meagher_languagearts

//Elijah of Buxton// Grade 5 By Christopher Paul Curtis ASSESSMENTS WILL BE IN YOUR MAILBOX FRIDAY || Mr. Leroy works hard everyday in hopes of buying his family out of      slavery. Mrs. Holton gives Mr. Leroy enough to buy his family. He     entrust his money in the Preacher. The Preacher in turn steals the money. Elijah goes with Mr. Leroy to America in hopes of recovering the money. In an unfortunate turn of      events Mr. Leroy dies on their voyage. When Elijah finally finds the Preacher he learned the Preacher had been killed. Located with the Preacher’s body are chained people who are to be     slaves. Elijah tries desperately to     free the captured people but only manages to save a small baby girl named Hope, aka Too-mah-ee-nee. Through out the book you watch Elijah grow into a respectable man who has to unfortunately witness the cruelty of slavery and the injustices of the world. || || # The student will write in their journals three instances where they felt they were backed into a corner and pick two to share orally. R5-16, OC-5-1.4 W-5-2.3 GLE 4.2. 5.1, 6.7, 8.4 see rubric Teacher || “Alright class, today we will once again be working with our Elijah books. We will be finishing chapter nine today. This chapter deals with being backed into a corner. Can someone please tell me what they think it means to feel as though you are backed into a corner? Possible answers: you feel you are trapped. Someone blocks you. You are being pressured to do something you don’t want to do, something you may think is wrong. “Great. So when a person is figuratively backed into a corner it means they feel they don’t have a choice. They are pressured into doing something they do not want to do. Now I want you to think for a minute of a few times where you were in a position like that. Once you have thought of a few, write down three of those instances in your reading journals.” After about 10 minutes I will go around the room and ask each student to share one of the times that they wrote down with the class. “Now that you have had some time to think about and write down your memories I am going to ask each of you to share one of the times they felt backed into a corner. First I will share one about myself. When I was younger my family went to Martha’s Vineyard. In Martha’s Vineyard they have bridges where people jump off into the water and swim. I didn’t want to jump off because I don’t like heights and I was scared. I didn’t want to hurt myself. Everyone kept pushing me to do it and joking that I was a wimp. Once every one was in the water I didn’t know how else to get to where they were other then jumping in so I did. Please don’t raise your hand I’m going to just go around the room. After everyone has shared I will ask students to tell me what they read yesterday, the first half of chapter nine. “After listening to everyone’s examples I’m glad to see you are getting the concept of being backed into a corner because this will be useful throughout your reading. Now can anyone tell me what happened in the first part of chapter 9?” Possible answers: Elijah and the Preacher went to the Carnival. There was a lady who could use a sling shot which is kinda like how Elijah chucks rocks. Elijah saw a mesmerist which scared him. Elijah met a boy named Sammy during the show. Sammy ended up getting called on by the Mesmerists. This is where ill introduce the comprehension strategy of making inferences from the text. My aim is for the students to make inferences of whether or not Sammy was mesmerized. I will need to make sure the students understand what it is to be mesmerized. I’ll model making an inference of Elijah from the last scene in chapter 3 on pages 49-52. This is the scene where the Preacher makes Elijah give him four of the fish he caught. “Moving on. I now want you to think about whether or not you think Sammy is mesmerized or not. Just to review of what we talked about yesterday. What did we was a mesmerist did?” Possible answers: he hypnotized people. He got people to do things they didn’t realize they were doing. “If a person were to be mesmerized what would the mesmerist be able to do?” Possible answers: The mesmerist could make them do whatever he wanted them to do. He could make them do things they don’t want to do. “Okay so if you were mesmerized you would do whatever the mesmerist told you to do. With that information I want you to make inferences based on what you read in the chapter of whether or not Sammy is mesmerized. Does anyone know what an inference is?” Possible answers: when you guess what will happen. A prediction. No one knows. “An inference is when you use information you have to try and figure out what is going on in the story. It is when you can pick up on something the author wants you to know without him writing it out. The author will hint at something. Now let’s make an inference together. Remember back to chapter three when Elijah gave the Preacher some of the fish he got? Ok, so I want you to make an inference of what Elijah was feeling, or what the Preacher’s intentions were. Think for a minute. Now someone tell me the inference they made. Remember this should be why you think one of the characters did what they did.” Possible answers: I think the Preacher took fish because he is older then Elijah and thinks he deserves them. Elijah felt trapped because he didn’t know how to get out of giving the Preacher fish. “Excellent now I am going to pass out an inference worksheet where you will practice making inferences while you read. The quotes are provided. Pick six to do. When you get to each of the quotes you chose in the reading write down the page number it is on. Then write down the inference you made.” || After about 20 minutes I will stop the class and ask questions to further their comprehensions. “Now that you’ve read about Sammy why do you think he continued with the Show? Possible answers: He was mesmerized. He felt like he had to. What are some other reasons people might continue? Possible answers: If they were getting paid. They had nowhere else to go. “Good you guys seem to have a lot of good ideas. These will help you with what we are doing next.” || “So did Sammy finish the show? His faced turned red. What does it usually mean when your face turns red? Let’s say you are Sammy and you are not mesmerized. I want you to think about if you would follow through with the show and do things you are not comfortable with. Then write down five reasons why you would or would not finish the show.” Possible answers: I would not follow through with the show because it is too embarrassing. I would not follow through with the show because I want to show that I’m not mesmerized. I would follow through with the show because it is my job. I would follow through because I have nowhere else to go. I would finish the show because I think it’s funny. I would because I like to be the center of attention. || Also to help out students who are having trouble can work in pairs. For students who have trouble writing down their thoughts they will be encouraged to do their best but also provided with the chance to tell me orally their answers. Struggling readers can go in the hall with a partner and read out loud. Also for students who are struggling I will provide further examples of inferences that apply to chapter 9. ||  This lesson was not conducted in an actual classroom. Due to it not being conducted I don't have examples of student work and it is hard for me to make recommendations. I will however put in your mailbox the corresponding worksheets and rubric. ||
 * Identifying information || Nicole Meagher
 * || Planning ||
 * Text Overview || #  //Elijah of Buxton// is a story about a young African American boy who was the first child born free in the town of Buxton in Canada. This story deals with slavery and hardship and how Elijah grapples with the idea of not being free. Through out the book Elijah yearns to be “growned.” He is a very helpful and polite boy. Other members of the town of Buxton include Elijah’s parents, Mr. Leroy, Elijah’s best friend Cooter Bixby, Emma Collins, and Mrs. Holton. A near by resident who proves integral to Elijah becoming grown is the Preacher who is a sly man who has comparable morals.
