NOVEMBER CURRICULUM

NOVEMBER  National American Indian Heritage Month

LESSONS:
FAIRY TALES & FANTASY
STORY ELEMENTS
GIVING THANKS, PILGRIMS AND INDIANS
Grades 3-6 Review of "DEWEY" 
November 6th is Election Day, share books on Presidents of the United States

*Author Spotlight:  C. S. Lewis, Mark Twain


Read Aloud Book List using monthly themes or books from spotlighted authors: 
***"So You Want to be President"? by Judith St. George, Ill. by David Small
"Duck for President!" by Doreen Cronin
Books about Dia de los muertos or Day of the Dead - Nov. 1 & 2 
"The Three Pigs" by David Wiesner (wordless)
Favorite Thanksgiving Books  

Optional for Week #1:  For Presidential Election Year
Read Aloud "So You Want to Be President" by Judith St. George Ill. by David Small.
I started off my lesson by choosing about 10 different pages and I put sticky note tabs in the sides because I didn't have time to read it all.  I told the kids that this is the 2001 Caldecott winner.  It had to be updated for the 2012 Election and to show Barack Obama as our current president.
1.  We discussed the White House and why there is a bowling alley, swimming pool and movie theatre there. (Privacy)
2.  We talked about the pets presidents have had.  Rooselvelt had a zoo.
3.  We discussed the previous jobs presidents have had before becoming president, including tailor and sailor and Movie Star.
4.  I asked questions like, "Who was the largestor tallest president.
5.  We discussed funny facts about certain presidents, such as the fact that a big tub had to be built for William Taft, because he weighed over 300 lbs.
6.  We discussed Abe Lincoln and other presidents who were very famous or assasinated.
7.  We learned new vocabulary, such as "tidbits, homely, assasinated, Shetland pony, Caldecott Award, Oath", and others.
8.  We discussed the pros and cons of being president:  being famous is a pro, but then there is little privacy and you can't just go anywhere without taking a huge group of body guards, Secret Service men, etc...
9.  We voted for who we wanted as president and discussed privacy and rules of conduct for voting, at what age you can legally vote, etc...

The lesson was a hit and only took about 15-20 minutes.

Here is another lesson plan  from Scholastic.
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/so-you-want-be-president

Week #1 FAIRY TALES or Folktale?  (See Stretchy Lesson Plans by Pat Miller for additional games to teach this concept.)

Library Skills or Objective:  To recognize the various features that distinguish the difference between a fairy tale, fantasy book and a folktale.
Grades: 2-6

Activity:  Teach the differences in each of the 3 separate genres.
   Fantasy- Imaginative fiction that features especially strange setting and characters.  Animal fantasy is where the animals talk, science fiction and high fiction, like Harry Potter, are some examples.
   Folktale- An anonymous, timeless and placeless tale that expresses the rituals, traditions and beliefs of common people.  Folktales are often told orally and passed down through generations.  Folktales include, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Little Pigs and Three Billy Goats Gruff.
   Fairy Tale - Stories that often involve royalty, triumph over evil, wishes, magic, etc.  Characters often include trolls, witches, dragons, fairies and other fantasy characters.  Tales that were collected by the Grimm brothers or Charles Perrault are considered fairy tales.  Hans Christian Andersen wrote original fairy tales.

Activity:
Write the number 398.2 on the white board.  Tell the students that this is where these books are kept.  Go over and see the area.  On each table, stack numerous books from the above genres and have the students sort them into 3 stacks, fairy tale, folktale or fantasy.  (Create simple labels with index cards for each stack on each table.)  

You can also tell a bit about each book and do the activity as a whole group for younger children by holding up a book and having them put their thumbs up, because fairies fly up, if it's a fairy tale, thumbs down if it's a folktale, because folktales are handed down through the ages,  and thumbs to the side if it's a fantasy book.  Discuss why the book is or is not one of the above.

Read aloud a favorite folktale or fairy tale.
(Since this can be a little over the heads of K-1, I am going to teach these little ones more about the alphabet, keeping shelves neat and books straight.)  See "Complete Library Skills" Grades K-2

Week #2  is STORY ELEMENTS
Library Objective:  The younger students will identify the three parts of a story - beginning, middle and end.  
Grades 2-6:  Discuss story elements, such as Setting, which includes the characters, location and time of the story, the Problem of the story and the Goal for solving it.  The goal often includes events to get to the resolution.  Then the resolution of the story will be discussed.  

