Lesson 2 of 4: Identifying Characters/Main Character in Where the Wild Things Are by

Maurice Sendak

Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.3: With prompting and support, identify characters,

settings, and major events in a story.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.2: Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to

compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about
and supply some information about the topic.

Anticipated Goals/Outcome

Students will identify multiple characters, as well as the main character in Where the
Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak.

Students will work in their Book of Main Characters. Students will draw the main
character, label and add writing to their drawing.

Students will learn characters can be humans, animals and things.

Differentiation/ELL Adaptations

For all learners equate star of story with main character if needed as this new
academic language might be a challenge.

Student A: A new student needs extra guidance and step by step guidance to complete
a task. Student A needs more personal space as she can be distracted by her
neighbors very easily. Give student A their own work space.

Student B: Sitting at rectangle time is often a challenge as he needs to move his body.
Ask him to do his spider push ups and quiet leg wiggles in a chair or at his special spot.
During writing time he needs assistance staying on task, he often gives up. Ask him
What is hard for you? How can I help? Can I help you start this? Suggest details he
can add to his drawings. Acknowledge his efforts. Help me help you.
Student C: Ask yes or no questions, or ask for single word responses. Simplify
language, use hand gestures, and model. This students must have visuals, and be able
to consult with peers. Student C needs help physically writing.

Student D: An English Language Learner. Will need step by step guidance in staying on
task (now...next...what else should you do?). Ask for single response wh- questions.
This student needs visuals, and does extremely well when their learning partner helps
them.

Student E: Needs step by step encouragement and guidance to complete writing task.
Acknowledge her efforts. What can you do next? What sound does____ make?

Student F: Moves quickly through work and needs help slowing down, and spending
time on a given task. Fine motor skills such as writing and drawing are difficult for him.
Encouraging him to slow down and take his time. Reinforce and give feedback about
how taking his time is working well.

Materials
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Easel
Character Discovery Pocket Chart
Previously prepared 4x6 character cards for pocket chart (main character has yellow
backing and star sticker in corner)
Previously prepared images of main events in story
Previously prepared category names on sentence strip paper
Marker for chart
18 Main Character Books
Students will need pencils and crayons for drawing and writing

Into/Hook - 5 Minutes (Whole Class/Small Group)

Move easel to front as students transition from calendar.

Gather students and ask them to sit at their colorful carpeting seats.
T: Do any of you ever act wild at home or before bedtime? What are some of the things
you do? Yes, something we can get into so mischief, we can do some silly and naughty
things.

Students contribute

T: Were going to read a book some of you may know called Where the Wild Things
Are!

Through (Whole Class/Small Group) 30 minutes

Read Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Ask questions/elaborate on parts to involve students in reading.
They did the wild rumpus went all night and day..
Why do you think Max was feelinging lonely? Where do you think he wants to go?

After finishing the book transition into charting activity, students will move to their
calendar seats facing towards the easel.

T: Okay, lets slip on our detective glasses and do some investigating. When I say go, I
want you to turn and talk to your learning partner about who was in our story, who were
the characters were in our story? Give me a quiet thumbs up when youre ready.

T: Okay, Im going to pull a stick for some friends to share who was in our story.
S: Max, the Wild Things

Hold up image cards of characters

T: Who do you think our main character is? Who is our star character?
Call on volunteer
S: Max
T: Can you tell us more about why you think he is our star character?
S: We follow him through the whole story.
Have student place Max on chart paper over the star.

T: In a minute we're going to talk about what some of the things were that Max did so
lets go back and refresh our minds because thats what good readers do. Sometimes
we have to reread. Put on your detective glasses again.

Model Rereading - Flip through the book pages giving brief summary/informal retelling.
T: Great detective work, when I say go I would like you to turn and talk with your
learning partner about what what max did in our book.
S: took a boat, played with the wild things, went home

Have each student add image card to chart they describe.

Pull sticks and have students place tape on previously prepared printed images on chart
paper. Write corresponding words with images.

T: In just a minute you are going to work in your main character book again.

Show students page two where they will their main character.

T: Now when we draw Max where can we look for ideas? If we finish I would like you to
write something about Max, where could you look for ideas and words?
S: At our chart paper.

T: When we draw Max we should do our best quality work.

Student work time at home seats 10-15 minutes (Class is split in half at two u-shaped
tables)
-guide students in staying on task
-prompt scaffold students in adding details, labeling, and sounding out their story
-refer to chart paper as needed to guide students
-record information on assessment checklist
-the assistant in the room will be doing the same

Beyond/Wrap Up- 10 Minutes (Whole Class)

Students return to rectangle time. Have students face easel.
Turn easel around to show students the character pocket chart

T: Lets revisit our character discovery chart. What characters did we discover today?
S: Max, the Wild Things

T: Lets slip on our detective glasses again and think about what Max is? Is he a
human? An animal?...
S: Human/person
Add this new category

T: Where would the wild things go? Could we say theyre things?

Add new category that is decided on.

T: Wow, now what have we discovered characters can be?

S: Humans, animals, things.
T: I wonder what else we will find out

Take any student suggestions, do not say if right or wrong. Leave this open ended.

Assessment
Use daily checklist throughout the lesson and have conversations with students to
address and track their ability to do the the following:
-Identify character/s
-Identify main character
-Draw main character
-Expand on drawing with writing and/or verbally
-Turn and Talk (did they need encouragement/prompting?)
-Did the students contribute ideas voluntarily or with sticks?