LEARN NC

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

The Very Hungry Teacher

After reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle students will use the writing process to write their own version of a Very Hungry story. They will use a flow map for pre-writing. Students will write a rough draft that will be revised and edited with a partner and a teacher.

A lesson plan for grade 1 English Language Arts

By Kelly Zumwalt

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • comprehend the story read to them and recognize the growing pattern the author uses.
  • use a flow map (Thinking Map that shows the sequence of events) to plan the growing pattern of their own story.
  • use the Writing Process (with the model of the book and a model from the teacher) to write their own version.
  • revise and edit their stories.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

1 Weeks

Materials/resources

Used by the teacher

  • The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle
  • an overhead transparency of a flow map with eight boxes

Used by the students

  • flow map
  • writing paper

Technology resources

None

Pre-activities

The Friday before I begin this writing activity I read The Very Hungry Caterpillar during story time. As I read the story we make predictions about what would happen next. The students recognize and identify the author is using a growing pattern in his story. We discuss why we think the author has done that (to make the story more interesting, to keep us guessing, etc.)

Activities

Monday

Reread the story to review the author’s techniques again. Explain that they too could use this “trick” in their own writing and that we will do so this week. Start by planning your own growing pattern. All students get a copy of the flow map (see attachment) and I have a copy on the overhead projector. I model as we discuss the beginning of a story introduces who, when, and where. The students then complete the box on their flow map with a character and setting of their choice. Then we discuss that the middle (what happened) of the story happened over a period of a week. Each day the caterpillar ate more. I then model completing the days of the week boxes of the flow map to show the sequence of events. The students then complete the middle boxes with their own choices of food. I let a few students share their flow maps to provide peer modeling.
Tuesday
Have a few students share the contents of their flow map to review and provide peer modeling. Discuss that the ending of a story often solves the problem. Model an ending, in the Sunday box, eating something to make me feel better, resting for a period of time, and then changing into something beautiful. Students then complete their own flow map including an ending.
Wednesday
Have a few students share the endings they completed in their flow maps yesterday to provide peer modeling. Then model how to use this flow map outline to write their rough drafts. The students begin writing their rough drafts. My assistant and I monitor and guide the students as they work. Some students will complete their rough drafts today and some will not.
Thursday
Start by having a few volunteers share their stories to provide peer modeling for those who are not finished. Today I have my rough draft on the overhead. We read, revise and edit it using the checklist provided. (see attached) Students who are finished with their rough draft pair up to help each other go through the checklist. As students finish this step they sign up to conference with a teacher to revise and edit.
Friday
Begin by letting volunteers share their completed stories. Review the revising and editing checklist. Students then continue revising and editing with partners and teachers. Students illustrate their stories either while they are waiting to conference with a teacher or after they conference.

Assessment

As students are working I would be monitoring and conferencing with individuals to see that they are working towards goals 1-4 of the story checklist. These are the goals that are the focus of this lesson. Finished stories will be evaluated on the goals 1-4.

Supplemental information

Attachments:

Related websites

For more information on Thinking Maps, visit http://www.thinkingmaps.com

Comments

If you are really brave, you could let the students publish the next week using tissue paper on their picture to look similar to an Eric Carle illustration…But that’s another lesson!!!

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 1

  • Goal 3: The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
    • Objective 3.05: Recognize how particular authors use vocabulary and language to develop an individual, recognizable voice.
    • Objective 3.06: Discuss authors'/speakers' use of different kinds of sentences to interest a reader/listener and communicate a message.
    • Objective 3.07: Compare authors' uses of conventions of language that aid readers including:
      • kinds of sentences.
      • capitalization of first word in a sentence and proper names.
      • punctuation to end a declarative and interrogative sentence.
  • Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
    • Objective 4.02: Use words that name characters and settings (who, where) and words that tell action and events (what happened, what did ___ do) in simple texts.
    • Objective 4.05: Write and/or participate in writing by using an author's model of language and extending the model (e.g., writing different ending for a story, composing an innovation of a poem).