Activity:  Ray Reutzel's STORY MAPS, are an excellent way in which to take a story apart and see each of these key elements.  Read a book to the class and then dissect it below, to see the story elements.

 

 

 
Here's a different version using the story, "Alice in Wonderland".

Week #3  GIVING THANKS - Here are some fabulous read-a-loud picture books for Thanksgiving week.  I got this list from books4learning.blogspot.com

TOP 10 Thanksgiving Books 

   10 Fat Turkeys (ages 2-6) byTony Johnston

Ten goofy turkeys are sitting on a fence.  One by one they fall off because of some crazy antics, such as whistling in a shoe, trying to roller skate, balancing some bricks, and swanning a swan dive.  Each turkey is unique “dressed,” either formally or causally.  Why I Chose It:  It is a fun counting book with humorous illustrations.  The language is poetic and pleasing.  Students can predict the next number as they count backwards. 

A Plump & Perky Turkey (ages 5-10) by Teresa Bateman

The town of Squawk Valley wants a turkey for their Thanksgiving feast, but the turkeys go into hiding once the leaves begin to change.  Then, one of the townspeople comes up with a plan to hold arts and crafts fair where everyone makes a turkey sculpture out of something like soap, oatmeal, or clay.  They decide to lure a turkey out of hiding by asking for a “model” for their works of art.  Signs are placed all over the woods which one lone turkey answers.  After posing, he camouflages himself amongst all the other faux turkeys before he is caught.  He eventually escapes.  Why I Chose It:  The illustration and language are wonderful.  It is written in a rhythmic poetic verse with lots of alliteration.  The narrative shows the people being clever, but unfortunately, once again the turkey is even more cunning.   Finally, it exhibits the town working together toward a goal.  Even though it does not turn out the way they hoped, they still celebrate thankfully (sort of).  

                                 A Turkey for Thanksgiving (ages 5-9) by Eve Bunting

Mr. and Mrs. Moose are preparing a Thanksgiving dinner for some of their animal friends.  Mrs. Moose shares her longing to have a turkey for the holiday meal.  So Mr. Moose goes into the forest looking for one.  As his friends see him on his quest, they join him.  They find and catch a turkey for dinner…but not in the way the reader might expect.  A similar story is Sometimes it’s Turkey, Sometimes it’s Feathers (ages 4-8) by Lorna & Lecia Balian.  Why I Chose It:  My son was delighted with the story.  (It was early in our Turkey reads, so he was not burned out yet.)  The ending is unexpected.  The characters are kind, considerate, and cooperative. 

Beauty and the Beaks (ages 6-11) by Mary Jane and Herm Auch

Beauty (a chicken) runs a beauty shop called the Chic Hen.  She loves to make other hens look their best.   She is also the only chicken who can fly out of the coop to “eggsplore.”  One day Lance, a new bird, moves into the coop in preparation for a special feast.  He acts conceited because he is the only one invited.  When Beauty finds out that Lance is not a guest but the main course, she and the other hens give him a makeover to look like a hen.  Why I Chose It:  The illustrations are the most creative!  The characters are hand-made chicken mannequins with constructed sets.  The story has a good moral.  Even though Lance is not kind to the other birds, they still help to save him.  Finally, the story has lots of wonderful wordplay from “egg” substitutions in “ex” words to puns on words like “dressing.” 

                        Gracias: The Thanksgiving Turkey (ages 4-8) by Joy Cowley

Miguel receives a live turkey in the mail from his father, a truck driver.  He is instructed to take care of it until Thanksgiving.   This request is unusual since Miguel lives in the city.  Despite the circumstances, Miguel, his family, and the community all help to take care of it.  When it comes to Thanksgiving though, Miguel cannot stand the thought of eating his pet.  Fortunately, a solution is found.  Why I Chose It:  This book has a unique setting for this type of book (the city).  It illustrates a multicultural, non-traditional family (grandparents and an aunt take care of him while his father words as a trucker). The whole community works together to help out Miguel.  

I’m A Turkey (ages 4-8) by Jim Arnosky

I’m A Turkey is not necessarily a Thanksgiving story.  Instead, it explains the world through the perspective of a turkey. It is the most realistic portrayal of a turkey in these picture book fictions.  There is, though, some element of personification since the turkey is narrating.  The turkey discusses how they communicate, how they fly, and what they fear.  For another realistic turkey narrative, check out A Thanksgiving Turkey (ages 6-11) by Julian Scheer.  It is the story of a boy and his grandfather as they hunt a turkey over several months time period.  Why I Chose It:  This book gives a concise and entertaining view of the world through the eyes of a turkey that is mostly realistic.     

