Weaving into Charlotte's Web

a 4th grade unit on text structure

Written by Lindsey Burris

Differentiation
Differentiation is defined as adapting, modifying, and altering lesson plans to meet the needs of the students. Each of my lessons has been differentiated to meet the needs for students who perform below grade level, perform at grade level, and perform above grade level. The lessons have been differentiated by the text, the process, and the product.The differentiation is based upon the individual ablities of the students in the classroom.

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Assessment

Assessment is defined as a measure of the degree to which instructional objectives have been attained. For this particular unit the students will be assessed at end by completing one of the three activities available on the assessment page.

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Student Text:

White, E.B. Charlotte’s Web.(L3) Flesch-Kincaid grade level is 6.1.
This book is a classic piece of children’s literature about an affectionate and bashful pig named Wilbur who is befriend by a spider named Charlotte. Charlotte spins a web that forms the words “Some Pig” to convince the farmer and the surrounding community that Wilbur is no ordinary pig. This text will be used as the primary source for my unit. For most students this book is considered "Just Right." There are a few words the students will need help recognizing. This book is at the instructional level.

Ehrlich, Amy. Parents in the Pigpen, Pigs in the Tub. (L5) Flesch-Kincaid grade level is 5.4.
This book is a fun piece of children's literature. Everything is fine on the family farm until the day little Millie forgot to close the pasture gate. That's when the animals get a glimpse of the good life inside the house. First Bossy the cow comes knocking, followed by the chickens, then the sheep and before long the whole house is a free-for-all. This text will be used as supportive material that the students will listen to for enjoyment.

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On-line Resources:

http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/charlotte/
This is a quality website, created and maintained by Carolyn and Lara from Mrs. Taverna’s 2nd grade class. This website is beneficial to students because it provides students with on-line quote quizzes, trivia crossword puzzles, and numerous other activities. There are several links that provide the teacher with resources to use in the classroom. The website is very creative, easy to follow, and connects quickly to other links.

http://www.teachnet.com/lesson/langarts/charlotte061799.html
This is a website is beneficial to teachers because it provides teachers with plethora of ideas that could be integrated and implemented into a unit for Charlotte’s Web. The activities listed are not complete lesson plans, but it provides the teachers with a little creativity that has the potential for developing into worthwhile lessons and activities for the students.

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Reading Strategies:

Character Quotes:
Characters quotes are a reading strategy that motivates students to analyze personality traits
of characters in a literature selection. This strategy is used to help develop students understanding and concept of characterization.
Lenski, Wham, Johns. Reading & Learning Strategies for Middle & High School Students.Dubuque, Iowa : Kendall/Hunt, c1999.

Cooperative Learning:
Cooperative learning is an instructional approach in which students work in small mixed-ability groups. The students will need to be divided into groups for reading, discussion, and activities. Cooperative learning allows the students to share their ideas and collaborate information. This strategy is used to help students comprehension of the story and developing their understanding of text structure.
Slavin, R. Educational Psychology Theory and Practice. Pearson Education. 2003

Graphic organizers:
Graphic organizers are a visual way to organize information or thoughts before, during and after reading. Graphic organizer can be very helpful to students, especially visual learners. The two website listed below present teachers with information about graphic organizers and even templates. This strategy is used to help the student organize their ideas and information about setting.
http://www.edhelper.com/teachers/graphic_organizers.htm
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/students/learning/lr1grorg.htm

Jigsaw:
Jigsaw is a cooperative learning model in which students are assigned to six-member teams to work on academic material that has been broken down into sections for each member. This strategy is used for the follow-up activity for lesson three.
Slavin, R. Educational Psychology Theory and Practice. Pearson Education. 2003

Journaling:
Journaling is a reading strategy that allows students to keep a running account of their thoughts. Journaling gives students to explore ideas and issues in relationship to what they know verse what they are learning. There are many different types of journaling: megacognitive, dialectical, quick writes, and double-entry. The students will keep a journal to help with their comprehension of the story and their understanding of text structure.
Listed below are to resource on journaling.
http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/actbank/tjournal.htm
Ruddell, M. (1997). Teaching content reading and writing. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Predicting:
Predicting is a reading strategy where students make predictions or thoughtful guess about what will happen in the books they are reading. The students’ guesses are based on what the students already know about the topic and the literary genre, or on what they have read thus far. This strategy will be used in my lesson on conflict. The students predict the conflict in Charlotte’s Web and then predict how the conflict will be resolved.
Tompkins, G. Literacy for the 21st Century third edition. Merrill Prentice Hall. 2004

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