Exploring cross-age tutoring activities with Lewis and Clark
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=215
A lesson plan for grades 9–12 English Language Arts and Information Skills
In this ReadWriteThink lesson, cross-age tutoring gives high school students the opportunity to guide elementary students (in grades 3-5) to a deeper understanding of the adventures of Lewis and Clark. Students use the book How We Crossed the West by Rosalyn Schanzer, along with interactive activities and websites, to explore the events of this expedition. Social interaction enhances critical thinking and literacy skills as students collaborate to create adventure stories based on the expedition of Lewis and Clark. The lesson culminates in a festival where elementary students share their adventure stories with the high school tutors. This lesson uses an interactive story map, timeline, and Venn diagram.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
English Language Arts (2004)
Grade 9
- Goal 1: The learner will express reflections and reactions to print and non-print text and personal experiences.
- Objective 1.02: Respond reflectively (individually and in groups) to a variety of expressive texts (e.g., memoirs, vignettes, narratives, diaries, monologues, personal responses) in a way that offers an audience:
- an understanding of the student's personal reaction to the text.
- a sense of how the reaction results from a careful consideration of the text.
- an awareness of how personal and cultural influences affect the response.
- Objective 1.02: Respond reflectively (individually and in groups) to a variety of expressive texts (e.g., memoirs, vignettes, narratives, diaries, monologues, personal responses) in a way that offers an audience:
- Goal 2: The learner will explain meaning, describe processes, and answer research questions to inform an audience.
- Objective 2.01: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print informational texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
- selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
- identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
- providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
- demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
- summarizing key events and/or points from text.
- making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
- identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
- making connections between works, self and related topics.
- analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
- analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
- identifying and analyzing elements of informational environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.
- Objective 2.02: Explain commonly used terms and concepts that:
- clearly state the subject to be defined.
- classify the terms and identify distinguishing characteristics.
- organize ideas and details effectively.
- use description, comparison, figurative language, and other appropriate strategies purposefully to elaborate ideas.
- demonstrate a clear sense of audience and purpose.
- Objective 2.03: Instruct an audience in how to perform specific operations or procedures by:
- considering the audience's degree of knowledge or understanding.
- providing complete and accurate information.
- using visuals and media to make presentations/products effective.
- using layout and design elements to enhance presentation/product.
- Objective 2.04: Form and refine a question for investigation, using a topic of personal choice, and answer that question by:
- deciding upon and using appropriate methods such as interviews with experts, observations, finding print and non-print sources, and using interactive technology or media.
- prioritizing and organizing the information.
- incorporating effective media and technology to inform or explain.
- report (in written and/or presentational form) the research in an appropriate form for a specified audience.
- Objective 2.01: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print informational texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
Information Skills (2000)
Grade 9–12
- Goal 1: The learner will EXPLORE sources and formats for reading, listening, and viewing purposes.
- Objective 1.01: Participate in read-aloud, storytelling, booktalking, silent and voluntary reading experiences.



