Book Club Lesson Plan

Information
Calvin Book Club Leader: Rachel Vos
Grade: 4th
Date: November 8, 2017
Subject area: ELA.
1. Main Focus: How to Steal a Dog, Chapters 4-5 (pages 26-40), Georgina’s experiences
at school and how homelessness impacts her life
Preparation
Common Core Standard: RL.4.2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or
poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
Teaching and Learning Outcomes (Goals. SWBAT): Students will be able
1
to summarize the two chapters after reading.
Assessment: Look at students’ graphic organizers for summarizing and
listen to their summaries of the chapters.
Common Core Standard: W.4.9 Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Teaching and Learning Outcomes (Goals. SWBAT): Students will be able
to use evidence from the text to reflect on Georgina’s experiences as a
2
homeless girl. Students will be able to compare and contrast their
experiences with Georgina’s.
Assessment: Read students’ journal responses and have them share
their reflections with the group.
Common Core Standard: RL.4.3 Describe in depth a character, setting,
or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g.,
a character's thoughts, words, or actions).
Teaching and Learning Outcomes (Goals. SWBAT): Students will be able
3
to use evidence from the text to describe characteristics of main
characters.
Assessment: Look at the character traits section of students’ journals to
ensure that students are using evidence to support their descriptions.
Differentiation (UDL)
For content: Allow each student to list their own characteristics and
definitions so they can use vocabulary that they are familiar with.
The process: Give students a graphic organizer to fill out to reduce the
amount they will have to write. Allow students to write as much or as little as
they would like.
Student outcomes: Students will complete a graphic organizer, vocabulary
cards, and work on character pages and the timeline in their notebooks.
These activities allow for differentiation as students are able to write at their
 Book Club Lesson Plan
own level. Have students share at least once in the group discussion, but do
not make them share more than that if they do not want to.
Materials and other preparation
- Books, notebooks, folders, trifold board, index cards, markers,
crayons, pencils, PowerPoint, graphic organizers, journal prompt
- Place an index card with each student’s name on it in the place they
should sit. Seat the students in this order: Elaine, Mariella, Lily, Abby,
Chase (Chase should be sitting closest to me.)
The Lesson
TIME TEACHER ACTIVITY STUDENT ACTIVITY
Motivating, Engaging. (Introduction)
- Ask students to predict what they think might - Make a
3 happen in the book today. prediction
- Ask students to remind me and Mariella about what
(missing last time) about the vocabulary might
words we learned last time. Have them act happen.
out the words to help solidify the meaning. - Explain vocab
- Show students the word sputtered. Ask from last time.
students what they think this word might - Guess what
mean. sputtered
- Show students pictures of the word and ask if means.
that helps them think about the meaning.
- Explain that the word sputtered (in the
context we’re going to see it) means: to squirt
water in little bursts.
7 - Have students fill out their vocabulary - Fill out
notecards with the information for the word. vocabulary
- Show students the word creased. Ask students card.
what they think this word might mean. - Guess what
- Show students pictures of the word and ask if creased
that helps them think about the meaning. means.
- Explain that the word creased means: a line
visible by folding or by scrunching your face.
- Have students fill out their vocabulary cards - Fill out
for the word. vocabulary
- Use the spinner and all the words we’ve card.
discussed so far to play a vocabulary game. - Play
Give the students a word and have them spin vocabulary
the spinner and do the activity that game.
 Book Club Lesson Plan
corresponds with that number (without
looking back at their cards).
Development (Process)
- Play interview with the homeless mother and
daughter for students.
4 - Ask the students what they think about this - Discuss
interview. Do you think Georgina feels this way
interview.
too?
- Tell students that in the chapter we are going
to read today, we’re going to learn a lot more
about Georgina and how she is feeling.
- Explain that for our reading today, we are all
going to read together in a group. One
person will read a page, then we will go to
the next person in the circle.
10 - Read and
- Read Chapter 4 as a group.
- After reading, have two or three students give follow along.
a summary of what happened in the chapter. - Give a
- Look at the characters that we learn about in summary of
5 this chapter. Use the spinner to call on chapter.
students and have them share one thing they - Share a
learned about a character and their characteristic
evidence.
they learned.
- Record their ideas on chart paper.
10 - Read Chapter 5 in the same way as a group. - Read and
- After reading, have the students who didn’t follow along.
summarize last time give a summary of the - Give a
chapter. summary of
5 - Ask students what they think are important the chapter.
events that happen in these chapters.
- Give
- Write those events on the timeline and have
students write them on their own timelines. important
- Show students the journal prompt (How do events and
you think Georgina is feeling about going to record on
6 school right now? Do you think she likes school timelines.
and her classmates or not? Have you ever felt
like that?) - Respond to
- Give students time to respond to the prompt.
the prompt.
- If they finish early, have a word search ready
for them.
- As a group, have students share their thoughts - Share their
and responses. responses.
6 - Ask students if they think that Georgina being
homeless impacts her schooling at all.
- Make a list of student suggestions. - Suggest ways
- Ask students how they think their lives would that Georgina
be impacted if they were in Georgina’s shoes. might be
 Book Club Lesson Plan
impacted by
being
homeless and
connect that
to their own
life.
Closure.
- Remind students that at the end of Chapter 5, - Explain why
Georgina says that she isn’t going to have to they think she
steal a dog. But the title of the book is “How to will still have
Steal a Dog.” Ask students if they think she is to steal a
6 going to have to steal a dog still? Why would dog.
she need to if they have somewhere to live? - Make a
- Have students make a prediction about what prediction
they think might happen next time. about what
- If we have extra time, allow students to might happen
decorate their folders. next.
- Collect materials, pray, and say goodbye.