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Extensions and Activities for Chamber Readers 4-6th Performances Written by: Corinne Cramer Supplemented and Edited by: Kristen Miller |
ACTIVITIES
INCLUDED FOR THE FOLLOWING STORIES:
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Kites Sail High A Book About Verbs by Ruth Heller
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Nadia the Willful by Sue Alexander
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Molly Cottontail by Robert D. San Souci
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Greek Myths by D'Aulaire
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Tia Miseria by Olga Loya
KITES
SAIL HIGH, A BOOK ABOUT VERBS
By Ruth Heller
Overview:
Kites Sail High is a rhyming story describing the uses
and definitions for verbs in the English language.
Activities:
Objective: Create "Mad LIBs" stories by either using ready-made Mad Libs or by deleting the main nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc. from a basic story that students know or have read in class.
Materials:
Handouts of a short story with the main nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.removed. These words are replaced with an underline and the word "noun","verb", etc. placed where appropriate.
Time:
5-10 minute review of sentence parts, 15 minutes creating/writing time, time to share stories with the rest of the class.
Procedure:
Lead a brief review of the major parts of a diagrammed sentence. Allow students to give examples of each and be sure every student understands. Break students up into pairs and give each pair a handout with the altered story. Students then fill in the blanks using their own words and create a new story. Allow the students to share their stories and compare how changing a word changes the story.
Another activity: (You will need a copy of the book for this activity)
The artwork in this book is a great opportunity to discuss artistic elements. Look through the book and ask students if they can see how these things are used in the artwork: colors (contrasting, complimen-tary, bold, subtle), repetition, geometric shapes, light, balance and symmetry, and texture. Have students choose one or two of these artistic elements and use them in a piece of artwork. When the student has completed their art project, ask them to use one verb to describe their work and put it somewhere in the picture or attach it to the side as a label. Have students present their artwork and explain what elements they focused on and what verb they chose.
NADIA
THE WILLFUL
By Sue Alexander
Overview:
This story takes place in a Bedouin camp in the desert. In the tale Nadia's friend and the sheik Tarik's son Hamed is lost in the desert and dies. Tarik has a raging temper and decrees that no one in his camp shall ever speak the name of his lost son again. For a long time Nadia and the rest of the camp are in grief and are not allowed to speak of the one they lost. Nadia realizes that talking about her loss helps to comfort her and so she begins to talk against the sheik's command. Eventually she is able to prove to the shiek that speaking of those that have gone lessens the pain and Nadia is renamed Nadia and Wise for giving the sheik back the son he had lost.
Activities:
This story takes place in the camp of Bedouins. A study on this area of the world would help students to understand the story and the actions of its characters. Having a discussion about the way Bedouins live in different and similar ways to the way they live would be interesting for students. Include such aspects as Bedouin encampments moving around in the desert; what animals are used for transportation, the way Bedouin government is set up.
In the story, Nadia the Willful is renamed Nadia the Wise. Have students come up with character aspects for their own names such as the strong, the funny, the quiet etc.
MOLLY
COTTON TALE, CUT FROM THE SAME CLOTH
By Robert D. San Souci
Overview:
Molly Cottontail is an African American folk tale. In the story Molly Cottontail is able to outsmart Mistah Fox and Hungry Billy by playing a little trick. Molly eats all of Mistah Fox's butter and ends up passing the blame onto Hungry Billy. In the end there is a separation in the fox family all because of a crock of butter.
Activities:
It can be heard through the use of language that this story originates in a certain culture. Talk about how the use of language and spelling is used to set a mood for the story. Talk to students about creative writing styles. The use of metaphors and accents to give a written work a certain mood. Ask the students to write their own short work, using the writing style of their choice.
Animals in this story are used to express certain characteristics. The rabbit is quick and smart the foxes are sly and hungry. Have the children give attributes to other animals. How do they think a dog would act if it took on human form, a raccoon?
There is a strong moral in this story revolving around disputes. It doesn't take much to start a quarrel, but it takes a whole lot of time to patch one up. Talk to the students about conflict management. Use the Open The Front Door Model:
(O)pen: I have Observed.... Example: I have observed you taking by papers
(T): I Think .... Example: I Think something should be done about this
(F): I Feel ... Example: I feel upset when my papers are taken
(D) What needs to be done Example: Could you please stop taking my papers
This method is used to help talk out disagreements before they become arguments.
THE
BOOK OF GREEK MYTHS
By D'Aulaire
Overview:
This is a compilation of retold Greek myths including Persephone, and Athena and Arachne.
Activities:
Mythology Lesson Plan
Mythology is a broad category composed of the stories and traditions of the gods, kings, heroes, and worldviews of cultures. They often tell the story of the creation and destruction of the world. They also often have a moral lesson. Mythology is categorized into three areas, sagas (like the tale of the Trojan War), legends (like the American legend of Paul Bunion), and folktales (like the stories preformed by the Camber Readers). These tales serve many purposes from describing part of a culture to explaining the unexplainable.
Another Lesson Plan:
Objective:
Follow up activity to the Chamber Reader's mythology performances Materials: Paper and pencil, list of Greek gods Time: 10 minutes for discussion and brainstorming, 30 minutes first draft writing, time to share stories at the end of writing time.
Procedure:
Lead class in a brief discussion about mythology (shown above). Brainstorm ideas regarding possible mythological stories (like why birds have wings, how fire came to earth, etc.). Distribute the list of Greek gods and their attributes. Allow students enough time to write their mythological story using the given gods. Allow time for students to read their stories or share their ideas with other students at the end of the writing.
God/Goddess Title Important
Attributes
Zeus Ruler
of the gods lighting
bolt and scepter
Hera Goddess
of marriage wife
of Zeus
Hermes messenger
of the gods winged
boots
Hades God
of the underworld
Aphrodite Goddess
of beauty carries
a mirror
Apollo God
of music and medicine brother
of Artemis
Artemis Goddess
of animals and childbirth sister
of Apollo
Athena Goddess
of wisdom and victory
Ares God
of war and conflict
Demeter Goddess
of grain and harvest mother
of Persephone
Persephone Queen
of the underworld daughter
of Demeter
Dionysus God
of wine and creativity
Poseidon God
of the sea carries
a trident
TIA
MISERIA from MAGIC MOMENTS
By Olga Loya
Overview:
Tia Miseria is a folk tale from Puerto Rico. It tells the tale of Tia Miseria, a proud woman who owns a fine house and a pear tree. In the tale Tia is sad because the children always come and steal her pears and ruin her garden. A visitor comes to the house and gives her a wish. Tia wishes that if anyone climbs into the pear tree they would not be able to get down unless she says they can. Eventually Death comes to visit Tia and she tricks him into climbing the tree. Tia will not let him down until her friend asks her to so she can die. The story ends with the saying "as long as Death keeps his promise there will be misery in the world".
Activities:
Review the Spanish words used in the tale of Tia Miseria. Have children write them and pronounce them, saying the English translation after the Spanish word. Start an ongoing Spanish word list to prompt the students. Add words to the list every week to strengthen their Spanish vocabulary.
This story ends with a saying that is well known in Puerto Rico and elsewhere. Have children think of popular saying that they know such as "that's the way the ball bounces". Take these phrases and have children come up with stories that incorporate the sayings.
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Extensions and
Activities for Chamber Readers 2001/02 Performances |
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