Description
This lesson is meant to provide students with an opportunity to improve listening skills, recall facts, identify important ideas and make a judgment. Reading this story aloud and discussing it can help to foster an understanding of a different time period in American History (World War I). The suggested grade level for this lesson is third or fourth grade. It would be preferable to do this in
December.
Objectives
The purpose of this lesson is to prepare students to listen carefully and critically. After listening to the story, students will
answer 5 questions: identify a main idea (another title), identify two
details, and answer two questions involving critical analysis.
Materials
Procedure
The teacher will want to look through the story to identify any vocabulary that the students may not know. Some possible vocabulary words to define ahead of time, or at least be ready to discuss when they appear in the story include: Appalachian, venturesome, Armistice, and rocky craigs. The following types of trees are also mentioned: sarvice, rhododendron, cedar, and balsam. Identifying the Appalachian Mountains on a map and passing around pictures of these types of trees may help students put the story within a context.
Some discussion of World War I as the "Great War" may also increase understanding.
Read The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree out loud to the class. Stop and discuss parts as necessary to help students gain an understanding of the different place and time. Students will listen to the story, and then answer 5 questions similar to types of questions asked on the ELA exam.
Modifications
During or after reading the story, you may
choose to question students, discuss parts of the story, or have students
question you. To replicate the assessment experience more faithfully, you may also choose to allow students to take notes while
listening to the story.
Duration
It will take approximately 30 - 40 minutes to read the story (with minimal vocabulary preparation and discussion during the story) and have students answer the questions. If you choose to define and discuss vocabulary words and discuss the "Great War" and show Appalachia on a map, the lesson will take longer. It could also be broken down into 2 sessions:
1. Preparation
2. Read/answer questions
Assessment
The attached Worksheet will be used to assess the students.
Question #1 helps students identify the main idea by asking for another title.
Question #2 and #3 are multiple choice factual recall, but both questions can "trick" a student who was not paying attention to the story.
Question #4 and #5 ask students to make a judgment and use critical analysis.
To encourage careful listening and thoughtfulness, you can ask students to explain their answers. I collect their papers, look at their answers, and then at a later time go over the answers. I allow for discussion of different appropriate answers for questions #1, #4 and #5 and give students an opportunity to explain why they chose a particular answer.
