Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students will learn the pattern of a circular or chain story.  This lesson is easy to teach, and the kids get a kick out of putting the circular pattern together.  Not only do they learn to identify a circular/chain story, but they write one together as a class, showing them exactly how much fun and simple story writing can be.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

2-3

Objective:

Each student will identify and describe the language pattern found in The Drum: A Folktale from India.   Students will then use this language pattern to create an original class story.  (AASL 4.1.2, “Read widely and fluently to make connections with self, the world, and previous reading.”)

Suggested Time:

45-50 minutes

Success Criteria:

Each student will create a story map showing the circular pattern found in The Drum: A Folktale from India.  Students will then work together to quickly sketch an original class story based on the same language pattern.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Remind the students of the language patterns they have studied in previous lessons.  To refresh your memory, those are:

The Crocodile and the Dentist:  A:A, B:B, C:C, D:D – Repetitive pattern

The Rose in My Garden:  A, AB, ABC, ABCD, ABCDE – Cumulative pattern

Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book:  Nesting pattern

Explain that today’s story uses a different pattern, one that they will capture in a story map.   After figuring out the language pattern from The Drum, explain that the class will create a simple story of their own using the same pattern.

2. Main: 

Part 1:

Read/teach “The Drum.”   Each student will make a capture sheet to show that they understand the circular structure of the story.

Scribe the story map so that the children have a guide for their own maps.  Emphasize that the drawings should be quick and simple sketches, just to capture the idea.  (See photo).

Ask the children the following questions to check for understanding:

• When the story started, what did the boy want?  Answer:  A Drum
• When the story ended, what did the boy have?  Answer:  A Drum
• Looking at the story map, what is the structure of this story?  Answer:  A Circle.   Point out that many stories do have a circular or “chain” structure.
• What elements of the PYP Learner profile can you see in the boy?  Answer:  Will vary, but definitely Caring.
• The old man said that the stick might have magic in it.  What do you think?  Was the stick magic?  Answer:  The boy received his wish because he was kind, caring, and giving to others.  The “magic” was his kindness.

Part 2:

As a class, quickly brainstorm a new folktale with a circular structure.  Here is an example of one that one of my classes came up with in about three minutes:

• There was once a poor girl who wanted a new dress. Her father could not afford one, but on his way back from market he picked up a stone from the side of the road.
• The girl took the stone and went out to play. Soon she came to a family building a fire pit.  They needed a stone to complete the job.  She gave them her stone, and in return they thanked her by giving her a fish they had caught in the river early that morning.
• The girl took the fish and continued on her way. Soon she came to a family with a hungry child.  She gave them the fish to feed the child, and in return they gave her a mat they had woven.
• With the mat, the girl went on down the road. She met a family with a baby.  They needed to lay the baby down for a nap, but they did not want to place the baby on the dirt floor of their home.  The girl happily gave them the mat.  They thanked her by giving her a pair of trousers.
• Arriving in the next village, the girl noticed a seamstress in a shop working feverishly to make trousers. The girl asked her why she was working so hard to sew trousers. The seamstress said that the men of the village were building a school and that their work clothes were worn.  The girl gave the seamstress the trousers.  To thank her for the trousers, the seamstress gave the girl a new dress from her shop.

Story Circle:  Dress – Stone – Fish – Mat – Hat – Dress

3. Conclusion:

Ask the children to look at their story maps and decide whether they could tell either of the stories again.   Ask them to reflect on writing a circular or chain story.  Could they do it again, this time by themselves?  Could they show a friend how to write a circular story?  Does the pattern help us remember how to tell the story and how to write a story?  (Emphasis on reflecting on the experience.)

Resources:

1. The Drum: A Folktale from India.  Retold by Tom Wrenn and Rob Cleveland
2. Flipchart paper and markers to scribe the story map for the class.
3. Clipboards
4. Pencils
5. Blank paper in a literacy or writer’s notebook.

Notes:

I have included this lesson both in the Ancient Civilizations Unit and in the Patterns unit.  Obviously, you won’t teach the same lesson twice to the same year group.  But, because the lesson fits well in both units, I’ve left it in place.  It is unlikely that both of your school’s units will match these sample units, and it is a great lesson!  Please use it in the lesson that best matches your school’s curriculum.

