UNIT OF PRACTICE—DR



UNIT OF PRACTICE—DR. SEUSS

ANNIE DESLAURIERS

ABSTRACT

One of a teacher’s most important duties is to help develop a love of reading in each child. The goal of this unit is to learn about Dr. Seuss, hear his books read, and use technology to create individual and group projects.

INVITATION

How can I give students the opportunity to express themselves creatively in print? How can I help students integrate primary technology skills into the language arts?

UNIT DETAILS

Subjects: Literature, English/Language Arts, Math.

Learning Levels: Primary.

Author: Ann DesLauriers

Submitted by: Ann DesLauriers

STANDARDS

THIRD GRADE WRITING STANDARDS

The Student Will:

1. use vocabulary appropriate for the content.

2. use complete sentences in writing.

3. maintain a personal writing journal or folder.

4. use the writing process to improve written work. (example: prewriting, drafting, revision, editing, publishing)

5. model the use of descriptive words and patterns to stimulate reader interest. (example: rhymes, repetition)

6. model the use of different elements of style. (example: word choice, voice, sentence structure)

7. write creative short stories, descriptive paragraphs, or narratives.

8. use various types of technology for sharing, revising, and editing written work.

9. conference with others to revise selected drafts for coherence and logical progression of ideas.

10. edit final copies for capitalization and punctuation.

11. revise writing for clarity and focus on central ideas.

SITUATIONS

This unit will take place in the classroom, library, and the computer lab. Weekly lessons will take place during the month of March to focus on Dr. Seuss, his birthday, and Read Across America. Duration of lessons will vary depending on integration of content into the reading, language arts, math, computer, and art periods.

TASKS

1. Students will listen to various Dr. Seuss books throughout the month. These will be charted weekly and used for journal writing ideas. The Dr. Seuss books will be available for the children to read individually during seat work time.

2. Students will be grouped to research trivia questions about Dr Seuss and his books. The library, Internet, and classroom resources will be used. Groups will compose their own trivia questions to be used during the final week of March.

a. Dr. Seuss’s Biography

b. Dr. Seuss

3. Students will create Seuss journals to go along with weekly readings of stories. Students can write own remake or ideas about individual stories. Encourage students to find pictures, magazine articles, drawing, or any other Seuss information to add to their journals for interest.

4. After reading And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street, discuss the story with the class. Then, take the class on a walk down the street or in the school. Have each student take a notebook and pencil and record at least five things he/she sees. Students should not compare records. When you return to the classroom, have each student write what he/she actually saw, and next to it, his/her own imaginative design (i.e. house-a castle with sentries, a moat with flags flying from the turrets; fire engine-a dragon racing down the street making roaring sounds). After teacher/student conferences, have each student write two paragraphs and illustrate:

a. To think that I saw it on _____ Street (or in school),

b. What I really saw. These writings can be laminated, bound, and made into a class book.

5. After reading If I Ran The Zoo, students will create creatures from this and other stories written by Dr. Seuss. Students will use a variety of medium such as paper mache, watercolors, markers, and crayons. Then have students work in groups to create a “Seuss Zoo.” Students need to make necessary accommodations for the animals; such as size and condition of cages, placement of certain animals next to other animals, etc. Students will create a visual layout of their “Seuss Zoo.”

6. Students will use the Internet to visit the “Seussville” site at . Allow time for the students to browse the page and add their names to the guest book, if applicable. Students will select three links. They will answer trivia questions and play online games such as The Cat in the Hat’s Great Big Flap Book Game, Hooray for Diffendoofer Day Game, Horton’s Who Hunt, etc.

7. The students will listen to The Lorax.

a. Students will pretend to be the Lorax, and they have gone to visit a school. Students will write what they would say to the children? What would they say to help the animals that were driven from the Truffula forest?

b. This Truffula Tree Snacks activity involves the children in making healthy snacks that consist of peanut butter, celery sticks, tangerines, paper plates, and assorted fruits. To construct the Truffula tree snacks:

i. Distribute paper plates to each student.

ii. Place approximately 1-2 Tablespoons of peanut butter on each student plate.

iii. Give each student a celery stick to place in the peanut butter so that the celery stick will stand up.

iv. Give each student ½ tangerine (cut in a zig zag pattern) to place on top on the celery stick.

v. Tell the students they will sample different “Truffula fruits.” Distribute bite size pieces of the assorted fruit in intervals so that the students can enjoy the different tastes.

vi. Create a graph of the students’ favorite fruits.

8. After hearing the variety of Seuss books, students will take a vote on their favorite Dr. Seuss book. This information will then be graphed during Math class. After this the teacher and class will E-mail another class or school (the teacher will have previously arranged this with another teacher) to report the results of their vote. The other class will respond with their vote. If wanted, this information could be used to write word problems for Math.

INTERACTIONS

Students will be read to, read with, and read independently. Each class session will be summarized with whole group discussion at the end of the period. Students will do creative writing and artwork independently. Students will work in small groups to research, develop, and share projects.

ASSESSMENT

Did the student actively listen to the oral reading of the stories? Did the student participate in group discussion and give appropriate responses to oral questions?

Did the student correctly complete written assignments? Did the student use technology to locate information? Did the student work cooperatively in pairs and groups to complete art, written, and multimedia projects?

TOOLS

1. Seuss library of books.

2. Classroom and/or lab computers with Internet access.

3. Pencils, paper, and art supplies.

4. Kid Pix.

5. Word Processor software.

6. Peanut butter, celery sticks, tangerines, assorted fruits, and paper plates.

PROJECTS

1. There will be a celebration elementary wide of Dr. Seuss’s birthday for National Education Association’s Read Across America. A guest reader will be invited into the school. Following that, birthday cake and juice will be shared.

2. In small groups, students will create slide shows using Kid Pix. Students will choose Dr. Seuss information of their choice that was discussed throughout various activities to prepare their slides. Students will script their presentations in their journals. These scripts will then be voice recorded into the Kid Pix presentation.

3. Students will make a folder to contain individual writings, journal, and art projects. Students will depict their favorite Seuss character on the cover.

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