Procedure
Day 1
Teacher will handout copies of RWT Definition of Character Traits and RWT Sample List of Character Traits to review with class.
Teacher will stress the objective of reading the story "The King of Mazy May"-to find words that best describe the actions and personality of the main character Walt Masters and details to support them.
Teacher will read aloud the first three paragraphs of the story instructing students to listen for actions/descriptions of Walt Masters that describe his personality.
Teacher will display Slide 3 from SMART Notebook, showing the first three paragraphs of the story.
Students will select details to support the character traits listed.
Teacher will highlight the detail in story and drag the character trait to place next to it.
Teacher will display the Inspiration web.
Using one of the identified character traits and its supporting detail, the teacher will complete a box on the Inspiration web. Students will copy to their graphic organizer.
Day 2
Students will continue reading the story either aloud, independently, or in groups.
Following progression of the SMART Board slides, the teacher will pause the reading for students to identify character traits and supporting details, adding to and completing the graphic organizer.
Day 3
After students complete the graphic organizer, teacher will distribute the Student Handout.
For the final product, students will illustrate one character trait of Walt Masters and support it with the direct detail from the story. Students will also include vivid details depicting the story setting.
Description
For this lesson, students will read the story "The King of Mazy May" by Jack London to define and identify character traits that best describe Walt Masters. Students will support the traits, completing a graphic organizer, with details from the story.
Website(s)
The King of Mazy May
How Coyote Stole Fire
United Streaming
University of Washington Libraries Digital Collection: Klondike Gold Rush
Wikipedia: Klondike Gold Rush
The Klondike Gold Rush
PBS The American Experience: Gold Fever
Objectives
Using a teacher created graphic organizer, students will work with a partner to identify character traits that best describe the protagonist, Walt Masters, and support each trait with a detail from the story.
Using a teacher created handout, students will work independently and select a character trait to illustrate, supporting the trait with the appropriate detail from the story.
Materials
Teacher Materials: SMART Board set up, Inspiration software program, student handouts of the following: hard copy of the story "The King of Mazy May" (optional), character trait definition from RWT, sample list of character traits from RWT, character trait graphic organizer, student handout Student Materials:computers to view the online story "The King of Mazy May", student handouts from above list supplied by teacher, pens/pencils
Extension Activity
Using the character traits and details from their graphic organizer, students can write an essay selecting two character traits that best describe Walt Masters and support each trait with two details from the story.
Using computers, students can read the Native American myth "How Coyote Stole Fire" to identify a character trait(s) that best describes Coyote and/or the Fire Beings. Students can continue by creating a web, using Inspiration, showing the traits and supporting details.
Duration
Depending on the distribution of this lesson between class work and homework, this lesson could take anywhere from two to four 45 minute periods.
Pre-Reading Activities
Before beginning this lesson, the teacher should establish background knowledge of the Yukon Gold Rush by assigning a research project using the websites below and/or viewing the VOD "Klondike Fever" from United Streaming. In addition, the teacher should preview the story to create a vocabulary list appropriate for the reading level of the students.
Assessment
Illustration depicting the character trait, supporting detail and story setting will be assessed according the attached rubric.
Rubric
