Fish in a tree, by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Hunt, Lynda Mullaly. Fish in a tree. New York: Puffin Books, 2015.
Lexile Level: 550L

	To see critical acclaim, visit http://www.lyndamullalyhunt.com/books/fish-in-a-tree/ Selling tool: A Character Interview with Ally Nickerson, 6th Grade Fantastico and creative person extraordinaire

Q1: Ally, what advice would you give to kids who struggle with reading?

A1: First of all, you are not alone! Just because you get headaches when you read, or the letters crawl all over the page doesn’t mean that you are dumb. Some kids, and even adults might treat you like you are dumb but don’t let them get to you. Find someone who cares about you and don’t be afraid to admit when you need help.

Q2: Describe the feeling you get when you stick up for someone.

A2: Sticking up for a friend, or even someone you don’t know can be scary! There’s something in your gut that tells you it’s the right thing to do, and if you do it, your heart might race, you might feel like running away and hiding, or you might feel angry towards the bullies. All of these feelings are normal, and I would suggest that everyone should try to stick up for someone the very next chance you get. I’m so glad that someone decided to stick up for me!

Q3: What does it feel like to know someone believes in you?

A3: My story, Fish in a Tree, was possible because someone believed in me. Sometimes it can be hard to accept that someone believes in you, especially if you don’t believe in yourself. Now I can ignore the small voice in my head that says I’m dumb, and I believe the positive things instead: like I am creative, clever, persistent and kind.

Q4: What’s your favorite quote?

A4: “Everybody is smart in different ways. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life thinking that it’s stupid.”

--Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Fish in a Tree     

Learning Activity:

In the novel FIAT, Ally, the main character, talks about what she calls “mind movies.” Often, she will get lost in thought and before she realizes, she is directing a movie in her own head. She thinks this is one of the reasons she is good at things like drawing.

In this activity, geared for a public library book group, kids will create a movie centered on something they feel is hard for them. For example, Ally has a hard time reading. This activity will help students creatively express something that they normally keep to themselves and may feel bad about. If students have a difficult time admitting or finding a topic on their own, the librarian can give suggestions that they can choose from, regardless of whether or not they personally find it a struggle.

Worries: 

·         Speaking in front of the class

·         Sticking up for someone when they are being picked on

·         Sharing their opinion

·         Making friends

·         What people think of them

·         Teachers

·         Family troubles

·         The future

·         Etc…

Movie Specs:

·         Movies can made on any of the free websites listed in the box:

http://www.powtoon.com/ http://www.animaker.com/ http://wideo.co/ http://goanimate.com/ http://animoto.com/ https://www.moovly.com/ http://www.stupeflix.com/ iMovie on Mac or iPhone/iPad (Thank you Shannon Mersand for these great resources!)

·         Movies must have beginning, middle and end

·         Movies must be 3-5 minutes long

·         Movies may be live action or animated

Presentation:

At the conclusion of the movie-making, we will hold a red carpet event in which kids will see their movies and their classmates’ movies displayed on the big screen. (      Thank you Kristin Charles-Scaringi, Kingston Library for the red carpet idea!)

Standards, Goals, Outcomes and Objectives:

Learning Standards	6a Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication. 6b Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.
Learning Goal	Students will express a challenge through digital media.
Learning Outcome	Students will direct a movie/animation related to a fear, challenge, or struggle they, or others may face.
Learning Objectives	Students will direct a movie/animation related to a fear, challenge, or struggle they, or others may face, and will effectively communicate the challenge to their peers in a film viewing.

 

Resources:

http://www.iste.org/standards/for-students under 6

International Society for Technology in Education

Creative Communicator

Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals.

Standards Aligned Literature with Rationale: A Thematic Unit on Bats

Bats Bats..Fantastic Bats! A Thematic Unit for Second Grade

Fiction Book: Stellaluna by Janelle Cannon

Cannon, Janelle. Stellaluna. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1993.

Title: Character Traits from Beginning, Middle, and End

Lexile Level: 550

Age/Grade Level for Activity: Second Grade

Alignment

Learning Standard(s):

CommonCore:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3

Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1.B

Build on others' talk in conversations by linking their comments to the remarks of others.

AASL Standards:

2.1.5 Collaborate with others to exchange ideas, develop new understandings, make decisions, and solve problems

Learning Goals: Students will identify character traits throughout the plot development in this story. They will be using text evidence to support their answers with details from the story.

Learning Objectives

• Learners will identify three character traits of main character, Stellaluna and provide evidence from the text to explain plot development. (Cognitive)
• Learners  will work in groups to respond and provide feedback on the differing character traits and text evidence found throughout the  story through the use of sticky notes and building on each other’s ideas. (Affective, Pschymotor)

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to identify character traits based on the developing plot and evidence from the text. Students will then respond to their peers with feedback building on other conversations and knowledge.

