Owen and The Scream

This is another integrated art lesson plan, that uses Kevin Henkes' book Owen and Edvard Munch's painting of The Scream to help talk about being afraid! 

Grades: K-2

Length: 1 Day

Objectives: 1) To make inferences about how Owen and his parents might be feeling or thinking. 2) To make Text-Self Connections.

Questions: Why does Kevin Henkes use the Edvard Munch’s painting The Scream in Owen?

Materials:

            Owen by Kevin Henkes

            A print of The Scream

            White paper

            Crayons

Directions:

         1)    Show students a copy or a picture of Edvard Munch’s painting The Scream.

         2)    Ask students the following questions: Why they think the painting is called The Scream? Why do you think the person is screaming?

         3)    Tell them you are going to read the book Owen and that you want them to stop you when The Scream reminds them of something that they see in an illustration.

         4)    Read Owen by Kevin Henkes. Throughout the read aloud ask students how Owen is feeling? How are the parents feeling?

         5)    Ask them to share their Text to Self Connections, as well, while you read. 

         6)    When students spy Kevin Henkes’ version of the scream, ask students to make an inference about how Owen might be feeling. Why do you think Owen is feeling that way? What is happening in the story?

         7)    After reading, give students time to think about a time they have felt afraid or felt like screaming. Have them share with a buddy.  

         8)    Today the student’s job is to create a drawing of when they felt afraid and felt like screaming. (If they are having a hard time coming up with a time when they felt afraid, share a time that you have felt afraid. I like to use getting lost at the store and not knowing where my mom was.)    

         9)   When students have completed their artwork, choose how to celebrate their work (gallery walk, buddy share, whole class share, or group share). 

The First Reading Lessons!

Reading! Reading! Reading!

            I like to use the phrase “good readers” in my classroom. It is important to explain to kids what good readers do. If they don’t know what they do how will they become “good readers.” Many students who come into first grade our emergent readers, they are beginning to read simple words. They usually have some sight word knowledge, however, part of every students success in reading is developing their confidence! Everybody is a reader in my classroom, whether they are reading chapter books or reading wordless books and creating their own story. It is our job as educators to assure students that they are readers!

One of the first lessons, I like to give at the beginning of the year is “What do good readers do?” Before allowing them to answer this question, I like to read the story Mommy Doesn’t Know My Name by Suzanne Williams. I ask them to pay close attention to what I do while I read to help them answer the question at the end of the story. On chart paper I write, what do good readers do? Then I ask students to help me create a list of what good readers do?

What do good readers do?

            They sound out words

            They use the pictures

            They change their voice

            They don’t read too fast

            They read the words

            They THINK

The second lesson, I like to do is: where do good readers read? I like to ask this question because of a couple of different reasons: 1) I want them to realize reading is important in their lives, not just at school and 2) Reading can happen anywhere! Any book would work for this lesson. I enjoy reading A Quiet Place by Douglas Wood. Like the previous lesson, have chart paper and write the question where do good readers read?

Where do good readers read?

            At home

            In bed

            At school

            In a restaurant

            In the bathroom (yes, a student actually said this!)

            In the den

In the car

            Under a tree

            At the cabin

*The places are endless, have each child come up with one place.

The third lesson is How to Choose a Just Right Book! As you can imagine, this task is harder than it seems, considering the reading gap in each classroom is larger than it has ever been before. So this lesson should be done more than once throughout the school year. I like to pick out one of my big books to read so everyone can see the text. I also like to bring in a medical text book with small print and large words that even I can’t sound out (the students love to see there teacher struggle).

How to Choose a Just Right Book

1)    I can read most of the words. (Five finger rule)

2)    The words are not too small, too big, but just right.

3)    The pictures help me read the words I don’t know.

I know there are probably more rule, but these are the ones I can remember and reinforce with my students. 

Kevin Henkes and Why I Love Him!

Kevin Henkes has created a world of mice, who go through experiences that our students can easily relate to, it's now wonder why students love to hear his stories over and over again. The following lessons are geared towards students learning and understanding how to make a text to self connection when they are reading. 

Text-Self Connections (Literature)

Grades: K-3

Length: 5 days (20-30 minutes)

Objective: Students will be able to make t-s connections and utilize the following language “When this happened in the text it reminded me of …”

** You might ask, why this is important? Well think of the stories you like to read. Our enjoyment of reading usually comes from being able to relate to situation or a character. Establishing text-self connections helps students become more motivated and enthusiastic about reading.

Day 1

Materials:

     Lilly's Big Day  by Kevin Henkes

     Large Post It Note

     Chart paper with Text-Self Connection written on top.

Directions:

1)  Today I am going to show you how to make a text to self connection. A text is anything that has writing on it. It could be a book, magazine, cereal box, newspaper or anything with writing. We are going to read a book by Kevin Henkes called Lilly’s Big Day.

2)  As you read, do a think aloud. That means stop occasionally as you make text-self connections and use the language, For example, “When Lilly practiced going down the aisle, it reminded me of when I was a junior bridesmaid for my cousins wedding.” (Try to make several connections).

3)  At the end, show students how to either draw a picture or use words to make a text-self connection on a large post it note and stick it to the chart paper. (Students will be doing this tomorrow!)

Day 2

Materials:

     Julius The Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes

     Large Post-It Notes

     Chart Paper

Directions:

1)  Remind students about text-self connections. Text-self connections are when something we have read reminds of something that has happened to us in our lives.

2)  During the read aloud today, give students opportunities to share their own connections. (If needed, give prompting questions and give opportunities for students to share with their neighbors.)

3)  Great connections to make our if you have had a sibling, and maybe how you felt jealous, or maybe how you stood up for your sibling or for a friend.