                                        Run,Turkey, Run! (ages 3-7) by Diane Mayr

Run, Turkey, Run!  is an energetic narrative that is sure to get children involved and excited.   Thanksgiving is only one day away!  Turkey needs to find a place to hide from the farmer.   As the farmer comes out of the house, Turkey hightails it out of there to the sound of “Run, Turkey, Run!”   The rest of the narrative follows a consistent format of hiding, finding, and escaping with regular intervals of alliterative onomatopoeia and the repetitive participatory phrase, “Run, Turkey, Run!”  The Turkey manages to escape into the forest that is until the family spots him while looking for a Christmas tree…then the whole process starts again.  Why I Chose It:  I enjoyed this book because it is conducive to student participation.  The language is pleasurable and lively.  There is also a teaching opportunity for language arts on alliteration and onomatopoeia.  

Thelonius Turkey Lives! (On Felicia Ferguson’s Farm)  (ages 5-9) byLynn Rowe Reed

Thelonius lives happily on the Ferguson Farm.   As Thanksgiving approaches, he becomes worried about his frequent, delicious meal and daily feather plucking.  As a result, he decides he will not go to the chopping block without a fight!  Thelonius begins to play some outrageous tricks on Felicia.  The ending is surprising and satisfying to both children and turkeys.  Why I Chose It:  The collage illustrations are creative, but a bit on the busy side for my preferences.  On the other hand, the story is well-written and engaging.  

             Turk and Runt: A Thanksgiving Comedy (ages 4-8) by Lisa Wheeler

Turk’s parents are proud of him.  His father wants him to be an athlete while his mother has hopes he will be a dancer.  Daily, Turk works to please his parents by practicing his football and ballet moves.  His brother Runt, on the other hand, is ignored though he is the wisest and cleverest of the birds.   Fortunately, Runt’s antics save the family when hungry shoppers come by to pick the best turkeys for their Thanksgiving meals.  Why I Chose It:  I like the moral that looks can be deceiving.  The story is humorous and entertaining.  The ending is clever.  

Turkey Trouble (ages 4-9) by Wendi Silvano

Of all the turkey books, this one has some of the best and most creative illustrations.  The turkey knows he is about to become the main course in a Thanksgiving dinner.  He avoids the farmer by dressing up as various animals on the farm, but no matter what animal he tries to hide as, he is always discovered.  Eventually, he comes up with what I think is the most ingenious disguise and solution to the family’s Thanksgiving hunger.  Why I Chose It:  I love the picture and the disguises.  It has the most original ending.  I vote it top Turkey pick!  

Honorable Mention

                       Gus, The Pilgrim Turkey (ages 6-9) by Teresa Bateman

Gus is a turkey with style.  He loves to wear unique outfits and hats.  He enjoys the seasons and the natural wonders.  Gus loves his life on the farm…until his farm friends tell him about Thanksgiving!  He packs his backpack with food and his favorite outfits.  Then, he follows the other birds south for the winter.  He travels south until he ends up on a ship that arrives at the South Pole on Thanksgiving Day.   Once again, he must flee hungry people.  He cleverly hides among the penguins with his New Year’s Eve tuxedo.  The penguins are willing to help him learn to adapt in his new environment.  Turkey realizes that like the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock, he too is a pilgrim in a strange, new place. 

Extension Activities

Turkey Craft with Leaves
Turkey Crafts from Danielle's Place
Thanksgiving & Turkey Crafts & Decorations
Turkey Crafts
DLTK's Turkey Craft

Grades 2-6  Review of  "DEWEY"
Summary:  This lesson is designed to help students understand the Dewey Decimal system. It is formatted as a competition between classes and can be carried out over a 5-6 week period as classes visit the library once a week.

Library Media - 3rd Grade+

Materials:

• Award certificates
• Gifts for winners
• Dewey Decimal chart and handout
• Index cards or old catalog cards
• Tally sheet

Instructional Procedures:

From the first day of classes, when kids ask where an informational book is - say "in number _____" and then guide them there.

Begin preparing for actual game weeks well in advance. Each section takes about 20 minutes, but can be extended to fit your schedule. 15 minutes is the least amount of time that works well. I find that long dry spell between Winter and Spring break is the best time hold this competition.

