A Literature Focus Unit on The Barn by Avi

5th -7th grade

Amy EdlefsonOctober 24, 2011

Intermediate Literacy

Themes and Essential Questions

HopeHow does hope play a role in helping Ben accomplish the mundane tasks of caring for his father as well as the culminating task of building the barn?

LoveHow is the love the children have for each other and their father displayed throughout the book? How is love put into action?

PerseveranceHow does Ben persevere through his father’s illness? How do Nettie and Harrison show perseverance?

Loss/AcceptanceHow do the children deal with the slow loss of their father? Does acceptance mean to give up hope? Why or why not?

IngenuityHow is ingenuity shown through Ben as he relates to his father as well as the building of the barn?

Objectives

Students will be able to:

Develop an understanding of life on the frontier in 1855 and produce a research paper based on life in 1855.

Assess and verbalize their own feelings about hope, loss, and perseverance through writing and discussion.

Apply knew vocabulary to their journal writing. Evaluate their own work ethic based on Work Ethic Rubric, and create 2

individual growth goals for improving work ethic.

Assessment

Assessments throughout the unit are highlighted in red within the context of the activity with which they are connected. In addition to these intrinsic assessments, the teacher will also be encouraging and assessing the use of new vocabulary within student writing. Students and teacher will also conference and periodically evaluate how a student is fulfilling their personal work ethic goals based on the rubric.

Background Knowledge

In order to read and engage with The Barn students will need to have an understanding of Western Expansion in the United States in the later half of the nineteenth century. They will need to know about the Homestead Act and how settlers needed to maintain their land for 5 years in order to own it outright. They need to be exposed to types of resources available to the settlers of the western territories during this time and the difficulties they faced in establishing a homestead.

Geographically, they need to understand where Portland, Oregon is and have some understanding of how far the settlers traveled to get to the far western territories from the east. In particular, where are Vermont, Illinois, and Missouri? What are the distances between these places and how far would it have taken someone to travel on foot, by wagon, or by train between these locations?

As far as some of the details in the book, students will need to understand what boarding school is, what were the roles of men and women in the mid-nineteenth century Western Territories, what medical practices were like in the mid-nineteenth century, and what were some of the tools that were used by people during this time in history.

Teaching Vocabulary

palsy (p. 7)daubed (p. 12)hearth (p. 12)mangled (p. 16)standoffish (p. 17)lean-to (p. 24)glisten (p. 37)musket (p. 38)crossness (p. 41)chalky (p. 45)recollect (p. 49)coverlet (p. 55)wheeze (p. 55)planking (p. 59)barrow (p.62)convinced (p. 65)North Star (p. 68)midpoint (p. 68)territory (p.70)maul (p. 74)gluts (p. 75)wasting away (p. 81)frolic (p. 86)framing (p. 98)

Word ExpertIn order to better know and understand the words that may be unfamiliar to students, I would have them work together in pairs to become word experts of 2-3 words from our vocabulary list for The Barn. By working together and discovering on their own what these words mean, how to use them in the text, and how they can explain their use to fellow classmates, students will gain a deeper understanding of knowledge of these new words within the text of the story and in their own writing. Using the word expert graphic organizer, students will define the word, discover synonyms, use the word in the sentence and either draw or cut and paste a picture to help define the word for other students. These graphic organizers will be shared with the class as a whole and will be traded regularly throughout the unit so that students can be exposed to all of vocabulary presented in the text.

Context CluesWithin groups of 3, students would be given 4-5 words from the list and the correlating page number. Students will have to discover what information from the text can help them define and better understand the vocabulary word. Using the context clues graphic organizer, students will explain where the word is found in the

text, how it is used within the text and how they could use the text to help to understand the meaning of the word. Free Word SortThe students will be given all 24 words to sort in whatever categories they choose. Some examples of these might be:

How the words might be used in the context of the story, i.e. words relating to characters, plot, conflict, setting.

Which words share the same part of speech, i.e. nouns, adjectives, verbs Which words do I feel very confident in understanding, which ones could I

use more work on, which words I am still struggling with, and which words I find particularly interesting and want to remember for my future writing.

