Lesson 1

Class Description: Elementary 3rd grade

Unit: Multicultural Literacy

Topic: Japanese Culture

Unit Goals: At the conclusion of the lesson, SWBAT
1. Recognize multicultural literature by reading various multicultural texts.
2. Understand cultures other than their own through reading about other cultures.
3. See similarities between cultures by doing activities.

Lesson Objectives:
1. For reading growth third graders will each read Grandfather’s Journey using tape assistance, post-it-notes, or on their own.
2. For content knowledge students will complete the story element graphic organizer based on the book of Grandfather’s Journey.
3. After reading Grandfather's Journey third grade students will each write a different ending to the story.

Performance Assessment:
Objective Performance Assessment
1. Completed story element graphic organizer worth a total of 5 points.
2. Different written ending of story worth 8 points.

Reading Type: Reading to be informed.

Macrostructure Thinking for Reading: Story elements. Examine and determine plot, point of view, theme, setting, setting, and characters.

Materials:
Book: Grandfather’s Journey
Markers
Crayons
Construction paper
Graphic organizer
Pre-recorded tape of story

Readiness:
a) Anticipatory Set: Look over at the bulletin board. What does it have on it? Map of Japan, and pictures of Japan.

b) Background Experience: What do you know about the Japanese culture? Let’s make a list on the board. They eat rice with chopsticks, they have a big population.

c) Concept Development: Discuss new concepts as a class. Ask students to define the new
concepts. Students will write new concepts on a sheet of paper as the teacher writes
them on the board. A map may be used.
1. European- a person or something from the continent of Europe.
2. riverboat- boat used for traveling on the river.
3. factory- building where people work to make things.
4. Japan- a country.
5. Sierra Mountains- located in California.
6. California- a state in the USA.
7. San Francisco Bay- body of water in California near city of San Francisco.
8. Warblers- a type of bird.
9. Silvereyes- a type of bird.

d) Purpose for reading: To be informed about Japanese culture.

2. Silent Reading: Students each read Grandfather’s Journey silently. For lower reading level students there will be a tape and head phones available for the students to read silently while the story is read aloud. When they are finished they will discuss the book with one another. Then they will put the story in sequence based on events on a separate piece of paper. For students whose reading level is just right for this book they will be provided with post it notes to write a key points from each page of the story. When they are finished they will look back through their notes and pick three events which they feel are important in the story write them down and explain why they are important. Students who are beyond this reading level book will be able to read the book silently and pick a specific part of the story and rewrite it in their own words. This shows differentiation of strategies by tiered products.

3. Discussion:

Place the transparency of the story element graphic organizer on the overhead. Give each student a copy of the graphic organizer so they can fill it out with the teacher. Teacher fills it out as students answer questions. Teacher explains that a story element graphic organizer is a way for students to organize facts or events in the story according to the five story elements.
What is the plot? The plot is that Grandfather likes both California and Japan and he can’t decide which place is better to live.
What is the setting? The setting is two places. Japan and California.
Who are the Characters? Grandfather, his daughter, and the author.
Point of View? Who is telling the story? The author.
What is the theme: You can’t be in one place at the same time and No matter what you have or where you are you always want something else or to go somewhere else.

4. Rereading: Encourage students to look back into the story to find the answers to the story elements.

5. Follow-up (reinforcement): Have students write a different ending to the story and and share it with the class.

Differentiation of Instruction

Content: Grandfather’s Journey
Written by: Allen Say
Process: To help students understand the story better teachers should allow students at the second grade reading level to choose to listen to the book on tape and discuss the story among themselves. Teachers should provide students who read at the third grade level with post it notes for the students to write down main points during the story. For students at the fourth grade reading level teachers may provide them with the opportunity to expand their learning by rewriting a specific part and putting it in their own words.
Product:
Students each fill out a Story Element Graphic Organizer and write a different ending of Grandfather’s Journey.

Instructional Tools

Story Element Graphic Organizer

*Worth 5 points (1 point for each correct story element)