LEARN NC

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

Splitting Bears

Students will learn sequencing (beginning, middle, end) by using a bear pattern.

A lesson plan for grade 2 English Language Arts and Information Skills

By Kendra Sisk

Learn more

Related pages

  • Wet Your Kinders' Chops on the Sound "Op"!: Kinders will explore the sound “Op” with a reading of Charlie Parker Played Be-Bop by Chris Raschka and a showing of the PBS Between the Lions episode #130 “Be Bop,” which also features the Charlie Parker book and explores the “op” sound.

Related topics

Help

Please read our disclaimer for lesson plans.

Legal

This page copyright ©2008. Terms of use

Learning outcomes

The students will sit and listen to a book about bears then complete a sequencing activity to retell a story.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

40 Minutes

Materials/resources

  • Berlioz the Bear by Jan Brett, Scholastic Inc., 1991. (one for the teacher to read and some copies for the students to share)
  • A bear pattern that is large enough to split into 3 parts. Obtain a pattern of a bear that is at least 8 inches high if not more. The bear pattern should have a head, a stomach, and legs/feet. These three parts are needed to explain and give examples of the beginning, middle, and end of a story. You will take your bear pattern and glue the left side of it to a piece a lined paper. This will enable the students keep their words organized. Once the bear is glued down, cut the bear into three equal parts (making sure that you only cut the bear and not cut it all the way). The bear should have flaps that lift up to show the beginning, middle, and end.
  • stuffed bears to display during the lesson

Technology resources

None

Pre-activities

The students will review the skill of sequencing by reviewing the story “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” The teacher will tell the story of Goldilocks to the students and then ask the following questions:

  • Who can remember the beginning of the story?
  • Who can tell me the middle of the story?
  • Who can tell me the end of the story?

Activities

  1. Show the students the book Berlioz the Bear. The students will use prediction skills before the story is read. Ask the question, “Can anyone tell me what the story may be about by looking at the cover?” Write their predictions on the board or on a chart.
  2. Read the book Berlioz the Bear to the students. Students will follow along as book is being read aloud.
  3. Review predictions and determine if any were correct.
  4. Write the following headings on the board leaving plenty of space in between each one for examples:

    Beginning

     

    Middle

     

    End

  5. Ask students to recall a few things that happened in the beginning of the story. As the students give examples of these concepts, write them on the board under the correct heading. Do the same thing with “middle” and “end”. Once there are two or three examples of each concept on the board, explain to the students that they will now have the opportunity to fill in more detail.
  6. Hold up a model of a “split bear” and explain the activity to the class. The bear is split into three sections to show beginning, middle, and end (lift up each flap on the bear to show this to the students).
  7. Pass out the bears to the class.
  8. While distributing the bears, explain that the students will now have the opportunity to write down the sequence of the story. Under the first flap, they will write about the beginning of the story and so on. Extra copies of the book should be given to students who have trouble recalling detail and information. The students can look at the pictures in the book and determine the beginning, middle, and end of the story.
  9. A completed model of the bear should be available for the students to view.
  10. Students should have 15 to 20 minutes to complete this task. If some finish early, they can color the bear.
  11. Once most of the class has completed the task, ask for volunteers to share their sequencing of events.
  12. At the end of the activity, the bears will be collected and displayed on a bulletin board for all to see.

Assessment

The student’s writing will be evaluated for correct story sequencing. Each bear must contain a clear beginning, middle, and end statement using terms from the book. Students who do not meet this criteria will be individually assisted by the teacher to create statements about the beginning, middle, and end.

Supplemental information

Bear image

Related websites

http://www.janbrett.com
The book, Berlioz the Bear is written by Jan Brett. Her web site has many follow up activities to use with this book.

Comments

None

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Information Skills (2000)

Grade 2

  • Goal 1: The learner will EXPLORE sources and formats for reading, listening, and viewing purposes.
    • Objective 1.05: Demonstrate sense of story (e. g., beginning, middle, end, characters, details).
  • Goal 5: The learner will COMMUNICATE reading, listening, and viewing experiences.
    • Objective 5.01: Respond to reading, listening, viewing experiences orally, artistically, dramatically through various formats.

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 2

  • Goal 2: The learner will develop and apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
  • Goal 3: The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
    • Objective 3.04: Increase oral and written vocabulary by listening, discussing, and composing texts when responding to literature that is read and heard. (e.g., read aloud by teacher, literature circles, interest groups, book clubs).
  • Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
    • Objective 4.04: Use oral communication to identify, organize, and analyze information.