Experiencing+Brotherhood


 * Web 2.0 Tool: ** Lino It is like a digital bulletin board that provides various colored post-it notes and allows videos & photos to be uploaded. This sites provides an engaging way to post brainstorming, answers, details on a topic, etcetera rather than using paper post-its, poster board & makers
 * Instructional Setting: ** 3rd Grade General Education Classroom
 * Lesson Plan Title: ** Experiencing Brotherhood with Rudolph
 * Time required: ** 2-3 Sessions, 30-45 Minutes
 * Concept / Lesson Topic: ** Designed to help students appreciate their peers’ differences.
 * Standards Addressed: ** 3rd Grade Health
 * Communication Skills Impact Relationships
 * How can we communicate effectively? 1.1.2
 * General Lesson Plan Goal: ** Embrace that everyone is different in their own way and that we can learn from differences.
 * Specific Lesson Plan Objectives: **
 * 1) Students will be able to define “Brotherhood” by discussing characters in previously read stories and Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
 * 2) Students will be able to identify how they demonstrate brotherhood in their lives.
 * Required Materials: **
 * Comprehension questions
 * Background Information: **
 * Students receive weekly instruction from school counselor on Bullying & Character traits.
 * Virtuous character traits, challenges of being “different” and appreciating differences in others have been discussed as a class using the following books:
 * __ If I Only Had a Green Nose __ By Max Lucado
 * __ The Sneetches __ by Dr. Seuss
 * (Book covers are posted on a bulletin board & we refer to the characters & lessons throughout the year)
 * Students are seated at tables, so groups are already established
 * Each group has a “Team Captain” for the week; this person will be the leader & task master of small group discussions.
 * Students have watched: Be a Friend Video []
 * Step-By-Step Procedure **
 * Part 1: Identify other characters to compare to Rudolph **
 * 1) “After watching the video, I am going to give you about 5 minutes to think & share in your groups how Rudolph & his experience are similar to other stories & characters we have read this year. What stories and characters can we compare Rudolph to?”
 * 2) The Team Captains will verbalize book titles and characters as the Team Secretary enters their thoughts on a digital post-it using Lino It.
 * 3) I am expecting students to compare Rudolph’s plight to Punchinello’s and the Plain Bellied Sneetches. Other stories & character may be identified and will be included in the lesson. (I will guide them in this direction if they do not gravitate in this directions)
 * 4) Provide positive feedback for students’ discussions and answers.
 * Part 2: Small Group Task **
 * 1) “Now that stories and characters have been identified, each group will be assigned to answer questions about Rudolph, Punchinello, and the Plain Bellied Sneetches. Each person will be a “recorder” and will type their responses on a digital post-it note.” (This will help ensure that all students are participating). I will share each task with the class, open for questions, and then assign tasks when I know students understand their objective for this task.


 * 1) Group 1: Identify character traits that the main characters have in common using 1 to 2 word responses.
 * 2) Group 2: Identify character traits of “the other reindeer”, the Wemmicks, and the Star Bellied Sneetches.
 * 3) Group 3: Identify the problems that each main character experienced.
 * 4) Group 4: What are the common lessons in these stories?
 * 5) The challenge is to come up with descriptors and answers that will apply to ALL the stories on their recording sheet.
 * 6) “You will be given 5 minutes to discuss and record your answers”
 * 7) Rove around the room to ensure students are on task
 * 8) Students’ discussions and thoughts will indicate if more time is needed for this task
 * Part 3: Group Share with whole class **
 * 1) “Each group will present their task title and answers”
 * 2) Groups will present their task and responses. An assigned student or teacher will add notes to the Lino It.
 * 3) The class will be allowed to ask question or add to the presenting groups’ “poster”
 * Part 4: Whole Group Discussion **
 * 1) “Here is the BIG Question! What did each of our main characters __need__ in their situations?”
 * 2) “Take a minute to think about this, and then whisper your thought to your neighbor.”
 * 3) Students will share their neighbor’s responses. Class will discuss.

**Along with friendship, I want students to verbalize that the main characters needed to feel accepted for who they are. We have discussed that within our class, we do not need to be friends with __every__ person, but we do need to treat everyone with kindness and respect i. Despite their unique or different qualities, the main characters needed to feel accepted & welcomed within their homes, groups, and community.
 * 1) I am anticipating that Friendship will be a common response and feeling of the students. I will guide them to Brotherhood using guiding questions.
 * 2) Did Rudolph, Punchinello, & the Plain Bellied Sneetches need to be friends with all the other reindeer, Wemmicks, or Star Bellied Sneetches?
 * 3) Do you need to be friends with everyone to feel accepted?
 * 4) Through questioning and our discussions students will identify the qualities of Brotherhood (they do not know this vocabulary word yet).
 * 1) At this point in the discussion, I will tell the students that they have defined the trait of //Brotherhood.//
 * 2) Brotherhood “reaches beyond comfortable relationships to extend a welcome to those who may be different from you.” Clifton Taulbert
 * Closure: ** What lessons have you learned from our characters that can be applied to our lives? Your friendships? Our classroom?
 * Assessments Based on Lesson Objectives: **
 * ** Formative: **
 * Assessment will be based on participation, provided a post-it note response to their task question.
 * Student will be able to answer two questions as an exit slip to recess (or end of the day):
 * 1. “How could the problems of our main characters been avoided?”
 * 2. Identify 2 ways you demonstrate //Brotherhood// at school.
 * ** Summative: **
 * Reading MAP (Measuring Academic Progress) that analyses students’ understanding of narrative elements & character amylases.
 * Lesson Adaptations (For use with Students with Learning Disabilities): ** Students of varying abilities are grouped with helpful and supportive peers.
 * Extensions (For use with Gifted Students): ** Students will create a SpicyNodes, Comic Creator, or Slideroll to illustrate how Rudolph story could have been different with different reactions and acceptance from his peers.
 * Lesson Connections to other Subjects/Disciplines? **
 * Standard 2: Reading Comprehension & Interpretation
 * 3.LA.2.1.1 Tell Purpose for Reading text
 * 3.LA.2.1 Connect information & events to self, to the world & to other texts
 * 3.LA.2.3.5 Orally Identify the lessons
 * Standard 6: Communication
 * Goal 6.1 Acquire Listening Skills
 * Goal 6.2 Acquire Speaking Skills