Growth and Change Unit: Lesson 1 Language Arts: Where the Red Fern Grows Topic: Growth, Change

and Loss in Where the Red Fern Grows Students: 25-30 Teacher: Ann Williams Grade level: 6 Objectives: 1) Students will be able to determine theme or central idea of the text. 2) Introduce students to the Unit Understandings and Essential Questions: Unit Understandings: Essential Questions: 1.Growth Involves Change. 2.Loss and Suffering may be beneficial. This lesson will only discuss growth involving change. 1.What element of growth involves change? 2. How is loss part of the human condition? 3. Why can suffering be beneficial?

Standards: Common Core CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

Materials: Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls Essential Questions handout for guiding Literature Circles in Unit Literature Circle handouts with performance requirements for each job Index Cards for exit card with Theme and job preference listed C onversation: Level 1(Listening/Lecture) whole group, Level 2 (Conversational) small group activities H elp: Raise hand during whole group activity, ask partner then teacher in small groups A ctivity: We will initially work in whole group then move into small group activities M ovement: Movement from whole to small and then back to whole group activities P articipation: all students will listen actively, and engage in whole and small group

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Assessment Plan: Pre-Assessment-Students will participate in a pre-assessment to determine attitudes and expectations about the unit themes of loss and growth through class discussion of a poem which introduces the theme. And a K-W-L about the Great Depression. Formative Assessment- Throughout the class students will be observed for understanding, and will be orally assessed in whole group and small group discussions. Summative Assessment- Students will demonstrate understanding of the theme of the novel through an exit card which states the students understanding of the theme of the novel as it relates to the Essential Questions, as well as students preference for position in the Literature Circle. Additional understanding will be assessed through participation in Literature Circle, unit project and presentation, as well as a unit test. Background Knowledge: Students will need to know how Literature Circles function. Anticipatory Set: A short poem, story or song introducing the theme of growing up change and loss will be introduced to the students. (Depending on the characteristics of the class) An emotive response will be discussed. How did the poem, song or story make you feel? Why? Have you ever felt similar emotions? Teaching Input: 1.Introduce the Unit; discuss the Unit Understandings, have students discuss with a shoulder partner times when they have noticed change to be a requirement for growth. Give examples before students break into discussion. 2. Ask students return to whole group and discuss their answers. 3. Define Theme: Make the correlation between a unit Understandings and the literary term theme as applied to works of Literature. 4. Have students silently read excerpt of Where the Red Fern Grows and ask if they can determine what the theme of the novel might be from the short excerpt. 5. After students have read excerpts, have students, summarize the text and discuss what they anticipate the theme of the novel to be. Lead the discussion to the Essential questions of the Unit. Write Essential Questions on board. 6. Prepare students to break into Literature Circle groups. (Circles pre-determined by pre-assessments). Modeling: 7. Model (remind) students how to conduct Literature Circle groups. 8. Model to students how to conduct inquiry with Essential Questions by asking some Essential Questions to whole group. 9. Break Students into literature Circle Groups

Check for Understanding and Guided Practice: 10. After students have moved into groups have students first ask Essential Questions and write a group response. (15 minutes). 11. Monitor and check for understanding as students work in small groups. 12. Ask students to present responses and discuss with whole group. 13. Have students discuss literature circle jobs and preferences. (5 min) 14. Ask students to fill in an exit card with what they think the Theme of Where the Red Fern Grows might be and their 1st 2nd and 3rd choices for positions in the Literature Circle. Closure: Summarize the unit understandings. Ask students to think about ways in which the novels theme and the unit understandings about growing up might relate to them in their own life. Independent Practice: Assign Reading Schedule for Literature Circle on Where the Red Fern Grows. Self-reflection: