TitleIII Technology Literacy Challenge Grant

Learning Unit

LU Title: Classic Fables	Author(s): Rebecca Long
Grade Level: 4	School : St. Mary's
Topic/Subject Area: English Language Arts	Address: 2 Powers St., Canton, NY 13617
Email: midnight1@slic.com	Phone/Fax: (315) 386-3572

OVERVIEW

Do you know what a fable is? A fable is a teaching story whose characters usually are animals. The story teaches a lesson, or moral. The lesson comes at the end of the story. Fables deal with everyday problems people face. This unit is designed to review classic fables and see how the moral's of the fables relate to ones own life.

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Declarative	Procedural
A fable is a story that personifies animals.	Identify and articulate similarities and differences among fables on a graphic organizer.
All fables have a moral to the story.	Create and illustrate an original fable.
Fables can relate to our lives.	Present a fable to the class.
Fables can teach valuable lessons.	Interpret given quotes based on prior knowledge and story details.
State the best moral for a given story. Choose a fable for oral and written presentation.	Read fables and answer comprehension questions.
List the writing process steps. Express opinions about morals. Identify consequences of morals. Give reasons why a moral relates to own life.	Understand and apply morals of fables to life experiences. Write about an experience that taught you a lesson. Use two fables to complete a summary. Use examples from both fables in your answer. Take notes on a fable that is read aloud. Use the notes to answer given questions. Read a fable and choose the best moral for it. Based on a given quote, write a story to relate it to own life. Read, write, listen, and speak for understanding and information. Use technology tools to research Aesop's fables. Give reasons why a moral relates to own life. Save and print word processing documents.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

*Based on a given moral, what application can I make to my own life?

*How can the same quote be interpreted differently by people?

*How can the moral of classic fables provide us with valuable life lessons?

CONNECTIONS TO NYS LEARNING STANDARDS

List Standard # and Key Idea #: Write out related Performance Indicator(s) or Benchmark(s) Standard 1: Language for Information and Understanding:
Activity #4, Use knowledge generated from a story to explain how the moral was described in the story
by transmitting story information.
Standard 2: Language for Literacy Repsonse and Expression:
*Activity #9, Create your own fable to keep in the classroom library.
*Activity #8, Relate morals of fables to own life.
Standard 3: Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation:
*Activity #5, Compare and contrast given fables.
*Activity #1, Listen for information about fables.
*Activity 7, Listen for information about the writing process.
*Activity #3, Listen and analyze information to answer given questions
Standard 4: Language for Social Interaction:
*Activity #10, Show and tell about original fables to the class
*Activity #6 , Small groups to discuss given quotes

Use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of how morals can be interpreted and fit into own life.

Understand how common events in our lives can be labeled with a moral.

Select a fable for oral and written presentations.

Use the writing process to produce written fables.

Read, write, listen, and speak for understanding and information.

INITIATING ACTIVITY

Prior Knowledge- State and discuss common quotes to live by. Example, "Slow and steady wins the race". See if the students know the meaning of the quotes.

Bulletin board- Have a board displayed with the tortoise and the hare. Have it labeled "Slow and steady wins the race". Have the students write their interpretation of the quote with a picture to display on the board.

LEARNING EXPERIENCES
In chronological order including acquisition experiences and extending/refining
experiences for all stated declarative and procedural knowledge.

1. State what a fable is. Review common characteristics of fables.

2. Read aloud classic fables to the class. Have them answer some questions about the stories.
3. Listen to a fable and take notes. Use the notes to answer questions.
4. Describe how the moral of the fable is proven in the story by giving specific examples from the story. Explain how the story teaches this lesson. Use examples from the story in your answer.
5. Compare and contrast given fables.
6. Post quotes around the room on large chart paper. Assign small groups of students a quote to discuss.
7. Review the writing process.
8. Relate morals to own life: Write about a time when he/she learned a lesson. Include *what you learned, *how you learned it, *what happened, *give specific details and examples.
9. Write an original fable and illustrate it.
10. Once students have written their fables and shared them with the class, create a class book, "St. Mary's Original Fables".

CULMINATING PERFORMANCE
Include rubric(s)

RUBRIC: WRITING A FABLE

Possible Points Points earned

1. Has at least three of the following characteristics 40

of fables:

-animals are personified

-illustrates human behavior

-uses normal plot structure 2. The fable clearly leads to the moral. 40

3. Mature sentence structure used: no run-ons or fragments. 10

4. Grammar, usage, and spelling are without error. 10

Totals _________

Comments:

ALTERNATIVE OPTION:
Read a fable and create a mobile about it to share with the class. The mobile should have six panels with the information written in complete sentences. The information should be organized. Sketch pictures to illustrate your descriptions. Use a hanger, string or yarn, and construction paper panels to build your mobile.

Choose a favorite class fable as the one to do a play for.

PRE-REQUISITE SKILLS

None

MODIFICATIONS

Computer skills help- Typing partners

Editing partners

Group fable instead of individual

UNIT SCHEDULE/TIME PLAN

Two weeks, thirty minute sessions, for the teaching of fables.
One week to complete the final project.

TECHNOLOGY USE

Access information from specific web site addresses

Aesop's fables on the Internet:

Word Processing of fables.

Keyboard skills