Lesson Plan for Snow Queen



TOP 10 REASONS TO USE CLUB CHRONICLE

10.Meets all of the TEKS for LA/READING.

9. It’s authentic literature.

8. It’s always changing!

7. Extensive website support for extension activities.

6. Printed in English and Spanish!

5. Kids can take it home!

4. Provides easy home/school learning connection.

3. Written by local author and illustrator!

2. It’s free!!!!

1. KIDS LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!

CLUB CHRONICLE ACTIVITIES

Summary:

Since I have begun using the Chronicle as reading supplements for the mandated curriculum, the students have eagerly awaited the delivery of the newspaper, especially when a story is due to be printed. It is the mainstay of the reading program in the summer school curriculum, and I am thrilled that they are now running stories in the school year as well.

This year, our 4th grade and 1st grade classes have enjoyed the stories. We use the stories in both English and Spanish, as our bilingual classes make use of both translations. They use the Spanish version in the regular reading class, and the English version in ESL class. Our first grade has the story read aloud to them, and then they create books to take home. In their first experience, they illustrated the parts from each chapter that is glued into their take home books.

As they became more skilled, they wrote short summaries and also cited their favorite parts of the stories. Stories are then bound with both English and Spanish versions, so that they may enjoy them at home with their families.

In my 4th grade ESL class, I have used the stories in a variety of ways:

1) Scan the stories for unusual or difficult vocabulary terms. Students will use the list for vocabulary exercises to acquaint themselves with meanings (see attached). When we come upon a term on our list, in our read aloud time, the first student to spot and define the term earns the title MASTER VOCABULARIAN, and enters the word on our Word Wall.

2) Cooperative learning groups for reading comprehension questions. Generally grouped in 3’s, with each student assigned the role of reporter, leader, or scribe. Roles rotate with each new story. Questions range from factual to opinion, and are teacher generated. Teacher leads discussion as each group reports.

3) Make books from the daily chapters, in both English and Spanish. This may seem obvious and perhaps “old hat,” but in the barrio where I teach, students do not have books at home, especially in English. This provides an inexpensive copy for read aloud practice.

4) Cut up, a chapter at a time for read aloud practice, using a READER’S THEATRE format. Each child receives a line or two from the story to practice for our “PERFORMANCE.” They have great fun arranging themselves in sequential order. All are turned from the audience until it is time to say their lines. When speaking, they turn to face the audience, and remain so until they are finished; the next speaker turns around as they turn their backs to the audience to indicate that they are through speaking. As simple as this sounds, ESL students delight in this practice, and are not stressed out about speaking, as parts are small and prepared in advance.

5) Use the story reading as an opportunity to practice writing friendly letters. This year we wrote to Marie Swiston to tell her how much we enjoyed her stories. This provides necessary writing practice, but has a relevance to students’ lives that makes for instant motivation with even the most reluctant writer.

6) Often it is possible to compare/contrast the Chronicle version of a folk or fairy tale with another author’s version or retelling. Many stories are very old, and were born from the oral tradition of storytelling. Authors often retell in their own way, with a different spin, depending on ethnic or cultural background. A compare/contrast activity can make use of graphic organizers (Venn diagrams, t charts, story maps, etc.) to cite similarities and differences, and then be extended into writing lessons, as well.

7) The Chronicle stories can often provide a springboard to launch into an

in-depth study of the genre. Last summer, the myths generated great interest first, in learning more about Greek mythology, and then, mythologies of other cultures (Hawaiian, Japanese, Roman, Native American, etc.)

8) * Don’t overlook the obvious!!!!! I was shocked to see my kids browsing through other parts of the Chronicle during free reading time. Some grabbed the holiday ads, others the sports and the comics, and others actually scanned the classifieds!!!! I realized that what I have often heard in reading seminars is true: that one of the reasons kids don’t read is that they are not often given the opportunity to read! Given a BIG FAT SUNDAY CHRONICLE, they will explore it and read!

Sample Lesson Plan for Item 1- vocabulary exercise

TEKS OBJECTIVE

MATERIALS:

Student dictionaries, thesauruses and word map

Copy of Club Chronicle story

Highlighters

ACTIVITY:

Students will read copies of story, and highlight new, unusual, or unfamiliar words.

They will enter a chosen word on their word map and proceed according to directions.

Results are shared with the class.

*BONUS

Prizes awarded to students who use the word or identify the word in a non-related activity. (i.e., if a word such as “conjunction” were part of the story, as in the phrase, ”in conjunction with,” and it is noticed as a Club Chronicle Word, in a grammar lesson.)

*Justification for using Club Chronicle as an alternative resource for the teaching of reading can be found in the following list of TEKS OBJECTIVES FOR 4TH GRADE!!!

3A,B,C;4A,B,C;5A,B,C;6B,C;7E,F;8A,B,C;9A,B,C;10A,D,E,F,G;11A,B,C,D;12A,B,C,D,G,H,I;14A,B,C

Lesson Plan for Snow Queen

Vocabulary List for Chapter 1

sneering mimicked

cackle distorted

triumphant withered

wince amuse

Extension Activities

Discover LAPLAND. Go to sami.htm

Read Edmund and The White Witch by C. S. Lewis. (This is actually an excerpt from The Chronicles of Narnia.) Compare/contrast in a literature circle discussion with The Snow Queen.

Watch The Snow Queen video. Is it the same as the story in the Chronicle? What is different? What is the same? Which did you prefer?

Make bilingual books from The Snow Queen chapters from the Chronicle, to add to your home library.

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