NYLearns.org - Creating a Story Map Using Kidspiration by St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES

Learning Experience/Unit

Creating a Story Map Using Kidspiration by St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES

Subject

English Language Arts (NYS P-12 Common Core)

Grade Levels

Elementary, 3rd Grade

Assessment

See attached rubric.

Learning Context/ Introduction

As part of my Remedial Reading program, students will be reading short stories from the Scott Foresman Leveled Readers series. After reading several of the short stories, students will choose their favorite short story.

Students will then use the computer software, Kidspiration, to generate a graphic organizer detailing main character(s), setting, problem, solution, and theme.

Duration

Six 30-minute periods

Essential Question

Why does the use of graphic organizers help us to become better writers?

Instructional/Environment Modifications

Kidspiration Software

Students will be reading short stories in their remedial reading group. Students will go to the Computer Lab during remedial reading group.

Procedure

Day One - Students will read a short story from the Scott Foresman Leveled Readers in reading class. After reading the story, students will review different aspects of the story, including genre, main character(s), setting, problem, solution and theme.

Day Two - Students will re-read the story from the previous day. The students will generate a graphic organizer of the story, to include genre, main character(s), setting, problem, solution and theme.

Day Three - Continue using Kidspiration to generate the graphic organizer, to include genre, main character, setting problem, solution and theme.

Day Four - Introduce use of graphics in Kidspiration for graphic organizer.

Day Five and Six - Students use different fonts within Kidspiration to change writing within graphic organizer.

Reflections and Feedback

This lesson was a great experience for the students and me. The students really enjoyed being able to use the Kidspiration software and have been eager to do another lesson with graphic organizers. One drawback I found was time. I have the students for only 30 minutes each day, so the time really flew.

I also wish I had more computers in my room, so that each student could have their own workstation. I did not want to bring the students to the Computer Lab to do this, again because of the limited amount of time. As a result, the students did the activity in pairs. I would really like to be able to allow each student the opportunity to make their own story web. As time goes on and the students become more adept with the program, I will most likely take them to the Lab so they can work on their own.