Natalie Sapkarov LIS 590MLL

Spring 2009

NAME THAT DOG! INSTRUCTIONAL UNIT

AUDIENCE:

This lesson is designed for third grade students who have previously used PowerPoint and have done some web searching in the past. I hope to use this lesson next fall while student

teaching at King School in Urbana.

OVERVIEW:

To continue our exploration of Monarch Award nominees, this lesson will delve deeply into Once I Ate a Pie by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest. This lesson fits

into the larger Monarch Award unit. I will begin by reading the book aloud to students. The

book is a collection of poetry “written” by 13 different dogs, each unique in their voice and breed. The focus of this lesson will be to attempt to identify the breeds of the dogs in the

poems. Students will work in pairs and be assigned a specific poem and dog to research. They will compare pictures of real dog breeds to their illustrations in order to determine the

type of dog in their poem. They will also research a bit about their dog and present their findings in a combined oral and PowerPoint presentation.

RATIONALE:

This lesson takes an authentic setting, the reading of Monarch Award nominees which is done every year, and incorporates media elements into it. Students will be engaged with the

visual, comparing illustrations to pictures and photographs; the print, making inferences in their poems and researching information about their dogs; the digital, using the Internet for this research; and multimodal, putting it all together in a PowerPoint and oral presentation.

This lesson takes into account that students have multiple learning styles and intelligences and addresses a variety of those styles.

OBJECTIVES:

Students will be able to…

♦ Identify visual similarities between their illustrated fictional dog and the potential breed that is its match in order to make the connection between text and real life.

♦ Infer aspects of their fictional dog’s personality by re-reading their poem in order to identify key characteristics of their dog.

♦ Identify personality traits and other basic information of their fictional dog’s real breed by using hand-selected websites in order to make the connection between text

and real life.

♦ Synthesize the physical and personality traits and other information they have

learned about their dog in order to prepare a PowerPoint and an oral presentation in defense of their choice of dog breed match to their fictional dog.

STANDARDS:

Illinois State Learning Standards

♦ 4.B.3a Deliver planned oral presentations, using language and vocabulary appropriate to the purpose, message and audience; provide details and supporting

information that clarify main ideas; and use visual aids and contemporary technology as support.

♦ 5.A.1a Identify questions and gather information.

♦ 5.B.1a Select and organize information from various sources for a specific purpose.

♦ 5.C.1b Use print, nonprint, human and technological resources to acquire and use information.

♦ 5.C.2b Prepare and deliver oral presentations based on inquiry of research.

AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner

♦ 1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning).

♦ 1.1.8 Demonstrate mastery of technology tools for accessing information and pursuing inquiry.

♦ 1.4.2 Use interaction with and feedback from teachers and peers to guide own inquiry process.

♦ 2.1.2 Organize knowledge so that it is useful.

♦ 2.1.5 Collaborate with others to exchange ideas, develop new understandings, make

decisions, and solve problems.

♦ 3.1.1 Conclude an inquiry-based research process by sharing new understandings

and reflecting on the learning.

♦ 4.1.1 Read, view, and listen for pleasure and personal growth.

♦ 4.1.3 Respond to literature and creative expressions of ideas in various formats and genres.

MATERIALS:

♦ Once I Ate a Pie by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest

♦ Projector/white board

♦ Computer lab

♦ Library website with link to Dog Resources (attached)

♦ PowerPoint

♦ Copies of each poem/illustration in the text for students to study while they research

♦ Notes Worksheet (attached)

♦ PowerPoint template (attached)

♦ Presentation rubric (attached)

PROCEDURE:

Day 1 (30 minutes)

1. I will begin this lesson by projecting the cover of Once I Ate a Pie on the white

board so that it is enlarged and easy to see. I will ask students, what do you

think this book is about?

2. After students have responded, I will tell them that this is a collection of poems written by 13 different dogs. They write about themselves—what they

like, what they do, and what they are like. While I read the book, students should choose their top three favorite dogs. They will find out why after I finish the book.

3. Then, I will read Once I Ate a Pie to the class, showing the pictures on each

page.

4. After I have finished the book, I will tell students that we are going to try to identify the types of dogs in the book. They will choose their favorite dog in

the book, and, with a partner, they will try to find out the type of dog. I will help them by telling them what group their dog is.

5. The last thing we will do today is choose dogs. I will first page through the book one more time to re-familiarize students with the dogs’ names. Then, I will ask students to write down their top three favorite dogs on a scratch piece

of paper and turn it in to me. I will assign students their dogs for the next class. *Note: I will omit some dogs from the assignment because they are

difficult (even for me!) to identify. I will only use the dogs that are most easily identifiable to ensure student success.

6. If there is time at the end, students may share responses to the book. Who was their favorite dog? Why? Ask if any students have a dog as a pet and if they can recognize their dog from one of the 13 in the book.

