Dr. Seuss and Read Across America

Created by:

Honor Zalewski

Title/Role:

Teacher-Librarian

Organization/School Name:

Cumberland County Public Schools

Location:

Virginia

Grade Level:

5, 6

Type of Lesson:

Stand-alone lesson

Type of Schedule:

Combination

Collaboration Continuum:

Moderate

Content Area:

Language Arts

Content Topic:

Dr. Seuss

Standards for the 21st-Century Learner

Skills Indicator(s):

1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.

2.1.6 Use the writing process, media and visual literacy, and technology skills to create products that express new understandings.

Dispositions Indicator(s):

2.2.4 Demonstrate personal productivity by completing products to express learning.

Responsibilities Indicator(s):

2.3.1 Connect understanding to the real world.

Self-Assessment Strategies Indicator(s):

1.4.2 Use interaction with and feedback from teachers and peers to guide own inquiry process.

3.4.2 Assess the quality and effectiveness of the learning product.

Scenario:

This lesson assists in note taking and biography skills for the student and also exposes the student to the Read Across America Movement where the United States President declares a day in early spring (March/April) as a day to honor Dr. Seuss and to get students to commit to read as a nation. It correlates with Virginia English Standards of Learning (SOL) for both grade levels focusing on drawing conclusions,making inferences, writing for entertainment, and editing as well as reading informational text. It also correlates with the 6th grade English curriculum on biography study and note taking. The lesson reinforces student skills and gives students exposure to the school's online database. Librarian and teacher can work on this together and this can be an extension of what students are learning in class. The librarian will assess the final product, the book jacket while the classroom teacher can assess the note taking skills. Follow up activities could be an online newsletter with a select few of the book jackets included. The entire lesson should take approximately fifteen 45 minute class periods.

Overview:

The essential question, What important facts about Dr. Seuss influenced the Read Across America movement in America? This lesson is designed to teach students to analyze the life and works of Dr. Seuss and to infer why he was important to the Read Across America movement. Students will use note taking skills to write their paragraph from reliable, teacher selected sources.

Final Product:

The final product is a folded book jacket that includes one biographical paragraph on Dr. Seuss and his works as well as an autobiographical paragraph on the student as author of this book jacket. The student will include self-illustrated artwork on Dr. Seuss books that have been important or favored by the student.

Library Lesson:

The goal of this lesson is for students to differentiate between autobiographical and biographical materials, be an author, practice note taking, and to use critical thinking skills while making inferences.

Estimated Lesson Time:

45 minutes

Assessment

Product:

The classroom teacher will assess students on note taking skills using a teacher created rubric. The librarian will assess students on the final product, the book jacket, using the attached rubric. The book jacket will have a paragraph on Dr. Seuss and his importance to the Read Across America movement and an autobiographical paragraph on the student (as author of the book jacket). Students will include self illustrated drawings of Dr. Seuss books and/or characters which were important to them.

Process:

The process evolves over several days. Students first will brainstorm about what Dr. Seuss means to them. Students will refresh their memories of Dr. Seuss by utilizing the interactive link, seussville.com. Students will be introduced to the articles that they will be reading using the online database and will also work in groups while taking notes. Students will also read the President's Proclamation on Read Across America. Students will write their paragraph on why Dr. Seuss' books are important to this movement. Students will peer edit and revise. Students will write their autobiographical paragraph on themselves, again peer editing and revising. Librarian and Classroom teacher will monitor and conference with students/groups during the process. Students will create their final book jackets after librarian confers with each of them.

Student self-questioning:

Students will ask themselves the following questions: 1. What books were important to me that were written by Dr. Seuss? 2. What is Read Across America? 3. What messages were in Dr. Seuss' books? 4. Why use Dr. Seuss in the Read Across America Movement? 5. Have I covered all areas on the rubric and what point value do I think I earned?

Instructional Plan

Resources students will use:

Dataset (ie. lists, tables, databases)

Still image (i.e.paintings, drawings, plans, and maps)

Moving Image (i.e. animations, movies, tv program, video)

Interactive Resource (i.e. webpages, multimedia learning objects, chat services)

Text (books, letters, poems, newspapers, etc.)

