Learning from/with Literature

ED 3503 2014 JKL and PQR (Winsor)

Learning with Literature Plan

Name : Angela McPeake

Section: PQR
Literature (at least one book from Booktalks)

Title: Picture a Tree

Author: Barbara Reid
Publisher and Date: North Winds Press, an imprint of Scholastic Canada Ltd., 2011
Other Literature/Text and Other Learning Resources Employed (if any)
Resource #1:
Book: Extra Yarn
Author: Mac Barnett
Illustration: Jon Klassen
Resource #2:
Book: The Incredible Book Eating Boy
Author: Oliver Jeffers
Introductory Activity
How will you introduce the literature:
Key point of introduction:
This book explores the different visual
Have students individually imagine the different
representations and uses of a tree. Trees are all
shapes, sizes, and colors of trees. We can think of so
different shapes, sizes, and colors depending on many different ideas!
the time of year (season). Were going to read
some of the ideas Barbara Reid has about trees.
How will the literature be read? The literature will be read orally by the teacher; taking brief pauses to
ask the students if anyone had imagined the same ideas as the book author, Barbara Reid.
Procedures: Presentation of Literature and Follow-Through Activity
Examples: If teacher reading aloud, include questions to be asked during reading. If reading only
selections, indicate what is being read/viewed. If students reading silently, state purpose(s) for
reading.
State any specific strategies used.
Follow-through: Activity should involve more than one of the six language arts and may make
links to other literature and one or more subject areas. Describe the procedures so another teacher
could implement your plan. You might organize in steps -- Step 1 etc.
Step 1: Read the cover of the book Picture
a Tree and let all students view the
illustration. Have students think quietly in
their head of the different trees they have
seen. Question: What shapes, sizes and
colors are they? Did the trees have animals
in them? (pause for 30-60 seconds,
depending on when focus is being lost
among the students).
Step 2: Read page 2, show picture. Ask
students to observe the tree in the

GLO 1: EXPLORE:
1.1 EXPRESS IDEAS AND DEVELOP
UNDERSTANDING
Apply prior knowledge and personal experiences
to the oral reading to create a deeper
understanding.

Learning from/with Literature

ED 3503 2014 JKL and PQR (Winsor)

illustration.
Step 3: Read page 5, show picture. Ask
students (hands up) what kind of shape,
size, and color the tree is? What season
must it be?
The branches are wavy/ curvy,
there are lots of little branches
coming off the big branches, the
tree is big, there are no leaves, and
there is a white background (snow),
the season is winter.

1.2: CONSIDER OTHERS IDEAS,COMBINE IDEAS,

EXTEND UNDERSTANDING
Ask students to orally identify their ideas and
observations.
Collaborate students oral ideas.
Clarify and restate observations.

Step 4: Continue through pages 6-22 orally

reading, pause briefly at each page to show
the illustrations. Remind students to
observe the trees and their environment.
Step 5: Pause at page 22. Ask students,
What does it mean when by A wild
goodbye party.? Ask students to observe
the tree:
The leaves are falling and on the
ground, the colors are yellow/
orange/ red, season is autumn (fall)
A wild goodbye party. Is
references the change of seasons.
Remind students that some trees
change and appear different
through the year (seasons).
Ask students what season will come after
Autumn? WINTER (students verbally
answer together).
Flip to page 24: point out the snow
falling. Note this book is in the
same order of the seasons.

GLO 2: COMPREHEND AND RESPOND:

2.1 REFERENCE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
Share ideas related to experiences and discuss the
relation to the new ideas and information.
Extend sight vocabulary to include phrases and
words which relate to the language use.
Use the illustrations to help identify what the text
means.

Step 6: Continue reading, pause on last

page (Page 30). Picture a tree. What do
you see?
This is a question to ask the
students. Reflection on their
previous knowledge combined
with their observations from the
book.
As a group, have each student say
a descriptor word of a tree.
This is an opportunity for students
to reflect and collaborate ideas as a
group.

2.2 EXPERIENCE RELATED TO TEXT

Connection of personal experiences and
background knowledge in relation to the orally
read book.
Identify the comparisons used in the book
between the text and illustrations. Each
description creates a different mental-image.
2.3 UNDERSTAND FORMS AND GENRES
Understand and discuss distinguishing features of
the oral reading and text
Discuss how the visual images convey meaning,
connect to the text.
Discuss and identify how the messages are
enhanced by the illustrations.
2.4 GENERATE IDEAS
Experiment with other ways to represent and
record ideas.

