Literature Focus Project

Brittany Linenbrink

Missouri Southern State University

Developmental Reading (EDUC 342)

Instructor: Dr. Cozens

15 December 2010

Literature Focus Unit

1. Literature Selection

Second Grade Rules, Amber Brownby Paula Danziger

2. Theme

Second Grade Rules, Amber Brown is the light-hearted tale of a young second-grade girl who cannot seem to adhere to one rule: her desk must be kept clean. Amber Brown is a story that teaches the power of perseverance, the fun in having a little imagination, and the benefits of following directions. Students will engage in direction-oriented activities that will allow them to channel their creative side while learning the power of perseverance.

3. Additional Texts:

Danziger, P. (2002).Get ready for second grade, Amber Brown. New York, NY: Putnam Juvenile.

Danziger, P. (2003).What a trip, Amber Brown.New York, NY: Putnam Juvenile.

Danziger, P. (2006).The cat ate my gymsuit. New York, NY: Putnam Juvenile.

Danziger, P.(2006). This place has no atmosphere. New York, NY: Putnam Juvenile.

Danziger, P. (1980).There’s a bat in bunk five. New York, NY: Putnam Junenile.

4. Brainstorm Unit

Second Grade Rules, Amber Brown
Focus / Activity
Writing / Venn Diagram
Writing / Letter to Deskarina
Writing / Create Fairy/Wizard
Reading / Read Tooth Fairy Story
Reading / Get Ready for Second Grade, Amber Brown
Listening / Listen to Peter Pan
Listening / Follow directions to treasure chest
Speaking / Speech about Created Fairy/Wizard
Speaking / Tell a story using Sight Words
Speaking / Design a Verbal Treasure Map

5. Objectives/Information

Activity:Venn Diagram

GLE:3C03: Compare and Contrast

Objective:Students will be able to identify similarities and differences between two Amber Brown stories by completing a Venn Diagram after reading.

Activity:Students will write a paragraph that compares/contrasts elements of Get Ready for Second Grade, Amber Brown with Second Grade Rules, Amber Brown.

Technology:A Venn Diagram application will be utilized with the SmartBoard

Assessment:Students will be assessed via their participation in the writing activity and their ability to continue finding differences/similarities between the texts individually.

Activity:Letter to Deskarina

GLE:2D2: Compose text using words that are related to the topic, and some words that are specific and accurate

Objective:Students will show their knowledge of the story by writing a letter to Deskarina that explains why they deserve a prize for cleaning their desks.

Activity:After reading the story, students will be given a colorful piece of notepaper from which to elicit text centered writing that follows precise guidelines, such as listing 2-3 facts about Deskerina they learned, one question they wish to ask her, and must include all parts of a friendly letter.

Technology:Students will view an overhead example of an exemplary letter to Deskerina

Assessment:Students’ letters will be assessed according to how many and to what extent ideas were drawn forth from the text. Students must list at least 2 facts they learned from the book and at least one question they would like answered, as well as include all letter parts: heading, greeting, body, closure, signature.

Activity:Create your own fairy/wizard

GLE: 2B2: Compose text with a clear, controlling idea, relevancy, and substantial details/examples.

Objective:Students will be able to create their own fairy/wizard after being exposed to various examples.

Activity:After reading many different fairy tales, students will use related conventions to create a fairy/wizard of their own.

Technology:Students will participate in various, interactive fairy-tale games on SmartBoard.

Assessment:Students creations will be assessed based on their ability to incorporate recurring themes/ideas related to fairies/wizards.

Activity:Read a story about the Tooth Fairy.

GLE:1I2a: Identify relevant connections between texts

Objective:Students will be able to make connections between the tooth fairy and Deskarina after reading a story.

Activity:Students will read a story about the Tooth Fairy as a class. Along the way, students will make text to text connections as they accumulate new ideas about what a fairy is supposed to do/look like.

Technology:Students will use the SmartBoard to collect ideas as a group of their observations and examine peer observations.

Assessment:Students will be assessed on their independent observations about the story and their participation in group discussion. Students should come up with 2-3 connections and be able to explain their thoughts.

Activity:Read Get Ready for Second Grade, Amber Brown

GLE:1I2a: Identify relevant connections between texts

Objective:Students will be able to identify similarities/differences between texts after reading Get Ready for Second Grade, Amber Brown

Activity:Students will read their second Amber Brown book of the quarter. After reading the book, students will draw comparisons in small groups about the two Amber Brown stories. Groups will then compile their remarks on a class-wide list.

Technology:Students will use the SmartBoard to create separate lists for similarities and differences that they observe/find in their reading.

Assessment:Students will be assessed by their participation in the group and their contributions to the group’s compiled information.

