Imagination and Storytelling #2: Story Mapping

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students are introduced to the concept of story mapping through a modern classic, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

K-2 

Objective:

To teach the technique of story mapping so that children can use a story map to retell the tale.

Suggested Time:

40-45 minutes

Success Criteria:

Each child will create a story map of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff.  Children will then use their story maps to retell the story to a partner.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Remind children that last week they learned how to sequence a story: How to put parts of a story in order using numbers.  Today they will record a story in a different way, by mapping it!  With a story map, it is easy to retell the story.

2. Main:

Teach If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (or any of the other books from the “If You Give . . . . “ series.)  Work through a few pages so that the kids get the idea of how the book is structured, then start your story map on flipchart paper.  As you scribe the story in simple illustrations, let the kids to the same thing on their papers.  Please see the attached photo for an idea of one way the story map might look.  This is not about the drawings, it’s simply an effort to capture the ideas so that the kids can use their “notes” to retell the story.

Note that in the photo I have drawn pictures for each stage in the story.  But, I have also numbered them.  The numbering should be familiar from last week’s sequencing activity.  But, we’ve also identified the beginning, middle and end of the story.  Normally a story map identifies either beginning, middle, and end or characters, setting, and plot/summary.  Because this lesson is designed for younger students, I’ve kept it very simple.

After finishing the story and the story maps, have the class retell the tale in their own words.  Usually they can do it!

After the class retells the story, have them tuck their papers and pencils away and have the class form a big circle.  Using the flipchart story map, have the kids act out the entire story in simple gestures.  The kids love to do this!  They know what is coming next and can’t wait to invent a gesture or action to fit the story.  Sometimes I have them work in pairs with one person as the mouse and one person as the child.  Again, this is a form of “retell.”  It will work for your EAL children and for very young children who don’t yet have the skills to write out the plot line or spell character names.

3. Conclusion:

Conclude by pointing out that today’s story map is very similar to last week’s sequencing activity.  The best stories are well written.  They proceed in an order that makes sense and they have a beginning, a middle, and an end.   As a listener and learner, you can figure out the order and the structure and show your thinking in a story map!

Resources:
  1. Books from the “If You Give . . . . “ series by Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond.
  2. Laura Numberoff official web site: https://lauranumeroff.com/
  3. More information about story maps: http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/story_maps
  4. Pencils
  5. Paper
  6. Clipboards (if children are sitting together on the carpet)
  7. Flipchart paper and markers (for scribing the story map for the class)
Notes:

The “If You Give . . . “ books are both circular tales and cautionary tales.  They can be used for several teaching purposes but they are also great fun.  The words and illustrations fit wonderfully together to keep kids thinking and captivated.  The books have been widely acclaimed and universally loved since the first book was published in 1985.   You can use them to teach story mapping, as I’ve done here, or other literacy skills.

Recommended books for this lesson:

All books are by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond.

  1. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
  2. If You Give a Moose a Muffin
  3. If You Give a Pig a Pancake
  4. If You Give a Cat a Cupcake
  5. If You Give a Dog a Donut
  6. If You Give a Mouse a Brownie
Key Terms:

Circular Stories, Laura Numeroff, Predictions, Cause and Effect

Story Map

Imagination and Storytelling #1: Story Sequencing

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students will practice making predictions based on visual clues in a text.  They will also sequence a story using an author-provided handout and extend the lesson with a simple craft activity.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

K-2 

Objective:

To practice prediction and story sequencing using a traditional tale.

Suggested Time:

40-50 minutes

Success Criteria:

Each student will sequence Jan Brett’s The Mitten by listening to the story, marking a number on each of the animals, then cutting out the animals and gluing them to the outside of a single mitten.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Introduce the idea that stories have a beginning, middle, and end, and need to be told in order.  It would not make sense to tell the ending of a story first!  In today’s story, the author gives us several clues as to what comes next in the story.  Look for the clues and keep track of this story with simple numbers written on the animal characters.

2. Main:

Teach The Mitten by Jan Brett.  You may wish to explain that Ms. Brett has adapted a Ukrainian folktale.  Point out where Ukraine is on a world map.  Explain that Ukraine receives a lot of snow in the winter.  For children who are unfamiliar with snow, you may need to describe it.  Ask children some of the following thinking questions to help them prepare for the story:

Thinking Questions:

  1. If it is very cold and snowy, how must you dress if you want to go outside?
  2. What does a snowy landscape look like?
  3. What do you have to be careful about if you go out in the snow?
  4. Do animals like to go out in the snow?
  5. What is fun to do in the snow?

