Marc Brown author study: Arthur's Nose

Using the book Arthur's Nose by Marc Brown students will respond to the story through art, music, and in written form.

A lesson plan for grades K–1 Visual Arts Education and English Language Arts

By Kathy Palmore

Learn more

• Arthur at PBS Kids This website provides picture and information about the new, "modernized" Arthur students will be comparing the original to.

Related pages

• Seven directions: Making connections between literature and American Indian history : This middle school lesson uses picture books to integrate American Indian culture and belief systems with language and visual arts.
• Bubba: A Cinderella story: This lesson focuses on the whimsical interpretation of the Cinderella story. Students explore the story Bubba, the Cowboy Prince, through rich text and interpretations of the story.
• Simplicity: A literature-based Paideia seminar: Students will apply their knowledge of how developments in the history of the United States, as well as the world, can impact the lives of people today. The lesson is based on the picture book entitled The Simple People, written by Tedd Arnold and illustrated by Andrew Shachat. (Summary: The simple people enjoy the simple life until one of the character's inventions is used to make life more complicated. As a result, everyone forgets the simple things in life.) After a Paideia seminar discussing the book, students will select a modern invention, research the history of its development and how it impacts society, and create a multi-media presentation.

Related topics

• Learn more about Arthur, Marc Brown, arts, discussions, drawing, journaling, language arts, read-alouds, and stories.

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Learning outcomes

Student’s will:

• compare/contrast the way Arthur looks on the cover of the book to the way Arthur looks today.
• listen to and comprehend the story Arthur’s Nose.
• respond to the story in written form.
• create a design incorporating Arthur’s nose.
• re-tell the story in song.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

45 minutes

Materials/resources

• Book: Arthur’s Nose by Marc Brown
• Writing response journals
• sentence strips
• worksheet with the outline of a nose
• markers
• pencils
• crayons
• drawing paper
• wordcards

Pre-activities

Check out materials from the media center and pull together classroom materials relating to Marc Brown. Prepare a display of books written and illustrated by Marc Brown for students to look at and/or read.

Activities

1. Assess the prior knowledge and/or familarity of Arthur by having the students tell how the Arthur on the cover is different from the Arthur they know today. Ask why Arthur could be so different. Brainstorm reasons for the differences. Have them describe how Arthur is like the Arthur they know.
2. Introduce the author, Marc Brown. Explain that Arthur’s Nose was the first Arthur book written, and over the course of several weeks we will study the author’s style and illustrations. We will learn how the author gets story ideas and how he puts together a book from start to finish. Make a list of any questions students wish to ask Marc Brown both before reading the story and afterward.
3. Read aloud to the children the book Arthur’s Nose. Stop along the way so the students can make predictions. Introduce difficult vocabulary words (nuisance, decision, and difficult) as they are encountered in the story. Discuss what they mean. Discuss the difference between a simple decision and a difficult one. Have students give examples from their lives of difficult and simple decisions. Have these words added to the word wall.
4. Have students brainstorm a list of problems that might occur if they had a nose like Arthur’s nose.
5. Have students discuss how the story might have ended differently if Arthur had selected a different nose.
6. Discuss what was meant by the author’s words “There’s a lot more to Arthur than his nose.” What message was the author trying to convey?
7. Have students respond personally to the story in a response journal.
8. Give the students a worksheet with only the outline of the shape of Arthur’s nose. Have the students create a different picture incorporating the nose in their picture.
9. Bring the class to a close by having the students learn and sing the song “Arthur’s Nose” to the tune of “Old MacDonald Had a Farm”.
   
   Arthur, Arthur had a nose,
   it was very long.
   When he got sick it turned bright red,
   I want a new nose he said.
   With a sniff, sniff here; and a sniff, sniff there;
   Here a sniff, there a sniff, everywhere a sniff, sniff.
   Arthur, Arthur had a nose,
   That was his very own!

Assessment

Students will be assessed on their participation in the activities and the work produced.

Supplemental information

Teaching With Favorite Marc Brown Books by Bonnie Brown Walmsley and Sean A. Walmsley