Snowflake Bentley - the Book and More
By using the picture book, Snowflake Bentley, students are introduced to the Caldecott Award and exposed to an interesting biography.
A lesson plan for grade 3 English Language Arts and Information Skills
About the authors
Susan Pope is a Media Coordinator at Monticello School, grades 3-5, in the Iredell-Statesville System.
Cherl Hollada teaches 3rd grade at Monticello School.
Libby Morrison is an Exceptional Children’s teacher at Monticello.
Learn more
Related pages
- Word Bank: The Word Bank provides students with a classroom resource for "researching" the correct spelling of words that students want or need to use in their writing on a daily basis.
Related topics
- Learn more about English language arts.
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Learning outcomes
Students will:
- become aware of the Caldecott Award for picture books.
- actively listen to a biography being read to them and be able to give characteristics of a biography.
- learn more about Wilson Bentley’s photographs by visiting a website dedicated to his work.
Teacher planning
Time required for lesson
60 Minutes
Materials/resources
- Book - Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, illustrated by Mary Azarian. (ISBN: 0395861624)
- Crossword Puzzle from website listed below and/or questions to check for comprehension and listening skills.
- Art Supplies — For our project, we used chalk and dark colored construction paper.
Technology resources
Computer with Internet access either with a projector or one computer per student or small group of students.
Pre-activities
Set the purpose for reading the book. Tell the students that they will learn about the Caldecott Award and discuss what a biography is and its purpose.
Activities
- Read Snowflake Bentley to the class.
- Ask students questions to check for listening and understanding. Ex.:
- What was Snowflake Bentley’s given name?
- What was special about Snowflake’s camera?
- What was the name of his book?
- What did Snowflake’s neighbors think about his work with snow?
- Have students state the characteristics of a biography that have been previously discussed and note how this book qualifies as a biography.
- Visit the 1999 Caldecott Award website. Discuss why Snowflake Bentley won the award.
- Visit Wilson A. Bentley website - ask students to see if they can find any information about him that was not in the book.
- Visit website of Wilson A. Bentley’s Images. Note: You can get to this site by clicking on the word “snowflakes” in the first paragraph on the Wilson A. Bentley site.
- Complete Art Project. We drew snowflakes on dark colored paper with chalk. (If you lightly spray the finished chalk drawing with hairspray, it will keep the chalk from smearing as badly.)
Assessment
Students’ ability to recall information learned when asked questions by the teacher. (Informal assessment)
Optional - Students’ ability to complete the crossword puzzle.
Completion of an art project.
Supplemental information
Snowflake Designs by Marty Noble, Eric Gottesman, and W.A. Bentley is also an excellent book with vivid photographs by Bentley that serves as a great resource for showing students how snowflakes are so different.
(ISBN: 0486415260)
Related websites
*Wilson A. Bentley The Snowflake Man http://snowflakebentley.com/
*Original Wilson Bentley Images
http://snowflakebentley.com/snowflakes.htm
*The Wilson Bentley Snowflake Display
http://www.snowflakebentley.com/museum.htm#e
*Caldecott Award Announcement
http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/caldecottmedal/caldecotthonors/1999caldecott.cfm
*Snow Arts & Crafts
http://www.childfun.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=165
Comments
This lesson can be completed in a computer lab setting instead of with a projector. (This is actually the way I did it.) It takes longer, but the students are still very successful.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
Information Skills (2000)
Grade 3
- 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 1.06: Identify characteristics of various genres.
- Objective 1.09: Recognize that ideas are produced in a variety of formats (print, graphical, audio, video, multimedia, web-based).
- 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 (e.g., print, multimedia).
English Language Arts (2004)
Grade 3
- Goal 2: The learner will apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
- Objective 2.02: Interact with the text before, during, and after reading, listening, or viewing by:
- setting a purpose.
- previewing the text.
- making predictions.
- asking questions.
- locating information for specific purposes.
- making connections.
- using story structure and text organization to comprehend.
- Objective 2.03: Read a variety of texts, including:
- fiction (short stories, novels, fantasies, fairy tales, fables).
- nonfiction (biographies, letters, articles, procedures and instructions, charts, maps).
- poetry (proverbs, riddles, limericks, simple poems).
- drama (skits, plays).
- Objective 2.02: Interact with the text before, during, and after reading, listening, or viewing by:
- Goal 3: The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
- Objective 3.06: Conduct research for assigned and self-selected projects (with assistance) from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people, libraries, databases, computer networks).
