LEARN NC

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

Aloha, Hawaii!

As part of a unit comparing various versions of "The Three Little Pigs," the students will read the Hawaiian version of the story and study cultures and traditions of the island. Students will use the internet to gather resources about the culture and people of Hawaii. To integrate science, the students will study the endangered species of Hawaii.

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

By myrna goldberg

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • read a different version of a familiar story.
  • analyze a different culture through variations in a familiar story.
  • use the internet to discover more information about the Hawaiian culture.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

8 hours

Materials/resources

  • Copies of The Three Little Hawaiian Pigs and the Magic Shark

    • (Houghton Mifflin Invitations to Literature - Grade 3)

  • Resource books, travel brochures, literature about Hawaii, its culture, and the native plants and animals
  • White Drawing Paper
  • Crayons
  • Pencils

Technology resources

Computer
Internet connection and necessary software

Pre-activities

If you are using the Houghton Mifflin series, students should have already read other versions of The Three Little Pigs Publisher: Barnaby Books; Reprint edition (September 1990)
ISBN: 0940350254. If not using the series, it would be useful to read other versions of the story so students will be able to compare and contrast the various stories.

Activities

Whole Group

  • Ask students what they know about Hawaii.
  • Create a web with facts students know about Hawaii.

Small Groups (Have groups rotate between the centers)

  1. Read The Three Little Hawaiian Pigs and the Magic Shark. Note Hawaiian cultures and traditions discussed in story.
  2. Read resource books, travel brochures and other information to gather facts about Hawaiian culture and traditions. (Visit town and school library to select books; travel agencies will usually share brochures.)
  3. Use the internet to take a visual tour of Hawaii (http://satftp.soest.hawaii.edu/space/hawaii/).(Visit web site of visual tour of Hawaii prior to student use. Plan so all students can have access to computer during the computer center time.)
  4. Using the information gathered from resource books and the visual tour, create a travel brochure about Hawaii. Each student is to create a brochure which includes facts about the culture, the land and the people.
  5. Visit the Wiki-Wiki Scavenger Hunt web site to gather information about the endangered species of animals in Hawaii.
  6. Create models of endangered animals’ habitats using shoe boxes and construction paper.
  7. Complete the Wiki-Wiki Scavenger Hunt on-line.
  8. Have a luau as a final activity. Serve fruits native to Hawaii, wear leis made by students, and invite guests to visit and view the habitats. Send electronic postcards to guests to invite them to the luau

Assessment

The created travel brochure will determine how well the students understand the culture of Hawaii.

The animal habitats will determine how well students understand the interdependence of plants and animals.

Supplemental information

This lesson is part of a two-week unit on Hawaii, based around the story, The Three Little Hawaiian Pigs and the Magic Shark. I invited the Food Services person from the Central Office to talk with my class about how to estimate the amount of fruits needed for the luau based on the number of portions expected to serve. He did a great job although it was a little above my students’ level of thinking in math. As a result, he provided the fruits needed for the luau free of charge and even came to serve. Most of the administrators who received the electronic postcards came to join us at our luau.

Related websites

http://www.satlab.hawaii.edu/space/hawaii/
http://www.aloha-hawaii.com/
http://www.hisurf.com/~enchanted
http://www.50states.com

Comments

This was a fun unit to work on with my class. I was amazed at the amount of information they learned about Hawaii and their retention rate.

I have a digital camera. We documented the entire process by taking pictures. My students are currently preparing a HyperStudio presentation about our class’ experience.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Social Studies (2003)

Grade 3

  • Goal 4: The learner will explain geographic concepts and the relationship between people and geography in real life situations.
    • Objective 4.03: Use geographic terminology to describe and explain variations in the physical environment as communities.
    • Objective 4.04: Compare how people in different communities adapt to or modify the physical environment to meet their needs.

Computer Technology Skills (2005)

Grade 3

  • Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate knowledge and skills in the use of computer and other technologies.
    • Objective 2.11: Investigate teacher-selected Internet resources about communities; discuss and compare findings for usefulness as a class. Strand - Telecommunications/Internet

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 3

  • 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.
    • Objective 3.03: Use text and own experiences to verify facts, concepts, and ideas.
    • Objective 3.06: Conduct research for assigned and self-selected projects (with assistance) from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people, libraries, databases, computer networks).