Day 2 (30 minutes)

1. We will meet in the computer lab. Before being seated, I will announce the student pairs who will be working together to identify a particular dog so that

they may sit next to each other in the lab. Students will then receive their dog assignments as well as copies of their dog’s poem and illustration from the book. I will also tell each pair what group their dog is.

2. I will sit at a computer (with projection screen) to demonstrate how students will begin their research. I will instruct students to open an Internet browser,

and click on Dog Resources on the library’s homepage. From this page, they will click on their particular group, which will take them to the American

Kennel Club website. 3. Pairs should study the illustration from the book and try to match it with one of the pictures on the website. Some details to notice: legs, ears, body size and

shape, nose. Color doesn’t matter as much as the actual shape of the dog’s body. Students should discuss the traits of their dogs with their partners and

look at the pictures on the website together. If they would like to get a closer look at a dog, they can click on it to get more information. After clicking on

the dog, they can also click on the Photos link on the left side of the page. I will demonstrate this first. I will also walk around the room to assist students

as needed. This should take the entire library lesson time and will be continued the following day.

Day 3 (30 minutes)

1. We will meet again in the computer lab. I will first survey the class to see how many pairs have identified their dogs. Depending on this number, we may

spend more or less time reviewing the pictures on the American Kennel Club website. I will float around the room to help pairs as necessary.

2. Once students have identified their matching dog breed, they can move on to

the second part of the project. Students must first consult with me so that I can approve their match. They should also write down the name of their dog

breed. Their next task will be to re-read their poem, and try to pick out aspects of their dog’s personality. They should make a list of adjectives to describe

their dog. Is their dog nice? Lazy? Playful? 3. Then, they will research their particular breed (from a list of hand-selected websites) to identify any similarities from their fictional dog to the real thing.

In the end, students will be making a case for why they think their dog is a particular breed.

4. At this point, pairs will be at different stages in their research. By the end of this day, however, all pairs should have identified their breed.

Day 4 (30 minutes) 1. I will begin this day in the computer lab by informing students that they will

be presenting their research to the class. They will be creating PowerPoint presentations with pictures of their dogs and the information they found about

them. I will create a PowerPoint template for them to use, and I will show them what they should include on each page.

2. After my demonstration, students will continue researching characteristics of their dog breed. Students will be taking notes on their research. They will also be asked to identify basic facts about their dogs on their notes sheets to help

them plan their presentation. 3. Once students have completed their research, they should begin their

PowerPoint presentation. I will be circulating the room to answer any questions and help move students along.

Day 5 (30 minutes) 1. This will be the last work day in the computer lab. Students should be

working on their PowerPoint presentations. 2. After students finish their PowerPoints, they should practice reading their

dog’s poem, which will be the first part in the presentation, and practice what each student in the pair is going to say during the presentation. Each student

must participate in the oral presentation. 3. I will hand out the rubric on this day so that students know what is expected of them.

4. At the end of this day, I will ask how many pairs have finished with their PowerPoint presentations. Depending on the number, we may or may not

need another day of research. If we need another day of research, I will bring other Monarch Award nominees to the computer lab for students who are

finished with their presentations to read.

Day 6 (30 minutes) 1. Student presentations will be held on this day. Each pair will have a turn at

reading their poem from the book to re-familiarize the class with their dog. 2. Then, they will tell us what breed their dog is and why they think so based on the physical and personality traits they gleaned from the book while taking us

through their PowerPoint presentations. 3. Presentations may have to be continued on the next day depending on time.

ASSESSMENT

I will use informal/formative assessment for much of this lesson. I will continually ask

students how far they are along and ask for questions. I will also be monitoring students’ progress by checking in with each pair at least once a day. I will use summative assessment

in the form of a rubric to measure students’ overall product, their presentations.

REFLECTION/EVALUATION

♦ Were all students actively engaged during the entire lesson?

♦ Was the lesson too easy/too hard/just right for my students?

♦ Were all students able to identify their dog breeds?

MODIFICATIONS

Because I wasn’t sure what kind of print resources were available at the King Library, I did

not address them in this lesson. However, I do hope to use dog informational books in this lesson to supplement the websites, if they are available at this school or can be acquired

through interlibrary loan. This will allow students to see that they can find the same information in multiple places.

Dog Resources

Finding a Match First, click on the group that your dog is a part of:

Sporting

http://www.akc.org/breeds/sporting_group.cfm

Hound http://www.akc.org/breeds/hound_group.cfm

Working http://www.akc.org/breeds/working_group.cfm

Terrier

http://www.akc.org/breeds/terrier_group.cfm

Toy

http://www.akc.org/breeds/toy_group.cfm

Non-sporting http://www.akc.org/breeds/non-sporting_group.cfm

Herding

http://www.akc.org/breeds/herding_group.cfm

Compare the dogs on your website to the dog in your illustration. Can you find the one that

is the most similar?

