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Real Teaching Scenario Amber Pryor

My task as a fourth-grade teacher is to order a selection of trade books to introduce and supplement my textbook curriculum. I have created a thematic unit focused around the concept of FLIGHT. In each of the four core subject areas, I have planned a unit of study with a specific topic connected to the FLIGHT theme. In the following pages, I will describe these units of study, how they meet the GLE or Common Core curriculum guides, and explain the appropriateness of the trade books I have chosen for the instruction and intervention of specific students.

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SOCIAL STUDIES

Unit of Study: Famous Missourian, Charles Lindbergh Activity: I will photocopy the pages of History of Flight Coloring Book and give each student a different “flying machine” to color as we discuss the development of flight over the ages. As a class, we will put together a timeline on the wall using our colored pages. Next, we will study the life and accomplishments of a famous Missourian aviator, Charles Lindbergh. Each student will write a one-page paper describing the life of Charles Lindbergh, his accomplishments, and/or an event in his life. Finally, we will discuss Charles Lindbergh as a class, noting the most interesting facts about him or his life. GLE and/or Common Core met: Social Studies, SS3 1.10, 1.6 Identify and describe the significance of the individuals from Missouri who have made contributions to our state and national heritage. Social Studies, SS7 1.8, 2.1 Create maps, timelines, diagrams and cartoons to enhance studies in civics, history, economics and geography English Language Arts, RI.4.3 Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text. English Language Arts, RF.4.3.a Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. English Language Arts, W.4.7 Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. English Language Arts, SL.4.1.a-d Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions and diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

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Intended Reader: Intro/Whole Class Book Title: History of Flight Coloring Book Author: A.G. Smith Evaluation: As an overview of the history of flight, this book covers all of the pertinent information, including important dates. The coloring book style will interest the students and give them a chance to use their visual-spatial intelligence as we read the accompanying information. The pages can be photocopied and used for years to come.

Intended Reader: Gifted Student(s) Book Title: Charles Lindbergh Author: Anne E. Schraff Evaluation: A part of the 20th Century Biographies series, this book contains much more detailed information about Charles Lindbergh in chapter book form, without being too lengthy. The extensive information in this book will give my gifted student(s) more academic challenge and an opportunity to write a research paper on the topic.

Intended Reader: ADD Student(s) Book Title: Good-bye, Charles Lindbergh Author: Louise Borden Evaluation: This story is told from the perspective of a young farm boy who encounters Charles Lindbergh as he lands in his pasture to spend the night during a flight. This fictionalized version of the incident is enough to hold the attention of my ADD student(s) while still providing them with important information.

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Intended Reader: LD Student(s) Book Title: Night Flight: Charles Lindbergh’s Incredible Adventure Author: S.A. Kramer Evaluation: This book is an excellent story of Charles Lindbergh’s famous night flight across the Atlantic Ocean. However, it is more appropriate for my LD student(s) because the language is below grade level, and there are fewer words on each page.

Intended Reader: EMH Student(s) Book Title: Flight Author: Robert Burleigh Evaluation: A simple story about Charles Lindbergh’s contribution to aviation, this book contains large, colorful illustrations. For my EMH student(s), this book would provide a clear visual representation of the information. However, I would read it to the student, or have a partner read it due to the length of the language.

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SCIENCE

Unit of Study: How Airplanes Fly Activity: We will first use our textbooks to learn about the laws of motion and gravity. Through the use of trade books, we will build on that knowledge by discovering the physics of flight. We will also use instructions in the books to make paper airplanes. Then, as a group, we will use various tests to describe forces that affect an object’s motion, speed, and direction. GLE and/or Common Core met: Science, Strand 2: Scope and Sequence – Laws of Motion Aa. Identify the forces acting on the motion of objects traveling in a straight line c. Observe and identify friction as a force that slows down or stops a moving object that is touching another object or surface Ba. Determine the gravitational pull of the Earth on an object Db. Describe how unbalanced forces acting on an object changes its speed, direction of motion, or both c. Predict how the change in speed of an object is affected by the amount of force applied to an object and the mass of the object Science, Strand 7: Scope and Sequence - All Units Aa. Formulate testable questions and explanations c. Conduct a fair test to answer a question Da. Communicate the procedures and results of investigations and explanations through:

oral presentations

data tables

writings English Language Arts, RF.4.3.a Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. a. Use combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, and morphology to read accurately unfamiliar multisyllabic words in context and out of context.

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Intended Reader: Intro/Whole Class Book Title: The Paper Airplane Book Author: Seymour Simon Evaluation: This book is a great starter to a unit about How Airplanes Fly. It explains the basic aerodynamics of flight, without getting too technical. The book includes several inexpensive experiments that the class can use to learn why airplanes fly the way they do. It is written in story form, and would therefore be good for a read-aloud. It is easy enough for all students to understand, and would be a great jumping-off point for the unit.

