December 2001     Vol.2 Issue 12

All Lesson Plans

Profile

Suggested lesson plan for "Teen has
problem walking, but wins marathon"

Readability: About sixth grade reading level

Possible hard words: Proper names: Casey Adams, St. Louis Marathon, Selvidge Middle School, 2012 Paralympics, Marquette High School
Other words: entrant, accomplishments, viola, qualify, aluminum, independent

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read the list of names and words. If the reader has trouble with no more than two, suggest that he or she read the article silently. If three or four words cause problems, suggest he or she read it aloud to you. If five or more caused difficulty, you offer to read the article to the child. Point out that questions will be raised afterward.

DURING READING: For the silent reader, offer to help out with words if asked. For the child reading aloud, provide words where needed to maintain fluency. If you read aloud, model fluent and expressive oral reading.

AFTER READING: Ask question such as the following to check for understanding and promote discussion of the article.

1. How would you describe Casey's attitude toward life?
2. How did Casey work his way up to true marathon distance?
3. Why do you think Casey is targeting the 2012 Paralympics?
4. Why does Casey need so many different wheelchairs?
5. Do you think Casey's ambition for the future is realistic? Why or why not?

Books

This month's book reviews

A Christmas Book by St. Louis authors

Patricia and Frederick McKissack are popular children's writers whose hometown is St. Louis. One of their productions is a colorful Christmas book called "Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters." The "Big House" in the title refers to the stately mansion with white pillars in front that dominates an 1859 Virginia plantation. The "Quarters" in the second part of the title refers to the one-room cabins that were the homes of the slaves that lived on the plantation. The purpose of the book is to present comparisons and contrasts between the way Christmas was observed by the family in the mansion and the families in the slave quarters.

The book has only sixty-eight pages but it is a large hard-back book. Its illustrator, John Thompson, went to great lengths to provide realistic pictures of the families and their holiday celebrations. The McKissacks, through footnotes and references, show the care they took in presenting a factual account of a southern plantation Christmas that took place just before the outbreak of the Civil War. Christmas comes to life with vivid descriptions of the food preparation, feasting, music and dancing, and gift exchanging that took place in both parts of the plantations. Foreshadowed are the events from 1860 to 1865 that were to change the plantation life style so vividly depicted.

A book to get kids into reading
about the Civil War

Scholastic, Inc. publishes a series of books called the "My Name is America" series. All of the books are diaries or journals of young people, which present an account of some period of American history. All are fictional, yet they are based on some historical figure or set of writings from the period covered. "The Journal of Edmond Pease, A Civil War Union Soldier" by Jim Murphy was inspired by the actual diary of a fifteen-year-old Civil War soldier named Elisha Stockwell, Jr., as well as the journals of several other teen-age veterans of the war.

The author, Jim Murphy, admits that he had not been interested in Civil War history when he was a kid, because of the dryness of most of the writing. The diaries of youthful participants in the war were much more interesting because they seemed to be "direct, honest, wonderfully detailed and very, very funny." Murphy tried to replicate in his fictional journal the kind of writing that brought the Civil War to life for him. In addition to the journal entries, Murphy has also included drawings, historical photographs, and a foldout map of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Battlefields.

A book that might help kids
understand their own obsessions

"Multiple Choice" by Janet Tashjian is another inexpensive paperback by Scholastic, Inc. that is an engaging presentation of youthful behavior that can help young readers understand what may be operating in their own lives. In this instance, the book deals with obsessive behavior that borders on compulsion. Monica Devon, the central character, comes from a good home and family and is bright and a very good student. Still, she worries obsessively about what other people think. She freezes up on tests in school. She focuses too much on imagined faults or missteps she has made or might make.

Monica's obsessive habits carry over into her feeling compelled to turn a word, a name, or a phrase into anagrams, or other words that use all the letters of the first one. Her fascination with multiple choice tests given in one of her classes leads her to set up multiple choices that govern her behavior each day. She sets up choices that can cause chaos in her life, but if she picks one of these choices randomly, she feels compelled to carry it out.

Gradually, Monica, through a process of self-discovery, takes control of her obsessions and, as a result, takes true control of her life and actions. A young reader can come up with a better understanding of his or her own personal behavior, while having some fun with the word games scattered throughout the novel.

A book about events before, during, and after the Alamo told from a young girl's point of view

"I Remember the Alamo" is a novel in paperback about an eleven-year-old pioneer girl, which is directed to readers in about that age range. Today's young reader will readily identify with the feelings and adventures of Jessie McCann. As was often the case in those days of the early settlers and their struggles for survival, kids had to grow up fast and accept tremendous responsibilities when they were still quite young.

Battle cries of "Remember the Alamo" and "Remember Pearl Harbor" have been mentioned repeatedly as the media talks about the terrorist activities of September 11, 2001. D. Anne Loves little book, published as a Yearling Book by Random House, puts the events behind the 1836 siege of the Alamo in a perspective that would help the kids of 2001 understand why people still "Remember the Alamo."