Students will write out a sort of these words within their journals and have to give some explanation as to why they chose to sort in this manner and some examples of why they put the words in categories they did.1

Comprehension Strategies

Predicting/Generating questions

Students will be asked to look at the cover and title of The Barn and then asked to read the first 4 paragraphs, until “Your sister has come to take you.” Students will be asked to create at least 3 questions that they have about the book. These questions need to have more than a one-word answer. They will write these 3 questions in their journals and then pair up to take turns asking their questions of a partner while answering their partner’s questions. After the short discussion time, they will be asked to respond in their journals to 2 more questions by the teacher. These questions will try to push the higher learning end of questioning:

Why do you think that Benjamin was away at boarding school?

What do you think has happened to Benjamin’s father? What type of accident do you think has occurred?

What clues in text tell you about the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Dortmeister and Benjamin? What do you think their relationship is like?

How do you think Benjamin feels about being at boarding school? How do you think he feels about hearing the news of his father’s accident?

1 This is an opportunity for differentiation as students are able to decide on how they will sort their words as long as they can justify why they sorted in the manner they chose.

Cause and Effect

At the end of chapter 9, students will be asked to look at the events that lead to Benjamin’s decision to build the barn. Each student will be given a stack of post-it tabs and will be asked to go back through the text so far and determine what specific events lead to his decision to build a barn. Students will need to highlight at least 2. Students will discuss these contributing events in a group of four. Each group will write their ideas on a large sheet of paper and these lists will be posted in the classroom for later reference.

It says, I say, and so…

At the end of chapter 17 students will be shown how to make inferences using the “It says, I say, and so…” format. The teacher will read the book My Rotten Red-Headed Older Brother and students will be asked:

What do you think will happen with her wish?

As a class the students will talk about and write about the clues in the text that give us information, our own thoughts or experiences as they relate to the text, and what we believe will happen.

Students will then take their newly learned format and apply it to the text by using the question:

What do you think Ben means by the barn being, “a gift”?

Comprehension Questions

Knowledge1. Why did Benjamin have to return home from boarding school?2. Where is the homestead located?3. How does Ben communicate with his father?4. What has happened to their mother?

Comprehension1. Why would Nettie leave the homestead?2. Define the word “palsy”.3. Outline the steps that it took to build the barn.

Application1. If you were Benjamin, would you accept help to build the barn? Why or why

not?2. What are some of the reasons why this story could not have occurred today

in Oregon? 3. Examine a time in your life when you had to do something that you did not

want to do. How did you feel about the task at the beginning? How did you feel when it was done? Are you glad you had to do it, why or why not?

Analysis1. Compare Benjamin’s view of his father to that of Nettie and Harrison2. What are some of Ben’s motives behind building the barn?3. Explain what Ben means when he describes his father as a cave with some

kind of animal or creature inside at the end of chapter 6.

Synthesis1. Compare what Nellie believes about her mother with what she believes

about her father based on the conversation with Ben at the end of chapter 2.2. Why do you think Ben expresses so much anger toward his father at the end

of chapter 9?

Evaluation1. If you were Ben, what do you think would be the hardest part of taking care

of your father? Why?2. How would you feel if you were Nettie? Would you have left to marry Tod or

stayed to help your brothers? Why?3. If you had the choice, would you have traveled west to settle a new

homestead or would you have stayed in the east. Why? 4. In chapter 17, Ben is worried that his siblings will think he is weaker than

them if they knew he was not able to swing the ax. How would you describe Ben as a person? Is he weaker than his siblings?

5. Do you believe that the barn was a gift to the children from their father? Why or why not?

Writing Activities

Diamante Poem

Students will begin by doing a 2 minute word splash of words that describe Ben’s emotions and thinking. This will be done in journals. Together, in groups of 4, students will discuss the many aspects of Ben and how often his emotions are conflicting. Students will then be introduced to the diamante poem. On their own they will choose words from their word splashes to create a diamante poem that focuses on two opposing aspects of Ben’s feelings.

