The Little House


Plan Author: Mathew Needleman
Date Created: 6/3/2003 1:47:38 PM PST

School:
Saturn Street

Grade Level:
K-3

Subject Area(s):
Language Arts (English), Social Studies

Goal(s):
Students will gain an awareness of the effects of urbanization on housing through a directed reading of The Little House.
Concept(s):
Students will understand that there are many types of pollution which negatively effect people, animals, and housing.
Standards:
CA- CCTC: Aligned CSTP's and TPE's
• Standard : CSTP: Standard for Planning Instruction and Designing Learning Experiences for all Students
TPE: D. Planning Instruction and Designing Learning Experiences for Students
CSTP Description: Teachers plan instruction that draws on and values students? backgrounds, prior knowledge, and interests. Teachers establish challenging learning goals for all students based on student experience, language, development, and home and school expectations. Teachers sequence curriculum and design long-term and short-range plans that incorporate subject matter knowledge, reflect grade-level curriculum expectations, and include a repertoire of instructional strategies. Teachers use instructional activities that promote learning goals and connect with student experiences and interests. Teachers modify and adjust instructional plans according to student engagement and achievement.
• CSTP Key Element : Developing and sequencing instructional activities and materials for student learning.
Question : sequence subject matter concepts to support student learning?

CA- California K-12 Academic Content Standards
• Subject : English Language Arts
• Grade : Grade One
• Area : Reading
• Sub-Strand 3.0: Literary Response and Analysis
Students read and respond to a wide variety of significant works of children?s literature. They distinguish between the structural features of the text and the literary terms or elements (e.g., theme, plot, setting, characters). The selections in Recommended Readings in Literature, Kindergarten Through Grade Eight illustrate the quality and complexity of the materials to be read by students.
• Concept : Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
Standard 3.3: Recollect, talk, and write about books read during the school year.
• Subject : History & Social Science
• Grade : Grade One
• Area : A Child?s Place in Time and Space
Students in grade one continue a more detailed treatment of the broad concepts of rights and responsibilities in the contemporary world. The classroom serves as a microcosm of society in which decisions are made with respect for individual responsibility, for other people, and for the rules by which we all must live: fair play, good sportsman-ship, and respect for the rights and opinions of others. Students examine the geographic and economic aspects of life in their own neighborhoods and compare them to those of people long ago. Students explore the varied backgrounds of American citizens and learn about the symbols, icons, and songs that reflect our common heritage.
• Sub-Strand 1.4: Students compare and contrast everyday life in different times and places around the world and recognize that some aspects of people, places, and things change over time while others stay the same.
Standard 1: Examine the structure of schools and communities in the past.


Objective(s):
After participating in a guided reading of the story, "The Little House" and a discussion about pollution, students will be able to name at least two of the effects of increased construction of homes and transportation (urbanization) with eighty percent accuracy.
Prerequisite Background Skills/Knowledge:
Students need to know something about how homes are constructed, about different modes of transportation, and the seasons. Units on all of these have been previously taught. For a deeper appreciation of the book's story, students also need some knowledge of pollution and the effects of increased population.
Vocabulary / Language Skills:
Students will learn the words pollution and construction. A good amount of time will be spent prior to reading examining pictures of pollution and brainstorming lists of pollution sources. Construction should be easily related to a previously read story, "Building A House."
Materials:
The Little House
Photos and/or drawings of pollution
Paper/pencils
Computers with internet access
Classroom Management:
This lesson will be taught in a borrowed classroom. Students may need some guidance on pair sharing and sharing in general. In the opening of the activity, students will be rotated from the computers to the carpet; this will take some advanced management planning.
Procedure:
Open (15 minutes)
Show students pictures and/or drawings of pollution. Ask students about what they see. They probably won't be able to articulate that it is pollution, however, allow them to describe what they see in pairs. After allowing them to share with each other and the whole class, give them the name pollution. Tell them that there are different types of pollution and tell them that on the computers there is a web site with some more information about sources of pollution (called Muck, Stink, and Poison at http://www.oneworld.net/penguin/pollution/pollution_home.html) and a movie at www.brainpop.com
Ask six students to go to the computers to examine the web site. With the rest of the students, brainstorm a list of different types of air and noise pollution. Have students rotate after a short amount of time 3-4 minutes.

Remind students that they have been reading about houses and explain that today we will be reading about a house with very peaceful surroundings and what happens when there are more and more houses built around it.

Body
Display the book's cover and title page. Begin reading, stopping often to allow students to share their predictions with peers and with the whole class. As students speak, assess their predictions for evidence of their knowledge of the effects of pollution and its relationship to population growth.

Close
At the end of the story, the house is moved to a new peaceful location. This is a happy ending but ask the students what would happen if more houses and people moved into the neighborhood.
Assessment:
Teacher will listen to student contributions in pairs and with the whole group for the ability to speak about the effects of pollution. At the close of reading the story, students should be able to name at least two effects of pollution with eighty percent accuracy.
copyright ©2003 by Mathew Needleman http://www.opencourtresources.com