I. Curricular Framework

Concept:

Happy Memories

Essential Question:

What does the human heart need to be happy?

Bridge:

Verbal Language Practice

Content:

Frederick by Leo Lionni

Outcomes:

II. Standards Aligned

III. Instruction and Assessment

1. Connect: Connecting to the Concept Experientially

Objective: To have the children experience one another’s happy memories.

Activity: Have the children share a story of a happy memory in their small group.

Assessment: Quality of the sharing of the stories – reality, honesty

2. Attend: Attending to the Connection

Objective: To examine the characteristics of happy memories.

Activity: Have the children list the characteristics the stories have in common on large paper charts.

Assessment: The diversity and extensiveness of the list.

Assessment, Phase One, Level of Engagement, Fascination:

3. Image: Creating a Mental Picture

Objective: To afford the children practice in the verbal language.

Activity: Have children choose ten to fifteen words to describe their memory.

Assessment: Quality of the list

Assessment, Phase Two, Seeing the Big Picture:

4. Inform: Receiving Facts & Knowledge

Objective: To understand and enjoy the book.

Activity: Read Frederick.

Assessment: Attentiveness and understanding on the part of the children

Assessment, Phase Three, Success with Acquiring Knowledge:

5. Practice: Developing Skills

Objective: To elicit the details of the story from the children.

Activity: “Frederick gathered sun rays, colors.”

The Gathering Words Exercise: Tell the children to gather the following words in their notebooks: three colors to describe the sun coming in their windows in the morning, three words to describe their favorite flower, three words to describe their favorite place to be, two words to describe how they feel when they are happy, two words to describe their favorite food, two words to describe a friend, one word to describe how their favorite food smells, one word each to describe a winter day, a spring day, a fall day and a summer day. The children share their words with each other and are instructed to write down at least three words other children have gathered that they want to add to their lists.

Assessment: The completion of the assignment and the children’s interest

Assessment, Phase Four, Success with Acquiring Skills:

6. Extend: Extending Learning to the Outside World

Objective: To have the children put themselves in Frederick’s place.

Activity: Have the children draw a picture of what they might have described to the mice in the story if they had been Frederick. What scene would they have chosen to cheer up their fellow mice when they were cold and hungry? Have them write a poem to go with their picture.

Assessment: Quality of the descriptions, both visually and verbally.

7. Refine: Refining the Extension

Objective: To afford the children the opportunity to edit and refine their work.

Activity: Have the children share their work with a partner. Then ask them to edit and refine it.

Assessment: How they changed their work and why

8. Perform: Creative Manifestation of Material Learned

Objective: To celebrate the poets among us.

Activity: Have a local poet come to school and read her/his poems to the children. This could even be an older student whose poetry has been recognized in some way. Have the children discuss the possibility that they are also poets themselves. Have them finish this sentence… I feel like a poet when…

Assessment: The enjoyment of the children and their understanding about the importance of the poets among us and the poet in each of us

Assessment, Phase Five,Performance, Creative Use of Material Learned: