author study

Aim: How can we do an author study of Laura Numeroff?

Standards Addressed:
1.    Read and comprehend at least four books on the same subject, or by the same author, or in the same genre.
2.    Read aloud fluently.
3.    Produce a response to literature.
4.    Produce a narrative account.
5.    Participate in group meetings.
6.    Prepare and deliver a presentation.
7.    Demonstrate a basic understanding of the rules of the English language in written and oral work.
8.    Analyze and subsequently revise work to improve its clarity and effectiveness.
9.    Produce work in at least one genre that follows the conventions of the genre.

Setting: This lesson could take place in a computer lab or in a classroom setting in cooperative learning groups. In a class of thirty students, six groups would be formed.

Materials: Computer with Internet capabilities

Vocabulary: cause and effect if...then pattern sequence map humor

Motivations: 1.    The teacher will read If You Give A Mouse A Cookie to the class. The class will analyze the style of Laura Numeroff as used in the book. Elicited responses may include use of cause and effect, if...then pattern, humor.
                        2.     Cooperative learning groups will be formed. Roles such as reader, secretary, graphic artist, information processor, publisher, and presenter will be assigned within the group. The reader reads the book to the group. The secretary records group responses. The information processor enters the story the group will create on the computer. The graphic artist illustrates the story. The publisher will bind the pages of the story into book form or prepare story board for the slide show. The presenter shares the finished product with the whole class.
                        3.    Students will develop pride in being able to create a story in the style of Laura Numeroff within their cooperative learning group and have this story displayed in book form of as a slide show.

Procedure:
                        1.   Students, within their cooperative learning groups, will read If You Give A Pig A Pancake.
                                2.    Students will use a semantic web to compare If You Give A Mouse A Cookie and If You Give A Pig A Pancake and analyze the style of Laura Numeroff as used in the books they've read.
                        3.    Students will use the section entitled "If You Give An Elephant a Peanut" on Write On Plus, Writing With Picture Books, published by Sunburst to practice word processing skills and to see how they can model their story to incorporate a cause and effect or if...then style in their writing.
                        4.   Group members brainstorm ideas to create a story in the causes and effect style of Laura Numeroff, If You Give A ______________A _____________. Students fill in sequence map to plan the events of their story.
                        5.    Group members enter and edit their story using a word processing application like Student Writing Center, AppleWorks, or Microsoft Works and illustrate using a drawing and painting application like Kidpix.
                       6.    The completed pages are bound into a book or entered as a Hyperstudio stack in the form of a slide show.
                       7. The finished books or slide shows are presented to the class, to other classes within the school, or to parents as part of an author's day.

Evaluation: Students will be evaluated on their ability to:
                    1.    Work cooperatively in groups.
                    2.    Synthesize the qualities that characterize Laura Numeroff's style of writing.
                    3.    Pattern a story on the author's style of writing.
                    4.    Enter and edit text on a word processing application.
                    5.    Illustrate a story.
                    6.    Organize their work into a finished, standard setting product.
                    7.    Present their work.

Additional URLs:
http://carolhurst.com/titles/ifyougiveamouse.html
    This site contains book reviews, activities for children related to books.
http://harpercollins.com/authors
    This site lists author and their books.
http://atozteacherstuff.com
    This site lists children's books and authors and provides lesson plans related to children's      literature.
http://LessonPlanz.com
    This site contains lesson plans based on children's literature.
http://acsucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/index.html
    This site is children's literature web guide and has authors on the web to chat with.
http://kidbib.com
    This site is a teacher and parent resource and supports children's reading, writing, and learning activities.
http://LittleExplorer.com/Dictionarytitlepage.html
    This is an online picture dictionary with links to child friedly sites and classroom activities.
http://link.cs.cmu.edu/dougb/rhme-doc.html
    This site lists rhyming word and links to pictures.

Tips:
If You Give A Moose A Muffin can also be included as part of this author study.