Interactive Resource URL:

http://m.seussville.com/

Resources instructor will use:

Projector

Laptop

White board

Other

Other instructor resources:

iPAD

Instruction/Activities

Direct instruction:

The librarian will lead the class in discussion about Dr. Seuss and the Read Across America movement. The librarian will guide the class in discussing the essential question. The librarian will guide the class on the criteria on the attached rubric. The librarian will also introduce the class to the electronic database for article searching methods and illustrate to the class which selected articles they will read. The classroom teacher will lead the class in note taking discussions during class time in Language Arts.

Modeling and guided practice:

After the class discusses the essential question and is shown how to utilize the electronic database, the class will work as a group while the librarian shows them how to decipher the important elements from the article and will model how to highlight the information. The students will then be grouped in twos (pair/share) while they continue to take notes from the article. The purpose is to have students distinguish between important and non important information and to draw inferences regarding the essential question. The librarian will monitor and redirect if necessary. Students will write their paragraphs and peer edit them using library and classroom time if necessary.

Independent practice:

Students will continue to work on their notes and writing. Students will place their note cards in chronological order before making revisions. Students will decide on important facts and will include in their writing. Students will write an autobiographical paragraph. Students will edit and revise their paragraphs. Students will design their artwork and complete their book jackets.

Have you taught this lesson before:

Yes

Strategies for differentiation:

Pairing students Read alouds Sharing note Teacher conferencing

AASL/Common Core State Standards Crosswalk

English Language Arts:

CC.6.SL.4 » English Language Arts » Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas » 4. Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation. (6)

CC.5.W.5 » English Language Arts » Production and Distribution of Writing » 5. With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. (5)

CC.5.W.6 » English Language Arts » Production and Distribution of Writing » 6. With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of two pages in a single sitting. (5)

CC.6.SL.5 » English Language Arts » Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas » 5. Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, images, music, sound) and visual displays in presentations to clarify information. (6)

CC.5.R.L.1 » English Language Arts » Key Ideas and Details » 1. Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. (5)

CC.5.R.I.7 » English Language Arts » Integration of Knowledge and Ideas » 7. Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently. (5)

CC.5.R.I.9 » English Language Arts » Integration of Knowledge and Ideas » 9. Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably. (5)

CC.5.R.L.2 » English Language Arts » Key Ideas and Details » 2. Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text. (5)

CC.5.SL.2 » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » 2. Summarize a written text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. (5)

CC.5.SL.3 » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » 3. Summarize the points a speaker makes and explain how each claim is supported by reasons and evidence. (5)

CC.5.W.7 » English Language Arts » Research to Build and Present Knowledge » 7. Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. (5)

CC.5.W.8 » English Language Arts » Research to Build and Present Knowledge » 8. Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources. (5)

CC.6.R.I.2 » English Language Arts » Key Ideas and Details » 2. Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments. (6)

CC.6.R.I.3 » English Language Arts » Key Ideas and Details » 3. Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text (e.g., through examples or anecdotes). (6)

CC.6.R.I.7 » English Language Arts » Integration of Knowledge and Ideas » 7. Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue. (6)

CC.6.R.I.8 » English Language Arts » Integration of Knowledge and Ideas » 8. Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not. (6)

CC.6.R.I.9 » English Language Arts » Integration of Knowledge and Ideas » 9. Compare and contrast one author's presentation of events with that of another (e.g., a memoir written by and a biography on the same person). (6)

CC.6.R.L.7 » English Language Arts » Integration of Knowledge and Ideas » 7. Compare and contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio, video, or live version of the text, including contrasting what they "see" and "hear" when reading the text to what they perceive when they listen or watch. (6)

CC.6.R.L.9 » English Language Arts » Integration of Knowledge and Ideas » 9. Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics. (6)

CC.6.SL.2 » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » 2. Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study. (6)

CC.6.W.9.a » English Language Arts » Research to Build and Present Knowledge » a. Apply grade 6 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres [e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories] in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics"). (6)

CC.6.W.9.b » English Language Arts » Research to Build and Present Knowledge » b. Apply grade 6 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., "Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not"). (6)

CC.5.SL.5 » English Language Arts » Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas » 5. Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, sound) and visual displays in presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes. (5)

CC.6.W.1.c » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the relationships among claim(s) and reasons. (6)

CC.6.W.2.e » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » e. Establish and maintain a formal style. (6)

CC.6.W.2.c » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » c. Use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. (6)

CC.6.W.6 » English Language Arts » Production and Distribution of Writing » 6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting. (6)