Activity:Follow directions to find a treasure chest

GLE:1A2: Listen for directions in order to complete a simple task.

Objective:Students will follow a set of directions to find Deskarina’s secret treasure chest of goodies after listening to the teacher.

Activity:The students will follow a list of instructions given by the teacher. This list of instructions will inform the students as to where they can find Deskarina’s secret treasure chest. The class will participate as one identity in their quest to find tasty gold coins.

Technology:The teacher will provide an interactive map of the classroom that accurately updates each direction followed (either successfully or unsuccessfully).

Assessment:Student participation will be assessed via their ability to find the gold coins and follow directions without causing a distraction and staying on-task.

Activity:Speech about created fairy/wizard

GLE:2A2: Speak at an appropriate volume and maintain a clear focus when sharing ideas.

Objective:Students will share their created fairy/wizard whilst giving the most important information and keeping their volume/pacing at an acceptable level.

Activity:Students will share relevant information about their fairy/wizard in a speech to the class. During this speech, students will make their words both recognizable and hearable whilst staying on topic.

Technology:Students be able to share drawings and ideas related to their speech through a simple SmartBoard program.

Assessment:Students will be assessed on how related their speech is to the creation that they have made, as well as their ability to speak at an acceptable volume and appropriate pace.

Understood Concept / Yes / No
Related creation to Information from book. / Yes / No
Projected Voice / Yes / No
Appropriate Pace / Yes / No

Activity:Design a Verbal Treasure Map.

GLE:S2B2: Give clear oral direction to complete a simple task.

Objective:Students will be able to vocalize directions on a map in an attempt to guide classmates to the hidden treasure.

Activity:Students will divide up into small groups. Each group will have a treasure map that leads to a different treasure. Groups will have two minutes to successfully transfer the directions on the map into words and guide the class to the hidden treasure.

Technology:Students will access their maps on the computer so that they can cross off each step as it is taken/fulfilled.

Assessment:Students will be assessed on their ability to give concise directions that successfully lead the rest of the class to the hidden treasure.

6. Groupings

Whole class:Venn Diagram, Tooth Fairy Reading, Listen to Peter Pan, Follow Directions to Treasure Chest

Small-group:Tell a story using sight-words, design a Verbal Treasure Map

Individual:Letter to Deskarina, Create a Fairy, Speech about Fairy

7. Schedule

Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday
Read-aloud of Second Grade Rules, Amber Brown / Read letters to Deskarina / Watch the Disney movie Peter Pan / Create your own fairy. / Create a verbal treasure map.
Plot Chart over story events / Listen to Get Ready for Second Grade, Amber Brown / Read a story about the Tooth Fairy. / Speech about your fairy. / Class participates in finding each piece of treasure.
Compose letters to Deskarina / Create Venn Diagram comparing both stories / Class comes up with ideas comparing the three fairies. / Follow Directions to Treasure Chest / Compose sentences about what you learned in class this week.

8. Literature Focus Unit Checklist

Text—Second Grade Rules, Amber Brown
Required:
___1. Write a letter to Deskarina
___2. Read the class your letter to Deskarina
___3. Create your own fairy
___4. Give a speech about your fairy
___5. Create a Verbal Treasure Map
___6. Reflection on what you learned.
Optional (Choose at least two):
___1. Draw a picture of Deskarina
___2. Compose your own Amber Brown story
___3. Make a list of your favorite books and explain what they are about.
___4. Write a poem about your fairy. / Date completed:

Grade: 2nd GradeContent: Communication ArtsLesson: r-controlled vowels

Minilesson

Objective: Following teacher demonstration and guided practice, students will be able to identify three spelling patterns for the /ûr/ sound by sorting words into categories according to the spelling pattern.

GLE:Develop and apply decoding strategies to “problem-solve” unknown words when reading grade level instructional text. R1C02

Modifications: N/A

Material/ Media/ Resources:

Ross, T. (2004). Second grade rules, Amber Brown. New York, NY: Puffin Books.

Pocket Chart

Flash Cards

Worksheet with graphic organizer

Highlighters (3 colors)

Glue

Scissors

Anticipatory Set:

I want everyone to look at the board and think about what we have been learning this week. Can anyone tell me what we have been working on? (Give wait-time and then select student). That’s right! We have been working on r-controlled vowels. Today we are going to continue that lesson with a new sound, the /ûr/ sound, and we are going to learn some new spelling patterns to help us remember!

Instructional Input:

-OR

Today we will be working with three new spellings that deal with the sound /ûr/. All three of these spelling patterns are spelt differently but are spoken with the same sound. The first one we will be learning has the –or spelling pattern. The example that I have chosen for our pocket chart is flavor.