Kids quickly pick up on the pattern of receiving and giving.  They like to guess what is coming next, and they are very proud when they can look back at their story map and retell the story.  This is really an excellent lesson for literature (folktales) with a strong Unit of Inquiry tie.  Many folktales can be story-mapped, but my schools have always had a sizable population from India, and so I like to use the Indian folktale.

Books recommended for this lesson:

1. The Drum: A Folktale from India.  Retold by Tom Wrenn and Rob Cleveland.

Key Terms:

Patterns, Language Patterns, India, Folktales, Indian Folktales, Kindness, Caring, Drums

 

Story Map, The Drum

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students learn to recognize the “nesting” language pattern.  Building on the patterns they identified in previous lessons, they will find that this pattern is a bit more challenging to discover and name!

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

2-3

Objective:

Each student will identify and describe the language pattern found in Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book by Julia Donaldson and Alex Scheffler.  (AASL 4.1.2, “Read widely and fluently to make connections with self, the world, and previous reading.”)

Suggested Time:

40-45 minutes

Success Criteria:

Each student will understand and be able to explain the concept of “nesting.”  Students will also find out their friends’ favourite books and make a quick list or tally sheet to show what they have learned.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Ask the students to tell you the language patterns that they remember from previous lessons.  To refresh your memory, those are:

The Crocodile and the Dentist:  A:A, B:B, C:C, D:D – Repetitive pattern

The Rose in My Garden:  A, AB, ABC, ABCD, ABCDE – Cumulative pattern

Explain that today’s story uses a different pattern and that they will have to try to figure out what it is.  This story is much harder to figure out!  Listen and watch carefully.  Ask the kids to pick up paper and a pencil if they want to try to make a story map to help themselves figure out the pattern (but don’t scribe it for them this time.)

2. Main:

Teach/Read Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book by Julia Donaldson and Alex Scheffler.  The book is rich in detail, especially the illustrations.  Some teachers have not noticed, but the first double page spread in which we see Charlie reading in the armchair is filled with references to the story that follows.  Looking carefully, you can see some of the characters that appear later.  Don’t tell the kids and give it away, just ask them to look closely.  The dragon, astronaut, ghost, cake, birds, knight, frog, and the three bears are all cleverly hidden.

Once you are sure that the children understand the story, ask them what kind of language pattern is used in the book.  They will say “rhyming” but we are after much more than rhyming.  Rhyming has to do with word choice, but there is a definite language pattern.

The kids will probably say something along the lines of, “It’s a book inside a book inside another book inside another book.”  The term for this pattern that I like to teach is “nesting.”  The stories “nest” or fit closely together one inside another.

To make this point you might want to bring in some nested mixing bowls, measuring cups,  or, if you have one, a Russian nesting doll.  (Photos easily available on Google Images.)

Once they understand the “nesting” concept, read the book a second time.  If they want to, they can make a story map easily.  This time, you can scribe one for them.  I like to simply draw either rectangles inside one another with the name of each book/story.  Or, you can also draw open books sitting atop one another.  (See photos).  Both simple drawings get at the idea of “nesting.”

If there is time, please ask the children to collect the titles of the favourite books of five of their friends.  They can make a simple list or tally sheet to show you, and this can easily be done on the back of the “nested” story map.

3. Conclusion:

Bring the class back together for a quick wrap-up.  Remind them that so far, they have looked at three language patterns.  We saw a repetitive pattern, a cumulative pattern, and now a nested pattern.  What kind of language pattern do you think that we will discover next week?  There are definitely more to discover!

Resources:

1. Paper and pencils to make the story map and collect data for the tally. (Pass these out later. Just let the kids listen and think at first.)
2. More lesson ideas for this picture book can be found here: http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/library/books/charlie-cooks-favourite-book
3. Colouring page from Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book: (optional) http://www.gruffalo.com/activities/activities/charlie-cook-s-favourite-book-colouring-sheet
4. Julia Donaldson’s website – it’s filled with great stuff! http://www.juliadonaldson.co.uk/index.php

Notes:

You’ll be having so much fun with Charlie Cook that the kids might forget that this lesson, as well as the others in this unit, have a strong Unit of Inquiry tie.  Be sure to emphasize the language pattern and make sure that you link to Unit of Inquiry concepts.

When I‘ve taught this lesson series, teachers have loved that I have worked with language patterns.  Their material typically does not cover language patterns, yet these lessons are a perfect complement to what they are doing in the classroom.

