Tanya
Beers
IST571:
Children's Literature Lit Kit
Book: The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton
Lesson
Plan and Selling Tool:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FspbTgkEdwswfB1kEMuQ0dwCiP6ZiRDSscBIzm7W7uk/edit
Tanya Beers
IST 571: Children’s Literature
Share Blog Post – Week 5
Title: The Little House
Author: Virginia Lee Burton
Lexile Level: AD610L
Grade: Kindergarten through Third Grade
Age Range: 4 to 7 years
ISBN #: 9780547131047
The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton is a Caldecott Award winning book about a little
pink house that was built a long time ago in the country by a nice man who wished that it
would stay in his family for many generations to come. The story is told from the house’s
point of view, which happens to be female. She watches the changing of her surroundings
over the years: the night sky full of stars and the moon changing to light with the sun, the
changing of the seasons, the changing of modes of transportation that humans take, and
the many generations that live in the house. She decides that she likes the country but always
wondered what lie beyond the fields and apples trees that surrounded her; city life seemed
exciting but far away. Will she ever get to see and experience city life, or will it
remain beyond her reach?
pink house that was built a long time ago in the country by a nice man who wished that it
would stay in his family for many generations to come. The story is told from the house’s
point of view, which happens to be female. She watches the changing of her surroundings
over the years: the night sky full of stars and the moon changing to light with the sun, the
changing of the seasons, the changing of modes of transportation that humans take, and
the many generations that live in the house. She decides that she likes the country but always
wondered what lie beyond the fields and apples trees that surrounded her; city life seemed
exciting but far away. Will she ever get to see and experience city life, or will it
remain beyond her reach?
Lesson for 3rd Graders:
Students will listen to a reading of the book The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton.
Then they will be given a worksheet with the following questions which they will answer
in the form of a 2-page journal entry:
Then they will be given a worksheet with the following questions which they will answer
in the form of a 2-page journal entry:
*Journal Questions:
1. How is the house in the story like a person?
2. The house often wondered what it would be like to live in a city. Was her experience
in the city what she had imagined it would be?
in the city what she had imagined it would be?
3. What do you think the consequences are of advancement and growth in society? Do you
think they are worth it?
think they are worth it?
4. How is it different living in the country versus living in the city? List the advantages
and disadvantages of living in the country and living in the city.
and disadvantages of living in the country and living in the city.
5. Do you consider the city or the country an ideal way of life and why?
6. The house was built to be strong and remain that way for many generations. Do you
think the house changed who she was (her attitude, her opinion of the country) despite the
changes she went through? How did she change or stay the same?
think the house changed who she was (her attitude, her opinion of the country) despite the
changes she went through? How did she change or stay the same?
*Remember: We all experience change in our lives. This does not mean we compromise
who we are.
who we are.
Learning Standards:
AASL Learning Standards:
1. Inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge.
1.1 Skills
1.1.1. Follow an inquiry-based process in seeking knowledge in curricular subjects, and
make the real-world connection for using this process in own life.
make the real-world connection for using this process in own life.
1.1.2 Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning.
1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual,
media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.
media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.
2. Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations,
and create new knowledge.
and create new knowledge.
2.1.3 Use strategies to draw conclusions from information and apply knowledge to
curricular areas, real-world situations, and further investigations.
curricular areas, real-world situations, and further investigations.
2.1.6. Use the writing process, media and visual literacy, and technology skills to create
products that express new understandings.
products that express new understandings.
Learning Goal:
Students will learn how to express their own thoughts and opinions about Change: how
it affects people and their surroundings. Students will practice self-expression through
a Journal (writing) assignment, which will encourage students to think for themselves and
express themselves through writing.
it affects people and their surroundings. Students will practice self-expression through
a Journal (writing) assignment, which will encourage students to think for themselves and
express themselves through writing.
Learning Objective:
1. Students will engage in integrating real-life issues with reading of The Little House
through writing a journal entry. (Cognitive and Psychomotor)
through writing a journal entry. (Cognitive and Psychomotor)
2. Students will use their journal entry assignment to express their definition of an ideal
way to live and why. (Affective)
way to live and why. (Affective)
Learning Outcome: Students will be able to compare their own lives to the main character
and how she feels about the changes in her life and express their thought and emotions about
an ideal way to live through writing.
and how she feels about the changes in her life and express their thought and emotions about
an ideal way to live through writing.
Works Cited:
American Association of School Librarians (AASL). (2007). Standards for the 21st- Century
Learner. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/
guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/AASL_LearningStandards.pdf.
Learner. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/
guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/AASL_LearningStandards.pdf.
Burton, Virginia Lee. The Little House. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1942.
Selling Tool: Painting of author, depicting book
