 |
 |
 |
|
Five 50-minute sessions plus independent reading time
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| Overview |
 In Kate DiCamillo’s book Because of Winn-Dixie, the protagonist,
Opal, learns about her absent mother when her father shares ten things about
her.
This
makes
a lasting
impression on Opal; and later in the novel, when Winn-Dixie is missing,
she
makes
here own mental
list of ten things about her dog. In this lesson, students create
their own lists of ten to summarize the features of a character.
While this lesson plan is based on Because of Winn-Dixie, this activity can be done at the conclusion of any book used as part of the classroom curriculum.
|
| From Theory to Practice |
In her “Teaching Ideas” column, Diana Mitchell states, “Students
tire of responding to novels in the same ways. They want new ways to think about
a piece of literature and new ways to dig into it” (92). Mitchell provides
fifty suggestions on exploring new directions and responding with greater depth
to
the books read by students.
This lesson plan provides a similar alternative by asking students to identify
key details from the book in a way that goes beyond the ordinary while still
focusing on comprehension.
Further Reading
Mitchell, Diana. 1998.“Fifty Alternatives to the Book Report." English Journal 87.1 (January):
92–95.
|
| Student Objectives |
Students will
- discuss characters and characterization in a text.
- work in cooperative groups.
- use a bookmark to document their findings while reading.
- identify and analyze the listing technique presented in Because of Winn-Dixie.
- create a list of
ten things about a character.
|
| Instructional Plan |
Resources
Preparation
Instruction and Activities
Session One
- Ask students to summarize Because of Winn-Dixie in whole-group discussion.
- Invite students to share the reasons that they think the title Because
of Winn-Dixie is appropriate for the book.
- Once the important plot points and details have been established, ask students
to name the characters of the story, and record their responses on the
board or chart paper.
- Pose the question: “What are some of the ways the author describes
the characters in this story so the readers can get to know them?” While
student answers will vary, they should mention the list of ten things about
Opal’s mother.
- Revisit the section in the book where the list of ten things about Opal’s
mother can be found, or share the handout that contains the list.
- Provide time for students to discuss the kinds of things that are included
on the list that the preacher shares with Opal.
- Pass out copies of Three
Elements of Characterization or display an overhead transparency of the
information. Discuss the elements
with the class.
- Looking again at the list of ten things about Opal’s mother, ask students
to identify the elements of characterization that correspond to the items
on the list about Opal’s mother:
- how the character looks (physical description)
- how a character acts
- how other characters in the story react to this character
- After the discussion of Opal’s mother, have the students find the list
of ten things about Winn-Dixie that Opal makes during the storm or share the handout of
the list.
- This time, in pairs or small groups, have the students identify the elements
of characterization that correspond to the items on the list.
- Provide time for the pairs or small groups to share their findings.
Session Two
- At the beginning of this session, ask students to share their thoughts about
the lists of ten and the items they included.
- Introduce the assignment that students will complete: in groups, they will
choose another character from Because of
Winn-Dixie and
create their own lists of ten. Refer to the list of characters brainstormed
in Session One if needed to help students choose their focus.
- Allow time for students to form small groups, or assign them ahead of time.
- Provide time for the students to search through Because of Winn-Dixie looking
for ten characteristics of their character. Remind students to list things
that include all three of the elements of characterization.
- During this work time, circulate around the room, assisting as needed, and listening to the conversations of the groups.
Session Three
- Provide time for groups of students to share their lists of ten.
- As groups share, ask students to justify their choices, and indicate where
each of their items can be categorized in the elements of characterization.
Session Four and Additional Reading and Discussion Time
- Now that students have had some practice with characterization by making
lists of ten, ask them to complete this assignment again for the next book
they read independently, in literature groups, or a read-aloud text.
- Invite students to use the bookmark to record characteristics as
they read.
- Share the sample bookmark to demonstrate how the tool is used.
- Using the items from their bookmark, ask students to create their lists
of ten.
- When the list of ten has been completed, ask students to rank order their
list: the first item on their lists should be the least important characteristic
and the last item on the list should be the most important characteristic.
This order will be important during the final session, when students publish
their lists.
Session Five
- When the list of ten has been put in rank-order, introduce the students
to the Flip
Book Student Interactive. See the handout on the tool for details
on the instructions to give students as you demonstrate the tool.
- Explain that
the rank-order of their lists of ten corresponds to the pages in the Flip
Book Student Interactive. The first page is the shortest, so it
should list the least important characteristic, which will require the
least amount of space to explain. The last page is the longest, so it
should include the most important characteristic
because
it includes
the most
space.
- When students complete their flip books, illustrating their list of ten,
invite them to share their lists with the class.
- Allow time for questions from the class and further discussions .
Extensions
- Invite students to look closely at the list of ten things that Opal’s
father tells her about her mother. Do these ten things resurface in the rest
of the story? For instance, the preacher says that Opal’s mother loved
to listen to stories. Opal demonstrates the same characteristic as she enjoys
listening to Miss Franny.
- If this lesson is taught towards the beginning of the school year, students can choose to write a list of ten positive things about a classmate. Then, to share, read the list aloud, but do not tell the name of the person. When the list has been read, invited the other students to guess who was described.
- This activity can be used in other content areas. Students can be asked
to write a list of “10 things I know about ..." Weather, the Solar
System, the Constitution, the Civil War, Habitats and Biomes, and so forth.
Web Resources
- What is Character?
http://www.readwritethink.org/lesson_images/lesson59/characterhandout.pdf
- A handout that can be shared with the class that explains characterization and provides examples.
- Sample Character Traits
http://www.readwritethink.org/lesson_images/lesson175/traits.pdf
- An extensive list of character traits that can be shared with students if they need help while creating their lists of ten.
- Kate DiCamillo
http://www.katedicamillo.com/
- Homepage of the author of Because of Winn-Dixie, with additional information about the book.
|
| Student Assessment/Reflections |
- A great deal of knowledge about students’ understanding can be
gained from listening to the students as they work together to create their
lists
of ten
in cooperative
groups.
- In addition, kidwatching is another good assessment for this activity. Circulate throughout the room while the students are meeting in their cooperative groups. Listen to their comments and observe their interactions. Take note of how they work together.
- Finally, assess the students’ bookmarks and their flip books to determine their knowledge and understanding of the characters in their texts.
|
1 - Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
2 - Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.
3 - Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
4 - Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
5 - Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
6 - Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
11 - Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
12 - Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
|
|
|