Note: If you wish, contact community businesses for a gift for your top classes of each grade and prepare certificates. (Consider Burger King or McDonald coupons for top class, book marks for second place and lollipops for 3rd.) Make a certificate of some kind for each class - Most Enthusiastic, Most Improved, Best Teamwork, etc. - something for the class to have in their room. Plan bulletin board which will have a picture of the DDC Champions for school year ... you may want to leave this up somewhere and add to it each year.

Intro/Basics

Begin with "when you ask me, where are the drawing books?" And I say: "in 743." What do I mean? What is 743?"

Explain why they need to know this both as the basis of game and future usage.

Discuss what libraries were like before Dewey:

• closed stacks. Only trained personnel were allowed to go into the stacks to search for books.
• varying systems. Usually organized to each person's specifics and interests.
• inefficient. What if librarian wasn't available?
• make up a story about how people had to come to the librarian to get any books because they weren't allowed to browse the stacks and how the librarian would "call" back to his/her assistants to bring the books up from the stacks. (hence the word call number) How long would that take a class to get books? Dewey said "That's ridiculous. People who come here can read and they know what they want." He devised the DDC using all the subject areas he could think of. Go over a Dewey poster briefly. Choose any subject and tell them "Here's what I had to learn in library school" (I chose dogs but you can do any topic.):
  • I know that 600 = Applied Science
  • I know that 636 = domestic animals
  • I know that 636.7* = domestic animals that are dogs
  • I know that 636.73 = domestic animals, that are dogs, that are working dogs
  • I know that 636.737 = domestic animals ,that are dogs, that are working dogs, that were born in the US
  • I know that 636.7375 = domestic animals, that are dogs, that are working dogs, that were born in the US, that were born in GA
  • I know that 616.73756 = domestic animals, that are dogs, that were born in the US, that were born in GA, that were born in Whitfield County
  • I know that 616.737564 = domestic animals, that are dogs, that were born in the US, that were born in GA, that were born in Whitfield County, in Dalton
  • I know that 616.7375649 = domestic animals that are dogs that were born in the US that were born in GA that were born in Whitfield County in Dalton on Dug Gap Road.

Ask "Do you see what's happening? (Hold arms outspread wide and narrow with each statement) "I went from a very wide group and made it narrower and narrower. I can even go domestic animals that are dogs that are working dogs that were born in the US that were born in (your state) that were born in (your county) that were born in (your city) on (school's street or teacher's) on Thursday at 7:30 AM ... if I wanted to." (By this time, fingers are micro-distance apart.)

* Point out: "Here is the decimal part of the Dewey Decimal System."

Talk about how elementary schools rarely go past 2 digits; mid/high school usually about 4. In colleges, they use a different system, but the idea is the same. Tell them that they only have to work with the major categories for this game. (I usually tell them "Say Thank you (your name)" here with a big smile. (They do with great relief.) Point out this only applies to non-fiction books. During the game, you MIGHT throw in a FIC book just as a trick question. If you do, preface the title with some sort of clue like "OK, Smarties" or "Be careful here" and make certain it’s a title you KNOW they have read.

Week Two

Prepare: a copy of the Dewey Decimal handout for each child and one for the teacher to hang in her room. Go over the handout. Tell them to make notes in each section of what might be in there and give them ideas of what is in each group.

Explain what "Philology" is.

Week Three

This first week is the hardest week because it's when you have to get the basics down. Use only 000-500 titles. Use kitchen timer set for desired time - 15 to 20 minutes

In advance --

• Prepare: 3 X 5 cards (or recycle old card catalog cards) One set of 4 with #1, 4 with #2, 4 with #3 and 4 with #4 (you may need #5 if your classes are bigger) 3 to 5 is optimal team. Hand one to each child face down as they enter the library. This is their team number for the day.
  -- You can put "T" on one card to choose "tallies" if you want to. (see below) Be sure to ask the child if s/he is comfortable with keeping score for you. If not, choose another child.
• Prepare: tally sheet (Wk. 1, Wk. 2, Wk. 3 , Total) on which to keep a running count of who is in first place. Never let anyone know other classes' actual score, but do let them know who's in 1st, 2nd and 3rd places and how quickly they could get to first place if they act as a team and stop guessing. (One year, I had a class come out of dead last when they finally grasped the concept and won - talk about excited!)
• Prepare: AT LEAST 15 cards for each Dewey section (hundreds only). Write the title of an obvious subject name, such as Art for Children, Soccer is for Me, Buddhism, etc. Sometimes, just to watch their eyes light up, throw in a book title with one of their teachers or the principal or one of the class member's name in it, like Mrs. Cassidy's Chicken Farm or Bobby's Birds. Write the title and the DDC number on each card, placing the number in a corner where it can be hidden by thumb if need be as some children like to gather around and look at the number. Do not encourage this. Mix the cards well.
  Put the talliers where you can see them and watch to be sure they are doing it right - the class sure will! You can appoint a caller to read the titles if you want to save your voice, but its usually best to do it yourself so you can subtly emphasize what you want them to hear, such as "Mrs. Cassidy's Chicken Farm"

