LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Little and big houses

Using the book Little House on the Prairie and international keypals, students will learn about similarities and differences among children at different times and in different places.

A lesson plan for grade 3 English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Social Studies

By Karen Ester

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Learning outcomes

The learner will distinguish similarities and differences among children at different times and in different places and present the information in the form of their choice.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

3 weeks

Materials/resources

  • class set of Little House on the Prairie
  • graph paper
  • markers
  • tape recorder
  • video camera
  • poster board
  • rulers
  • yard sticks
  • meter sticks

Technology resources

Internet access

Pre-activities

Do brainstorming activity listing the differences and similarities of people in the classroom (to show that people are different), social roles of the students, and how things have changed compared to when their parents were children.

Activities

Activity 1

As students are reading Little House on the Prairie, use the prediction chart before reading each chapter to predict what will happen. After reading the book, have students read more about Laura Ingalls Wilder and see photographs of her. When the book has been read, discuss the lifestyles and roles of the children of that time and compare to the lifestyles and roles of the children of today. Let students work in cooperative groups to present this information in one of the following formats: report, poster, venn diagram, skit, tape recording, video recording.

Activity 2

After corresponding with foreign ePals, ePals, students will present differences and similarities in an alternate form not used with the "Little House" presentation.

Activity 3

To understand units of measurement used in the past and in foreign countries, students gather standard and nonstandard units of measurement used in the past, present, and other countries from English weights and measures. Students can list these on paper. Then students can take two different units, such as one’s own foot and a ruler, to measure the diameter of the classroom. Record the data. Let the students share the data with each other. Use the information to create a class bar graph.

Assessment

Activity 1 & 2

Observe the "Little House" and keypals presentations. Did they show similarities? Did they show differences? Using a rubric shown to the students prior to the assignment, grade the presentations.

Activity 3

Examine and discuss the results of the class bargraph of nonstandard and standard units of measurement.

Supplemental information

Prediction chart (.jpg)

Comments

Following the presentations, discuss the relevance of learning about other communities and studying the past.

This lesson may take anywhere from 1–3 weeks to teach.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Social Studies (2003)

Grade 3

  • Goal 3: The learner will examine how individuals can initiate change in families, neighborhoods, and communities.
    • Objective 3.01: Analyze changes, which have occurred in communities past and present.
    • Objective 3.02: Describe how individuals, events, and ideas change over time.
    • Objective 3.03: Compare and contrast the family structure and the roles of its members over time.
  • Goal 4: The learner will explain geographic concepts and the relationship between people and geography in real life situations.
    • Objective 4.04: Compare how people in different communities adapt to or modify the physical environment to meet their needs.

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 3

  • Goal 2: The learner will apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
    • Objective 2.02: Interact with the text before, during, and after reading, listening, or viewing by:
      • setting a purpose.
      • previewing the text.
      • making predictions.
      • asking questions.
      • locating information for specific purposes.
      • making connections.
      • using story structure and text organization to comprehend.
    • Objective 2.03: Read a variety of texts, including:
      • fiction (short stories, novels, fantasies, fairy tales, fables).
      • nonfiction (biographies, letters, articles, procedures and instructions, charts, maps).
      • poetry (proverbs, riddles, limericks, simple poems).
      • drama (skits, plays).
  • Goal 3: The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
    • Objective 3.02: Identify and discuss similarities and differences in events, characters, concepts and ideas within and across selections and support them by referencing the text.

Mathematics (2004)

Grade 3

  • Goal 2: Measurement - The learner will recognize and use standard units of metric and customary measurement.
    • Objective 2.02: Estimate and measure using appropriate units.
      • Capacity (cups, pints, quarts, gallons, liters).
      • Length (miles, kilometers).
      • Mass (ounces, pounds, grams, kilograms).
      • Temperature (Fahrenheit, Celsius).