Yolanda U. Trapp
Subject: Language Arts, Social Studies, ESL, EOL, Methods.
Grade: 4
Title: “Mother Scorpion Country” “La Tierra de la Madre Escorpión”, by Harriet Rohmer and Dorminster Wilson. Illustrated/Virginia Stearns.
Stories from Central América. Nicaragua.
Assessment Domain:
Direct assessment of writing
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Narrative
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Graphic organizer used
Reading Comprehension passages.
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Multiple choice (5 points each)
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Open-ended questions (10 points each)
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True -- False (10 points each)
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Yes or no (10 points each)
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Fill in the blanks (5 points each)
Multicultural Principles:
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Develop multiple perspectives
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Keys concepts: communication, culture, diversity, ethnic groups, and perception.
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Develop cultural perspective
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Key Concepts: community, gender, religion, physical disabilities, race, socio-economic status.
3- General Objectives:
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The students will:
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Develop an appreciation of diverse cultural, ethnic and religious group.
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Describe settings and experiences that reflect the ethnic and life styles.
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Identify language, important information, characters, settings, events, relationships, and point of view.
Reading Objectives
The student will:
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Demonstrate strategic reading skills, before, during and after specific reading tasks.
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Demonstrate an awareness of values, customs, ethnicities and beliefs included in a selection
5- Writing objectives
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The student will:
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Use an analytic rubric to assess revised work
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Create a different story adding a new character
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Describe in writing the main ideas, characters and solution of the story.
6. Instructional Behavioral Objectives
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After reading the book the student will be able to:
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Compare elements of the story with other legends of Central/South America. Ones they have already read in another part of the curriculum. (like: “La Hija de la Serpiente Marina”, by Margaret Lipper)
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Describe differences and similarities of their own background comparing it with the legend.
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Summarize beginning, middle and end of the legend.
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Translate questions from Spanish to English about the legend. (10 points each)
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Judge the value of the legend.
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Recognize a list of new vocabulary in a multiple-choice assessment (5 points each)
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Identify the correct answer in a True-False assessment (10 points each)
7. Enabling Objectives
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The students will:
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Perform a scene from the story.
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Describe people, setting and elements of the legend through elaboration (e.g. color, shape, size, smell)
8. Performance Objectives
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The students will:
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Draw five pictures that depict the events in sequence of the legend.
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Make a complete list of all the characters in the story (primary andsecondary)
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Make a list of all the settings in the legend.
The terminal objective is that Students will demonstrate knowledge of the Nicaraguan legend by Harriet Rohmer.
Procedure: Child reads alone after the teacher sit children in different groups Bilingual and English speakers together no more than 4 to 5 on each table. One will be the leader. The student who is an advanced reader will read the story to the others. ( teacher needs to assess levels of reading first). This is a good opportunity to comment positively on strategies the teacher observes children using as they read and to focus on some teaching points that have become significant during the reading. The advanced student may move to another group.
Often rereading and discussion is sufficient. Some related activities:
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Read another book with similar challenges and support ( “La Hija de la Serpiente Marina”, adapt. Margaret Lippert)
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Creative experiences through music, drama, art.
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Set up a response center (Bilingual). Where students ask to each other some impressions and respond to.
Discussion on:
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Connection to themes in other stories, story characters.
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How illustrations supported and extended the story.
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What made characters or events predictable.
Extended Activities:
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A copy of the book can sent home with the children for further practice
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Vocabulary is essential. Familiarizing the students with new words learned and practicing them in informal conversations. It takes practice to listening and facilitate a discussion.
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Later, a copy of this book should be put in a book box for the group.
Assessments: see next pages in Appendix. According to each objective and rubric.
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Materials and resources
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Tape and Book “ la Tierra de la Madre Escorpion” by Harriet Rohmer, Children’s Book Press. CA. 94608.