4)  After reading, have students share with a neighbor one of the connections that they have made. Give students plenty of think time. Send back to seats with a large post it note and when students are done have them stick it on the chart. (Remind them they can either draw a picture or write their connection or both)

5)  When all students have completed, have each student tell the class their connection. Reinforce language “My text-self connection was when…”

Day 3

Materials:

     Lilly Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes

     Large Post-It Notes

     Chart Paper

Directions:

     Like the two previous days, read aloud, encourage students to make text-self connections, and have students record on a sticky note.

Day 4

Materials:

     Owen by Kevin Henkes

     Prepared papers that have “My special object is a _______” written on top. (To be made into a class book!)

     Crayons or Colored Pencils

    

Directions:

1)  Before reading, have students look closely at the cover, ask a couple of students what they notice.

2)  Read Owen by Kevin Henkes to the class.

3)  As you read, talk about Owen and how he is feeling. Share about your special object. (My special object as a kid was a lamb that played a lullaby). Use the following language “I’m making a text-self connection, Owen’s blanket reminds of my special object _____.” Ask the question, Do you have or did you have a special object when you were littler? Have students whisper to a neighbor. Call on a couple of students and help them with the language “I have a text-self connection, Owen’s blanket reminds me of my ____.”

4)  Continue to read and share any other connections you make while reading.

5)  After reading, show students the paper and how to complete. They should name their special object and draw picture of themselves with their special object. (crayons or colored pencils).

Day 5

Materials:

     A Weekend With Wendell by Kevin Henkes

     Large Post-it Notes

     Chart Paper

Directions:

1)  Set the stage and access students schema! Tell them you want them to think about a time when they have had a friend over to their house. Ask the following questions and tell them you want them to think about them as you read the story. What are some rules? What does a good friend do? If you are the guest, what do you do?  

2)  As I read, I want you to share any text to self connections you have to the story.

3)  Read A Weekend With Wendell.

4)  After the story, ask the following questions:

Was Wendell being a good friend? What should have he done differently?

How did they solve their problem? What was their creative solution?

Schema! It's what I already know!

Schema is the new, fancy way of saying background knowledge. Schema is what students already know about a certain topic, and will help in their understanding of the new text! 

Schema – It’s what I already know!

Grades: K-3

Length: 1 Day (30 minutes)

Objectives:

1)    Students will be able to define the word Schema.

2)   Students will make a list of everything they know.

Materials:

         Any book on a topic that interest your students (I usually choose an animal book)

            Long strips of white paper to make a paper crown (ninja head band)

Directions:

1) As a class, make list about what they already know about the topic you have chosen for your read aloud.

2) Tell students that we just used our schema to tell each other what we already know so as we read we can check the information we already know about it and we can add to our schema by learning new information.

3) Schema is a fancy word that means what I already know. (Have them repeat after you) Schema, it’s what I already know! Repeat several times.

4) During the read aloud, as you read something from the text that was on your list, refer to the list and say, we already knew that, we had schema that …

5) After the read aloud, tell students that they had a lot of schema on the topic, but we have schema on a lot of other things to. Tell students about other things you already know, I know my ABC’s, I can count to 100, I can add, I can write my first and last name, I can use paint, I can sing twinkle, twinkle, little star, etc.

6) Tell students that they are going to be drawing or writing down the things that they already know or their schema. Their job is to make schema hats!

7) Give students between 5-10 minutes to write down everything they know, remember to have them write the word SCHEMA on their hats.

8) After all hats are made, have students wear them and repeat the phrase schema, it’s what I already know.

Conclusion

            Now that you have introduced the word schema to your kids make sure that you use the phrase frequently before reading, have them access their “schema” so they can better prepare for the information that they might read or hear in the book.

Everyone is an Artist!

Have you ever heard, "I am not good at art!" "I hate art!" "Art isn't for me!" Here is a solution that works every time, by showing your students that everyone is and can be an artist!

Everyone is an Artist

Grades: K-3

Length: 2 days (30-40 minutes)

Visual Art Integration

Objective:

1)    To create an open and safe environment that, students will be able to feel comfortable creating art all year long.

2)   Discuss with students what is and what is not art.

Lesson 1

Materials:

Water Colors

Water Color Paper

The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds

Large Canvas – Optional

Directions:

1.    Read The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds.

2.   After reading, discuss with students what happened in the story and how Vashti saw herself in the beginning of the story and how it changed at the end of the story.

3.   Talk about how everyone is an artist and today they are going to prove it by creating a dot like Vashti did in the story.

4.   Show students how to use water colors (if they have never had prior experience). Tell them it is up to them if they want to use just one dot or more than one dot.

5.   If you want you can make a large canvas with the class where each student gets to create one dot of their own and sign it.

6.   When students are done, go on a gallery walk or have several students stand up at a time and have the class appreciate each others work.

Lesson 2

Materials

Ish by Peter H. Reynolds

White paper

Crayons, colored pencils or pencils (your choice)

1.    Read Ish by Peter H. Reynolds.

2.   During reading, discuss with students how Ramon views his own art. Discuss how at first he loved to draw. What happened when Leon came along? Who helped him see his art in a new way?

3.   Today you are going to be able to draw your favorite object. Remind students that they should try their best and whatever they end up making, just like Ramon they are going to add the word –ish at the end. Before students go back to their seats give them some brainstorming time, have them whisper in your ear what they are going to draw before they get their paper. Give your students a choice of using crayons, colored pencils or pencils.

4.   After students finish, have them label their picture with what they drew with the ending, -ish.

5.   When all students have completed their artwork have each student stand up and say what their drawing is.

**The “ish” art makes a great display and can show students visual art talents.