It is important for the teacher to read as many of Bill Peet's books as possible before beginning this lesson. You will need, "How Droofus the Dragon Lost His Head".
Reading the following article about Bill Peet would be helpful too: LINK TO ARTICLE
Make "Bill Peet Journals". Click here for cover pdf.
Fold a piece of 9" X 12" construction paper in half to create the folder. Attach the cover page on top and the book list inside.
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Step-by-step Procedures
Monday in class:
Anticipatory Set:
Set all the Bill Peet books up in the front of the room, so the students can see them easily when they enter the classroom in the morning. Give them some time to look at the books, and tell them that they will get to choose one for a book report a little later.
Input:
Explain that Bill Peet will be the author of the week and tell the students a little about him. Read "How Droofus the Dragon Lost his Head" to your students. Later, in the computer lab, the lesson design is based on the fact that they heard, "How Droofus the Dragon Lost His Head".
Then pass out the "Bill Peet Journals" you made ahead of time. Have them color a picture on the cover about their favorite part of the story you just read as you pass the materials out.
Ask them to find the book you read on the book list and explain the rating system. Then have them check off the book and rate it with a number. If they want to share what they rated the book and why, it might help others, who struggle with reading comprehension.
Modeling:
Write "Beginning" on one chunk of the board and "Middle" on another and "End" on yet another. Ask, "What happened in the beginning of the story," and draw a quick sketch or write some words to record the input and do the same for middle and end. Then pass out this page:
beginning-middle-end worksheet
Checking for Understanding:
In a class discussion ask them what they plan to draw and discuss the answers as a group.
Guided Practice:
Have them write the name of the book across the top and then make three small drawings showing what happened in the story. As they draw walk around and talk to them about their pictures to evaluate if they understand the concept.
Closure
Tell them how important it is to understand what we read or have read to us and how sequencing the story can help them remember and explain what happened. Call on students to share their drawings.
Independent Practice / Homework
Now it's time to pick the books. Put all the names in a jar and pull one at a time so that one student can go pick his or her book. (That student will be the "Class Expert" on this particular book!) Tell them the following information about their homework:
Monday night: An adult will need to read the book to the student. (During "choice time" in my room, my assistant and I read the stories to any students, who did not have an adult to read to them...other students always want to come hear too!) On Tuesday things get a little more complex with character and setting and on Thursday things get even more complex with the plot or problem and solution.
COMPUTER LAB LESSON Multimedia Project (Monday)
The students will make a multimedia page determining the character of a dragon as an extension from the read aloud, "How Droofus the Dragon Lost his Head".
Tuesday night: pdf of homework sheet: beginning-middle-end worksheet
COMPUTER LAB LESSON Kid Pix Slide Show Part 1 (Tuesday) Start making a side show in Kid Pix showing the beginning middle and end
They will do the same thing we did in class, but with their own story.
Wednesday night: pdf of homework sheet:character-setting worksheet
COMPUTER LAB LESSON Kid Pix Slide Show Part 2 (Wednesday) Continue making a side show in Kid Pix showing the beginning middle and end
Thursday night: pdf of homework sheet:problem-solution worksheet
COMPUTER LAB LESSON E-mail (Thursday) Write an e-mail to the author.
COMPUTER LAB LESSON Free Exploration and Navigation techniques (Friday ) Explore the Internet using this web project as a starting page for the students.
Tuesday in class:
Input:
Read another Bill Peet story aloud.
Then pass out the "Bill Peet Journals" and ask them to find the book you read on the book list and rate it.
Modeling:
Write "Character" on one chunk of the board and "Setting" on another chunk. Ask, "Who were the main characters in the story?," and draw a quick sketch or write some words to record the input and do the same for the setting. Then pass out this page:
characters and setting worksheet
Checking for Understanding:
In a class discussion ask them what they plan to draw and discuss the answers as a group.
Guided Practice:
Have them write the name of the book across the top and then make two drawings, one showing the main characters and two, showing the major settings. As they draw walk around and talk to them about their pictures to evaluate if they understand the concept.
Closure
Tell them how important it is to understand what we read or have read to us and how recognizing the characters and setting helps us remember and better understand the story. Call on students to share their drawings.
Wednesday in class:
Input:
Read another Bill Peet story aloud.
Then pass out the "Bill Peet Journals" and ask them to find the book you read on the book list and rate it.
Modeling:
Write "Problem" on one chunk of the board and "Solution" on another chunk. Ask, "What was one main problem that happened in the story in the story?," and draw a quick sketch or write some words to record the input and do the same for the solution. Then pass out this page:
Checking for Understanding:
In a class discussion ask them what they plan to draw and discuss the answers as a group.
Guided Practice:
Have them write the name of the book across the top and then make two drawings, one showing the main problem and two, showing the solution. As they draw walk around and talk to them about their pictures to evaluate if they understand the concept.
Closure
Tell them how important it is to understand what we read or have read to us and how recognizing the main problem and solution helps us remember and better understand the story. Call on students to share their drawings.
Thursday and Friday in class:
Have half the students give their book reports on Thursday and half on Friday. The stronger students should go on Thursday to help prepare the others.
Input:
Have the students that are going to give their reports that day work with a partner, who is not giving a report that day. Give each group five post-its, and tell them to decided which five pictures would best help them tell the story. They can put the post-its in the book to mark the pages.
Modeling:
Take a Bill Peet book that you have read and have five post-its on important pages. Tell the students the story briefly as you show the five pictures.
Guided Practice:
Keep all books and pass one out at a time as it's time for that report. Then put each finished book along the board in the front of the room. Each child gives a report. The teacher might need to ask questions to help prompt the students.
Closure
Pass out the "Bill Peet Journals" have them find and rate the stories they heard reports on that day.
Assessment Based On Objectives:
This page covers all the activities for the week. Use this link for an assessment page.
links to Web sites related to Bill Peet
