LEARN NC

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

About this resource

Appropriate grades
4–5
Subjects
English language arts (reading), thinking skills (critical literacy), diverse learners (at-risk students, gender issues, multiple intelligences, race and culture, rural students, socioeconomic diversity, urban students), classroom management (classroom culture, routines/procedures/policies)
Provider
IRA/NCTE

Legal

Creative Commons License

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This lesson introduces students to the concept of collaborative learning with an activity based on Shel Silverstein's poem, “What's in the Sack?”. After developing a foundation for group and partner work, students explore children's literature that promotes the idea that all individuals have strengths, abilities, and talents. ReadWriteThink provides links to sites that both explain the theory behind collaborative learning and offer strategies for implementing this type of pedagogy into the classroom. Teachers would find this lesson most beneficial at the beginning of a school year.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 4

  • 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, and viewing by:
      • setting a purpose using prior knowledge and text information.
      • making predictions.
      • formulating questions.
      • locating relevant information.
      • making connections with previous experiences, information, and ideas.
    • Objective 2.03: Read a variety of texts, including:
      • fiction (legends, novels, folklore, science fiction).
      • nonfiction (autobiographies, informational books, diaries, journals).
      • poetry (concrete, haiku).
      • drama (skits, plays).
    • Objective 2.05: Make inferences, draw conclusions, make generalizations, and support by referencing the text.
    • Objective 2.06: Summarize major points from fiction and nonfiction text(s) to clarify and retain information and ideas.
    • Objective 2.09: Listen actively by:
      • asking questions.
      • paraphrasing what was said.
      • interpreting speaker's verbal and non-verbal messages.
      • interpreting speaker's purposes and/or intent.
  • Goal 3: The learner will make connections with text through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
    • Objective 3.01: Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by:
      • analyzing the impact of authors' word choice and context.
      • examining the reasons for characters' actions.
      • identifying and examining characters' motives.
      • considering a situation or problem from different characters' points of view.
      • analyzing differences among genres.
      • making inferences and drawing conclusions about characters, events and themes.
    • Objective 3.02: Analyze characters, events, and plots from different selections and cite supporting evidence

Grade 5

  • 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, and viewing by:
      • making predictions.
      • formulating questions.
      • supporting answers from textual information, previous experience, and/or other sources.
      • drawing on personal, literary, and cultural understandings.
      • seeking additional information.
      • making connections with previous experiences, information, and ideas.
    • Objective 2.03: Read a variety of texts, such as:
      • fiction (tall tales, myths).
      • nonfiction (books of true experience, newspaper and magazine articles, schedules).
      • poetry (narrative, lyric, and cinquains).
      • drama (plays and skits).
    • Objective 2.05: Evaluate inferences, conclusions, and generalizations and provide evidence by referencing the text(s).
    • Objective 2.09: Listen actively and critically by:
      • asking questions.
      • delving deeper into the topic.
      • elaborating on the information and ideas presented.
      • evaluating information and ideas.
      • making inferences and drawing conclusions.
      • making judgments.
  • Goal 3: The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
    • Objective 3.01: Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by:
      • analyzing word choice and content.
      • examining reasons for a character's actions, taking into account the situation and basic motivation of the character.
      • creating and presenting a product that effectively demonstrates a personal response to a selection or experience.
      • examining alternative perspectives.
      • evaluating the differences among genres.
      • examining relationships among characters.
      • making and evaluating inferences and conclusions about characters, events and themes.
    • Objective 3.02: Make connections between texts by recognizing similarities and differences based on a common lesson, theme, or message.
    • Objective 3.03: Justify evaluation of characters and events from different selections by citing supporting evidence in the text(s).
  • Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
    • Objective 4.01: Read aloud grade-appropriate text with fluency, comprehension, expression, and personal style demonstrating an awareness of volume, pace, audience, and purpose.
    • Objective 4.02: Use oral and written language to:
      • formulate hypotheses.
      • evaluate information and ideas.
      • present and support arguments.
      • influence the thinking of others.