Learning to Give, Curriculum Division of The LEAGUE
The LEAGUE
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Unit Overview:
Unit Purpose:
Unit Objectives:
The learners will:
- define the words “fable” and “moral.”
- recognize the “moral” of a children’s story and interpret the author’s message.
- determine the “moral of the story” in Aesop’s Fables.
- compare the story line of a fable to real life situations.
- list and identify the components of a good quality children’s story.
- list, define and recognize the five stages of story development.
- create a graphic organizer based on his/her story ideas.
- write a rough draft and a final draft of a children’s story containing a positive message.
- use proper editing symbols while peer editing another’s story.
- create illustrations for a story.
- identify proper techniques used in story presentation to younger children.
- design and execute a campaign to collect new and used children’s books.
- use technology to create a publication that delivers a message to the community.
- design a Web page about their story writing experience (optional)
Service Experience:
- Lesson Four: Sharing Talents - Students will create a story and present it to children in a lower grade.
- Lesson Five: Hidden Treasures - Students will design and execute a book drive in order to create a library corner in a local agency or shelter.
Unit Assessment:
Lesson One: The Moral of the Story Recording Sheet; the Little Gestures, Big Payoffs worksheet; the homework reflection piece; Stories Worth Sharing and the group presentation may be used for assessment.
Lesson Two: Necessary Steps, Critique Page, and Story Elements may be used as assessments.
Lesson Three: The Cube (Attachment One), Designing My Story (Attachment Two), the rough draft and the final copy may all be used as assessments.
Lesson Four: Journal entries, Story Presentation Techniques (Attachment One), How Did It Go? (Attachment Three), Web Page Design (Attachment Four) and completed Web pages may be used as assessments.
Lesson Five: Planning notes/timelines, any documents created by the group and the final reflection activity may be used as assessments.
The unit may be assessed through the completed story written by students in Lesson Three, the results of the book drive campaign and the final reflection piece written by students.
School/Home Connection:
- “Copy-and-Paste” Class/School Newsletter Information Insert:
The Creative Writing students are working on a children’s literature unit. They will be reading and critiquing many selections of published children’s literature, as well as developing their own picture book. They will also be sharing their story with a student from _______ elementary and will be asking for your help in collecting new and used children’s books to set up a book corner in our local shelter.
- Interactive Parent / Student Homework
Students will take the Scoring Guide for Children’s Literature (Attachment Three, Lesson One: The “Moral” of the Story) home and share it with an adult. It contains all the requirements for this unit.
Students will practice reading their selections several times for homework. They will present it to a parent and another person of their choice (Lesson Four: Sharing Talents).
In Lesson Five: Hidden Treasures, students will write a letter to the principal (or other administration) describing the procedures and purpose of the project.
Notes for Teaching:
Any tasks that will need to be done before you begin teaching have been identified in each lesson. You will want to clear the entire project with the administration and be sure to get permission slips out early.
State Curriculum and Philanthropy Theme Frameworks:
See individual lessons for benchmark detail.
Lessons Developed and Piloted By:
Cheryl Larkin
Pontiac School District
Madison Middle School
1275 N. Perry St.
Pontiac, MI 48340
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