Each team stands in the front of the room with their Dewey Decimal handouts (cheat sheets). When a title is called, they must talk among themselves until a group decision is made and then call out the Dewey number they believe the book belongs in. Give one point for each correct answer, but take away one point for each wrong answer. Since the group could end up with a minus score, this encourages them to act as a team and discuss it. Give each team about 10 seconds to come up with the title and always ask if the answer is a group decision. I usually give them 2 opportunities to get the correct answer. If they don't get it right, then I ask the class to help them out for no points.

Important: Take a point away if you hear someone in the audience answer, see someone signaling or if the team starts "name calling" or not acting like a team. Encourage "Atta boy!" talk - team spirit.

Let each team stay in front until they get one right answer for each team member. If there are 4 team mates, they have to get 4 correct answers. The teams can get up as many times as they can during the time limit you have set. At the end of the time, count up the rights and wrongs and subtract one from the other. Keep a running tally of the score each week.

Week Four

Same as week 3 using only 500 to 900. Class is usually ready and raring to go this week. Let them!

Week Five

Same as weeks 3 and 4 using 000 to 900. Add a few new ones just for variety.

Week Six

Sometimes classes really want to do one more week. If they are that excited about dull old Dewey, extend the game if your schedule allows,

-or-

Announce winners. Present awards in the library or at a school wide ceremony. Be sure winners are announced in school paper.

Most important of all ... have fun with the game, get the teachers involved in their classrooms and let the kids explore!

Enjoy!

Bibliography:
http://www.storylady.com/deweygame.html I found this on this site-- want to make sure I give credit to the real author! I put it on UEN as a workshop training. I found it a fun idea and wanted to share it with others.

Author:  Karen Draper 

Other Lessons:
Library Skills or Objective:  Students will identify the proper arrangement of books in the library.  Students will use call numbers to select and read materials according to personal interests. 
Students will become familiar with the various sections of the library and the call numbers for each section.  

Grades: 2+
Resources: Assorted empty containers (snack/cereal boxes, pet items, toothpaste boxes) sufficient for one item per student
Activity:  Tell the students that you need their help in sorting some objects. Have each student select an item.  Ask the students to wander around and look at other students’ items.  Using non-verbal communication, have the students group similar items on library tables or counters.  Have students describe the rational for each grouping.  Ask them to describe the advantages in placing similar items together.  Explain that it is the same with books.  Share examples from the Dewey classification system.  Explain that if each of us wrote a non-fiction book about dinosaurs, they would be spread all over the library!  Showcase several “hundreds” that are of particular interest to second graders and above.  Invite them to select books from these sections.

Additional Dewey Lesson Plan

Title:          “Dewey Shuffle”

Library Objective:    Students will become familiar with the various sections of the library and the call numbers for each section. 

Resources:        Call number cards (attached)

Introduction:   Mention the title of a favorite book of students at this grade level, and ask them to pretend they want to find it to check it out. Discuss some strategies for finding the book, leading them to remember the

Dewey Decimal System Vocabulary:

*easy                      *reference

*fiction                   *biography

*nonfiction             *story collection

Activity:         

1.       Go over the different sections of the library and the call numbers for each section.

2.       Distribute cards, with call numbers on them, to students and have them locate a book that matches the call number on their card.

3.       Have the students raise a hand so the LMS can check to see if they have located the correct call number.

4.       Repeat this procedure as long as time permits. Each student should visit each section. You may need to do this activity for several weeks.  

Closure:  

Choose several students to demonstrate the proper shelving of books.

*Recreated from lesson plans by the Hanover County Public Schools, Ashland, Virginia