Helpful Tips: ♦ You can click on the picture of a dog to see a bigger picture of it and read some

information.

♦ From there, you can click on Photos on the left side to see real pictures of this type of

dog. Click the X in the right corner of the photos when you’re done to go back to the webpage.

♦ Click the Back button on the browser to go back to your list of pictures.

When you think you have found a match, tell Ms. Sapkarov. Then, you can move on to the next section.

Tell Me a Little Bit About Yourself…

After you have completed #4 on your Notes sheets, you can move on to #5, where you will look at some of these websites to find out interesting facts about your dogs.

♦ 50 Most Popular Dogs in the U.S. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/dog/popular.shtml

Look through this list to see if you can find your dog. If there’s a picture, you can

click on it to find out more information!

♦ PetNet http://www.petnet.com.au/dogs/dogbreedindex.html

What letter does your dog’s breed start with? Click on the right letter ranges to get to a list of dogs. From there, look for the name of your dog and click on it.

♦ Dog Channel

http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-breeds/P_landing.aspx

Click on the first letter of your dog’s name to see a list of dogs. Then click on the picture of your dog when you find it.

♦ Animal Planet http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselectorindex.do

Scroll through the list of dog names in the middle of the page to find yours. When

you click on a name, it will automatically open. *Note: If a pesky pop-up ad invades your screen, just click on the X in the right corner.

Names: ______________________________________________________________________

Name that Dog! Notes

1. Name of dog from Once I Ate a Pie:

___________________________________________

2. This dog belongs to the

_____________________________________ group.

*Ms. Sapkarov will give you this information.

3. After looking at pictures of breeds of dogs, we think our dog is a

_________________________________________________________________.

4. After re-reading our poem, we think our dog is …

* Use adjectives to describe your dog’s personality

__________________________________________________________________.

5. After reading about our dog on some websites, we found out this

interesting information: * Some information you can include: weight, lifespan, personality, etc.

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

6. We found this information on these websites: *Copy the web address that starts with http://www.

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Name of your dog from the

poem

Your names

PowerPoint Presentation Template

(name of dog from poem) is a

(name of breed)

• You can delete this box and put a picture of the

dog breed here.

(name of breed) looks like (name of

dog from book) because…

• This is where you tell us what physical traits the dog from the book and the dog breed you matched it with have in common.

• Is it their nose? Legs? Weight? Color? Ears? Body shape? Fur? Tail?

• Be as specific as you can. Tell us details!

– Example: Jeremy has the same long, shaggy ears as a Cocker Spaniel.

In the poem, (name of dog) is…

• This is where you list the adjectives you

came up with for the dog in your poem, #4

on your Notes worksheet.

• You can explain why you chose these

adjectives in your oral presentation.

Fun Facts about (name of breed)

• This is where you share the interesting

things you learned about your dog breed.

• Do any of them match what you read in

the poem?

• This is #5 on your Notes worksheet.

Websites We Used

• Copy the addresses of the websites you

used in this space.

• Addresses usually start with http://www.

Students’ Names: _______________________________________________________

Name that Dog! Presentation Rubric

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1

Notes Worksheet

• Notes Worksheet is completely filled.

• Each question is answered thoughtfully.

• Notes Worksheet is mostly filled.

• Only missing one question.

• Notes Worksheet is only halfway filled.

• Includes incomplete answers.

• Notes Worksheet is less than halfway filled.

• Most are incomplete answers.

PowerPoint Completeness

• All 6 pages of the PowerPoint are completed.

• All information from the Notes Worksheet is included.

• Also includes pictures.

• At least 5 pages of the PowerPoint are completed.

• Most of the information from the Notes Worksheet is used.

• Only 3 of the PowerPoint pages are completed.

• Missing information from the Notes Worksheet.

• The PowerPoint is incomplete.

• Most of the information from the Notes Worksheet is missing.

PowerPoint Attractiveness

• Fonts and backgrounds are changed.

• Images from the web and clipart are used.

• No distracting sounds or colors.

• Fonts and backgrounds are changed.

• No images are used.

• Some distracting sounds or colors.

• Fonts and backgrounds are not changed.

• Images from the web and clipart are used.

• May be some distracting sounds or colors.

• No changes are made to the PowerPoint template.

• No images or clipart are used.

Oral Presentation

• Both students take turns giving the presentation.

• The poem is read loudly and clearly.

• PowerPoint slides are explained, not read.

• Answer the question: What is your poem's dog breed and why do you think so?

• Both students take turns giving the presentation.

• PowerPoint slides are mostly explained, but some are read.

• Mostly answer the question: What is your poem's dog breed and why do you think so?

• Only one student gives the presentation.

• PowerPoint slides are mostly explained, but some are read.

• Partially answers the question: What is your poem's dog breed and why do you think so?

• Only one student gives the presentation.

• PowerPoint slides are read.

• Does not answer the question: What is your poem's dog breed and why do you think so?

Teacher Comments: