Elementary School Library Media Lesson Plan
Library Media Specialist: School: Date:
Grade Level: 3 Teacher: Time:
Library Media Lesson Title: What’s the Big Idea? Library Media Curriculum Unit: Book Talk!
Content Area Connection: Language Arts
Background:
· Students have been introduced to elements of plot and plot structure in Language Arts class Unit 1.
· Students will do in-depth study of the concept of theme (central message, lesson, moral) in Language Arts class Unit 3. This Library lesson will be their first introduction to literary theme.
Standards Alignment:
Standards for the 21st Century Learner (AASL)
*See Standards for the 21st Century Learner in Action for Benchmarks
Standard 4: Pursue personal and aesthetic growth.
Indicator 4.1.3: Respond to literature and creative expressions of ideas in various formats and genres.
Benchmark: Discuss theme of stories, using evidence to support opinions.
Common Core State Standards (AASL/CCSS Standards Crosswalk)
CC.3.R.L.2 Key Ideas and Details: 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.
21st Century Student Outcomes (P21 Framework)
Library Lesson Objective: What will students understand/be able to do as a result of this lesson? (new learning/enduring understanding/essential skill) How will you know? (assessment)
Students will analyze the plot of a story in order to determine the story’s theme. OR
Students will be able to determine the theme of a story by analyzing the plot.
Lesson Assessment: What product/performance will provide evidence that each student achieved the objective? How will this evidence be documented? How will the product/performance be scored?
· Students will complete a plot pyramid organizer with details from an independently-read fiction book. Plot pyramids will be scored for completeness and accuracy.
· Students will identify the theme of the story, using details from their plot analysis as support. Theme statements/supporting details will be scored according to a 3-point rubric:
3 - Identified theme is effectively supported with multiple details from the story’s plot.
2 - Identified theme is partially supported with some details from the story’s plot.
1 - Identified theme is not well-supported, with few relevant details from the story’s plot.
Learning Preferences: *See explanations
Field Dependent Field Independent Visual Auditory Tactile Kinesthetic
Active Reflective Global Sequential
Differentiation Strategies:
· Students may be given the option of using a web-based interactive Plot Diagram (ReadWriteThink)
· Students may be given the option of using the same plot diagram they used in Language Arts class.
Resources:
· Character/Setting analysis and Connections chart from previous lesson.
· Brain Pop Jr. video - Plot
· Familiar story for reviewing and practicing plot analysis: The Three Little Pigs (book, eBook, or video read aloud)
· Flip Chart - Understanding Author’s Message/Theme (Promethean Planet)
· Plot Pyramid Diagram
Instructional Sequence:
CONNECT / 1. Create an anticipatory set to engage students:Remind students that they have been preparing to create a Book Talk encouraging other students to read a fiction book that they have read. In previous lessons, they have made connections to the story (TS/TT/TW) and analyzed the story elements of characters and setting.
2. State objective and connect to prior knowledge:
Today, you will be analyzing another story element, the plot, in order to figure out what is the theme or “big idea” the author is trying to convey through the story. You will need to include some of the story’s major plot events and discuss the story’s theme in your Book Talk.
Pre-assess students’ prior knowledge of “plot” by having them take the Quiz from the BrainPop Jr. video Plot. If necessary, use the video to review and activate students’ prior knowledge about the key elements of plot. Display the plot pyramid diagram as a tool for analyzing the plot of a story. Ask students to recall using this organizer to analyze the plot of James and the Giant Peach or other stories in Language Arts class.
INFORM / 3. Provide direct instruction:
Use the flipchart, Understanding Author’s Message/Theme (or another similar instructional resource) to introduce the concept of theme.
4. Model:
Inform students that in order to determine the theme or “big idea” of a story, a reader must first analyze the plot. Lead students in a class analysis of the plot of a familiar story with a simple plot and a straightforward lesson/moral/theme, such as the The Three Little Pigs. If all students are not familiar with the story, you might read the book aloud, or use an eBook or video read-aloud. Think aloud while adding the first few details to the plot pyramid organizer.
PRACTICE / 5. Guide practice:
Invite students to contribute details to complete the plot pyramid for The Three Little Pigs. Ask students to turn and talk or discuss in table groups what they think is the theme of the story (“big idea”, lesson, author’s message about life).
6. Check for understanding:
Have students share their ideas in a class discussion of the theme (“hard work leads to success” or “it’s better to work hard than to be lazy”). Ask them to use details from the story to explain how the theme is conveyed through the plot, character’s actions, etc.
APPLY / 7. Facilitate independent practice:
Circulate to ensure that students are accurately recording details about the books they read on their plot pyramids, asking eliciting questions as necessary (“What happened next?” “Was this the turning point of the story?”) Encourage students to revisit the text of their book as needed in order to recall the sequence of events in the story and complete their plot pyramid.
8. Assess student achievement of the objective:
Provide students with a list of common literary themes. Point out that this is not a complete list, and some stories might have other themes. Ask students to consider these themes in light of their plot analysis, as well as the character analysis they completed in the previous lesson. Have students complete a T-chart stating the theme of their book on one side, and supporting details from the story’s plot on the other.
REFLECT / 9. Guide sharing and reflection:
Ask volunteers to share the theme they identified for their book, and explain which details from their plot analysis conveyed the theme. Ask students to consider and discuss why information about the theme of a book included in a Book Talk might help readers in the audience to decide whether the book is one they would like to read.
10. Summarize and provide closure:
Today we learned how analyzing the plot of a story can help us to discover the author’s message or theme of the story. We’re almost ready to create our Book Talks! Ask students to think about which parts of a story’s plot should or should not be included in a Book Talk created to encourage others to read a book. Which part of the plot should you definitely exclude from your Book Talk, and why? Inform students that in a Book Talk, Book or Movie Review, or Book or Movie Trailer, revealing the Resolution part of the plot is called a “spoiler.” Ask students to think about and discuss why this is an appropriate term.