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

Beary Good Facts About Beary Books - Lesson 1 of 4

Students will begin to differentiate between fiction and non-fiction as general genres. This is the first lesson of four. The library media schedule allows 35 minutes for the Kinders to have a lesson and choose books to take out. Therefore activities will reflect the short length of time.

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

By Floanna Long

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • enjoy having a story read aloud.
  • discuss the various parts of a story as they listen to the stories: “Moonbear’s New Friend and Just Like Daddy by Frank Ashe.”
  • acquire facts about bears from the teacher who will share small parts of a non-fiction book about bears.
  • have fun moving around the library in the bear-walk.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

25 minutes

Materials/resources

  • Moonbear’s New Friend and Just Like Daddy by Frank Asch (NY: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1981) and a well-done non-fiction book about bears, such as Bears by Bobbie Kalman & Tammy Everts, (NY: Crabtree, 1994).
  • Space to sit comfortably. Space to move around.
  • Chart board and paper prepared as a graphic organizer for compare and contrast. Markers
  • Prepare a student ‘take home’ paper, explaining fiction and non-fiction, have a picture similar to Frank Ashe’s style of illustration beside a drawing looking like a real bear.

Technology resources

Use appropriate software to prepare the student handout (see attachment). Kidspiration is recommended. Microsoft Word, also, has a graphic organizer feature.

Kidspiration is a recommended software, as is. Microsoft Word (with a graphic organizer feature) software to use to translate the students’ responses into the compare and contrast chart into a presentation for use during the next class. To view the chart I used click here http://iss.k12.nc.us/schools/lakeshore/flong/comparebears.htm.

Use the United Streaming site to download and show video snippets of examples of factual video and fiction video with regard to bears.

Pre-activities

Students will need to have developed group skills of listening and sitting quietly for a short period of time.

Students will need to have developed oral language skills for sharing comments and information by raising hands, taking turns, etc.

Activities

  1. Students should enter the library and be seated quietly.
  2. The Library Media Coordinator will lead a discussion based on questions similar to the following:
    Why do you like to have books read to you?

    Do people read for reasons other than just enjoyment? Such as, making cakes, fixing things, to find out facts, to give information and so on.

  3. Help students identify differences between books which are for entertainment and those for learning information.
  4. Read aloud Just Like Daddy. Discuss what is real and what is imaginary in the story. Use the non-fiction book to show examples of how bears fish, what bears eat, where they sleep, the “clothing” of real bears and how they walk (feet and hands on the floor, rear in the air).
  5. Use the United Streaming site to view snippets of video from the “Animal Profiles,” Malaysian Sun Bears, Grizzly Bears, and/ or Polar Bears. If your school system does not provide United Streaming services, use small portions of other videos, such as, Berenstein Bears and an Eyewitness video.
  6. Discuss the likenesses and differences in the books. A graphic organize may be developed for demonstrating these comparisons.
  7. The students have been sitting a long while by now. Time to move. With one student, demonstrate “the bear walk” - feet and hands on the floor, rear in the air. Starting one row at a time, allow the children to bear walk around the space. Quickly, review the two books and end the class with children sharing big (but gentle) bear hugs with each other.

Assessment

Assessment for this lesson will be strictly teacher observation of the children’s attention and enjoyment.

Supplemental information

Videos: Fuzzy Creature’s Series: Bear Cubs

Related websites

United Streaming site has streaming videos
http://www.Unitedstreaming.com

Bear Hug website
http://iss.k12.nc.us/schools/lakeshore/flong/comparebears.htm

Comments

The children loved this lesson. It actually took two library classes to use and view all the resources. After this we moved into a similar activity for comparing other “everybody fiction” and “non-fiction” literature on the subject of penguins which was a focus in their kindergarten classes.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Information Skills (2000)

Kindergarten

  • 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.
    • Objective 1.03: Demonstrate appropriate care of resources.
    • Objective 1.05: Demonstrate sense of story (e. g., beginning, middle, end, characters, details).
    • Objective 1.06: Demonstrate familiarity with a variety of types of books and resources (print, non-print, electronic).
    • Objective 1.09: Demonstrate awareness that resources convey meaning and exist in a variety of formats (print, graphical, audio, video, multimedia).
  • Goal 2: The learner will IDENTIFY and USE criteria for excellence to evaluate information and formats.
  • Goal 4: The learner will EXPLORE and USE research processes to meet information needs.
  • 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.

Computer Technology Skills (2005)

Kindergarten

  • Goal 1: The learner will understand important issues of a technology-based society and will exhibit ethical behavior in the use of computer and other technologies.
    • Objective 1.01: Identify the computer as a machine that helps people work and play. Strand - Societal/Ethical Issues
    • Objective 1.09: Identify and discuss characteristics of multimedia (e.g., text, sound, images, color) as a class. Strand - Multimedia/Presentation

English Language Arts (2004)

Kindergarten

  • Goal 2: The learner will develop and apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
    • Objective 2.01: Demonstrate sense of story (e.g., beginning, middle, end, characters, details).
    • Objective 2.03: Use preparation strategies to activate prior knowledge and experience before and during the reading of a text.
  • Goal 3: The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
    • Objective 3.02: Discuss concepts and information in a text to clarify and extend knowledge.
  • Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
    • Objective 4.04: Maintain conversation and discussions:
      • attending to oral presentations
      • taking turns expressing ideas and asking questions.