Lesson Plan # 1

Name: Margaret HoffmannDate: March 24, 2003

Content Area: ScienceUnit Topic: Insects

Today’s Lesson: Hey, Little AntGrade Level: 2nd

Duration: 9:30am-10:30am

Lesson Rationale

N.Y.S. English/Language Arts Learning Standards:

Standard 1: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.

Key Idea 2: Speaking and writing to acquire and transmit information requires asking probing and clarifying questions, interpreting information in one’s own words, applying information from one context to another, and presenting the information and interpretation clearly, concisely, and comprehensibly.

Instructional Objectives

Students will:

  1. Use critical thinking skills to form an opinion. (Synthesis)
  2. Write for clarity and understanding, their opinion and support it. (Application)
  3. Listen for information. (Knowledge)
  4. Improve their interpersonal skills through sharing of their writings. (Comprehension)

Adaptations

Hearing Impaired: Student will wear hearing aid. Student will be given a copy of book to follow along in while we are reading aloud. Group discussion will be written on chart paper for student to see. Directions for writing assignment will be in writing.

Behavior problems: Teacher will provide clear, concise directions. Student will sit near teacher during whole group discussion. Teacher will circulate around class to provide support during small group activities.

Materials

2 copies of Hoose, P. & Hoose, H. (1998). Hey, little Ant. Berkeley, CA: Tricycle Press.

Pencils

Lined writing paper

Chart paper

Markers

Multiple copies (18) of reproducible “To Squish or Not to Squish” from Miller, B. (2000). Insects. Greensboro, NC: The Education Center, 41.

Lesson Opening

We have been studying insects and their roles in our world. Today we are going to take a closer look at the ant. Who can raise their hand and tell me something they know about the ant. Call on every student with hand up. Write student answers on a KWL chart shaped like an ant. (Students are familiar with KWL charts through previous usage) My goodness, you certainly know a lot about ants already. Is there anything that you may not know but would like to learn? Let’s add those things to our chart. Call on students with hands raised and write responses on chart. Let’s see if we can learn the answers to any of these by reading this wonderful story. Hold up book Hey, Little Ant for students to see. This is a story about a boy who wants to step on an ant and squish him. Of course the ant does not want to be stepped on , so he and the boy have a discussion about why he should and should not step on the ant. When two characters, such as the boy and ant talk to one another in a story it is called a dialogue.(write word on board, spell it orally as you write-add to word wall later) I want you to listen carefully to the dialogue, or what the boy and ant say to each other. Pay close attention to the reasons they give as to why and why not the boy should step on the ant. At the end of the story I will ask some of you to pretend you are the ant and some of you to pretend you are the boy to come up with more reasons as to why the ant should or should not be stepped on. Then I will ask you to decide what you would do if you were the boy. So listen carefully to the story.

Lesson Body

  1. Read aloud the story Hey, Little Ant by Phillip and Hannah Hoose. Use different voices for the boy and the ant. Show the children the pictures. Randomly select a few students to describe a picture after you have read it. Example, Chris what do you see happening on this page (Picnic) or Jane please describe this picture (ant taking care of baby ants).
  2. Ask children the question at the end of the book: “What do you think that kid should do?” Listen to responses. Divide children into 2 groups. Ask group 1 to be the ant and group 2 to be the boy. Write on chart paper 2 columns. One labeled BOY the other labeled ANT. Reread story stopping after every page. Ask a child from the BOY side what the boy’s reason was for squishing the ant. Write it on the chart paper or have student write it. Then read ant’s response. Randomly ask a child from the ant side what the ant said, why he shouldn’t be stepped on. Have child write answer on chart paper if time allows or teacher can do it. Continue through book to the end with this guided practice and modeling. Then ask children to come up with some reasons of their own. Have a child from the boy side give a reason why he should squish the ant. Write it down under the BOY column. Then have a child from the ant side respond as to why he shouldn’t squish him. Write this answer under the ANT column. Select a few children this way then reverse it. Start with the ant telling why he should live and the boy responding. (This procedure will model for the children possible answers for their papers) Continue writing responses on the chart. Or if time allows have children write their own responses on chart. Teacher will be able to check for understanding from responses of children.
  3. Have each child return to their desk and take out a piece of paper and pencil. Remind children to put proper heading on paper. Write on chalk board I think the boy should/ should not squish the ant because…..Instruct children to copy this sentence and write either should or should not based on their feelings or opinion. Tell children they need to write a few sentences explaining why they feel that way. Refer to chart paper responses. Give example I feel the boy should not step on the ant because ants eat very little food. They clean up the crumbs we drop and leave behind on picnics. Write it down on the board. Ask a student how they would answer this question “I think the boy should or should not “, stop wait for student response, repeat student answer “should not” continue with “ squish the ant because” stop wait for student response, repeat student answer “because the ant has not done anything to bother the kid.” Write it on the board. (guided practice and modeling). Allow several minutes for students to write their responses.
  4. When students appear to have their drafts completed use Popsicle sticks to pair the students off. Instruct students to share their piece with their partner. Follow the writing workshop format for editing and revising (students are familiar with this procedure) Teacher will circulate and hold mini conferences, check revised pieces and give approval for final draft. When piece has been checked and approved for final draft give student To Squish or Not to Squish reproducible.
  5. Children will write final draft on To Squish or Not to Squish form
  6. When children have completed final drafts. Gather them in reading area. Allow anyone who would like to share to take the Authors chair and read their story aloud.
  7. Hang finished products on bulletin board

Closure

After students have read their pieces refer back to the KWL chart. Ask them what new things did we learn today about ants. Call on students with raised hands. Add responses to chart. Ask students who remembers what a dialogue is? Point to word written down earlier. Randomly select 2-3 students , acknowledge their answers then rephrase that it is what people say to each other. We are having a dialogue now. I speak and then you speak. Ask for two students to stand up and give an example, role play, two people having a dialogue. After those students are done tell them what they did well and ask for two more volunteers. Repeat. This is important to remember and learn because we are going to be writing a story using dialogue.

Lesson Follow Up

Small Group Practice:

Students will pair up. One student will say something and the other student will write it down. Then the other student will say something and their partner will write it down. Students will continue for 3-4 sentences. Students will then add detail and description to create and write a story using their dialogue.

Independent Practice:

Students will write an original story using dialogue between 2 or more characters.

Evaluation:

What did I want the children to learn?

  • How to use critical thinking skills to form an opinion and support it.
  • Definition of the term dialogue
  • General information about ants

How will I know they learned it?

  • Completed KWL chart on ants
  • Completed BOY/ANT response chart
  • Quality of verbal responses
  • Written piece stating opinion and giving support as to why they think that way.
  • Usage of dialogue in future writing pieces

Lesson Resources

References for student use:

  • “To Squish or Not to Squish” reproducible from:

Miller, B. (2000). Insects. Greensboro, NC: The Education Center Inc., 41.

References for teacher use:

  • Hoose, P & Hoose, H. (1998). Hey, Little Ant. Berkeley, CA: Tricycle Press.
  • NYS ELA Learning Standards