Cara Johnson
TE 600
6-15-05
DID/NteQ Lesson Plan
Interactive Powerpoint and Creative Writing: Tall Tales for students in Grades 4-6
Know the Learner
The personal demographics of the students are white middle class children, and international south Asian children, that are the children of international students and doctors.
The developmental stage of each student is concrete operational, according to Piaget.
The learning style of most of the students is visual learning, and some learn by auditory cues, or listening.
These students show strong intelligences in the arts, including naturalistic intelligence, musical intelligence, spatial intelligence, and interpersonal intelligence.
The group dynamics of having an interest in the arts might help the teaching and learning process, because hopefully they will be more inclined to participate and perform in front of others.
The students’ entry skills are the completion of 3rd-5th grades, and some previous experience with dramatic arts, visual arts, and musical instruments.
Articulate the Objectives
Students will compose and illustrate a Tall Tale story using available classroom technology. Students will use an interactive PowerPoint presentation to identify exaggerations in stories.
The performance that will result from the unit will be the creation of a Tall Tale story, based on information learned from the Powerpoint presentation, and examples of Tall Tale heroes discussed in class. Performance will be assessed based on the completeness of the final draft of the story. The following levels on Bloom’s Taxonomy and Tomei’s Taxonomy are addressed in this unit.
Bloom’s Taxonomy:
Knowledge / Students will list and identify Tall Tale heroes the class has discussed.Comprehension / The student will summarize the concept of exaggerations in Tall Tales.
Application / The student will apply knowledge of Tall Tale hero exaggerations to create a new Tall Tale hero.
Analysis / The student will order thoughts about a new story to be written about the new Tall Tale hero.
Synthesis / The students will create and finish the story about the Tall Tale heroes they created.
Tomei’s Taxonomy
Literacy / The student will operate the classroom computer to open the PowerPoint presentation.Collaboration / The student will respond to questions posed in the PowerPoint presentation.
Decision-Making / The student will begin brainstorming attributes for a new character, based on information received in the PowerPoint presentation.
Establish the Learning Environment
The classroom includes a small group of computers and desks for writing. Most of the class will work on brainstorming activities and writing the rough draft of the stories at their seats. The students will use the computers to complete the PowerPoint presentation. When all students have viewed the presentation, the computers will be open for students to type their final draft.
Students are seated in pairs at the desks, and they may peer revise their papers with classmates.
Identify Teaching and Learning Strategies
Pre-organizers
The class will review the different types of Tall Tales we have discussed in class. The class will answer these questions:
1. How many Tall Tales that we have learned about include superhuman strength?
2. How many include superhuman wisdom?
3. What characters have superhuman height?
Technology Integration
The students will view an interactive PowerPoint presentation on American Folktales and answer the questions.
Organizing Information
Use what you know about Tall Tale heroes to create your own hero. Write a paragraph about him or her on a blank piece of paper, and include descriptive adjectives.
Processing information
The students will use the writing process to create a rough draft, revise, and produce a final copy of their story with illustrations.
Expectations and Guidelines For Writing your Tall Tale
Does your story have a beginning, middle, and end?
Does your Tall Tale character have exaggerated abilities?
Is there a problem for the main character to solve?
Is the plot clearly identified?
Is the plot funny and impossible?
In the end, the main character should overcome the enemy, or solve the probem.
Are all words spelled correctly?
Is all punctuation correct?
Activities Before Computer Use
Before viewing the PowerPoint presentation: Students will identify several characters in Tall Tales that the class has studied, and comment on their distinguishing characteristics, such as size and strength.
After all students have viewed the presentation: The computers will be available for word processing and paint programs.
Activities During Computer Use
Students will read information on a PowerPoint presentation, and answer questions about exaggerations in Tall Tales. If computers are available after everyone in the class viewed and completed the PowerPoint quiz, then the computers may be used for word processing of the story. After all students have viewed the PowerPoint presentation, the computers may also be used to create illustrations for the story.
Activities After Computer Use
After viewing the PowerPoint presentation: Students will write a paragraph about their own Tall Tale character using a paper and pencil. Students will use descriptive adjectives to describe their character. They will then create a story about this character, and write a rough draft. When the draft is revised, the students may use the computer to word process the final draft of their story, or use their neatest handwriting for the final draft.
Supporting Activities
There is a limited number of computers available for all students, and students must have activities to work on while they are not at the computers. Students may choose from the following activities when they are not using the computers:
Write the rough draft
Revise with a partner
Revise with a teacher
Write the final draft in neat handwriting
Illustrate the story
Read another student’s story
Read a book about Tall Tales if you are finished
Assessment
Assessment is based on the guidelines for writing the story, and includes mechanics:
Design 5 points
Does your story have a beginning, middle, and end?
Does your Tall Tale character have exaggerated abilities?
Is the plot clearly identified and understandable?
Is the plot funny and impossible?
Mechanics 5 points
Are all words spelled correctly?
Is all punctuation correct?
Is your handwriting legible?
Creativity 10 points
Does your Tall Tale include an illustration?
Have you included descriptive adjectives?
Have you included exciting action verbs?
Is the main problem to solve an original idea?
Does the main character defeat the enemy or solve the problem in the end?