Subject: Language Arts Grade: Three

Standard: #2 Reading: Comprehension

Key Concept: Identify the problems faced by story characters and find out how they solve their problems.

Generalization: Examining how characters are successful in solving problems helps students see how they can solve problems in their lives.

Background: This lesson happens in the fall. Students have read several stories in the Harcourt Brace Series Treasury of Literature, Book 3. This lesson is based on the short story "Music, Music for Everyone" by Vera Williams. The themes of helping other people and the value of using talents to do it are important. Group students in three tiers according to readiness in activities.

This lesson is tiered in content according to readiness.

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

These students need to understand the story from a factual perspective. They need to work with the events that happen to see how music is a talent that is used to help others. In order to understand, they need to answer questions that uncover the plot of the story. Six key questions include:

1. Who tells the story? What instrument does she play?

2. Why does everyone worry about Grandma? What does the main character do for Grandma? Do you do these same things for your Grandma?

3. What has happened to the money jar? What ideas do the girls have for this jar?

4. Who gave the girls their first job?

5. What was Grandma's first big day out? Where did she go? Who took her?

6. What happens to the money jar at the end that shows how people take care of each other?

Now draw a picture of your favorite part of the story.

Tier II: Grade Level Learners (Application/Analysis)

These students will analyze the story according to how talents help in showing concern for others. Approaching this task as follows helps students apply and analyze the story.

1. Draw a bubble map (or concept web) with the center circle labeled "good

things that music does" and then fill in the circles with the details from the story.

2. Compare and contrast (by drawing a double bubble map) the ways music

helps Grandma with the ways life is for Grandma without music. (Venn diagrams can be used for this also if they are more familiar than the double bubble map).

Write a paragraph about the ways the girls use their musical talent to help Grandma in this story.

Tier III: Above Grade Level Learners (Synthesis)

These students need extensions to the understanding of the story. They understand the concepts and need to extend them. The following activities will help them do this:

1. What will happen next? Write an extension of the story that shows how the girls continue to help other people with their talents.

2. Illustrate the most important aspect of the part you added to the story.

OR

3. What do you do to help people in your family that need help? What can you do for people in your class that might need help? What talents do you have to share with others? Suggest a project that would use everyone in your group and that would help other people.

Present your ideas to the class.

Assessment: Each separate tier has a suggested way to express the content it has been examining. These should be a major part of the assessment of this activity. Also, large group sharing with Tier I introduced as experts in the facts of the story; Tier II students introduced as experts on the value of life with music; and Tier III as experts in action (either social action if they choose #3 or future action in the story if they choose #1 & 2), sets the tone for a focus on expert examination in all three tiers. This large group sharing gives everyone a chance to participate, and that can be a form of assessment as well.

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3LR-FAD