If the teachers are open to the idea, you can also challenge the children to write a “nested” story themselves.  I am certain that they can do it.

Recommended books for this lesson:

1. Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book by Julia Donaldson and Alex Scheffler.

Key Terms:

Patterns, Poetry, Rhymes, Stories in Rhyme, Nesting Patterns

 

Books inside Books

Books on Books

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students explore another language pattern.  The Lobels’ breathtaking story uses a cumulative A, AB, ABC, ABCD, ABCDE, etc., pattern to paint the picture of a perfect flower garden, until the cat and mouse show up!  Introduce your students to a new language pattern while also teaching them the name of many popular flowers.  Perfect for springtime when buds and blossoms abound!

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

2-4 

Objective:

Students will learn to recognize the cumulative A, AB, ABC, ABCD, ABCDE, etc. language pattern of the poem.  Students will be able to give an example of other cumulative language patterns and write their own cumulative language pattern stories.

Suggested Time:

40-45 minutes

Success Criteria:

Each student will take part in a casual performance of The Rose in My Garden by Arnold Lobel and Anita Lobel.  Students will identify other poems and songs with similar patterns.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Ask the children to tell you a few things they have learned about patterns so far.  Ask them if they remember The Crocodile and the Dentist by Taro Gomi.  What simple (but ingenious!) pattern did that story follow?  (Answer:  A,A; B,B; C,C; etc.)  Tell the children that today they will learn another language pattern and they will also get to have some fun with some of their favorite flowers!

2. Main:

Teach The Rose in my Garden by Arnold Lobel and Anita Lobel.  Read the story through the first time, making sure that the kids understand what the author and illustrator are doing.  Show pictures of all the flowers if the children are unfamiliar with them.  Use a flip chart, chalk board, or interactive screen to explain the A, AB, ABC, ABCD, ABCDE pattern.

Once the kids understand the cumulative and repetitive pattern, ask them if they are ready to have a little fun!  If you can, prepare pictures and word strips of the following story elements:

1. Rose
2. Bee
3. Hollyhocks
4. Marigolds
5. Zinnias
6. Daisies
7. Bluebells
8. Lilies
9. Peonies
10. Pansies
11. Tulips
12. Sunflowers
13. Field Mouse
14. Cat

As you reread the story, have children come to the front and hold the signs or pictures.  Each time the story adds a new element, add another child who comes to the front.  You are literally building the story, one element at a time.

The children will begin to repeat the words.  I like to stand behind the kids in the line and place my hand on their heads when it is their turn to say the name of their flower.  This way, the kids get to repeat the name of their flower over and over.  Children in the audience can be additional mice with one cat at the end!  That way everyone can have a part.

Act the poem out at least once.  If there is extra time, let the kids switch parts.  Mice get to be flowers, flowers get to be in the audience, and the child who played the rose can take a smaller part.   It’s fun to switch things around and let the students play with the poem and the pattern.

3. Conclusion:

Ask the students if they know of any other poem, story, or song that uses the same cumulative pattern.   They should be able to come up with “I Know an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly,” “This is the House that Jack Built,” or “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”

Challenge the students to write their own stories that follow this language pattern.  Their own stories do not have to be about flowers or gardens!  They can furnish a tree house, build a playground, or populate a zoo one step at a time.  If time allows, sketch the outline of the new cumulative class tale together.

Resources:

1. The Rose in my Garden by Arnold and Anita Lobel.
2. Pictures of each type of flower mentioned in the story, printed. (Optional but helpful and easy to find on Google Images.)
3. Names of each of the types of flowers, printed large enough for the class to read easily in a group, and cut apart into word strips.
4. Wikipedia articles, “Cumulative tale,” and “Cumulative song,” for background information.

Notes:

If the children like the poem and learn it well enough, they could perform it in an assembly to share their learning.  You can also extend this lesson by having them color or draw flowers to make a floral board.

Usually, my teachers are grateful for any activity that gives their kids an opportunity to write.  It is rare that I issue a writing challenge that the kids don’t follow up on.  If you are liking the Unit of Inquiry, in this case patterns, teachers are usually very grateful for the support.

Recommended books for this lesson:

1. The Rose in My Garden by Arnold Lobel and Anita Lobel.
2. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Pam Adams.
3. The Twelve Days of Christmas (many versions available.)