Activity/Rationale: Students will be learning about character traits in second grade, specifically how the character feels or acts during the beginning, middle, and end of the story based on actions and details in the story. Before this activity, the teacher would pre-teach through modeling how to identify character traits throughout the plot with examples using shorter text. This story will be used as the main text for which students will use the story element of Plot (Beginning, Middle, and End) to identify how Stellaluna feels and changes in the story. They will explain how she feels by going back in the story and using sticky notes to write their evidence and place them on the appropriate pages. Students will then take their sticky notes and place them on this graphic organizer use them to hold a discussion with other peers:

Students will work in groups to discuss and respond with their character traits and plot development comparing the results they got on their sticky notes.

Nonfiction Alignment 1: Bats by Gail Gibbons

Gibbons, Gail. Bats. Holiday House, 1999.

Lexile Level: 750

Title: Comparing and Contrasting Fiction vs. Nonfiction about Bats

Rationale:  This nonfiction book will be used to distinguish between fiction and nonfiction details about bats. We will read through this  book and discuss what “facts” are and how they make up nonfiction books. We will go over a Smartboard Fiction/Nonfiction activity with pictures and phrases where the teacher can model examples of each to students. We will revisit Stellaluna and students will compare and contrast Stellaluna (fiction) to Gail Gibbon's, Bats (nonfiction). Students will work independently on the graphic organizer and then discuss their results with a partner. Students will then choose one book they favor over the other and write a paragraph responding with their opinion of what book they liked better and three reasons to support their claim..

Standards:

Common Core:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.9

Compare and contrast the most important points presented by two texts on the same topic.

Text Types and Purposes:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.1

Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.

Information Literacy Continuum:

2.5 Compares new ideas with what was known at the beginning of inquiry.

AASL:

3.1.3 Use writing and speaking skills to communicate new understandings effectively.

Learning Goals: Students will compare and contrast two text about Bats to differentiate between fiction and nonfiction books.  Students will respond and collaborate with other peers to explain the information they got within their graphic organizers. They will respond to each other and provide feedback. Students will write opinion paragraphs on which book genre they favor and why using three reasons of evidence to support.

Learning Objectives:

• Learners  will compare and contrast two bat books to distinguish characteristics between fiction and nonfiction books. (Cognitive)
• Learners will discuss their findings with a partner and provide feedback to each other's’ work. (Psychomotor)
• Learners  will reflect on their own learning by writing their opinion on which book they would rather read and use three or more reasons to support their claims. (Affective)

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to compare and contrast two texts on the same topic about bats(fiction and nonfiction). Students will write an opinion pieces on which genre they prefer to read and why using reasons to support their opinions.

Nonfiction Alignment 2: The Life Cycle of a Bat by Bobby Kalman

Kalman, Bobby. The Life Cycle of a Bat. Crabtree Publishing, 2006.

Lexile Level: 870

Title: Life Cycle of a Bat with Coding Robots to Explain Process

Rationale: Students will use this book to learn about the life cycle of a bat. The Second Grade science curriculum includes learning about life cycles of plants and animals. Students will use this book to independently identify and research the different life cycles using this note taking sheet. Students will then work in a group to gain further research on Pebblego website on the life cycle of bats. Students will take their research and each be responsible for adding their information to create a life size diagram of the lifecycle explaining the process through the use of the Dash and Dot Robots. Students will code the robot to speak and move to each phase of the life cycle to explain the steps to other classmates. Each student in the group will be responsible for coding and explaining a stage in the life cycle of a bat. A rubric will be used for group assessment and collaboration.

Standards:

Common Core .ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.3

Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text.

AASL:

3.2.3 Demonstrate teamwork by working productively with others.

3.3.5 Contribute to the exchange of ideas within and beyond the learning community

NGSS Science or Engineering Standards:

3-LS1-1. Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all have in common birth, growth, reproduction, and death.

Learning Outcome: Learners will program their robot to describe the process of stages in a life cycle.

Learning Objectives:  

• Learners will collaborate effectively with peers to program a robot in order to explain the life cycle process of a bat. (Affective)
• Learners will creatively draw and represent each stage of their life cycle with at least 4 different facts from the different stages of their life cycle. (Pschymotor)
• Learners will will apply knowledge of their life cycle to clearly record and program their robot. (Cognitive)

Learning Outcomes: Students will research the life cycle of a bat after reading “The Life Cycle of a Bat” they will identify and explain the different stages. They will work in groups to code robots to speak and move in order to explain the life cycle of a bat to their peers. Students will work collaboratively to successfully code and explain each stage.

