Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students end their Unit of Inquiry on Signs and Symbols by having fun with Mélanie Watt’s Scaredy Squirrel.  Scaredy Squirrel stories are told through a combination of words and graphic organizer-type illustrations.  However, many of the illustrations also use symbols with which Scaredy Squirrel communicates his thinking and planning.  Get to know a new author and engage your reluctant readers with Scaredy Squirrel.  Symbols have never been more fun!

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

2-4

Objective:

Given a graphic organizer, students will create a Scaredy-Squirrel-inspired “Emergency Kit” by using symbols to represent objects they would like to have in their own emergency kit.  (AASL 4.1.8, “Use creative and artistic formats to express personal learning.”)

Suggested Time:

40-45 minutes

Success Criteria:

Students will design ten simple symbols to fill a Scaredy-Squirrel-inspired emergency kit.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Remind the students that they are working on signs and symbols in their current Unit of Inquiry.  Ask them places where signs and symbols are commonly found.  Explain that today they will learn about an author who tells her stories through words and symbol-rich illustrations.  Not many authors do, but Mélanie Watt uses lots and lots of symbols in her Scaredy Squirrel books.  Big Idea:  Stories can be told with symbols!  Not only Ancient Egyptian stories that use hieroglyphics, but also modern stories as well!

Ask the children if they know Scaredy Squirrel.  Ask what they remember about Scaredy Squirrel, where he lives, what he does every day, or what he fears.

Explain to the children that today we’ll share Scaredy Squirrel stories and look for symbols in the stories.

2. Main:

Share Scaredy Squirrel with the children.  Read the book the first time for the plot and basic organization of the story.  Make sure the children understand how Mélanie Watt organizes her stories and tells them.  Make sure that the children understand the humor and wit in the stories.

Work through Scaredy Squirrel a second time and let the children identify the symbols that Watt uses in her storytelling.  Here are a few that they should be able to come up with:

Poison ivy, germs, killer bees, nuts, arrows, clocks, hard hat, soap, band aid, bug spray, net, sardines, emergency kit

Make sure that the children understand how Watt’s use of symbols contributes to the story and how her use of symbols makes her storytelling style distinctive.

Together, as a class, ask the children what they would put in an emergency kit if they could make one.  Their ideas might include snacks, life vest, mobile phone, first aid supplies, walkie-talkies, batteries, medicine, reflective vest, list of addresses and contact information, a map, etc.  Be sure that you scribe 15+ ideas from the class.  Use a flipchart, white board, or promethean board so that all the students can see the class emergency kit ideas.

Pass out copies of “Create Your Own Emergency Kit” from Kids Can Press on the Scaredy Squirrel web site, found here.  (See the second page of the PDF.)  Have the children use the class list of ideas, plus any of their own ideas, to use symbols to compete their own emergency kits.

If the children finish and if there is time, read and enjoy another Scaredy Squirrel story together (optional).

3. Conclusion:

Tell the children that your work with them in the Signs and Symbols Unit of Inquiry is now complete, but that you encourage them to read more from Mélanie Watt, work with more infographics, learn more flags, and pay attention to the signs and symbols in the library.  The world is full of signs and symbols, and it has been a delight to share these learning experiences with them.

Resources:

1. Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt. ISBN
2. Scaredy Squirrel website, found here.  Includes games and lesson plans.
3. Storytime suggestions for Scaredy Squirrel, including the Emergency Kit activity template, found here.
4. Pencils, colored pencils, or markers.

Notes:

Mélanie Watt’s Scaredy Squirrel stories have enormous educational value.  I find them to be underutilized and hope that this lesson spurs your thinking as to how these kid-friendly, fun-filled texts can work for your students.  Although I’ve written this lesson as part of a unit on Signs and Symbols, you could also use the texts to work with the concepts of:

1. Graphic Organizers
2. Event Planning (how to leave the nut tree, how to visit the beach, etc.)
3. Organizational Skills
4. Time Management
5. “I used to think  . . .  but now I think” visible thinking routine.

Recommended books for this lesson:

1. Scaredy Squirrel by Mélanie Watt.
2. Any of the other Scaredy Squirrel stories, also by Mélanie Watt.

Key Terms:

Scaredy Squirrel, Mélanie Watt, Symbols, Squirrels, Fear, Courage

 

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students learn that flags are symbols of countries.  Flags have colors, shapes, and pictures or symbols.  When these elements come together, a universally recognized symbol of the country is the result.  Let your children explore state flags or flags of the world in this hands-on, art-extended lesson.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

2-3

Objective:

Understand that flags are national symbols and sketch three national flags.   (AASL  4.1.8, “Use creative and artistic formats to express personal learning.)

Suggested Time:

45 -50 minutes

Success Criteria:

Each student will be able identify at least three country flags.  Each student will sketch the three flags and, together with his/her classmates, create a class “Book of Flags.”

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Remind the class that, in this Unit of Inquiry, they are studying symbols and signs.  Ask them to remind you what a symbol is.  (Answer:  Something that stands for something else.)