Make sure that every child has a handout of all the animals found in The Mitten.  I like to use the one Ms. Brett supplies directly on her website: http://janbrett.com/put_the_animals_in_the_mitten.htm

Explain that as the animals appear in the story, the children should put a number on them.  Example: Mole #1, Rabbit #2, Hedgehog #3, etc.  Be sure that the children are picking up on Ms. Brett’s visual clues in the mitten page borders!  They will love watching to see what is coming next.

After the story has wrapped up, have the children retell it using their numbered animals.

Finally, let the children cut out a mitten and glue all the animals on the mitten, “stuffing” the mitten just like in the story.  If you have time and want to make this lesson extra special, pair a right mitten with a left mitten from Ms. Brett’s website.  Then, the children can place the animals inside the mitten exactly like happened in the story.  The mittens should remain white, but the children could color the animals.

3. Conclusion:

Bring the children back together to wrap-up with these big ideas:

  • Stories usually have a beginning, a middle, and an end.
  • Stories need to be told in order, or in a sequence, to make sense.
  • If we are good listeners, we can remember the sequence and then retell the story!
  • It is fun to tell the Ukrainian folktale, The Mitten. Jan Brett has retold it and we can, too!
  • What other stories can you sequence and then retell?
Resources:
  1. The Mitten by Jan Brett.
  2. Copies of the animals in the story.
  3. Copies of the mitten(s) found in the story.
  4. Pencils, scissors, and glue.
  5. Jan Brett resources for The Mitten, found on her web site here: http://janbrett.com/put_the_animals_in_the_mitten.htm

Notes

Recommended books for this lesson:

The Mitten by Jan Brett

Key Terms:

Ukraine, Folktales, Winter, Story Sequencing, Mittens, Grandmothers, Grandsons, Forests, Animals, Snow

 

Role Models #5: Jane Goodall

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson students learn about one of the world’s most acclaimed and best-loved scientists, Dr. Jane Goodall.  Bring binoculars and a stuffed chimpanzee to generate interest!  The children will listen to two short picture books and watch two short video clips, both of which will leave them wanting to know more.  Since all children love to learn about animals, follow up with more books, resources, and activities on this topic.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

2-4 

Objective:

Understand the major events and themes that shaped Jane Goodall’s life and contributed towards her becoming the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees.  (AASL 2.2.4, “Demonstrate personal productivity by completing products to express learning.”)

Suggested Time:

40-45 minutes

Success Criteria:

Each student will complete an assignment in which he or she writes six short sentences to represent important themes, events, or activities in Dr. Jane Goodall’s life.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Ask the students to share a few of the highlights they have learned about role models.  As a “hook” for this lesson, ask the students whether they have ever been very still and very patient, and observed something.  Ask them to share examples of times when they were great watchers.  Ask how long they would be willing to sit patiently and watch without distractions from an electronic device or even another person.  How many of them could patiently sit and watch for ten minutes?  For an hour?  For four hours?  For an entire day?  For a month?  For a year?  For many years?

Tell the children that today they’ll be learning about a woman who spent so much time watching one group of animals that she became the world’s expert on those animals!  Explain that today they will be learning about Dr. Jane Goodall, a British scientist, who has become a role model to the entire world because of her studies and activism.

2. Main:

Point out the binoculars and the stuffed monkey.  Let the children take turns holding the monkey and looking through the binoculars.  Tell the children that they are doing some of the things that Jane Goodall did, both as a child and as an adult working in Tanzania.

Share/teach the two texts.  Begin with Me . . . . Jane by Patrick McDonnell to introduce Dr. Jane Goodall.  The text is very simple and short, yet powerful.  Follow that up with The Watcher: Jane Goodall’s Life with the Chimps by Jeanette Winter.  Winter’s text has a bit more detail, but some of the same elements are repeated.

If you have time, show two video clips of Dr. Goodall.  There are many available, but I like these:

Pass out the student assignment sheets (attached) and give the children enough time to complete the short, written work.

If there is extra time at the end of the lesson, show the children other photos and video clips of Dr. Goodall and her environmental activism.