Money

Suggested lesson plan for "From
play-money to a real money plan"

Readability: Above sixth grade level

Possible hard words: Proper names: Jason Nedvin, LaSalle Springs Middle School, Arthur Nedvin, University of Arizona, Vanguard's 500 Index Fund, Oakley Sunglasses
Other words: portfolio, allowance, dividends, computerized, initial, professional, neighborhood, discount, authentic

BEFORE READING: Take the young reader through the list of words and proper names. Provide help if needed with any words. Of the fifteen items on the list, if no more than three cause problems, suggest that he or she read the article silently. If four to six cause problems, ask the young reader to read the article aloud. If seven or more are missed, you volunteer to read the article aloud to the young reader. In all cases, note that questions will be asked afterward.

DURING READING: For the silent reader, offer to help with any troublesome words, if asked. For the child reading aloud, provide any words quickly if fluency seems to be impaired. If you read the article aloud, model expressive and fluent reading.

AFTER READING: Use questions such as those that follow to check comprehension and stimulate conversation.

1. Why did Grandpa Arthur back off on his original plan for Jason's play money investments?
2. How does Jason save money when he goes to the movies?
3. How does he make money by saving his friends money on name-brand sunglasses?
4. Do you practice any of the strategies Jason uses to make money and save it? Which ones?

Outdoors

Suggested lesson plan for "St. Louis's
Urban Winter Trout season is open"

Readability: Above sixth grade reading level

Possible hard words: Proper names: Nicholas and Christopher Myers, Missouri Department of Conservation, Busch Conservation area, Alex Eklund, Cecilia Eklund
Other words: "trout marshmallows", stringer, expanded, hatcheries

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read the list of possible hard words, providing help were needed. Suggest that the young reader read the article aloud to you and note that questions will be raised afterward.

DURING READING: Help with words where needed to keep the oral reading fluent.

AFER READING: Use questions such as these to promote discussion:

1. How do the trout get into the small lakes around St. Louis?
2. How does fishing for trout seem to differ from fishing for other types of fish?
3. What is the purpose of a "stringer"?
4. Why don't we fish for trout in St. Louis in the summer?
5. Have you been trout fishing? Do you think you would like to go? Why or why not?

Sports

Suggested lesson plan for "A tradition
of youth hockey at Affton ice rink"

Readability: About sixth grade reading level

Possible hard words: Proper names: Tony Gaicin, Central States Developmental Hockey League, Chicago, Indianapolis, Madison, Wisconsin, Mehlville School District, Chesterfield Ice Complex, Caroline Campbell, Minnesota, Michigan, Ryan Reel, Chris Bruenig, Daniel Weber, Brian and Patrick Sheehan, Drew Smegner, Brandon Richards, Eric Viehman, Christian Herbosa, David Green, Brian O'Rourke, Mike Vishnevetsky
Other words: competitively, veterinarian

BEFORE READING: There are an unusually large number of proper names in this article. Have the young reader read the list above while you help out with any difficult names or words. If the young reader needs help with three or fewer terms, ask him or her to read the article silently. If you have to help with four to seven terms, suggest that the young reader read the article aloud to you. If eight or more terms cause difficulty, you offer to read the article aloud. In all cases, note that questions will be raised after the reading.

DURING READING: For the silent reader, offer to help with any words if asked. For the child reading aloud, supply troublesome words fairly quickly when needed to keep the reading fluent. If you read aloud, model fluent and expressive oral reading.

AFTER READING: Use question such as the following to check comprehension and encourage discussion of the article.

1. What does it mean to say Tony is continuing both a family and a rink tradition?
2. How did the girls who play hockey start out as skaters?
3. What was Ryan Reel's role on the hockey team?
4. What does "screening" mean in hockey?
5. How much are you into hockey? Would you like to be more involved? Why or why not?

Holidays

Suggested lesson plan for "Start family
tradition; make holiday decorations"

Readability: About sixth grade level

Possible hard words: Proper names: Soulard Outdoor Teacher Resource Center, Rockwoods Reservation, Missouri Department of Conservation, Barb Sandhagen, Liz Lyon, Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Tom Meister
Other words: acreage, cautioned, imagination, interpretive, wreath, suet

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read the words from the list above. Provide help where needed. Since the article is short and there does not seem to be many difficult words, have the young reader read the entire article aloud to you. Indicate there will be a discussion after the reading.

DURING READING: Supply any words fairly quickly, if needed to keep the reading fluent.

AFTER READING: Use questions such as these to check understanding and/or stimulate discussion.

1. What will be the two types of decorations focused on at the Soulard workshop?
2. What is used to hold the decorations together?
3. What two functions do the Christmas wreaths serve that are made at Rockwoods Reservation?
4. Why wouldn't you be likely to hang one of these wreaths on your front door?
5. Have you ever made decorations made from materials from nature? Would you be interested in doing so? Why or why not?