Content Learning Activity #2
In these cross-curricular lessons, students will examine Aesop's fables and complete a relevant eBook creation activity.
Lesson Plan
Topic/Focus Text: "Aesop's Fables" (required in PSUSD StudySync curriculum)
Content Area: English Language Arts and Social Studies
Skills Addressed: Close reading literature, summarizing, identifying theme/moral, engaging in text-dependent questioning, composing short constructed responses, collaborative academic conversations, writing to communicate a specific theme
CA CCSS ELA Standards Addressed:
Objectives:
Materials:
Student 1:1 Chromebooks
Google Classroom
Student Activities Slide Deck (embedded below)
Sample eBook - created with BookCreator (embedded below)
Sample Animal Interview (embedded in slide deck)
References:
Aesop's Fables - Tales with Morals website
Overview of Learning Activities:
Content Area: English Language Arts and Social Studies
Skills Addressed: Close reading literature, summarizing, identifying theme/moral, engaging in text-dependent questioning, composing short constructed responses, collaborative academic conversations, writing to communicate a specific theme
CA CCSS ELA Standards Addressed:
- Reading: Literature - RL.6.1, RL6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.4, RL.6.10
- Speaking & Listening - SL.6.1a, SL.6.1b, SL.6.1c, SL.6.2, SL.6.5
- Language - L.6.4a, L.6.4b, L.6.4d, L.6.6
Objectives:
- Close read text by annotating and demonstrate comprehension by responding to short analysis and inference questions with textual evidence.
- Identify theme/moral and discuss how themes are communicated in fictional text.
- Participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations to express ideas and build upon the ideas of others.
- Collaboratively write to communicate a specific theme.
Materials:
Student 1:1 Chromebooks
Google Classroom
Student Activities Slide Deck (embedded below)
Sample eBook - created with BookCreator (embedded below)
Sample Animal Interview (embedded in slide deck)
References:
Aesop's Fables - Tales with Morals website
Overview of Learning Activities:
- Students will access their copy of the following slide deck in Google Classroom. Each learning activity is depicted on a separate slide.
- Teacher will introduce the learning objectives for the lesson and students will partner read the introduction contained on slide 2 of the Google Slide deck.
- Students will build background knowledge by adding to a Padley wall. Students must add a post that addresses one of the following prompts: What do you already know about Aesop and his fables? Did an adult read or tell you fables in your earlier childhood? Have you read picture books containing fables or seen animated versions? What impressions did these fables make on you? Why do you think a fable would remain popular for thousands of years?
- Students will browse posts from their classmates and respond to two with a quality comment. (Norms previously established in class.)
- Students will close read "Aesop's Fables" in the required StudySync curriculum for PSUSD. Students will highlight and annotate according to grade level norms contained on slide 5.
- Teacher will model how to write a summary using the Somebody Wanted If So Then strategy on slide 6.
- Students will engage in collaborative summary on slide 7 using the same strategy; students will independently practice summarizing on slide 8 (again, using Somebody Wanted If So Then).
- Students will engage in the Kagan strategy "30/30 Chat" using slides 9-12.
- Students will respond to a text dependent question using the short constructed response strategy called the RACES paragraph. This occurs on slide 13.
- The teacher will direct instruct the concept of theme using the flipped classroom strategy. Teacher will instruct students to watch the video clips on slide 14 and then fill in the graphic organizer on slide 15 using information from the videos and the "Aesop's Fables" reading.
- Students will then respond to a second text dependent question on slide 15, citing evidence from "Aesop's Fables" to support their claim. The prompt is as follows: Though written centuries ago, how do the themes of Aesop's fables continue to inspire and inform readers even today? Explain how fables are still relevant to an audience of readers today.
- The teacher will then task students with the job of writing a podcast script to interview an animal from one of Aesop's fables. Students will collaborate with partners to interview an animal character of their choice. One student will play the role of the animal; the other student should be the interviewer. Students will complete the Circle Map in pairs in order to brainstorm.
- The teacher will play the sample interview and lead a whole class discussion about the qualities of a strong podcast.
- Students will create a Google Doc to collaboratively write their script.
- Students will record their podcast using the Audio Recorder extension for Chrome and the directions on slide 19.
- Finally, students will collaboratively write their own fables using a specific Google Doc template and the online Book Creator app for Chrome. Students will publish their fables to their learning blogs.