3. Conclusion:

Draw the group back together.  Ask the children questions so that they can reflect on this lesson and their learning.  Why do they think so many people admire Dr. Goodall’s life and her work?  What contribution has she made to the world of science?  What does the world know now that we did not know before Dr. Goodall?  Do you think that this was easy or hard for Dr. Goodall to accomplish?

Resources: 
  1. The Watcher: Jane Goodall’s Life with the Chimps by Jeanette Winter.
  2. Me . . . Jane by Patrick McDonnell.
  3. A pair of binoculars, two if you can find them.
  4. A plush monkey for the children to hold.
  5. Copies of the student assignment sheet (attached).
  6. Globe or map to show where Tanzania is.
Notes:

After this lesson the children will be very interested in Dr. Goodall, her work, and every kind of primate.   I recommend that you pull books and magazines from the library’s collection that connect to these topics and have them on hand so that the children can check them out at the end of the lesson.

Please adapt this according to the resources you have and the expertise you have at school.  If you have a member of staff who has visited the Gombe National Park, invite them to join you.  If you can take your students to the local zoo, arrange for a field trip as an extension of this lesson.  All children love to learn about animals, so extend and adapt the lesson to get a stronger connection to the Unit of Inquiry.

More books are certainly available about Dr. Goodall and her work.  I’ve chosen two of the newest and easiest because this lesson was planned with Grade 2 students in mind.

Recommended books for this lesson:
  1. The Watcher: Jane Goodall’s Life with the Chimps by Jeanette Winter
  2. Me . . . Jane by Patrick McDonnell
Key Terms:

Jane Goodall, Chimpanzees, Animals, Africa, Gombe, Tanzania, Jane Goodall Institute, Roots & Shoots, Animal Welfare, Conservation

 

Student Handout, Jane Goodall

Role Models #4: Wynton Marsalis

Lesson Overview:

This lesson is, without question, one of my most favorite of the year.  While teachers often choose Mozart or Beethoven to represent music in the Role Model Unit of Inquiry, I always teach Wynton Marsalis.  Why?  Because he is a jazz great even though he hated to practice as a kid, and as a professional he actively engages in teaching and outreach to take music to the next generation.  Not only that, but the kids love to listen to my Joe Cool’s Blues album.  Don’t miss this fabulous lesson and turn your kids on to an amazing, real-life, current musical great!

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

2-4 

Objective:

To recognize the music of Wynton Marsalis and to understand his contributions to the world of music.  Also, to be further introduced to the biography collection and to decide whether Wynton Marsalis is a role model.   (AASL 1.1.6, “Read view, and listen for information presented in any format . . . in order to make inferences and gather meaning.”)

Suggested Time:

40-45 minutes

Success Criteria:

Each child will listen to a few of Wynton Marsalis’ recordings to recognize his musical style (jazz.)   The class will be further introduced to the biography collection and use evidence to explain whether Wynton Marsalis is a role model.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

As the children enter the room, have some of Wynton Marsalis’ music playing.  I like to use the Joe Cool’s Blues album.  You can find it right on Mr. Marsalis’ website, and there is plenty material you can play as a preview without having to purchase the album.  Find the recorded music to play back here:  Joe Cool’s Blues Preview Tracks.

Explain that today the lesson also focuses on the life work of one person.  As in the lesson on Walt Disney, the students will be looking for information and then using that information to decide whether this person could be considered a role model.   Challenge the students to listen carefully and to let you know when they hear something that might convince them that this person is or is not a role model.

2. Main:

Explain that the person they are learning today is a musician.  You won’t have time to read the entire biography, so preview it ahead of time and be prepared to highlight some of the relevant information about Mr. Marsalis.   I usually go ahead and tell the children Mr. Marsalis’s name since it is unlikely that they will have heard of him before.

Again, ask the children to let you know when they hear something that might help them to decide whether Mr. Marsalis is a modern-day role model.  Set up a class board or flip chart so that you can record the children’s ideas:

While teaching from the recommended biography, I highlight some of these ideas:

  • Wynton’s parents loved music.
  • Wynton was named after a famous jazz piano player.
  • Wynton received his first trumpet when he was six, but he did not like to practice. He would rather play ball with his friends.
  • When Wynton was ten, he tried playing the trumpet again. He could only make funny sounds and he still did not want to practice.
  • When Wynton was twelve, he decided that he wanted to learn to play the trumpet and he started studying music very diligently.
  • From the age of twelve, Wynton practiced 3-5 hours a day!!
  • Wynton played in bands in high school. He also studied hard and received good grades.
  • Wynton attended a famous music school in New York named Juilliard School of Music.
  • In college, Wynton also played in bands and traveled across the United States to perform when he was not studying. Eventually, he started his own band with his brother.
  • Wynton has won top music awards both for jazz and classical music. He is unusual in that he has mastered two completely different styles of music.

