Fire in the Windowby Mary Mapes Dodge

Included: A brief excerpt from the poem and rigorous question set activities

promoting higher level-thinking development

Tier 1

poetry selection

Jacob’s Ladder Goals & Objectives

Habits of Mind

Fire in the window! Flashes in the pane!Fire on the roof-top! Blazing weather-vane!Turn about, weather-vane! Put the fire out!The sun’s going down, sir, I haven’t a doubt.

Students will be able:Ladder CC1-Literary Elements-To identify and explain specific story elements such as character, setting, or poetic-device.C2-Inference-To use textual clues to read between the lines and make judgments about specific textual events, ideas, or character analysis.C3-Theme/Concept-To identify a major idea or theme common in the text.Ladder DD1 Paraphrasing Students will be able to restate lines read using their own words.D2 Summarizing Students will be able to provide a synopsis of text sections.D3 Creative Synthesis Students will create something new using what they have learned from reading and their synopses.

Ladder FF1: - Understanding Words – to identify and explain the meaning of figurative language or new vocabulary within the context of a story or poem. F2: - Thinking About Words – to analyze the use of words within the context as related to the theme of a text. F3 - Playing With Words – to accurately apply figurative language and new vocabulary to newly created contexts

Habits of Mind

Working Interdependently

Thinking about Thinking (metacognition)

Innovating, Creating, Imagining

Refer to Jacob’s Ladder Story Table for Ladder C, D & F Thinking Questions.

Tier 2Rigor

(Discussion)

High Level Strategies with

Ladder C, D & F Questions

Discussion Strategies: Think-Pair-Share, Write-around, 3-4 Podcast slides (Pixie, Frames).

Choose 2 of 3 questions below to complete.

C1 — With a partner, in a small group, or a recording read the poem with the correct pauses and punctuation kept in tact. After that reading, read it as if the exclamation marks were periods. Explain the difference.

C2 — Poll a number of people about what they think the fire in the window is. Does a majority of the people think one answer? If so what do they think the author infers it represents?

D1 — Rewrite the poem from the sun’s view point or perspective.

D2 — How would you justify to some one that this is the best time of day? Write a letter expressing your reasons.

F1 — After making a list of all the words you associate with the sun, compare your list to another students. Which words do you both have? Do you agree with your partners choices?

Tier 3Rigor

(Discussion)

High Level Strategies with

Ladder C, D & F Questions

Discussion Strategies: Think-Pair-Share, Write-around, 3-4 Podcast slides (Pixie, Frames).Choose 2 of 3 questions below to complete.

C3 — Power in nature is a theme of this poem. Choose another nature related topic such as rain, wind, snow, etc & write a poem expressing its power.D3 — Choose an ordinary every day event to write a poem following the style of this poem. Don’t forget about rhyme scheme, number of lines, and descriptive word choice used.

F2 — This poem gives the reader a positive, upbeat feeling upon the sun going down. How could the author write the poem if the sun were just coming up?

F3 — Know the bid idea of the poem, the author has asked you to come up with a title for the poem. What would your new title be?

Tier 4

Reflections/Relevance

Choose one of the writing ideas to complete.  Be creative. 

1.

2.

Suggested project strategies:  Write a podcast script; create a puppet show; develop a PSA; a PowerPoint presentation; write and be an actor in a skit; write a persuasive speech and give before the class.