Intended Reader: Gifted Student(s) Book Title: Kids’ Paper Airplane Book Author: Ken Blackburn & Jeff Lammers Evaluation: In order to meet the higher academic needs of my gifted student(s), this book includes further detailed explanation of the aerodynamics of flight. It gives information about different types of airplanes, world records for paper airplanes, and further projects. The paper airplanes contained within this book are a bit more complicated to fold and fly, which could be handled by a gifted student.

Intended Reader: ADD Student(s) Book Title: Zoom! The Complete Paper Airplane Kit Author: Margaret A. Hartelius Evaluation: Full of bold and colorful illustrations and diagrams, this book is great for my ADD student(s) who have trouble focusing on a lot of text. This book contains mostly paper airplane designs which could be photocopied over and over for long-term use. The instructions are simple and easy-to-follow, and lend themselves well to a student who needs to get right to the point.

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Intended Reader: LD Student(s) Book Title: Simple Origami Airplanes: Fold ‘Em & Fly ‘Em Author: Andrew Dewar Evaluation: The paper airplane instructions within this book are drawn out step by step so that they are easy to follow without an LD student having to read a lot of text. This will encourage the LD student by allowing them to complete the same activity without getting frustrated with reading.

Intended Reader: EMH Student(s) Book Title: The Klutz Book of Paper Airplanes Author: Doug Stillinger Evaluation: The book gives instruction on how to construct a few basic types of paper airplanes. It contains colorful pictures and not much technical information. This would work well for my EMH student(s) because it is not necessary to read any of the text to understand the diagrams. The airplanes shown in this book are all very simple to build without help.

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MATH

Unit of Study: Creating Maps to Scale Activity: My unit will begin with a discussion of what different types of maps we’ve seen and how we use them: globes, road atlases, and emergency evacuation plans, to name a few. I will read Mapping Penny’s World to introduce the class to the idea of how to create maps of different scale. My lesson will go more in-depth about scale, using examples of 1:2, 1:4, and 1:10 ratios. Our class will then work together to create a to-scale map of our classroom. The students will follow this with an individual mapping project of their home, the school, or the town. GLE and/or Common Core met: Mathematics, MA 2 3.3 Describe movement using common language and geometric vocabulary (forward, back, left, right, north, south, east, west) Mathematics, 4.MD.1 Solve problems involving measurement and conversion of measurements from a larger unit to a smaller unit. Know relative sizes of measurement units within one system of units. Within a single system of measurement, express measurements in a larger unit in terms of a smaller unit. Record measurement equivalents in a two-column table. Mathematics, 4.MD.3 Apply the area and perimeter formulas for rectangles in real world and mathematical problems. For example, find the width of a rectangular room given the area of the flooring and the length, by viewing the area formula as a multiplication equation with an unknown factor. Social Studies, SS5 1.6, 1.8 Construct and interpret maps. Social Studies, SS7 1.8, 2.1 Create maps, timelines, diagrams and cartoons to enhance studies in civics, history, economics and geography English Language Arts, RF.4.3.a Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

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Intended Reader: Intro/Whole Class Book Title: Mapping Penny’s World Author: Loreen Leedy Evaluation: This adorable story from the Penny series explains in everyday language how to create maps, why they need to be to scale, and how they help us. The book has colorful and descriptive illustrations and would be a great introductory trade book to a unit on creating maps.

Intended Reader: Gifted Student(s) Book Title: Maps in History Author: Walter G. Oleksy Evaluation: For my gifted student(s), this book contains further information about the history of maps and map-making, including a timeline. The book details the different types of maps used in history and how they were created. It would provide this student with further exploration of this fascinating topic, giving them opportunity to construct a more creative map for the assignment.

Intended Reader: ADD Student(s) Book Title: Follow That Map! A First Book of Mapping Skills Author: Scot Ritchie Evaluation: Written as a story about a group of children who must search for a their lost pets, this book uses a colorful map throughout the book to help them find their way. The bold pictures, the story, and the application of the usage of the map will hold my ADD student(s)’ attention to help them understand the reasons why maps are useful, and how to create their own.

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Intended Reader: LD Student(s) Book Title: Me on the Map Author: Joan Sweeney Evaluation: The incredibly detailed illustrations of this book help LD student(s) to understand the concept of scale maps without requiring a lot of reading. The pages of the book can be easily modified to reflect the student’s own classroom, town, or continent.

