne, M. (2002). Titanic: a nonfiction companion to tonight on the titanic. New York: Random House.
  • This book is the companion guide to the featured selection Tonight on the Titanic. It will be used to help students complete their KWL charts, as well as determine fact from fiction in the novel.
  • Pope Osborne, M. (1999). Magic tree house: buffalo before breakfast. New York: Random House.
  • This is another novel written by Mary Pope Osborne. It will be used in a comparison activity, to determine fact vs. fiction and to experience more of the author’s books. Students will be reading these in Lit Circles.
  • Pope Osborne, M. (1999). Magic tree house: tigers at twilight. New York: Random House.
  • This is another novel written by Mary Pope Osborne. It will be used in a comparison activity, to determine fact vs. fiction and to experience more of the author’s books. Students will be reading these in Lit Circles.
  • Pope Osborne, M. (2000). Magic tree house: dingoes at dinnertime. New York: Random House.
  • This is another novel written by Mary Pope Osborne. It will be used in a comparison activity, to determine fact vs. fiction and to experience more of the author’s books. Students will be reading these in Lit Circles.

Supplemental Materials:

  • Information about Mary Pope Osborne
  • Post-It Notes for each student
  • KWL Charts
  • Supplies to create posters for group presentations

Goals:

  • Students will be able to determine fact from fiction.
  • Students will work collaboratively in Lit Circle groups to discuss books and create projects in their small groups.
  • Students will participate in creative dramatic activity to act out main events from the novel.
  • Students will participate in group presentations of Mary Pope Osborne’s other books that they read in Lit Circles.
  • Students will be able to compare books written by the same author in an objective manner.
  • Students will write a letter to Mary Pope Osborne in proper letter format.

Reading Process for Tonight on the Titanic:

Pre-Reading /
  • Discuss author and Magic Tree House Series (Day 1)
  • As a class, discuss what we already know about the Titanic (Day 1)

Reading /
  • Read the prologue and chapter one aloud as a whole class(Day 1)
  • Have students read chapters two-four in class in partners(Day 2)
  • Have students read chapters five-seven for homework individually(Day 3)
  • Have students finish the book for homework individually (Day 4)

Responding /
  • Post-It Notes that are done while reading (Days 1-4)

Exploring /
  • Reading the companion guide (Day 5)

Applying /
  • Creating skits to act out main scenes from the book (Day 6)

Time Schedule:

Day 1 /
  • Introduce the author and Magic Tree House series through short “Book Talk” presentation
  • Pass out copies of Tonight on the Titanic
  • As a class, discuss what we already know about the Titanic
  • Record “K” and “W” on student’s individual KWL charts
  • Read the prologue and chapter one aloud as a whole class

Day 2 /
  • Have students read chapters two-four in classin partners

Day 3 /
  • Discuss chapters two-four based on the students Post-its
  • Have students make predictions about what will happen next
  • Have students read chapters five-seven for homeworkindividually

Day 4 /
  • Discuss chapters five-seven based on the students Post-its
  • Minilesson on “Fact vs. Fiction”
  • Have students finish the book for homework individually
  • Student Post-its for this section should identify facts and bits of fiction in the book

Day 5 /
  • Discuss the end of the book (including fact vs. fiction)
  • Look at companion guide for the book
  • Record what students have learned on the “L” section of their KWL charts

Day 6 /
  • Separate the class into four groups and assign sections of the book to each group
  • Prologue- chapter one
  • Chapters two-four
  • Chapter five-seven
  • Chapters eight-ten
  • Have the groups create skits acting out the main events in their section
  • Practice day

Day 7 /
  • Present group skits to the class to review the main points in the book
  • Have students write self-reflections and self-assessments of their participation in book skits

Day 8 /
  • Provide choices of other Magic Tree House books for students to read in a small group setting
  • Group students based on their preferences (using their 1st or 2nd choice) and assemble Lit Circles
  • Have students read the prologue and chapters one-two in their groups
  • Record their thoughts in individual reading logs

Day 9 /
  • Have students read chapters three-five and record in their reading logs
  • Fact vs. Fiction in their book

Day 10 /
  • Lit Circle discussions
  • Have students read chapters six-nine and record in their reading logs for homework individually
  • Predict how the book will end

Day 11 /
  • Have students read the end of their Lit Circle book and record in their reading logs
  • Compare and contrast their book with Tonight on the Titanic

Day 12 /
  • Lit Circle discussions and group presentation work day

Day 13 /
  • Lit Circle group presentations

Day 14 /
  • Review fact vs. fiction

Day 15 /
  • Review the Magic Tree House series and Mary Pope Osborne as an author
  • Brainstorm ideas for other times in history that could be portrayed in the Magic Tree House series as a whole class
  • Minilesson; Proper letter format
  • Individually, students write letters to Mary Pope Osborne suggesting ideas for her next Magic Tree House book.

Reading Log Checklist

Name: ______

Directions: Complete your reading journal after reading each section in the book. Refer to this checklist to make sure that you are discussing everything that has been asked. Staple this checklist to the front of your reading log and turn in to teacher upon completion.

PROLOGUE - CHAPTER TWO:

Journal about why you chose that particular book, including at least two reasons.

Where do Jack and Annie go in this book? (Time period and/or location)

CHAPTER THREE - CHAPTER FIVE:

Determine what is fact and what is fiction/fantasy in this part of the novel.

Give three examples of fact.

Give three examples of fiction/fantasy.

CHAPTER SIX – CHAPTER NINE:

Predict how you think the book will end?

Why do you think that that will happen?

CHAPTER TEN – END OF NOVEL:

If you had a magic tree house, what period of history or location would you want to travel to?

Explain your choice.

Letter to Mary Pope Osborne:

RUBRIC

Incomplete
(0 points) / Unsatisfactory
(1 point) / Satisfactory
(2 points) / Excellent
(3 points)
Correct letter format including:
-- date
-- greeting
-- body
-- salutation / Does not follow correct letter format; only includes 1 part of the correct letter format / Includes at least 2 parts of the correct letter format / Includes at least 3parts of the correct letter format / Includes ALL 4 parts of the correct letter format
Grammar and spelling / Contains 5+ grammatical or spelling errors / Contains 3-4 grammatical or spelling errors / Contains 1-2 grammatical or spelling errors / Contains no grammatical or spelling errors
Follows letter writing prompt given / Does not follow prompt for letter / X / X / Follows prompt for letter
Supports suggestion with reasons why / Does not support suggestion / Attempts to support suggestion / Adequately supports suggestion
(1-2 reason) / Fully supports suggestion
(3+ reasons)
Total Points: / /12