At this point I usually pause and teach the children what a Grammy Award is.  Show them the picture on p. 16 of a Grammy Award – it looks like an old-fashioned record player, the gramophone.  Children will not know what a gramophone is, so bring up a few pictures.

There is an amazing YouTube video of an old gramophone being wound up then playing a vinyl record.  Use this clip:  Gramophone Playing Record  Today’s children are used to digital files, and they will be amazed to learn how early recordings were enjoyed.

Returning to the biography and information about Mr. Marsalis, wrap up with:

  • Wynton liked jazz because jazz allows musicians to make up their own notes, to improvise.
  • Wynton likes teaching young people about jazz and has directed a jazz program at New York’s Lincoln Center for many years.
  • Wynton has written books, performed on radio and TV, and traveled the world to share music and to teach music.
  • Wynton is noted for his ability to compose as well as perform music.
  • Wynton believes that the only way you can get better at something is to practice!

Review the children’s ideas that you have scribed.  Make sure that the class notes are complete.

Finally, play a video of Wynton Marsalis performing so that the children can see as well as hear him.  I like this video of Mr. Marsalis playing on the David Letterman Show:  Wynton Marsalis Septet Playing on David Letterman Show, 1995

3. Conclusion:

Go back to the flipchart or board notes.  Ask the children whether they think that Wynton Marsalis is a role model.  Ask them to give evidence to support their answers.  Scribe a conclusion for the class.  “Wynton Marsalis is a good role model because . . . . “  Use their reasoning so that the lesson has a conclusion and so that their thinking can be summarized for their portfolios or as a group work sample.

Resources: 
  1. Wynton Marsalis by Stephen Feinstein.
  2. Joe Cool’s Blues music, found here: Joe Cool’s Blues  (audio only).
  3. Demonstration of a gramophone in operation, found here: Gramophone Demonstration (video and audio)
  4. Wynton Marsalis Septet playing on the David Letterman show: Wynton Marsalis Playing on David Letterman Show, 1995  (video and audio)
  5. Computer and speakers to play the music for the children.
  6. Screen and projection capability to play the videos for the children.
Notes:

Like the Walt Disney lesson, I have not built a written assignment into this lesson because the kids have gotten so excited about the music it is nearly impossible to refocus them.   However, if you need a writing assignment, set a simple task such as:

  1. List five facts about Wynton Marsalis’ life and his work as a jazz musician.
  2. Do you think that Wynton Marsalis is a role model? Please explain your thinking with a few short sentences.

Recommended books for this lesson:

Wynton Marsalis by Stephen Feinstein

Key Terms:

Wynton Marsalis, Musicians, Jazz, Trumpet, Performing Arts, Gramophone, Grammy Awards

Role Models #3: Walt Disney

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students find out who Walt Disney, the man, is.  Today’s children know Disney from Walt Disney World, Disneyland, or the Disney Channel.  However, long before those ventures, he was a young artist and struggling businessman.  Help the children understand that before the Disney media empire, there was Walt Disney, the struggling entrepreneur.   Kids will delight in watching an early clip of Steamboat Willie and seeing the real Walt Disney in an interview!

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

2-5 

Objective:

To understand the life and work of Walt Disney and to be further introduced to the biography collection.  (AASL 1.1.6, “Read view, and listen for information presented in any format . . . in order to make inferences and gather meaning.”)

Suggested Time:

45-50 minutes

Success Criteria:

Each student will understand Walt Disney’s life work and some of the milestones along his career path.  Each student will also be able to explain that a biography is the story of a person’s life.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Ask the students to tell you what they have learned so far about role models. Ask them to name a few characteristics that might make a person a good role model.

Don’t tell the kids who today’s lesson is about – be sure to cover the book’s cover!  Tell them that they will have to decide whether this person is a role model or not.  Prompt them to remind one another that a biography is the story of a person’s life.