Intended Reader: EMH Student(s) Book Title: Where Do I Live? Author: Neil Chesanow Evaluation: This book is written at a much lower reading level, with clear and basic explanations of the concepts of my room versus my town versus my state, etc. The illustrations are appropriate and the text easy to understand for my EMH student(s) to understand how maps show a particular scale.

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LANGUAGE ARTS

Unit of Study: Writing a Story about Travel Activity: The purpose of this unit is to instruct the students on story writing. We will also practice editing, including peer editing. I will introduce the unit by reading Vacation at the Lake. Students may then choose another book that will give them a different example of a story written about a trip or vacation. Each student will choose a trip from their own experience – even if just across town – to write a story about. We will write a series of drafts until the stories are perfect. Finally, our stories will be “published” with spiral binding, complete with illustrations. GLE and/or Common Core met: English Language Arts, RF.4.3.a Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. English Language Arts, W.4.3.a-e Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. a. Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally. b. Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations. c. Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events. d. Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely. e. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events. English Language Arts, W.4.4 Produce a clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. English Language Arts, W.4.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.

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Intended Reader: Intro/Whole Class Book Title: Vacation at the Lake Author: Robert C. Brouillette Evaluation: The author has used his own grandchildren’s drawings to illustrate a story about their trip to the Lake of the Ozarks. The story is written from the perspective of the children, and is a great example of a travel story to introduce the writing assignment to the entire class.

Intended Reader: Gifted Student(s) Book Title: Summer in the City Author: Marie-Louise Gay and David Homel Evaluation: This alternative story details a middle-school-aged boy’s summer “staycation,” which his parents decide to do to save money, rather than taking an actual vacation. The higher reading level will appeal to my gifted student(s) and will provide them with a great example of a different type of “travel” to write about.

Intended Reader: ADD Student(s) Book Title: To the Top End: Our Trip Across Australia Author: Roland Harvey Evaluation: This unique book contains large descriptive watercolors that contain the text as part of the pictures. For my ADD student(s), this gives a unique way to read, without being bombarded by a large amount of text. The book exemplifies an alternative way to write a book about travel.

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Intended Reader: LD Student(s) Book Title: Thomas Goes to the Beach: Sand, Sun, and Slushies Author: Kate Zabriskie Evaluation: While written at an appropriate reading level, this book contains much fewer words to cater to the needs of my LD student(s). The story depicts a young boy’s trip to the beach with his family, and gives details about the most significant events.

Intended Reader: EMH Student(s) Book Title: Arthur in New York Author: Marc Brown Evaluation: Written at a simpler reading level, this short story in the Arthur series is a good example of writing about a trip. This version will be basic enough for my EMH student(s) to read and understand, with its large pictures that help tell the story.

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References

Blackburn, K. & Lammers, J. (1996). Kids’ paper airplane book. New York: Workman Publishing Company, Inc.

Borden, L. (2001). Good-bye, Charles Lindbergh. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books. Brouillette, R.C. (2012). Vacation at the lake. Oklahoma: 2 Fires Publishing Co. Brown, M. (2008). Arthur in New York. New York: Random House Books for Young

Readers. Burleigh, R. (1991). Flight. New York: The Putnam & Grosset Group. Chesanow, N. (1995). Where do I live? New York: Barrons Educational Series, Inc. Dewar, A. (2010). Simple origami airplanes: Fold ‘em & fly ‘em. Vermont: Tuttle

Publishing. Gay, M. & Homel, D. (2012). Summer in the city. Ontario: Groundwood Books. Hartelius, M. (2003). Zoom! The complete paper airplane kit. New York: Grosset &

Dunlap. Harvey, R. (2010). To the top end: Our trip across Australia. Australia: Allen & Unwin. Kramer, S.A. (2002). Night flight: Charles Lindbergh’s incredible adventure. New York:

Grosset & Dunlap. Leedy, L. (2000). Mapping Penny’s world. New York: Henry Holt and Company, LLC. Oleksy, W.G. (2002). Maps in history. New York: Franklin Watts. Ritchie, S. (2009). Follow that map! A first book of mapping skills. Ontario: Kids Can

Press. Schraff, A.E. (2008). Charles Lindbergh. California: Saddleback Educational Publishing. Simon, S. (1976). The paper airplane book. New York: Puffin Books. Smith, A.G. (1986). History of flight coloring book. New York: Dover Publications, Inc. Stillinger, D. (2004). The Klutz book of paper airplanes. England: Klutz. Sweeney, J. (1996). Me on the map. New York: Dragonfly Books. Zabriskie, K. (2009). Thomas goes to the beach: Sand, sun, and slushies. Maryland: Full

Court Press.

Websites used for ideas, bibliography information, cover photos, reviews, and other information:

Amazon.com Scholastic.com

Carol Hurst.com Jacket Flap.com