Key Terms:

Patterns, Poetry, Songs, Flowers, Gardens, Cumulative Tales, Cumulative Songs

 

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, children learn to “tune in” to their unit on patterns by learning about language patterns.  They will learn to recognize the simplest language pattern of all – identical repetition.  Through Mr. Gomi’s ingenious work, children discover the A:A, B:B, C:C pattern and how it can be used to tell a story.  At my school, the pattern unit focused on visual patterns, so this emphasis on language patterns was very well received by the teachers!

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

1-2 

Objective:

To understand the concept of language patterns and to recognize the A:A, B:B, C:C pattern.

Suggested Time:

30-35 minutes

Success Criteria:

Children will be able to describe the A:A, B:B, C:C language pattern in Mr. Gomi’s The Crocodile and the Dentist.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Ask students what their new Unit of Inquiry is about.  (Answer:  Patterns).  Ask several questions to see how much they already understand.  Questions could be:

1. What is a pattern?
2. How can you recognize a pattern?
3. Can you see any patterns in this room right now?
4. Are there patterns outside of our school?
5. Could you find patterns in your home?
6. Are the other kinds of patterns besides patterns that you see?

Explain that there could be sound patterns (rhythms), weather patterns, even the four seasons make a pattern!  But today we will learn about language patterns.

Language patterns are words that follow a predictable form.  By being aware of language patterns, we can learn more about what an author is telling us!

Listen and see if you can find the pattern in this story, The Crocodile and the Dentist by Taro Gomi.

2. Main:

Teach The Crocodile and the Dentist by Taro Gomi.  When I teach this story, I read it through once.  That’s hard to do, because the kids are usually so excited by it that they want to stop and talk about it right away.  After going through once, we do it a second time with half of the class providing narration for the dentist and half of the class providing narration for the crocodile.  If they are having a really great time, switch roles and have those who were the first crocodiles play the part of the dentist and vice-versa.  Because the dialogue in the story is predictable and easy, the kids can speak their lines with a lot of emotion!

Children will find the pattern immediately, usually by the end of the first two lines of dialogue which are:

C:  I really don’t want to see him . . . . but I must.

D:  I really don’t want to see him, but I must.

C:  Aaugh!

D:  Aaugh!

Ask the kids a few follow-up questions to guide their thinking.  These questions might include:

1. Why do you think Mr. Gomi used a language pattern in this book?
2. Does the story make sense, even though both characters have the same lines?
3. How do the illustrations help make the meanings clear?
4. Do you think it would be easy or difficult to write a story with repeating dialogue?

Make sure that the children understand that we can represent Mr. Gomi’s language pattern with A:A, B:B, C:C notation.  Take the time to teach this notation because it will be important in following lessons when the patterns become more difficult.

3. Conclusion:

Challenge the children to write their own A:A, B:B, C:C or “repeating” story.  Teachers usually love it when you give a writing challenge, and I’ve had several teachers follow this lesson up with the suggested writing activity.  Some of the student work samples I am most proud of are from kids who wrote their own stories patterned after Mr. Gomi’s work.  It is not easy!!

Tell the children that they can look for language patterns in the stories they read, and that you’ll be doing more work with language patterns over the next several weeks.

Resources:

1. Taro Gomi’s web page: http://www.gomitaro.com/
2. The Crocodile and the Dentist by Taro Gomi. 

Warning:

To teach this lesson, you need a copy of The Crocodile and the Dentist by Taro Gomi.  Unfortunately, the book is out of print in the Western press.  You may have better luck from one of the Japanese publishers, but they will be trickier to buy from.   Start early to search for a good, used copy.  I have purchased one from a third-party vendor on Amazon, and that worked well.  The last time I checked, copies were still available at a reasonable price.   It is worth the effort because I have never come across another book that does what this one does with the A;A, B:B, C:C repetitive language pattern.  As far as I know, the book is one-of-a-kind!!

Notes:

Kids latch onto this lesson easily and well.  It’s one of the easiest lessons in my PYP Lesson Library.  And, it’s a guaranteed kid-pleaser.  Everyone has a dentist story, and everyone can understand simple repetition!  You could use the lesson in a unit on storytelling, but I find it works better in the unit on patterns.

Recommended books for this lesson:

1. The Crocodile and the Dentist by Taro Gomi.

Key Terms:

Crocodiles, Dentists, Patterns, Language Patterns, Japanese Authors