Lessons & Units :: Character 2nd Grade Unit

Lesson 2: Predicting Actions

Lesson Plan

Julius, the Baby of the World | 460L

Julius, the Baby of the World
Learning Goal
Predict a character’s actions based on his/her personality.
Duration
Approximately 50 minutes
Necessary Materials
Provided: Character Personality Chart (from Lesson 1), Predictions About a Character’s Actions Chart, Independent Practice Worksheet
Not Provided: Julius, the Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes, Lilly’s Big Day by Kevin Henkes, chart paper, markers

  • Teacher Modeling

    will explain that a person’s personality usually stays the same over time. If I describe myself as kind, excited, and creative, I will usually act like that every day. I will explain that the same is true for characters and that once we know their personality; we can use it to predict how they may act in the future. I will post the Character Personality Chart about Lilly and review her personality traits. (See Direct Teaching and Guided Practice Example Chart 1 in Teacher and Student Materials below.) I will use her personality traits to make a prediction about what Lilly might do in Julius, the Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes. I will record my prediction on the Predictions about a Character’s Actions Chart. (See Direct Teaching and Guided Practice Example Chart 2 below.) I will begin reading Julius, the Baby of the World, charting evidence of Lilly’s actions that support her personality on the Predictions about a Character’s Actions Chart, stopping at the page that ends, “’I am the queen,’ said Lilly. ‘And I hate Julius.’”

  • Think Check

    Ask: How did I predict what Lilly would do when Julius was born? Students should respond that you first identified Lilly's personality and thought about what she would do next in the story based the type of person she is or her personality.

  • Guided Practice

    will make another prediction about Lilly’s actions based on her personality, and record our prediction on the Predictions about a Character’s Action Chart. (See Direct Teaching and Guided Practice Example Chart 2 below.) We will finish reading Julius, the Baby of the World and charting evidence of Lilly’s actions that support her personality on the Predictions about a Character’s Actions Chart. We will review our predictions and evidence of her actions to see if they match her personality traits.

  • Independent Practice

    will listen to the story Lilly’s Big Day by Kevin Henkes. (Stop reading after page 21.) You will make a prediction about Lilly’s actions based on her personality. (Student Independent Practice is provided below.) You will listen to the rest of Lilly’s Big Day to check your prediction.

    TIP: After students predict Lilly’s actions in the Independent Practice, remember to finish reading the story to confirm or disprove student predictions.

Build Student Vocabulary exhausted

Tier 2 Word: exhausted
Contextualize the word as it is used in the story Lilly’s family stayed at the reception until Lilly was perfectly exhausted.”
Explain the meaning student-friendly definition) Exhausted means very tired. Someone is exhausted when they have no more energy left.
Students repeat the word Say the word exhausted with me: exhausted.
Teacher gives examples of the word in other contexts After running around the field, I was too exhausted to go back to class right away. I stayed up all night studying for the test, so I am exhausted. I was happy to get into bed that night, because I was exhausted from a fun day at the water park.
Students provide examples Think of something that makes you feel exhausted. Start by saying: “I feel exhausted when I _________________.”
Students repeat the word again. What word are we talking about? exhausted
Additional Vocabulary Words property, niece

Build Student Background Knowledge

Stop on the page of Lilly's Big Day when Ginger freezes. Explain to your class that Ginger has "stage fright." Stage fright is when someone is afraid to speak or perform in public, in front of an audience. Ginger has stage fright because she is afraid to walk down the aisle in front of the wedding audience. Connect the concept of stage fright to character work on personality by asking students what personality traits someone might have if they frequently get stage fright. Do you think that Lilly is the type of person to get stage fright?

Texts & Materials

Standards Alignment

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