2. Main:

Begin the lesson by giving facts from the text about Walt Disney.  Let them try to guess the person’s identity by giving clues.  I like to use these:

  • This person enjoyed taking care of animals as a child.
  • This person also liked to draw and often drew pictures of animals.
  • This person was best friends with his older brother, Roy.
  • This person was very poor growing up and he started work by delivering newspapers when he was nine years old.
  • When he was eighteen, this person said that he wanted to become an artist! His parents were not very happy about his choice.
  • This person’s first real job as an artist was making drawings for advertisements.
  • He became friends with another artist and together they made a new kind of ad that was shown in movie theaters. These ads moved around on the movie screen – they were animated!

At this point pause and see if any of the children have any guesses about who might have been an animation artist early in his career.  If you need to give further facts, consider using these, which are also taken from the recommended text:

  • This person moved to Hollywood and started working on cartoon ideas. His cartoons were longer and more developed than other cartoons of the time.
  • This person fell in love and got married to another artist named Lilly Bounds.
  • Early in his career, someone hired away all his fellow artists and bought his cartoons. He was left with very few resources and did not know what to do next.
  • He decided to run his businesses differently and did not ever sell any of his ideas again! He kept his ideas for himself and the company he and his brother started.
  • He came up with a new idea to draw a small mouse. He wanted to name the mouse “Mortimer” but Lilly convinced him to name the mouse “Mickey” instead.

Again, pause and see whether the children can identify this person.  With the clues of “Mickey” and “Mouse” and “animation” they can probably figure out who this person is!

As soon as the children guess the correct identity of Walt Disney, set up a chart on flipchart paper or a board at the front of the room.  Scribe a few notes so that the children will be able to remember some of the details of Mr. Disney’s life.

Show pictures of Walt Disney from the front cover of the text and from the text itself.  Most of the children have probably never seen a picture of Mr. Disney before.

Explain that Mickey Mouse’s first animated cartoon was Steamboat Willie.  Show a bit of the original Steamboat Willie cartoon:  Steamboat Willie Cartoon.  The kids are going to be very, very excited after they see the old Mickey Mouse clips!

Show the short interview of Walt Disney found here:  Walt Disney Interview.  The language will be hard for the children to understand, but help them through it so that they can see Mr. Disney in person and so that they can hear him talk about taking risks and overcoming obstacles.

Point out that Mr. Disney had to find his way first as an artist, then as an animator, and then as a filmmaker, before he was ever inspired to build a theme park!  Again, another new and unknown venture!

3. Conclusion:

After you have covered the text and videos, go back to the flipchart or board notes.  Ask the children whether they think that Walt Disney was a role model.  Ask them to give evidence to support their answers.  Scribe a conclusion for the class.  “Walt Disney was a good role model because . . . . “  Use their thinking and reasoning so that the lesson has a conclusion and so that their thinking can be summarized for their portfolios or as a group work sample.

Resources:
  1. Walt Disney by Jonatha A. Brown.
  2. Steamboat Willie cartoon, found here: Steamboat Willie Cartoon
  3. Walt Disney Interview, found here: Walt Disney Interview
  4. Computer for accessing the videos on YouTube.
  5. Playback capability including projector, screens, and speakers, to show the videos.
  6. Any of the library’s Disney book collection, laid out on a table top display.
  7. Flipchart paper and markers for scribing notes about Mr. Disney’s life and work.
Notes:

I have not built a written assignment into this lesson simply because when I have taught it the kids have gotten so excited about Walt Disney and the Steamboat Willie cartoon it has been nearly impossible to refocus them.  Thus, I think that a writing assignment would be a bit of a stretch.

However, if you need a writing assignment, I’d set a simple task such as:

  1. List five facts about Walt Disney’s life.
  2. Do you think that Walt Disney was a role model? Please explain your thinking with a few short sentences.

I have never done an art extension with this lesson, but since Disney was an artist and because there have been so many Disney films and characters over the years, you could easily include an art extension.

Be sure that the children understand that it took Mr. Disney decades to become successful.  The theme parks were a new concept and had never been done in the same way before.  My students kept wanting to say that “Walt Disney invented Disney World.”  But, that’s not entirely correct.  There was a long and difficult professional path that led to his being able to create a successful theme park.  But, he was not immediately successful.  He had to work very hard and develop many aspects of the business before the theme parks were realized.

Recommended books for this lesson: 

Walt Disney by Jonatha A. Brown

Key Terms:

Walt Disney, Animators, Biographies, Performing Arts, Mickey Mouse, Steamboat Willie