December 2004     Vol.5 Issue 12

All Lesson Plans

Peter Pan

Suggested lesson plan for "Barry/Pearson Book"

Possible hard words: Proper names: Ridley Pearson, Dave Barry, Harry Potter, J. M. Barrie, Captain Hook, Tinker Bell, Rockbottom Reminders, Steven King, Steve Martin, The Pageant, The Chronicles of Narnia, Charlotte's Web, J. K. Rowling
Other words: celebrity, prequels, franchise, sophisticated

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read the list of names and terms. Provide help as needed. Afterward ask the young reader to read the article aloud to you and be ready to discuss it later.

DURING READING: Provide any names or words fairly quickly that seem to be impairing fluency.

AFTER READING: Use questions such as the following to check comprehension and/or stimulate discussion.

1. What seemed to give Ridley Pearson the idea of writing stories about Peter Pan?
2. What is unusual about the band that Ridley Pearson is in?
3. What do terms like "spin offs" and "franchise" imply about the new book?
4. Do you think you would be as interested in Peter Pan as in Harry Potter? Why or why not?

Two authors try to match
the Harry Potter phenomenon

Two successful authors of adult books have joined forces to write a set of three children's books that they hope will come close to matching the popularity of the enormously successful Harry Potter books. The authors are Dave Barry, author of about twenty books for adults, but best known as a humor columnist in daily newspapers across the country, and Ridley Pearson, also an author of about twenty books for adults. They came up with the idea of writing a three book series that are prequels to the old and popular "Peter Pan", written by J. M. Barrie.

The first book in the series is "Peter and the Starcatchers." It has already placed high on the New York Time's best seller list of children's books. The book itself starts laying the groundwork for explaining such things as why Peter Pan can fly and why Peter will never get older than about ten years of age. Tinker Bell is introduced; the character who will become Captain Hook plays a part in book one; and the crocodile nemesis of Captain Hook also makes its appearance.

Book one is fast moving and filled with enough humor, suspense, and adventure to hold the interest of most young readers. Whether "Peter and the Starcatchers" will come close to matching the success of the Harry Potter books will depend upon the tastes of thousands of children in America and abroad. Parents can be comfortable in knowing that it is all just clean fun.

Kids Voting 2004

Suggested lesson plan for "Kids
voting results for kids, adults

Possible hard words: Proper names: George W. bush, Dick Cheney, John Kerry, John Edwards, Francis Howell School District, Christopher (Kit) Bond, Nancy Farmer
Other words: majority, dominance, margin, suburban

BEFORE READING: Have the young reader read the list of possible hard words. Provide help, if needed. Since this is a fairly easy article, have him or her read the article aloud to you and be prepared to answer questions over it afterward.

DURING READING: Provide any words fairly quickly that seem to be impairing reading fluency.

AFTER READING: Us questions such as the following to check comprehension and to promote discussion.

1. How did the ballots and polling places used by the kids compare with those of their parents?
2. How did the kids' votes statewide compare with the adult voting results?
3. Which candidate statewide drew more adult votes than the winning Bush-Cheney ticker?
4. Would you have liked to vote? Why or why not?

Music

Suggested lesson plan for "Young
violinist has busy, varied life"

Possible hard words: Proper names: Holly Jenkins, Principia College, Alaska, Elsah, Ill., Costa Rica, Rachel Crandell, Amy Oshiro, Rottweiler
Other words: audition, recital, affiliate, environmental, critiqued, intonation

BEFORE READING: To obtain an idea of how easy or how difficult this article might be for the young reader, have him or her read the list of possible hard words. Provide help where needed and keep track of words and names that do require assistance. If no more than three items called for help, have the young reader read the article silently. If four to six items called for help, have the young reader read the article aloud to you. If seven or more caused problems, you offer to read the article aloud. In all instances, point out that questions will be raised afterward.

DURING READING: For the silent reader, offer to supply any words if asked. For the child reading aloud, supply any words fairly quickly that seem to be impairing reading fluency. If you read aloud, model fluent oral reading.

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

1. In regard to Holly's family, why is it correct to say that her musical talent may come naturally?
2. What unusual occupation did Holly's father try for a time?
3. Why was Holly in Costa Rica for one summer?
4. Do you have an interest in anything that might compare with Holly's music? Explain.

