Brief Description

In this lesson, students will be assembled into groups of three or four.  Students will be responsible for reading a selected picture book, identifying six main ideas from the text, and mixing the main events into an unorganized list. Student groups will then record their unorganized lists into the SMARTBoard notebook software.  Once all groups have entered their list, student groups will receive a different group’s book and their created list. Students will organize the new list of main events, and using the Smart Ideas Software or concept mapping software, create a concept map of the assigned story and events.

 Standards and Frameworks

Technology Standards

• 4T-E2. Use technology tools for individual and collaborative writing, communication and publishing activities to create curricular related products for audiences inside and outside the classroom

• Strand 1: Reading Process- Concept 6: Comprehension Strategies- PO 6. Use reading strategies (e.g., drawing conclusions, determining cause and effect, making inferences, sequencing) to comprehend text.

Academic

• Students will identify and sequence six main events from a picture book using a Smart Ideas flow chart with at least five of the six events in the correct order.

• Students will use the Smartboard and the Smart Ideas program to create a graphic organizer which will have at least five of the main events in the order as they happened in the story.

• Students must have basic Smartboard skills, for example, opening and closing programs, using the Smart keyboard, dragging items from one place on the board to another.

Five or six picture books, any genre. Multiple copies of the same book would make it easier for classroom management. This can be used to fit the need of your classroom. Smartboard and projector set up to a computer Smart Ideas software or concept mapping software to create graphic organizer

Gifted Students –  Gifted students have to opportunity to share their expertise with other students needing assistance in the group model that they have been placed.  These students may also choose to work further with the activity, rewriting the story from another perspective, making sure that all events from the story are told in a sequential manner.  Gifted students may choose a more difficult reading, perhaps a chapter from a chapter book they are reading. Once they are done, they could present to the class their sequencing activity and the book they are currently reading.

SEI Students - SEI students will benefit from the group work method selected by the teacher.  These students could also be given a copy of the book in their language if available. Many picture books are now available in English and Spanish.  SEI students could also be paired with a group member who would read along with the SEI student and help with new words or unfamiliar events from the story.

ADD/ADHD – Students with ADD/ADHD could benefit from shorter, more frequent lessons rather than the longer lessons.  The group model used in this lesson will also aid these students as they will have a group to help keep them on task and producing high quality work. Groups with ADD/ADHD students can be placed in near proximity to the teacher to help aid in on task behavior.

Special Education - These students will also benefit from working in a group environment.  Students with special education needs could be assigned books at a proper reading level. They will also be partnered up with another student who can help to increase understanding and success rate. These students could also be given the sequencing activity from the other group with the initial event placed for them to aid in getting them started in the activity.

• Teacher begins be recalling a memorable story that most students would know.  However, they would recall it in an out of order sequence.  When the students recognize that something is wrong, teacher leads a discussion on the importance of sequencing events from a story in a logical format.
• Teacher introduces the pre-selected books to the class.  Teacher groups students in groups of 4 or 5. Groups can be selected as seen needed by the teacher.
• Teacher tells student groups what assigned task is.  Students will read assigned book as a group.  Through a discussion, students will identify 6 main events from the story.  They will complete the worksheet as a group which will have them order the events and scramble the events.
• As groups finish scrambling their events, groups will come to the SMARTboard one group at a time and enter their events into the SMART notebook software program. 
• Groups will turn in their original copy of their Sequencing Activity worksheet for assessment purposes.

DAY TWO:

• Teacher will have students get into groups from the prior day.
• Teacher will explain the new task. Students will receive another one of the pre-selected picture books and a copy of the corresponding scrambled events.  Students will read the new book and as a group will order the scrambles events. 
• Student groups will rotate through using the SMARTboard.
• Student groups will demonstrate sequencing knowledge by explaining the proper sequence of the events to the teacher. Students will use the SMART notebook created the day prior to re-sequence the assigned events. Students will use the dragging text feature to move events into the proper sequence. Teacher will evaluate with the assessment rubric.
• Teacher will demonstrate use of the Smart Ideas software. 
• Teacher will show students how to create the movable textboxes by dragging a selected shape onto the grid page.  Teacher will show students how to double click inside a box to open it for writing purposes.
• Teacher will demonstrate using the SMART keyboard to enter a sample event.
• Teacher will have a student come up and demonstrate the sequence of creating a movable textbox one more time.
• Teacher will use the two created boxes to demonstrate how to use the connectors. Teacher will click on connectors.  Teacher will select a connector and click on the first box. The teacher will click and drag the connector to the next box.
• The teacher will delete the connector and have another student come up and reconnect the two boxes.
•  Students will rotate through the SMARTboard and create a flowchart of the unscrambled events using the Smart Ideas Software program.  Students must have six events entered into six movable textboxes, each one connected to the next with a directional arrow to show the sequence from one event to another. Students not at the SMARTboard will have to be given another task to complete in order to keep students working and on task.  This can be an assignment as the teacher sees fit to assign.
  • Some Examples of Lesson Ideas for offline students
    • Have students read a third picture book and create a sequencing comic book. Students fold blank white paper into six sections and create comic style panels for six main events from the third book.
    • Have students create a story structure outline of one of the books they were asked to read.  Ask students to make a poster that identifies the characters, setting, problem, solution, etc.
    • Have students prepare a readers theater presentation of their originally assigned book to present to the class. Once all students are completed with the concept map, groups could present their book in readers theater fashion for the class.
• Students will print out one copy of the final flow chart for assessment purposes.
• Students will assess their group members using the peer evaluation rubric below.

See rubric below: 

Teacher Name:  Robert Walling
Email:  rwalling@amphi.com
Site:  Painted Sky Elementary School
Grade Level:  4
Time Requirement:  2-3 hours, spread out over 2 days
Date Submitted:  March 8, 2005