Title: Just "Who" are the Three Little Pigs?
Names: Rosemary Dillingham and Margie Godwin
Primary Subject Area: Language Arts
Grade Level: Fourth
Overview: The following lesson is one in which fourth grade students will utilize various techniques to scrutinize literature, and employ technology programs to develop curriculum concepts. The Three Little Pigs (1991) will be the anchor in which the students will reference while examining similar pieces of work. This lesson was designed for implementation in a library setting with the classes meeting once a week for thirty minutes.
Approximate Duration: 5 thirty minute lessons
Louisiana Framework
Content Standards:
Standard One-Students read, comprehend, and respond to a range
of materials, using a variety of strategies for different purposes.
Standard Two-Students write competently for a variety of purposes
and audiences.
Standard Five-Students locate, select, and synthesize information
from a variety of texts, media, references, and technological
sources to acquire and communicate knowledge.
Benchmarks:
1-E1-Gaining meaning from print and building vocabulary using
a full range of strategies, evidenced by reading behaviors while
using the cueing system
Recognize synonyms
IOU-4-Theme 1
ITBS/L21
HB
1-E4-Identifying story elements and literary devices within
a selection
Identify setting, characters, and plot to gain meaning
IOU-4-Theme 1
ITBS/L21
HB
1-E5 Reading, comprehending, and responding to written,
spoken, and visual texts in extended passages
Understand the relationship between characters' feelings and actions
IOU-4-Theme 1
ITBS/L21
HB
1-E6-Interpreting texts to general connections to real-life
situations
Interpret texts to connect to real-life situations by self-questioning
IOU-4-Theme 1
L21
HB
2-E4-Using narration, description, exposition, and persuasion
to develop compositions (e.g., notes, stories, letters, poems,
logs)
5-E1-Recognizing and using organizational features of
printed text, other media, and electronic information
Understand the print and electronic resources available for research
IOU-4-Theme 2
L21
HB
5-E2 -Locating and evaluating information sources
Located and evaluate data from a variety of informational sources,
a book, Internet, CD-Rom, outline, encyclopedia, almanac, index,
dictionary, newspapers, magazines, and periodicals
L21
5-E3-Locating, gathering, and selecting information using
graphic organizers, simple outlining, note taking, and summarizing
to produce texts and graphics
Use a story map to summarize a selection
Use a Venn diagram to summarize a selection
IOUs-Theme 2
L21
HB
5-E4-Using available technology to produce, revise, and
publish a variety of works
Write a poem
Technology Strategies:
K-4-E1,3,4-Use a variety of developmentally appropriate
resources and productivity tools (e.g., logical thinking programs,
writing and graphic tools, digital cameras, graphing software)
for communication, presentation, and illustration of thoughts,
ideas, and stories
K-4-F1,3-Use technology tools (e.g., publishing, multimedia tools, and word processing software) for individual and for simple collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activates for a variety of audiences.
Materials:
The Three Little Pigs by Paul Galdone
THE TRUE STORY OF THE 3 LITTLE PIGS by Jon Scieszka
Various online stories of The Three Little Pigs (see
below)
Venn
Diagram
Format
for cinquain
Technology Connection:
Hardware
Computers, Projection System, Digital Camera
Software
Inspiration
KidPix
Web Site
Online
Story of The Three Little Pigs <http://math-www.uni-paderborn.de/~odenbach/pigs/pig2.html>
Background Information: There are many versions of the story The Three Little Pigs. This children's story was selected because it illustrates clearly that students must be taught to read and evaluate printed material critically.
Objectives:
1. After reading several
versions of The Three Little Pigs, the students will compare and
contrast various versions of the story The Three Little Pigs.
2. The students will identify the setting, plot, characters, and
theme of the story.
3. The students will use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast
similarities and differences in one plot versus another.
4. The students will write a Cinquain.
5. The students will write their version of The Three Little Pigs,
and act it out in a skit.
Lesson Procedure:
Dressed as the wolf, the teacher will greet her fourth grade class with these questions: Just "Who" are The Three Little Pigs? And Can you really believe a pig?
The teacher will ask the students to reflect on their memories of a version of The Three Little Pigs. As the students brainstorm the teacher will produce a web using the software, Inspiration.
The students will be lead to discover that there were discrepancies among the versions of the story.
The teacher will read to the students the hard copy of THE True Story of The 3 Little Pigs! By Joh Scieszka.
The students will realize that there are similarities and differences in their perception of the age-old fairytale. (First Lesson)
The students will identify the
setting, plot, character and theme of the
story.
The students will then identify that there are the same elements in the story online.
Using a Venn diagram made in Appleworks, the students will identify similarities and differences in one plot versus another plot. (Second Lesson)
The students will write and illustrate a cinquain using Kidpix. They will have the format to complete prior to going to the computer. (Third Lesson)
The students will work in groups to write and perform their very own version of The Three Little Pigs as told by students of CPU. (Fourth Lesson)
Have a "Pig Out" party and videotape the skits. (Fifth Lesson)
Assessment Procedures:
The students will complete a Venn diagram.
The students will write a poem.
Video of the CPU version of The Three Little Pigs.
Three Little Pigs of Hog Holler Swamp
Various Adaptations <http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0124.html>
Three Little Pigs (1931) <http://www.editec.net/Three_Little_Pigs/index.htm>
Related Lessons:
Illuminations: A Tale of Two Stories <http://illuminations.nctm.org/index_o.aspx?id=102>
Constructivist Activity <http://www-ed.fnal.gov/trc/sciencelines_online/summer96/activities.html>
Whole Language Lesson <http://www.iit.edu/~smile/ma9216.html>
Earthquake Land <http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/15/gk2/threepigs.html>
Related Activities:
Coloring Pages <http://www.niteowl.org/kids/3pigs.html>
Jumbled Words <http://www.quia.com/jw/9139.html>
Pig Costume <http://kidsturncentral.com/holidays/costumes/hcost4l.htm>
Karaoke Sing Along <http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Cottage/3192/3littlepigs.html>
FEEDBACK: If you are not the author but used this
lesson plan, please send feedback and other ideas or activities
to author.