Teacher's Guide for Spider ^®

October 2005

The following teacher's guide is designed to support students as they read, discuss, compose written responses, and engage in word study activities related to selections in the October 2005 issue of Spider magazine.

Lessons are designed with multiple formats for instruction and learning. These include whole class, small group, partners, individual, and Center work. 

The readings are used as a starting point for a discussion of strange, magical, or surprising events Articles are used as content for read-alouds, listening activities, guided reading, buddy reading (with a partner), independent silent reading, interactive writing, or independent writing. Particular activities integrate content with Language Arts instruction.

Throughout the guide, children's skills in vocabulary (meaning), word recognition (distinguishing features of words and context clues), expressive and receptive language, comprehension, and writing will be expanded and refined. With the expository selection, children will explore information on fungi- where it's found, how it grows, and it's uses for man.

Activities will offer differentiated levels of responding to accommodate children's diverse needs, interests, and competencies. The readings may not follow the order of presentation in the issue; issue selections are sequenced in a way that matches the flow of the concept presentation.

Benson, V. and C. Cummins. 2000. The Power of Retelling: Developmental Steps for Building Comprehension. Chicago, IL: Wright Group/ McGraw Hill

Fountas, I. and G. S. Pinnell. 1998. Word Matters. NH: Heinemann. 

Kibby, M. March 18, 2004. Researched-Based Strategies for Teaching Meaning Vocabulary. Presentation for the Continuing Professional Education Series at the University of Buffalo.

Tompkins, G. 2003. Literacy for the 21^st Century (3^rd ed). Upper saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Wood, K. and D. B. Taylor. 2001. Literacy Strategies Across the Subject Areas. New York, NY: Pearson, Allyn and Bacon.

The Overall Plan

Title: Strange, Magical, and Surprising Events

Time: approximately 40-45 minutes each session. Independent Practice is completed later in the day.

Objective:

Following instruction and teacher modeling, students will demonstrate through oral responses, group work, and written work that they've:

1. analyzed similarities and differences as well as distinguishing features in words

2. increased their speaking, reading, and writing vocabulary

3. learned word meanings as reflected in their success with the Jeopardy game.

4. grown in their ability to effectively participate in listening activities, guided reading, buddy reading, and independent silent reading.

5. grown in their ability to monitor their own comprehension, make personal connections (text-to-text; text-to-self; text-to-world - Tompkins, 2003) with the content, make inferences and support these with """evidence""" from the text, make logical predictions, draw conclusions, and effectively discuss the content of their reading.

6. begun to develop comprehensive self-initiated retelling on many levels of thinking, requiring less and less prompting or directing.

7. categorized and connected information on a topic, distinguishing relationships across facts gleaned from the text and those retrieved from prior knowledge. 

8. identified story elements, phrased each succinctly, and recorded each in its appropriate place on the Shaped Story Map.

9. activated background knowledge and/or make predictions as represented by their responses on the Anticipation Guide.

10. evaluated their thinking after reading an informational selection, determining what they've learned, what they wonder, what they still want to know.

Bloom""'s Taxonomy: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, and Synthesis

Materials: 

copies of the October issue of Spider

Internet access

blank word cards

chart paper

Shaped Story Map sheet

Double Entry Journal sheet

Anticipation Guide

Session 1

The story, "Name Day Surprise" by June Wolfe will be read following a guided reading procedure. This means that students will be introduced to the story and selected new vocabulary before reading. They will collaboratively set predictions, establishing a purpose for reading. Then students will independently and silently read segments of the story, stopping at appropriate places to discuss the content and share understandings.

Motivation:

1.) Talk about the meaning associated with your own name. This information can be obtained at the website www.behindthename.com. Share information about a person you might have been named after if that is the case.

2.) Research students' names on the computer or have this done beforehand. Have students share the meaning of their name. Ask students if they were named after anyone.

3.) Tell students that in some cultures, religious traditions have set aside specific days to honor saints (holy people who lived exemplary lives). They've also named a day after that saint. Sometimes people are named after saints as well as named after a special relative. The saint's day then becomes their special day as well. Tell students that the story they'll read today is about a boy who wants to be home for his Saint's Day.

Teacher Input:

1.) Have children sit with an assigned partner. Distribute a copy of the October issue of Spider magazine to each dyad. Introduce the issue; discuss the title page and table of contents (TOC). Ask for comments, reactions, and predictions. Have students take a guided picture walk with you through the issue, reading captions and noting illustrations. Call on students to share their thinking. This activates background knowledge, stimulates predictions on the content, builds expectation, and sets personal purposes for reading.

2.) Direct students back to the TOC. Ask them to find the story that begins on page 8. Have someone read the title and the author's name.

3.) Have students review pages 8-13. Talk about the pictures. Read the captions with Binky at the bottom of each page. Discuss the Greek words and the meaning of a patron saint.

4.) Read page 8 and the beginning of page 9 (through first paragraph) aloud. Ask students to identify the characters, setting, and problem. Have students complete these sections on their Shaped Story Map. Explain that they will add further details as we read and discuss the story

Guided Practice:

1.) Tell students that they'll also be word wizard detectives as we read through the issue. Give each student a few post-its to flag words they think we should investigate. These are new and/or interesting words they want to know more about.

