Lessons & Units :: Voice 3rd Grade Unit

Lesson 2: Comparing Author’s Voice

Lesson Plan

Spooky ABC

Spooky ABC
Learning Goal
Compare and contrast words and phrases in poems with different voices.
Duration
Approximately 50 minutes
Necessary Materials
Provided: Direct Teaching Example Chart, Guided Practice Example Chart
Not Provided: Spooky ABC by Eve Merriam and Lane Smith; Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein, chart paper, markers

  • Teacher Modeling

    will explain that the words and phrases of a poem reflect the author’s voice. For example, a poem in which the author’s voice reflects sadness will have very different words and phrases that a poem with a happy voice. I will read “No Difference” (p. 81) by Shel Silverstein in Where the Sidewalk Ends aloud. I will give examples of words and phrases in the poem that help me identify the voice as “accepting of others.” (See Direct Teaching Teacher Example Chart, provided below in Teacher and Student Materials.) I will then read “Owl” from Spooky ABC by Eve Merriam and Lane Smith aloud and identify the words and phrases that help me identify the voice as “mysterious.” I will compare and contrast the words and phrases used in the two poems.

  • Think Check

    Ask: How did I compare and contrast the two poems? Students should respond that you chose words and phrases from each poem that described characters or the setting. Then you thought about how the words in the poems were similar and how they were different.

  • Guided Practice

    will read “For Sale” (p. 52) by Shel Silverstein in Where the Sidewalk Ends and identify the words and phrases that support the author’s voice. The author’s voice is angry or annoyed. (Guided Practice Example Chart is provided below.) We will read “Nightmare” from Spooky ABC and identify the words and phrases in the poem that support the voice. The voice of the poem is terror.

    TIP: Provide students with the chart from the Guided Practice as a handout or a classroom chart that is visible to all students to use as a reference.

  • Independent Practice

    will compare and contrast the words and phrases in the two poems.

Build Student Vocabulary foe

Tier 2 Word: foe
Contextualize the word as it is used in the story In the poem it says it is “too late to tell friend from foe.”
Explain the meaning student-friendly definition) A foe is an enemy. The line in the poem means that it is too late to figure out who is a friend and who is an enemy.
Students repeat the word Say the word foe with me: foe.
Teacher gives examples of the word in other contexts A foe in wartime is a country that is an enemy. A foe is someone who might want to hurt me. A foe can be someone who is on the opposite side in a sports game.
Students provide examples Tell me about a foe you have read about or seen on television or in the movies. Say “An example of a foe is _____________________.”
Students repeat the word again. What word are we talking about? foe
Additional Vocabulary Words nay, writing

Build Student Background Knowledge

Before reading "Nightmare" with your class, recall that nightmares are bad dreams that occur when you are sleeping. There are 5 stages of sleeping. Dreams happen during the last stage of sleep called REM, which stands for Rapid Eye Movement. During REM, the dreamer's eyes move back and forth while closed. Also, while you dream in REM sleep, your muscles are paralyzed (they can't move). Scientists think that this is so humans don't act out their dreams (or nightmares).

Texts & Materials

Standards Alignment

(To see all of the ReadWorks lessons aligned to your standards, click here.)

User Comments

I love this lesson! It went very well! I just wish it came with a blank compare and contrast thinking map.

Submitted by stovar11_1580888 on 2/5/16