Here is the Group Rubric each student will fill out at the completion of the presentation:

Nonfiction Alignment 3: All About Bats: Discovery Kids   

Jenner, Caryn. Discovery Kids: All About Bats.  Penguin Random House, 2017.

Lexile Level:

Title: Bat Inquiry

Rationale: Students will conduct inquiry on bats. They will start by stating what they already know about bats (prior knowledge) then they will generate a list of four or more questions they have about bats. They will use this text to answer their questions for inquiry. (this book does a great job of discussing all facts about bats that though is a little bit higher than a second grade reading level,students would be able to comprehend with the text features and limited text per page). Students will use this book to find answers to their research. They will use this Note Taking sheet for their background knowledge, 3 or more generated questions, and newly learned knowledge from their research.

When students have answered all of their questions they will work in groups to turn and talk about their new knowledge about bats. They will compare their questions and research to other students and be able to develop even more information on bats based on the differing student generated questions. Students will turn and talk using this discussion format to reflect on.

Learning Objectives:  

• Learners will collaborate effectively with peers to respond with their research on bats and gain new information from others. (Affective)
• Learners will complete an inquiry model of research that includes prior knowledge,  three or more student generated questions, and researched answers to those questions. (Cognitive, Psychomotor)

Standards:

Common Core Standards:Key Ideas and Details:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.1
Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

Information Literacy Continuum:

2.1 Recognizes that questions can be answered by finding information.

2.2 Asks “I wonder” questions about the research topic.

AASL:

3.1.1 Conclude an inquiry based research process by sharing new understandings and

reflecting on the learning.

Nonfiction Alignment 4: Kids National Geographic: Bats  

Carney, Elizabeth. National Geographic Kids: Bats. Scholastic, 2011.

Lexile Level: 690            Guided Reading Level: M

Title: Identifying Text Features for Deeper Comprehension

Rationale: Students will use this text to identify different text features in informational text books.  This book is all factual information about bats to go along with the unit. Students will be learning about different text features like; bold words, graphs, headings, captions. Students will first be taught through a slideshow on Text Features. Then students will use this informational book on bats to locate 4 different text features and explain what new information they learned as a result of reading the text feature.  This is the Text Feature Scavenger Hunt graphic organizer Students will share their findings with a group to compare results and explain their new facts.

After students have completed their shares they will respond to a Google Form self assessment/reflection on their strength and needs with text features.

Alignment

Learning Standard(s):

Common Core:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.5

Know and use various text features (e.g., captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries, indexes, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text efficiently.

Learning Goals: Students will identify and explain how different text features help them understand informational text.

Learning Objectives

Learners will be able to identify and explain four different text features to understand informational text.. (Psychomotor learning domain)

Learners will be able to read informational text and interpret text features to learn new information (Cognitive learning domain)

Learners will be able to respond to their own strengths and needs through with identifying text features through a google self assessment form. (Affective learning domain)

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to identify what text features are in nonfiction and use them to better understand a text.

Work Cited:

• Empire State Information Literacy Continuum (2013). Information Skills Benchmark. Retrieved November 16th, 2017 from http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/1A931D4E-1620-4672-ABEF-460A273D0D5F/0/EmpireStateIFC.pdf

Enemy Pie: Books for Teaching Theme

Enemy Pie by Derek Munson

Munson, Derek. Enemy Pie. Chronicle Books, 2000.

• Lexile Level: 550

Infographic:

Learning activity for the book:

Third Grade Character Traits and Text Evidence Activity-Students will read story and track different character traits throughout the Beginning, Middle, and End through the use of a graphic organizer. They will also use evidence from the text to support their character traits. Students will then post their character traits/text evidence on a group mind mapping blog (  https://www.menti.com/ and type in 554098). Each student in the group will discuss their answers with text evidence and how the character changed or evolved throughout the book through the results of the mind mapping blog (Students will need laptops, chromebooks or desktops for this).

Students will then reflect on their learning process with character traits and text evidence as they fill out a Google Form Self Reflective Assessment on their strengths and needs of the skill as well as their own attitudes and disposition with it.

Learning Goal: Students will be able to identify different character traits with supportive evidence throughout the story based on overall comprehension of the text.

Learning Objectives:

• Learners will apply concepts of character traits while using evidence from the text to support their claims. (Cognitive)
• Learners will reflect on their overall learning of identifying character traits from the text through the use of a self reflective assessment form. (Affective)
• Learners will write a blog post about their character traits and text evidence online in order to gain multiple viewpoints/perspectives from their peers (Psychomotor).

Learning Standards:

CC Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3

Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events

Information Fluency Continuum

3.7 Assesses and revises own work with guidance.

3.8 Identifies own strengths and sets goals for improvement.  

American Association School Library:

2.1.5 Collaborate with others to exchange ideas, develop new understandings, make decisions, and solve problems.