Environment

Suggested lesson plan for "Creve
Coeur kid wins recycle art contest"

Possible hard words: Proper names: Anna Kulik, Vitalyi, Creve Coeur, Martha Bunch, Kevin Hunt, Charlene Maravilla, Abitibi-Consolidated, Elizabeth McCarter, Russian Ukraine
Other words: environmental, immigrated, recycling, pollution, dacha

BEFORE READING: To asses how easily a young reader may read the article, have him or her read the list of possible hard words. Provide help as needed and keep track of the number of items that call for help. It three or fewer items require your assistance, ask the child to read the article silently. If four to six items require your help, ask the child to read the article aloud to you. If seven or more require help, you offer to read the article aloud. In all three instances, point out that questions will be asked afterward.

DURING READING: For the child reading silently, offer to help with any words if asked for help. For the child reading aloud, supply words fairly quickly that seem to be impairing fluency. If you read aloud, model fluent oral reading.

AFTER READING: Use questions such as those that follow to check for comprehension and/or stimulate a discussion of the article.

1. How is Anna Kulik different from most kids in her middle school?
2. What is the message behind the competition?
3. Why should we recycle paper?
4. Are you in involved in any efforts to promote recycling? Explain.

Outdoors

Suggested lesson plan for "Kids
make pens, ink like the pioneers"

Possible hard words: Proper names: Office Depot, Wal-Mart, Mathew Kelpe, Hentges Outdoor Education Center, Wildwood, Mo., Shanna Raeker, Brandi Griffith, Osage, Travis Nixon, Bitterroot Mountains
Other words: squished, naturalist, vinegar, estimated, cursive, charcoal, camera, similar, route, journal

BEFORE READING: To assess how difficult or easy the article might be for a young reader, have him or her read the list of possible hard words. Help out with words where help is needed, but keep track of the number of items that require your assistance. I fewer than three items require assistance, ask the young reader to read the article silently. If four to six items are problems, ask the child to read the article aloud. If seven or more items need help, you offer to read the article aloud. In all three instances, point out that questions will be asked afterward.

DURING READING: For the one reading silently, offer to help out with any names or words if asked. For the one reading aloud, supply troublesome words fairly quickly in order to insure fluency. If you read aloud, model fluent oral reading.

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

1. How did the pioneers make their pens and ink?
2. What was the purpose of adding vinegar to the homemade ink?
3. What did the explorers have to use in place of cameras?
4. What were some of the disadvantages of quill pens and homemade ink over modern ballpoint pens?

Books

This month's book reviews

A "special needs" labeled child is
reached by a flamboyant teacher

"Sahara Special" is a humorously-written kids' book with a serious message to it. The message for kids is to accept differences - differences in their teachers as well as their classmates. The message for adults is that non-traditional approaches to instruction should be given serious consideration and respect. Schools must make room for more than formalized regimented skill and drill teaching. The practice of encouraging personal and expressive writing and the sharing of it for purposes of consideration and discussion with peers deserves a place in the total curriculum.

A hard look at the struggles of
pre-adolescents in coping with peer pressure

"The Skin I'm In" is a first novel by Sharon G. Flake. It won the 1999 Corretta Scott King Award. The novel is told in the voice of a seventh grade African American girl who is caught between peer pressure and the demands placed on her by a self-possessed and caring teacher in an inner-city school. The language is cleaned up from the real language heard in an inner-city middle school, but the first person narrative style seems authentic.

It would take a reasonably mature young reader to get the positive message the author intended, probably age twelve or older. A parent who is naïve about pre-adolescent behavior in a school setting would gain some real insight from a reading of this little novel. It probably should be required reading for all new teachers who expect to teach this age range.

A boy gets his wish to fly and then
finds he hadn't been so lucky after all

"The Boy Who Could Fly Without a Motor" is a fanciful story about a nine-year-old boy who overuses his imagination to cope with his loneliness. The story is tongue-in-cheek hilarity from start to finish. The message beneath all the fun is a simple one - be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. But how many of us, young and old, have dreamed of being able to soar over trees and roof-tops, flying without wings?

A prize-winning children's novel
about life in late Medieval England

"Crispin, The Cross of Lead," authored by Avi, won the 1992 Newbery Medal for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. For any kids who love historical novels, the book lives up to its billing. The author does a great job of taking a main character, who really wants to be a good person but is naïve about the world around him, and showing how he matures and develops in the face of adversity. While telling this absorbing adventure, the author manages to inform his young readers about the details of English life in the late Middle Ages.