2.) Students silently read page 9 and the first column on page 10 to the break. Discuss the fact that the same name has different versions in other languages. Provide more examples. For example Mark, Marco or Mary, Maria. Note that Mrs. Jamison also used the Internet to look up a name. Ask students to explain Demitri's plan for resolving his disappointment

3.) When each segment of reading is completed, partners share the words they've flagged. These are discussed for structural elements (letter patterns, syllables, affixes, sounds, etc) and meanings as used in this context. (Multiple meanings for some words may also come up in the discussion.) The teacher records each on a word card. Add additional key terms that have not been flagged by the children. Words cards are added to the classroom Word Wall. Word Wall words can be used for word sort activities. A Word Wall is a section of the classroom that has been designated as a place to display vocabulary central to current areas of study. Typically, Word Walls are set-up with words cards arranged in alphabetical columns (Fountas and Pinnell, 1998).

4.) Have students finish reading page 10 and continue reading to the first break on page 12. Ask why Demitri felt both disappointed and worried? How did his friends try to help? Help students add events to their Shaped Story Map. 

5.) Ask students to whether Demitri's friends will be successful in making him feel better at his party. Have them explain why. Students read to the end of the story and discuss the ending. Why did everyone get a present? Who was the surprise guest? Why didn't Demitri's Grandfather tell him he was coming? Students complete the Shaped Story Map with remaining events, the resolution and the surprise ending.

6.) Introduce the concept of foreshadowing. The author shows or indicates beforehand an event that will happen later. Draw students' attention to Demitri's phone conversation with his Papou on pages 8-9. Demitri said he'd harness a flock of Greek-speaking pigeons to fly him home. His Papou said he's try red balloons instead. They would be less messy. Was Papou giving a hint of how he would fly to America? Have a student read the last two paragraphs on page 13. Did Papou really get to America by balloon?

Independent Practice:

Students can make a decorated name card that includes information about the meaning of their name. These will be posted in the room or out in the hall.

Session 2

Motivation:

1.) Engage students in a think-pair-share. Ask students to think of a time when they were in a situation where they wanted to stop another child from behaving badly. Next, students pair and share their experience with a partner. Then a few share with the whole group. 

2.) Tell students that in today's story a boy uses a special skill that seems like magic to stop bad behavior.

3.) Have students turn to page 2. Have them skim the pictures on pages 2-5 and share predictions about the story titled, "The Danderfield Twins: The Squirrel Ghost" by Polly Horvath.

Teacher Input:

1.) Ask students what type of work someone in "show business" does. Ask them to describe the kinds of talents people in show business might have (e.g. singer, dancer, actor). Explain that a character in today's story has a dad who's in show business. One of his dad's special talents is the ability to "throw his voice" (make it sound like the voice is coming from a another place or direction). Explain what this means. Ask students how this talent could have uses in everyday life off of the stage. 

2.) Introduce the Double Entry Journal. Explain that on the left side or "Author"

column, they'll record information taken right from the story. On the right side or "You" column, they'll record their own ideas related to the story. Information on the left is in the book (literal) and ideas on the right are in their heads (inferences and/or conclusions).

Guided Practice:

1.) Students read the story independently.

2.) Allow students to work with a partner to complete the left column (in the story) while the teacher circulates to help.

3.) Have students share what they've recorded in the left column.

4.) Go over the questions in the right column. Have students independently respond to prompts in the first two boxes "- Wonderings/Questions and Character Traits. The teacher circulates to assist as needed.

5.) Have students share what they've written.

6.) If students aren't familiar with the concept of theme (unifying or dominant idea throughout the writing), explain it at this point. Have children give their suggestions for a plausible theme for this story.

Independent practice:

Later in the day have children complete the Double Entry Journal and quietly share their ideas with two people.

Sessions 3

Motivation:

1.) Introduce the Anticipation Guide for "Fungi, Fungi, Everywhere!" by Gail Jarrow. Complete the first statement together. Check "Agree""" or "Disagree" based on the majority opinion. The response will be checked in the reading.

2.) Have students complete the remaining statements. Reinforce the idea that this will not be graded for right and wrong answers. The purpose is for us to examine what we know or think we know about a topic before reading and then to check the accuracy of our thinking against information in the text. While reading the article we'll revisit the guide and confirm our answers or see where our thinking was confused or inaccurate.

2.) Have students share their responses on the Anticipation Guide, explaining why they think so. Make a note of disagreements. Corrections are not made at this time. Let students know that we'll remain tentative about the correctness on all statements until we check them in the reading.

3.) Explain to students that they'll reexamine statements on the anticipation guide as the article is read.

Teacher Input:

1.) Introduce the following words in the manner previously described (September Teaching Guide). Examine word structures and meanings for this context. Words are presented on word cards. Use different colored markers to highlight word parts (distinguishing features) as each is introduced. (Note: Words added to the Word Wall are rewritten onto another card.)

The words to pre-teach are fungus, fungi, mildew, spores, host, decompose, and Cyclosporin. (If it appears when children are discussing what they read that other words are unfamiliar, teach them thoroughly at that point.)

2.) Guide students as they preview the article by examining pictures and captions. Have them share predictions and comments. Record predictions on chart paper. These will be revisited during the reading.

Guided Practice:

1.) Read aloud the first paragraph on page 15. Discuss the content of that paragraph. Refer back to statements one and two on the anticipation guide. Check statement number one that was done collaboratively. Have students examine their response for number two against the text.

2.) Have students "buddy read" (with a partner) the next paragraph. Match this information with their anticipation guide response. Discuss the content of this section and their anticipation guide responses.

3.) Continue the pattern of teacher reading aloud and guide checking followed by buddy reading of a paragraph or section and guide checking.

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Updated: 5/24/13 09:10 am
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