 * 1)   //Elijah of Buxton// is a Newbury Medal Winner. This book meets criteria for quality literature because it talks about an injustice that occurred in America which we should all be aware of. Children can enjoy this book because it if narrated from a young boys perspective and they can all relate to being ignorant of some evens that are occurring around them. This is a great book for students to practice making predictions, summarizing, asking questions, and making connections to. Students get to experience, in print, a different dialect. They are forced to make meaning of what they are reading and the somewhat new language (vocabulary) they are faced with.
 * 2) According to the Fry formula, (focusing on chapter 9) //Elijah// is calculated at the eighth grade level. There are approximately 3 sentences for the first 100 words and 108 syllables. The second 100 words make up 4 sentences and include 130 syllables while the third 100 words compile 2 sentences and include 114 syllables. Students would read this book are maturing readers. In this book the reader encounters plurals and past tense as well as syllable patterns such as open syllables that end with long- vowel sounds, closed syllables, VCV, VV, etc. There are many compound words such as somebody, sometimes, horseflies, coldcocked, firearm, etc. Another interesting thing in this book that makes it a maturing reader level is the author’s use of contractions and suffixes.
 * Objectives/Outcomes
 * 1)  The student will pick 6 out of the 12 quotes provided and make inferences of each quote. R-8.5, R-8.3, R-5-5.3, R-5-6, W-5-3.2 GLE 2.6, 2.7, 5.1, 5.4, 6.7
 * 2)  Students will identify in writing what they would do if they were in Sammy’s position. And give five reasons why they would do that. R-5-16, R-5-13, R-5-5 W-5-3.3 GLE 2.7, 5.1, 6.7
 * 3)  Student will use their knowledge of word structure using suffixes to sort (15) proper vs. improper –ed words with 90% accuracy (13-14 correct). R-5-1.1, R-2-2.1, W-5-9.1 GLE 5.3, 6.7  ||
 * Materials || For each student
 * Paper (reading journal)
 * Pencil
 * // Elijah of Buxton //
 * Inference chart
 * Word sort worksheet
 * List of questions for various stages of lesson
 * // Elijah of Buxton //
 * Grouping || * I would teach this book in the end of 5th grade.
 * This is a lesson that in part is for students to work individually before and after, during they will be in groups 4 or 5 and in other parts they will work as a class. While in the small guided reading groups they will be reading the book with me then discuss it in their groups. ||
 * Preparation || ||
 * || Students will be focusing on the last part of chapter 9 pages 124-133. ||
 * Pre-reading || I will open by asking students what it is to feel as though you are backed into a corner. I will then ask the class to think of some times where they felt as though they themselves had been backed into a corner.
 * Pre-reading || I will open by asking students what it is to feel as though you are backed into a corner. I will then ask the class to think of some times where they felt as though they themselves had been backed into a corner.
 * During Reading || Students will read silently stopping at the stop points provided. At each stop point they will look at the provided quote and make an inference of what they think will happen next.”
 * After/Reading responding || This part is to be done individually. Students are asked to put themselves in Sammy’s shoes and write 5 reasons why they would or would not continue with the show. I will write the instructions on the board after I give them orally.
 * || Additional activities done after/later on ||
 * Applying || Students will do a rewrite from Sammie’s point of view. They will pock one or two paragraphs where there was a stopping point as to include Sammie’s thoughts on acting, or not wanting to go on with the act. Students will then rewrite that small scene from the different point of view. Found in 50 Literacy Strategies on page 132 #40 rewriting a story from another point of view. ||
 * Vocabulary/Word work || The vocabulary lesson focuses on –ed words. I would provide students with a worksheet with 15 words. All words end in ed. Some of the words are proper English and some are improper. I’ll ask students to use their knowledge of suffixes to sort the 15 words. An extra credit section will be provided where students can correct the improper words. (see worksheet) ||
 * Reaching All Learners Assessment || ||
 * Engaging all students || In order to engage all students the required tasks can be scaled down for those who have a harder time grasping the idea. Instead of having to make 6 inferences they can make 3.
 * Engaging all students || In order to engage all students the required tasks can be scaled down for those who have a harder time grasping the idea. Instead of having to make 6 inferences they can make 3.
 * Evaluation || *   Each student will be evaluated on their journal entries and class participation. (see rubric)
 * I will look over each student’s inference worksheet and grade it according to the rubric.
 * After reading what the student would do in Sammy’s position and their reasons why I will apply their answers to the provided rubric.
 * I will collect all the worksheets on the suffix -ed and also apply the rubric to this worksheet for grading.   ||