Lesson Plan for Tarantulas and Typhoid

Lesson Plan for "Tarantulas and Typhoid"
by Stephanie Moss

Introduction to Lesson

P.A.S.S. objectives
Language Arts: The learner will

I.A.1.	will expand vocabulary (multiple meanings, definitions, and meaning in context) through word study, the reading of literature, and class discussion.
I.B.1.	read and comprehend both the fiction and nonfiction that is appropriately designed for the second half of grade four.
III.G.	increase use of text format as an aid in constructing meaning from nonfiction (expository) text (heading, subheading, bold, and italic print).
II.M.	interpret the meaning of figurative language (similes, metaphors, idioms, and personification).
II.O.	recognize the author's purpose for writing the text (to inform, to entertain, or to persuade).

Social Studies: The learner will

I.B.1

Locate, describe, and compare the human characteristics and early settlement patterns of regions in the United States and Oklahoma (locations of ethnic group concentrations, the impact of the westward movement, languages, economic activities, and cultural patterns).

Teacher's purposes for the lesson: The purposes for this lesson include teaching students to

use the Connect Two method to associate vocabulary words
distinguish between literal and figurative language in a story
identify and use headings, subheadings, boldface, and italic print to construct meaning from expository text

interpret the meaning of figurative language (similes, metaphors, idioms, and

personification) found in the story
recognize the author's purpose for writing the text (to inform, to entertain, or to persuade)
describe the human characteristics and early settlement patterns of Lawton, Oklahoma, in terms of economic activities and cultural patterns of early settlers

II.

Objectives

A.	Given 14 vocabulary words from the story "Tarantulas and Typhoid", the learner will correctly pair related words and then add the relationships to a graphic organizer compiled by the entire class.
B.	Given 18 sentences from the story "Tarantulas and Typhoid", the learner will identify sentences containing figurative language and label the type of figurative language contained in the sentence, responding correctly to 14 of the 18 sentences.
C.	After reading the story "Tarantulas and Typhoid", the learner will correctly identify the author's purpose(s) for writing the story.
D.	After reading the story "Tarantulas and Typhoid", the learner will write a paragraph in his/her journal describing how s/he would have felt about the tarantulas and typhoid present in Lawton in 1901 and what s/he would have done to live safely there. The paragraph will contain at least two examples of figurative language a topic sentence and a minimum of four supporting sentences standard English.

III.

Procedures

Materials

1.	A copy of the "Connect Two!" practice page for each student
2.	A copy of the story "Tarantulas and Typhoid" for each student
3.	A copy of the "Literal and Figurative Language" practice page for each student
4.	A copy of the "Author's Purpose" practice page for each student

Anticipatory set

Key vocabulary:

"Tarantulas and Typhoid": Cache Creek, contaminated, drawing, epidemic, ground water, homestead, Land Lottery, sanitation, sewer system, Squaw Creek, tarantula, tent city, trap door, typhoid fever

Figurative and Literal Language: figurative language (form of expression such as a simile or metaphor used to convey meaning or heighten effect, often by comparing or identifying one thing with another that has a meaning or connotation familiar to the reader or listener), literal language (language that simply states the facts), euphemism, hyperbole, idiom, metaphor, personification, simile,

Author's Purpose: author's purpose (the author's goal or intention for writing a story), persuade (to convince or change the reader's opinion by reasoning or argument) , inform (to inform or instruct the reader), entertain (to tell a story that engages the reader's attention in an enjoyable way)

Key concepts:

Settlers in Lawton were confronted with wildlife and sickness, including tarantulas and typhoid fever. These settlers had to be brave and hardy in order to survive, even in 1901. They were frightened by the tarantulas and killed by the fevers resulting from polluted water sources. The settlers survived by studying the spiders and finding out they were harmless and learning what caused typhoid fever. Good sanitation and clean water sources are vital to people's survival, even today.

Figurative language can make writing more interesting.

Authors have a purpose in mind when they write. Knowing their purpose is important in deciding what to believe.

Method(s): Post pictures of the Lawton tent city, tarantulas, water cycle, water table, etc. If possible, borrow a tarantula from the biology teacher or a student, or ask a representative of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge to bring one to class to share with the students. Post an agenda for today's activities on the board or an overhead transparency and refer to it when announcing the student purpose statement.

Student purpose statement: Say, "Today we are going to study some of the problems the Lawton settlers faced as soon as they pitched their tents in the city. We are going to learn about giant hairy spiders and deadly illnesses that plagued the settlers. We will learn a new vocabulary study method called 'Connect Two'; check out the headings, subheadings, boldface, and italic print in the story; learn about figurative language (similes, metaphors, idioms, and personification); recognize the author's purpose for writing the story; and write about the settlers' feelings and lives in early Lawton."

Lesson activities

1.	Input: Use the "Connect Two!" vocabulary strategy to review the vocabulary words in "Tarantulas and Typhoid" before the students read the story. "Connect Two!" is an easy process that leads students into more complicated multiple classification processes. Students select any two words from the pre-reading vocabulary list and draw a graphic web that shows how they relate the pair of words. For example, a student might connect alligator and swamp because alligators live in swamps. The next student then connects two new words or connects a third to the first set. The resulting chart that shows all the hypothesized links is called a semantic map or semantic web. Semantic webs/maps are a type of graphic organizer.
2.	Modeling and Guided Practice: Use an overhead that shows what the Connect Two! activity will look like at the beginning stage and when finished. Verbally discuss each step as it is shown on the overhead.
3.	Checking for understanding: Use the "Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down strategy to check for understanding as well as direct observation when students add their relationships to the class semantic web.
4.	Culminating activity (independent practice): After finding and reading the headings and words in boldface and italic print, use choral reading as a strategy to read this story together as a group. Then introduce the "Literal and Figurative Language" and "Author's Purpose" practice pages. Guide the students through each of these activities. Then ask the students to write a paragraph in their journals describing how they would have felt about the tarantulas and typhoid present in Lawton in 1901 and what they would have done to live safely there. The paragraph must contain at least two examples of figurative language, a topic sentence and a minimum of four supporting sentences, and standard English.
5.	Sponge activity: Provide students with a copy of the Word Search for "Tarantulas and Typhoid."

IV.

Closure

A.	Summary of what has been learned: Say, "Today we studied some of the problems the Lawton settlers faced as soon as they pitched their tents in the city. We learned about giant hairy spiders and deadly illnesses that plagued the settlers. We learned a new vocabulary study method called 'Connect Two!'; checked out the headings, subheadings, boldface, and italic print in the story; learned about figurative language; recognized the author's purpose for writing the story; and wrote about the settlers' feelings and lives in early Lawton."
B.	Transfer: Say, "You can use the "Connect Two!" vocabulary strategy to help you begin to understand a story even before you start to read it. Just play "Connect Two!" using the words from the headings and words appearing in boldface and italic type. Then read the story and you'll be surprised at how much you already understand and how much more you will be able to remember. You can decide what your purpose is and deliberately try to impact your reader, and you can use figurative language in your writing to make what you say more interesting."
C.	Student evaluation and assessment methods: Did the learner correctly pair related words and then add these relationships to a graphic organizer compiled by the entire class? Did the learner identify sentences containing figurative language and label the type of figurative language contained in the sentence, responding correctly to 14 of the 18 sentences? Did the learner correctly identify the author's purpose(s) for writing the story? Did the learner write a paragraph in his/her journal describing how s/he would have felt about the tarantulas and typhoid present in Lawton in 1901 and what s/he would have done to live safely there? Did the paragraph contain at least two examples of figurative language, a topic sentence and a minimum of four supporting sentences, and standard English?
D.	Teacher evaluation: Reflect on students' mastery of objectives (including re-teaching), teacher's personal response to the lesson, and changes that should be made before the lesson is taught again.