Tell the children that today they will have the chance to work with some of the most common symbols in the world.  These are symbols that represent countries or, sometimes, cultures.  They are almost always rectangular.  Most of them have colors, line, and shapes, but not words.  Sometimes they fly at the top of poles.  You see them a lot during the Olympics, at other sports competitions, or at festivals.  See if the children can guess that today they’ll be working with flags.

2. Main:

Introduce the children to the reference materials you have that show flags of the world.  Flags are often found in almanacs, atlases, or encyclopedias.  They can also be found online, but in my experience the children like to be able to flip pages so that they can see many flags at one time.

Pass out the student assignment sheets.  Read through the instructions together.  Give the students time to complete the assignment.  If they can’t complete everything, that is okay.  The assignment sheet has four blank flag templates, and they should try to complete at least the first three.

I like to have a few featured flags on the screen or board to set the tone of the lesson.  If you have some or can print a few, it will help the children focus on flags as symbols for this lesson.

3. Conclusion:

Ask the children to share their flags with an elbow partner or someone from another table. Ask children why flags are such effective symbols and why most countries have a national flag.

Collect their work, cut the flags apart, and bind them into a class book.  You could also make a simple display by attaching the flags to a string and hanging the flag banner in the classroom or throughout the library.

Resources:

1. Copies of the Student Assignment Sheet (attached).  Modify for your students as needed.
2. Pencils, colored pencils, crayons, markers, or oil pastels.
3. Computer with an Internet connection for accessing Google Images.
4. Set of almanacs or atlases that features world flags.
5. World Book Online (or other digital subscription) that has a collection of world flags (optional).

Notes:

I have written this lesson for international country flags, but there are many ways to adapt this lesson for your students.  If you live in a country that has states and state flags/crests, you can easily incorporate those into the assignment.  If your students are well traveled, be sure to ask them for a flag from a place they have never visited.  If your children have not had much opportunity to travel, you may wish to adapt the lesson by having them match completed flags to countries/locations on a world map.  Please choose the adaptation that will be most beneficial for your students.  The big idea is that flags are symbols – as long as you’ve got that, the lesson will be fine.

Recommended Books for this Lesson:

One of the following, or any text that has a collection of World Flags:

1. Class set of Scholastic Kids’ Almanacs
2. Class set of National Geographic Kids’ Atlases
3. Class Set of National Geographic Kids’ Almanacs

Key Words:

Signs, Symbols, Flags, Atlases, Almanacs, Atlas, Almanac, World Flags

 

Student Assignment Sheet, National Flags as Symbols

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students are introduced to infographics.  Some infographics use symbols, and the lesson focuses on the use of symbols to help convey information and represent facts in infographics.  We want the children to find more and different uses for symbols, and infographics are a great way to get them into information-rich nonfiction while keeping the link to their Unit of Inquiry.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

2-4

Objective:

Given infographics from What’s Where in the World, each student will collect 10 symbols and explain what those symbols represent.  (AASL 4.1.4, “Seek information for personal learning in a variety of formats and genres.”)

Suggested Time:

45-50 minutes

Success Criteria:

Students will record ten symbols and their meanings from child-friendly infographics.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Remind the students that they are working on signs and symbols in their current Unit of Inquiry.  Ask them places where they commonly find signs and symbols.  Explain that today they will learn how symbols can be used in infographics.

Teach what an infographic is.  Generally, infographics:

• Contain facts or information
• Include art (often symbols)
• Tell the reader something about the information

Show a few examples of infographics from What’s Where in the World so that the kids get an idea of what an infographic looks like.  Be sure to point out color coding, keys, text boxes, or other features that make the infographics understandable.  For this lesson, try to focus on infographics that use symbols so that the children are sure to connect their learning to the Unit of Inquiry.

2. Main:

Explain to the children that today they will be given several infographics.  They should use at least three of the infographics to record symbols.  Not only should they record the symbols, but the meaning of the symbol.

Pass out the student assignment sheet.  Show the children the ten boxes where they should record the symbols they find in the infographics.  Demonstrate how to search for symbols by doing the first one together.  For example, in the “Food Production” infographic on page 92-93, fruit is represented by three bananas.  Quickly sketch three bananas in the first box, label that symbol “fruit,” and then let the children search for the remaining nine symbols.

Make sure that each table has enough infographic copies so that children can easily search for infographics, record their work, then swap infographic sheets with their neighbors.

3. Conclusion:

Ask the children to tell you some of the symbols they found.  If there is time, perhaps as they work, make a class Infographic Symbols Chart.  List each symbol they found, and then let them draw the symbols.  As a class, they will discover many more than ten.  Review the Infographic Symbols Chart at the end of the lesson.  This Infographic Symbols Chart would be an excellent product as evidence of learning from today’s lesson.