-UR

The second spelling pattern we are working with is –ur. Again, this is spelt differently than the –or pattern, but they both make the /ûr/ sound. The example that I have chosen for our pocket chart is burn.

-ER

The third spelling pattern we will be working with is –er. The example that I have chosen for our pocket chart with this spelling pattern is her.

Today we are going to work with these three spelling patterns to see if we can figure out some of words in our book Second Grade Rules, Amber Brown.

Modeling/ Demonstrating:

When we look at the first spelling pattern –or, as in the word flavor, we notice that it makes the /ûr/ sound, and when I look over at our list of words, I notice that ‘work’ (not saying word aloud at first) has the same –or spelling pattern. Since I know that all the words we are working with today have the /ûr/ sound in them, I can sound this word out: Wah-/ûr/k. Work. Now, I am going to add it to our pocket chart under the spelling pattern –or.

Add word to chart.

Guided Practice:

Now it’s your turn! Remember our second spelling pattern is –ur, as in burn. When I look at our list of words, I notice that ‘turn’ (not saying word aloud) also has the spelling pattern –ur. Can everyone say this word with me? (Everyone sounds out t-/ûr/-n.) Fantastic! Now, we can add it to our pocket chart under the spelling pattern –ur.

Add word to chart.

Now we’re ready for our last spelling pattern –er. Remember the example I chose for our pocket chart was her. You all should be very familiar with this word since it has been on our word wall since the beginning of the year. Going back to our list of words, I see that ‘never’ also has the –er spelling pattern. Everybody all together! (n-eh-v-/ûr/.) YAY! Now, we can add this to our chart under the –ur spelling.

Add word to chart.

The following table will be utilized on the Smartboard, as well as on a handout for students to follow along with and fill out during the lesson.

-OR
When the spelling pattern –or is found in words, the sound /ûr/ is usually made. / -UR
When the spelling pattern –ur is found in words, the sound /ûr/ is usually made. / -ER
When the spelling pattern –er is found in words, the sound /ûr/ is usually made.
Flavor / Burn / Her

Let’s look again at our list of words and see if we can group them into like spelling patters. Do you think that we can come up with a word that has the –or spelling in it? (Call on student to come up to the front and find a word with the correct spelling pattern.) Awesome job! ‘World’ has the –or spelling in the middle of it. Do you think that you could sound out that word for the rest of the class? (Student sounds out word using the –or spelling pattern.) AMAZING! Can you tell me which column that word belongs to? (Student identifies the –or column and places card beneath the example. Student then explains that it belongs in the first column because it utilizes the –or spelling pattern to make the sound /ûr/.)

Let’s see if we can repeat that process for our next spelling pattern. Do you think that we can come up with a word that has the –ur spelling in it? (Call on student to come up to the front and find a word with the correct spelling pattern.) Super! The word ‘purple’ has the –ur spelling in the middle of it. Do you think that you could sound out that word for the rest of the class? (Student sounds out word using the –ur spelling pattern.) Awesome job! Can you tell me which column that word belongs to? (Student identifies the –ur column and places card beneath the example. Student then explains that it belongs in the second column because it utilizes the –ur spelling pattern to make the sound /ûr/.)

Let’s see if we can do it one more time for our last spelling pattern. Do you think that we can come up with a word that has the –er spelling in it? (Call on student to come up to the front and find a word with the correct spelling pattern.) Nice job! The word ‘glitter’ has the –er spelling at the end of it. Do you think that you could sound out that word for the rest of the class? (Student sounds out word using the –er spelling pattern.) Phenomenal! Can you tell me which column that word belongs to? (Student identifies the –er column and places card beneath the example. Student then explains that it belongs in the third column because it utilizes the –er spelling pattern to make the sound /ûr/.)

Checking for Understanding:

I will walk around the room and monitor the progress of each group. If I hear that students are sounding out the words correctly and placing them into the appropriate columns I will know that they have reached an understanding. If not, more time will be allotted or more guided practice as mentioned earlier.

Independent Practice:

Now that everyone has a good understanding of the/ûr/ sound, I want you to look at the worksheet in front of you. It has a list of words on it that we saw earlier in our book Second Grade Rules, Amber Brown. After you have familiarized yourself with these words, I want you to take a highlighter that I placed on your desk earlier and highlight the spelling pattern in each word. Notice there are three different colors in front of you. I want you to choose a different color for each of the different spelling patterns. For example, you will use the same highlighter for all of your –or words. Does everyone understand? (I will make sure everyone understands this concept before moving on. I will most likely MID what I would like them to do with the six words we have already done on the overhead so students have an example.) Next, I want you to carefully cut out the words after you have gone through and highlighted the spelling patterns. Finally, I want you to glue them in the column you believe they should be placed under.

Closure: