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Integrating the Internet Into the Curriculum: Jan Brett Author Study

Jan Brett's books will be used to integrate technology into different areas of the curriculum. The seven activities will each take about 30 minutes depending on the class. The highlight of the author study will be the design of a class multimedia presentation.

A lesson plan for grade 1 English Language Arts, Information Skills, and Social Studies

By Barb Thorson

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Learning outcomes

Jan Brett’s books will be used to integrate English Language Arts, Art, Science, Social Studies, and Technology/Computer Skills.

Students will create a class multimedia presentation.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

4 hours

Materials/resources

  • Art materials
  • Map of the United States
  • Books and materials by author/illustrator Jan Brett

Technology resources

  • Access to the internet
  • Multimedia software (eg. HyperStudio, Powerpoint, Kids Pix Slide Show)
  • Projection device to connect computer to large screen television.

Pre-activities

Bookmark websites: http://www.janbrett.com
http://www.norwellchamberofcommerce.com/.

Write to Jan Brett, PO Box 366, Norwell, Massachusetts, 02061 on school letterhead to request a teacher’s pack of activities.
Check out Jan Brett materials from the media center and pull together classroom materials in a center.

If you have a pet store nearby, perhaps you could borrow a hedgehog to keep for a classroom pet for a few days.

Activities

Activity 1:

At the Jan Brett’s Home Page, scroll down and click on About Jan Brett. This links to biographical information about the author/illustrator and includes a picture. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on speaker icon to Hear Jan Brett talk about her books. Discussion can include Brett as an author (person who writes the story) and illustrator (person who draws the pictures). Take time to read some of her books.
Activity 2: Science
Research hedgehogs using an electronic encyclopedia or simple animal books. Discuss the habitat and care of hedgehogs. Go to this website where you can find the recipe for preparing Hedgehog cookies. Read Brett’s books about hedgehogs while the cookies are baking.
Activity 3: English Language Arts
Before starting this activity, have an email address for someone you can send an electronic postal card to. At home web site click on Send a Post Card. You will have 5 categories to choose from to send a post card. Click and follow prompts to complete and send your card. I would recommend sending from the first two categories, saving Animals of The Hat, The Mitten, and The Town Mouse for later activities. Go back to home web site and click on Email Jan Brett. Again follow prompts to create and send email. Discussion could include the difference in sending a postcard or email through the Internet and through snail mail.
Activity 4: Social Studies
On a map locate Brett’s hometown, Norwell, Massachusetts. On the map locate the state and town where your school is located. Use the legend mileage scale to get approximate miles between locations. Norwell is located near the Atlantic Ocean. Discuss your area. Go to this website and click on links to visit the library, points of interest, etc. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on “Email Norwell Chamber” to request more information about Norwell.
Activity 5:
On the home webpage, click on Activities, then click Download and Print Masks. Download pictures of the animal characters from The Mitten, cut out and laminate. Print Happy Reading Colorful Bookmarks and pictures about the story at Download and Print Coloring Pages. When reading the story to the students allow them to take turns wearing the masks acting out the characters. Students can color characters using the coloring page. At this link, you can click on the speaker icon to hear Jan Brett tell about the writing of her story. You can return to Send a Post Card link and send one of The Mitten characters post cards to a friend.
Activity 6:
On the home webpage, click on Activities. Click on Download and Print Coloring Pages, Learn to draw a Hedgehog, and Make The Hat into a Play. Read The Hat to the students and use the activity pages to reinforce the story.
Activity 7: Multimedia
Choose several Jan Brett books the students enjoyed. In a graphics folder, download graphics from Jan Brett’s web page to use in your class multimedia presentation. On a large drawing pad or chalkboard, make a storyboard including the title of the book and four or five sentences about each book for each card. With your computer connected to a large screen television for students to view, use HyperStudio or other software to create a multimedia presentation reflecting the story by the students. Include a title card, graphics, and credits card.

Assessment

Assessment will be observation of student participation in preparing email/snail messages, wearing of masks acting out characters, activities sheets, group discussions, and input into multimedia presentation.

Supplemental information

None.

Related websites

Jan Brett Homepage
http://www.janbrett.com

Norwell, Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce page
http://www.norwellchamberofcommerce.com/

Hedgehogs Plain and Fancy Page
http://www.janbrett.com/bake_hedgehog_cookies.htm

Comments

Other Activities:
At the Jan Brett home page, check out the other Activities to use.

Note: Jan Brett does give permission to copy, print, and reproduce all materials from her site to use in your classroom.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Information Skills (2000)

Grade 1

  • Goal 4: The learner will EXPLORE and USE research processes to meet information needs.
    • Objective 4.03: Develop a search strategy which includes the continuous evaluation of the research process and the information gathered.
    • Objective 4.09: Present information in a variety of formats (print, graphical, audio, video, multimedia).

Social Studies (2003)

Grade 1

  • Goal 5: The learner will express geographic concepts in real life situations.

Computer Technology Skills (2005)

Grade 1

  • 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 1.02: Identify and discuss physical components of a computing device (e.g., CPU, monitor, keyboard, disk drive, printer, mouse). Strand - Societal/Ethical Issues
    • Objective 1.12: Identify and discuss terms/concepts (e.g., bookmarks/favorites, information). Strand - Telecommunications/Internet
  • Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate knowledge and skills in the use of computer and other technologies.
    • Objective 2.07: Use multimedia software to illustrate words/phrases/concepts. Strand - Multimedia/Presentation
    • Objective 2.08: Explore Internet resources and information using teacher-created bookmarks/favorites and discuss the variety and types of information found as a class activity. Strand - Telecommunications/Internet

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 3.06: 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.