Resources:

Copies of infographics from What’s Where in the World by Dorling Kindersley, placed on each table where the kids can easily reach them. The following infographics use symbols that fit this lesson:

1. Deadly Creatures, p. 48-49
2. Sharks, p. 56-57
3. Billionaires, p. 90-91 (only one symbol, so this one is easy!)
4. Food Production, p. 92-93
5. Pollution, p. 98-99
6. Alternative Energy, p. 106-107
7. Armed Forces, p. 130-131
8. Ancient Wonders, p. 142-143
9. Holy Places, p. 168-169
10. Tourism, p. 170-171
11. Festivals, p. 176-177

Notes: Some of the infographics in What’s Where in the World may be too advanced for your students.  I’ve tried to give enough options so that you can choose some that your students may be most interested in.  If the infographics in the book are too difficult, or if your library does not have the book, look at Google Images or Pinterest for “Infographics for Children” and you will have many more choices.  This lesson can be taught with any child-friendly infographics, not only those from the recommended text. 

If you have a Follett Titlewave account, search under the tag “Includes Infographics.”  This will give you a few more options for books with infographics if you would like more for your library.  Follett also offers several free teaching resources to accompany some of their infographics books.  So, if your school could benefit from more material on infographics, please check-out the free teaching resources available through Titlewave.

Recommended books for this lesson:

What’s Where in the World, published by Dorling Kindersley.

Key Terms:

Infographics, Information Visualization, Visual Communication, Symbols

 

Student Handout, Infographics and Symbols

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students learn to identify and name symbols of their host country.  I have written this lesson for the six official symbols of the United Arab Emirates, but you can adjust the symbols to match your home/host country.  The information literacy skill is listening, something kids really have a hard time doing when they are excited!

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

2-3

Objective:

Identify and name six symbols of your home/host country.  Also, sketch at least one symbol of your home/host country.  (AASL 1.1.6, “Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format . . . in order to make inferences and gather meaning.”)

Suggested Time:

35-45 minutes

Success Criteria:

Each student will identify and label six national symbols.  Students will also sketch at least one national symbol, typically the official crest or emblem of the country.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Ask students to give you a common symbol for love, for peace, or for “stop.”  Ask them to state what a symbol is.  Explain that today they will be given clues about symbols of their host country.  For the United Arab Emirates, there are six official symbols – there may be more or less for your country.  However, I have found that six is a comfortable number to work with.  Explain that they will have to listen carefully to identify the clues and name the symbols.

Pass out the student assignment sheets, make sure everyone writes his/her name on the paper, and give the children a few minutes to have a good look at the symbols.

2. Main:

One at a time, present the clues for each of the six symbols.  (Sample clues for the UAE can be found at the end of the Student Assignment Sheet.)  I have found that children do not listen carefully and often make inappropriate guesses.  Work slowly and be patient.  Help the children think through their responses.  If you are describing a traditional boat (dhow) and the child answers, “skyscraper,” ask whether a skyscraper can help a pearl diver reach the pearls in the ocean.

Usually I end up giving letter clues on a white board or flipchart paper.  I write “d” then “dh” then “dho” until someone can give me the entire word, “dhow.”  Don’t ever completely give away an answer, but use your most effective strategy for helping the children make educated guesses or connect to what they may already know.

After all six symbols with pictures have been identified, give more clues for symbols that children can draw in the three large remaining boxes.  I always use the national emblem or national crest.  For the UAE, the national emblem has four main parts:  golden falcon, flag, stars, and banner.  Make sure that the children have the essential parts of whichever symbol you describe.  I also project a picture of the symbol they are intended to draw so that they have a sample to guide them.  My students usually only have time for one drawing, but I have left three boxes in case your kids have time to draw more national or state symbols.

3. Conclusion:

Ask the students to check their work to make sure that it is complete.  Do a quick wrap-up by giving clues again and having the class answer in unison.  They should be able to quickly and correctly answer questions about all six symbols they labeled and any symbols that they drew.  By the end of the lesson my kids were good to go with “dhow,” “dallah,” “oryx,” “falcon,” “date palm,” “UAE flag,” and “UAE emblem.”

Resources:

1. Copies of Student Assignment Sheet (attached.)
2. Clipboards
3. Clues/Hints for the chosen symbols. I have included a sample of hints at the end of the student assignment sheet.
4. Computer with an Internet connection for accessing Google Images.
5. Projector and screen for showing children the national emblem/crest or any other symbols you ask them to sketch.

Notes:

In my experience, the children have seen the symbols, but usually can’t name them, and they know very little about their meanings.  When I wrote this lesson, I thought it would be a “bust.”  I assumed that the kids would already know the material, and that we’d zip through the clues and still have time for drawing a lot of complicated new symbols at the end.  I was completely wrong!  It took them a long time to listen to and understand the clues and then name the matching symbol.  Writing the name of the symbol below the picture took even longer.  Conceptually this is a simple lesson, but it is hard work for many of the children.

Recommended Books for this Lesson:

None

Key Words:

Signs, Symbols, UAE, Signage, Emblem, Dhow, Dallah, Oryx, Date Palm, Falcon, Flag

Student Assignment Sheet, UAE Symbols

The second lesson in the Signs and Symbols unit is a lesson on using the five finger rule .  The lesson on this rule is in the Back to School and Library Games area.  It’s Lesson #4, Five Finger Rule for Choosing Just Right Books.  Please click here to see the lesson.