Proverbs

Students will look at the proverbs used by Nettie throughout the book, i.e. “People who talk about luck don’t think much of themselves.” Using the various resources provided, students will decide on a proverb for Ben, either one that would describe him, or one they think he might use, and explain in their journals why this proverb is fitting for Ben. 2

http://www.quotationspage.com/ http://www.quoteland.com/http://creativequotations.com/

The web resources above can be used to discover proverbs that can be used for this activity. The teacher may also offer books filled with proverbs, sayings or quotes for student research.3

Father’s Words

In their journals, students will free write about what father would say to Ben if he could speak. This will be a timed activity where the students will keep their pencils moving for two minutes, take a 1 minute break to read through what they have written, write again for two minutes either continuing or expanding on what they have written. Again they would take a 1 minute break to read and then write again for two minutes. Students will be encouraged to just write their ideas without thought of linear thinking or complete sentences, but to simply get their ideas on the page, expanding and following their ideas as far as they will go.

Students will then share their writing with a partner and they will critique each others writing based on ideas and voice. They will need to offer 2 specific things that they really liked and 1 critique they would suggest. As a class, students will

2 This again allows for student choice in what proverb they choose and allows for differentiation based on student ability3 This writing activity comes from http://members.accessus.net/~bradley/Writingbarn.html

practice together with the teacher based on a sample writing that they will read as a class and critique before engaging in their peer critique.

Students will then use their free writing and peer critique and write a letter from father to Ben. This will be a formal writing activity that will be written in draft for and then in final copy form to be showcased in the classroom.

What was it like to live in 1855?

Students will examine, though writing in their journals, different aspects of life in Oregon in 1855. Some short journal assignments might include such topics as:

Would you like to attend boarding school? Why or why not? What would life be like for a woman in 1855? What would it be like to get sick in 1855? What were building practices like in 1855 on the frontier? What was farming like in 1855? What food was available to people on the frontier?

These would be short writing experiences drawing on their knowledge from the books as well as discussions in class. Using these writings, students will then choose one aspect of life in 1855. They can choose something from their writing or a new topic of their choosing and research the topic using multiple digital and print resources. They will use the writing process, the rubric for 6 traits of writing, peer editing, and their research to create free writes/notes, a rough draft and a final paper about the topic of their choosing.

Differentiation

Although aspects of this lesson allow for differentiation based simply on allowing students to have some choice in what they choose to research or in how they define their own learning goals, here are a few more specific ways in which differentiated learning can occur:

Students may use the tic-tac-toe board of comprehension questions to start their journal writing. These questions vary in complexity based on Bloom’s taxonomy. Students may write about three questions either in a row, a column or on the diagonal.

Students will create a unique story/activity/project using the Understanding by Design R.A.F.T format. Ideas for this project are outlined on the R.A.F.T graphic organizer

Students can use Think Cubes to engage in deeper thinking when it comes to vocabulary words. Students will work in teacher assigned groups of two or three according to their reading level/spelling inventory. They will use the cube for their group to roll and accomplish the task outlined on the cube in connection with the vocabulary words.

Poetry on topic with the themes in The Barn by AviThe first three poems are similar in theme to The Barn and talk about loss,

love, perseverance and hope. The last four are more similarly linked to the time period and context of The Barn.

Say that things don’t work out?Say I fail the test?

Say I’m just not good enough?Say I did my best?

Say my friends all snigger?Say they think I’m mad?Say I’m just a loser now?

Say they call me sad?Say that I'm embarrassed?

Say I lose esteem?Say disaster strikes again?

Say I drown in dreams?Say I never even try?

Say I don’t begin?Say I put it off for now?

Say regret sets in?Say that I just give up?

Say I never dared?Say that I look back and think -‘I could have but was scared.’

Say I might just make it?Say that I deserve?

Say I keep believing big?Say I test my nerve?Say what I imagine,Say I see it through,

Say this dream up in my head -Say it will come true?Say I never give up?Say I plant the seed -

That roots, and shoots and blossoms?Say that I succeed?

