Guided Reading Lessons (2)

Name: Sean Addley Grade: 2^nd Grade Date: 4/16/08

Objective: Students will compare main characters in a fictional story.

Standards: R.NT.02.01, R.CM.02.03

Materials: Are You My Mother (Eastman, 1960), Paper for everyone, Pencils for everyone, easel with big paper, marker

Lesson Procedures:

1. Pre-reading (4 minutes)

· Introduce Text – I will do a quick picture walk, pointing out the main character (Bird) which will be compared to other characters. I will ask question about the illustrations and if they see common themes throughout the book.

· Introduce Purpose – I will explain to the students that we are going to be finding similarities and differences between main characters in the story. I will further explain that I will be reading the book two times and the first time I want them to be good listeners. The second time I read, I will encourage them to take notes on their paper about the characters.

2. Reading (8 minutes)

I will completely read the text once through while students actively listen. As I read the story a second time I will encourage the students to try to find similarities and differences, while still paying attention, taking notes on their paper.

3. Responding(6 minutes)

I will ask the students if they were able to come up with any really good examples of similarities or differences. I will also ask if any of the students have ever been lost, maybe in the supermarket. After sharing, I will ask if any of the stories they shared have similarities/differences to Bird in the story, bringing us back on track.

4. Exploring (14 minutes)

· Strategy Introduction – I will draw a Venn diagram on the easel, labeling one circle “Bird” and the other circle “Possible Mothers” I will share with the students this is a tool called a Venn diagram which I used when comparing similarities and differences.

· Engaging – I will ask one of the students to share an example of the similarity/difference they came up with. We will discuss if the example is a similarity or difference, stressing that differences are unique to that one character and similarities are shared by all.

· Practice –I will share that in a Venn diagram how similarities go in the middle because this part is shared by both circles, therefore differences would go in that individual character’s circle. I will ask for student examples of similarities/differences and write them in the appropriate place on the Venn diagram on the easel. I will do this with each student and one of their examples.

5. Applying (5 minutes)

I will ask student to use the marker and put one more example on the easel. This I will ask to be done independently with no help from others, reminding them to remain silent and respectful.

Accommodations:

Reading twice (allows for better detail recognition)

Notes (will focus more on the story than remember their thoughts)

Easel / Diagram (learning styles)

Assessment:

I will review what each student posted on the easel. The examples which identify a difference/similarity of Bird and other characters will have met the lesson objective.

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Summary:
I did the same type of lesson but with a different group of students. I, again choose the students that would partake in the lesson.

Reflection:
After completing the first guided reading lesson then doing the Are You My Mother lesson. One thing that I noticed about the students literacy development is that they are very good at pulling details out of stories, not only details about characters but details about the story as a whole, including setting and plot. Although this lesson focused on character comparison, during the responding time, students shared things about the whole story. For example, one student said in order for the bird to see so many different animals and a crane, the bird had to have traveled really far. This was a very impressive detail that the student was able to pull out from the story, showing a deeper level of thinking. When comparing the two lessons, I would have to say that the first lesson worked much better. I feel this is due to the book that was chosen. The first lesson the students were asked to discriminate between two characters. In the second book the students were asked to discriminate between one character (Bird) and a range of other characters. The students were confused if they were suppose to compare bird and all of the other characters, or if they were suppose to choose one other character and compare that individual with Bird. Personally, I left this open to interpretation, giving students the option. I did this to alleviate any possible confusion, but in doing so I guess I created more. This was a time when my original plan of less guidance to be more flexible actually created more confusion. Sometimes students need to be told step by step what is expected of them, that was the case for this lesson. However, the outcome of the lesson was still successful. The students were able to discriminate a characteristic of Bird that was different/similar to another (or all) of the other characters. Also, this book was a much easier read. I felt that this was one of the more successful read alouds that I have done. The students were able to follow the story with little distraction, and excited to say what was coming next when I read it a second time. In the future, I would use this book, but in a different way. I may have each student choose a specific character. For example, one could be the dog, one could be the hen, one could be the crane, etc. From there, each student could draw their own Venn diagram and compare their character to the character of the bird. Then, after they complete their diagram, they could pair/share to see how their peers completed their diagrams, engaging and strengthening the classroom community.