Subject: Language Arts Grade: First

Standard : #2 Describe a story event or character.

Key Concept: Describe a story event or character in a story.

Generalization: Understanding characters in a story helps us understand things we can do with our friends.

Background: Students have been retelling stories including main ideas, plot, events, and characters. These activities, based on readiness, help students understand stories.

This lesson is tiered in process according to readiness.

Large Group Activity: Discuss the importance of sharing tasks with someone else as a lead-in to the story "Together" by George Ella Lyon (In Treasury of Literature Color the Sky. Harcourt Brace & Co). Divide into three tiers.

Tier I: Below Grade Level Learners (Knowledge/Comprehension Activity)

These students have trouble reading the words to the story. They will need help reading the story with the teacher. After reading the story with them so that they look at the words and sentences, ask the following questions concerning character relationships:

1. How do the children help each other in this story?

2. What are some of the events the children do?

3. What does it mean to put our heads together?

4. What is your favorite event listed in the story? Why is it your favorite?

As the students offer ideas, write the responses down to share with the whole group.

Tier II: Grade Level Learners (Application/Analysis Activity)

Take turns reading the story together. Discuss the story-especially the idea presented that people share with each other in completing tasks.

Now-Make two large circles; label the first one "You" and the second one "Me."

Put all the activities that the character "You" does in the first circle, and all the activities that the character "Me" does in the second circle.

In the space between the circles, suggest the ways that these two characters could put their heads together and dream the same dream (in other words, put the similarities in between the two circles. Be ready to share your circles with the whole group.

Tier III: Above Grade Level (Synthesis/Evaluation Activity)

Read the story to yourself. In a group, discuss how the story is about friends who "put their heads together and dream the same dream." As a group think of other activities that could fit into this story. Write three more events and end the last set with a word that rhymes with "Dream" so the sequence will fit the pattern presented. If you want to write more than one sequence, do, but be sure to separate each sequence of three with the phrase "Let's put our heads together and dream the same dream."

Share your additions with the entire group.

Assessment: Each tier has been responsible for doing a specific activity. Assessment should include a teacher observation of the group process they engaged in as well as the sharing of ideas at the end. All aspects should indicate an understanding of the events and characters in the story.

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ILR-FAD