©2009 Mark C Birdhttp://www.ps4k.com/kids-poems/children-inspirational-poems-believe/say-i-fail.html

Holding On© KeshiaThe three of us hold on tight,Never ever let go and we'll be alright,We've held on this long,And we've put up a fight,So don't let go now,And we'll make it through another night.

Source: Holding On, Hard Times Poem http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/holding-on#ixzz1b9XjsXyU

Hope

Hope lights up our soulAnd never fades awayIt makes our life go smoothlyExcitement for the next dayIt appears magicallyInspires us to tryIts sweetens bitter daysNever letting our dreams dieCopyright © 2011 Marinela Reka

Crossing Shoal CreekBY J. T. LEDBETTER

The letter said you died on your tractor

crossing Shoal Creek.

There were no pictures to help the memories fading

like mists off the bottoms that last day on the farm

when I watched you milk the cows,

their sweet breath filling the dark barn as the rain

that wasn’t expected sluiced through the rain gutters.

I waited for you to speak the loud familiar words

about the weather, the failed crops—

I would have talked then, too loud, stroking the Holstein

moving against her stanchion—

but there was only the rain on the tin roof,

and the steady swish-swish of milk into the bright bucket

as I walked past you, so close we could have touched.Poem copyright ©2010 by J.T. Ledbetter, and reprinted from his most recent book of poetry,

Underlying Premises, Lewis Clark Press, 2010, by permission of J.T. Ledbetter and the publisher.Copyright © 2011 Marinela Reka

The Pioneer WomenGrandma, on her start of day

Milked the cows and fed them hay

Slopped the pigs, saddled the mule

And got the children off to school.

Did the washing, mopped the floors

Shined the windows and did some chores

Cooked a dish of home dried fruit

Pressed her husband's Sunday suit.

Swept the parlour and made some beds

Baked a dozen loaves of bread

Split some firewood and lugged it in

Enough to fill the kitchen bin.

Cleaned the lamps and put in oil

Stewed some apples she thought would spoil

Cooked a supper that was delicious

And afterwards, washed all the dishes

Fed the animals and sprinkled some clothes

Mended a basket full of hose

Then opened the organ and began to play

'When you come to the end of a perfect day'

written by Marion Pedersen St.John

The HomesteaderThe homesteader

Lived in a small one room shackUntil he could build something better

And sometimes a shack only made out of sodWas the home of the earliest settler.

The homesteaderWalked behind oxen and plow

To break up the land he first seededHe only had but a meager supplyOf all the equipment he needed.

The homesteaderHad to be strong to survive

For his work was one of hard laborHe depended alot on the mate at his sideAs well as his friends and his neighbors.

The homesteaderSuffered trials and defeat

You couldn't find men any braverThrough all kinds of weather he kept plodding on

Though sometimes his spirit did waver.The homesteader

Much like the farmers todayWas forced to take many chances

And hardships encountered were hardest of allWhen his land drifted over his fences.

The homesteaderHad the will to stay on.

When depressions his dreams nearly finishedA lot of his friends gave up and moved on

Before all they had diminish.The homesteader

Strove to follow those dreamsOf someday being a rich farmer

And tho there were many who did not succeedThere were those who, in time did prosper.

written by Marion Pedersen St.John

Pioneers, O Pioneers!

Come my tan-faced children,Follow well in order, get your weapons ready, Have you your pistols? have you your sharp-edged axes?Pioneers! O pioneers!

For we cannot tarry here, We must march my darlings, we must bear the brunt of danger, We the youthful sinewy races, all the rest on us depend,Pioneers! O pioneers!

O you youths, Western youths, So impatient, full of action, full of manly pride and friendship, Plain I see you Western youths, see you tramping with the foremost,Pioneers! O pioneers!

Have the elder races halted? Do they droop and end their lesson, wearied over there beyond the seas? We take up the task eternal, and the burden and the lesson,Pioneers! O pioneers!

All the past we leave behind, We debouch upon a newer mightier world, varied world, Fresh and strong the world we seize, world of labor and the march,Pioneers! O pioneers!

We detachments steady throwing, Down the edges, through the passes, up the mountains steep, Conquering, holding, daring, venturing as we go the unknown ways,Pioneers! O pioneers!

We primeval forests felling, We the rivers stemming, vexing we and piercing deep the mines within, We the surface broad surveying, we the virgin soil upheaving,

Pioneers! O pioneers!

Colorado men are we, From the peaks gigantic, from the great sierras and the high plateaus, From the mine and from the gully, from the hunting trail we come,Pioneers! O pioneers!

From Nebraska, from Arkansas, Central inland race are we, from Missouri, with the continental blood intervein'd, All the hands of comrades clasping, all the Southern, all the Northern,Pioneers! O pioneers!

O resistless restless race! O beloved race in all! O my breast aches with tender love for all! O I mourn and yet exult, I am rapt with love for all,Pioneers! O pioneers!

Raise the mighty mother mistress, Waving high the delicate mistress, over all the starry mistress, (bend your heads all,)Raise the fang'd and warlike mistress, stern, impassive, weapon'd mistress,Pioneers! O pioneers!

See my children, resolute children, By those swarms upon our rear we must never yield or falter, Ages back in ghostly millions frowning there behind us urging,Pioneers! O pioneers!

On and on the compact ranks, With accessions ever waiting, with the places of the dead quickly fill'd, Through the battle, through defeat, moving yet and never stopping,Pioneers! O pioneers!

O to die advancing on! Are there some of us to droop and die? has the hour come? Then upon the march we fittest die, soon and sure the gap is fill'd.

Pioneers! O pioneers!

All the pulses of the world, Falling in they beat for us, with the Western movement beat, Holding single or together, steady moving to the front, all for us,Pioneers! O pioneers!

Life's involv'd and varied pageants, All the forms and shows, all the workmen at their work, All the seamen and the landsmen, all the masters with their slaves,Pioneers! O pioneers!

All the hapless silent lovers, All the prisoners in the prisons, all the righteous and the wicked ,All the joyous, all the sorrowing, all the living, all the dying,Pioneers! O pioneers!

I too with my soul and body, We, a curious trio, picking, wandering on our way, Through these shores amid the shadows, with the apparitions pressing,Pioneers! O pioneers!

Lo, the darting bowling orb! Lo, the brother orbs around, all the clustering suns and planets, All the dazzling days, all the mystic nights with dreams,Pioneers! O pioneers!

These are of us, they are with us, All for primal needed work, while the followers there in embryo wait behind, We to-day's procession heading, we the route for travel clearing,Pioneers! O pioneers!

O you daughters of the West! O you young and elder daughters! O you mothers and you wives! Never must you be divided, in our ranks you move united,

Pioneers! O pioneers!

Minstrels latent on the prairies!(Shrouded bards of other lands, you may rest, you have done your work,)Soon I hear you coming warbling, soon you rise and tramp amid us,Pioneers! O pioneers!

Not for delectations sweet, Not the cushion and the slipper, not the peaceful and the studious, Not the riches safe and palling, not for us the tame enjoyment,Pioneers! O pioneers!

Do the feasters gluttonous feast? Do the corpulent sleepers sleep? have they lock'd and bolted doors? Still be ours the diet hard, and the blanket on the ground,Pioneers! O pioneers!

Has the night descended? Was the road of late so toilsome? did we stop discouraged nodding on our way? Yet a passing hour I yield you in your tracks to pause oblivious,Pioneers! O pioneers!

Till with sound of trumpet, Far, far off the daybreak call—hark! how loud and clear I hear it wind, Swift! to the head of the army!--swift! spring to your places,Pioneers! O pioneers!

By Walt Whitman

For a complete list of books to be used with this unit please go to:http://www.scholastic.com/tbw/viewBooklist.do?dp=%3D%3FUTF-8%3FB%3FYm9va2xpc3RJZD0xMTAwMTgy%3F%3D