Learning from/with Literature

Step 7: Have students make a list of a

minimum of ten descriptor words of trees.
They may consider the categories
of; shape, size, color, texture (bark,
needles, leaves).

Follow-up Activity:
Step 8: Using the list of tree descriptor
words, Students will construct a 2D/3D
collage based tree (this is open ended
according to how they want to depict their
tree).
Materials provided will consist of
all different types of
fabrics/textiles, variety of paper,
popsicle sticks, cotton balls, pipe
cleaner, and any other resources the
teacher may have available. An
option can also be to have students
bring in found materials that they
can use and share with others.
Resource 1: The Book Extra Yarn will be
read before the students begin their collage.
During this reading students will be asked
to observe the illustrations in the book and
discuss as a class how the author has
depicted the trees, how the author changes
the appearance of the trees (by adding
colorful yarn around the trees), and what
descriptor words would describe the trees in
the book Extra Yarn.

ED 3503 2014 JKL and PQR (Winsor)

GLO 3:MANAGE:
3.1 PLANNING
Use of self-questioning to identify information
needed to support and enhance personal
knowledge and understanding of the topic.
Identify facts, main ideas, and details through
print.
3.3 ORGANIZE
Organize and manage ideas; using list or
diagram
Record ideas and themes
INTEGRATING ART CURRICULUM:
EXPRESSION: Component 10 (iii) Media and
Techniques
D. SCULPTURE:
Continue to make two- and threedimensional assemblages from found
materials, reaching for more
sophistication leading to specifics, such
as collage.
Continue exploring paper sculpture as a
means of making three-dimensional
forms.

Resource 2: The Book The Incredible

Book Eating Boy can be shown and
accessible to the students as an example of
how the author has used collage in the
book.
Students may look over this book
on their own time.
Notice the mixed materials, how
the materials and papers overlap,
and the pencil markings over the
pages.
Step 9: Have students create a written
description of the tree collage they have
made. Their descriptor words should
associate with the collage materials they

GLO 4: ENHANCE:
4.1 EXPAND KNOWLEDGE
Explain relationships among words and concepts

Learning from/with Literature

ED 3503 2014 JKL and PQR (Winsor)

associated with topic of study.

Choose words, language patterns, illustrations or
sounds to add detail and create desired effects in
oral and print.
4.2 ATTEND TO CONVENTIONS
Grammar and usage
Spelling

have chosen.
This is a short writing; it should
average about have a page.

Step 10: Students will form small groups.

Share their tree collage works, and orally
read their short descriptive writings to their
group members.

GLO 5: RESPECT, SUPPORT, COLLABORATE:

5.1 APPRECIATE DIVERSITY
Describe similarities between experiences
portrayed in oral, print, and art work
Identify and discuss similar ideas or topics within
stories from oral, print and other media text.
Celebrate accomplishments; record and
acknowledge individual and class
accomplishments.
Demonstrate respect for the ideas and language
use of others.
5.2 WORK WITHIN A GROUP
Work cooperatively with others
Contribute ideas and information
Provide feedback

Reflection
Strongest attribute(s) of the learning activity, how it promotes learning, and why that is valuable to
students:
This learning activity helps students gain confidence and understanding of identifying descriptor words
in text and illustrations. This is a valuable activity for students because it promotes a variety of learning
strategies, the opportunity to collaborate and work with peers, and also the chance to work individually.
What might be a challenge to successful learning with this literature and activity, or what
reservations or questions do you have about this learning activity:
This learning activity would be extended over multiple lessons, and there are multiple activities included.
I would question if the activity may be too spread out and if students would hold their interest long
enough to continue all the parts of this lesson.
Other comments about any aspect of teaching/learning with literature:
I would like to have more suggestions of exemplar books which had themes of collage workings.
Teacher Resources
Alberta. Alberta Learning. Curriculum Standards Branch. Illustrative examples for English language arts,
kindergarten
to grade 9. (2000) http://education.alberta.ca/media/307134/grade3.pdf
Alberta Art Curriculum: Elementary Program of Study. (1985) C.8
https://education.alberta.ca/media/312998/elemart.pdf