ALEX Lesson Plan

What makes you jump? When someone scares you? When you are fuming mad? When you are excited about scoring a goal? In this lesson, students will explore all the reasons that make us jump. The students will write a poem about a time they jumped and make a simple collage of themselves jumping. 

This is a College- and Career-Ready Standards showcase lesson plan.

When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry... by Molly Bang

Construction paper in various colors

scissors

glue

pencils

thin markers

attached Poem Rubric (one per student)

Computer with Internet access (if you don't have the book)

Digital Projector or Interactive Whiteboard (if you don't have the book)

Get the book or find a read-aloud version online.

Gather various colors of construction paper.

Make a copy of the attached Poem Rubric (one per student)

Engage: 

1.  Ask students to turn and talk to a partner about a time they jumped. Share ideas with the class and list them on the board. Examples:  jumping rope, playing basketball, dancing, cheering, jumping over something, jumping into a pool, and playing hopscotch.

2.  Read When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry... by Molly Bang. Revisit the page that reads "She kicks. She screams. She wants to smash the world to smithereens." 

3.  Lead students in a discussion about jumping when we are mad. Ask a student to demonstrate what that might look like. Call attention to the way the legs and arms are positioned when you jump. Look at Sophie's arms and legs in the book.

Developmental Activity: 

4.  Create a list of synonyms for the word "jump". Examples:  bound, leap, hop, skip, soar, shoot, fly. 

5.  Tell students that they will create a free verse poem about a time they jumped.  Revisit the list of reasons we jump and add any new ideas. 

6.  Review the elements of a free verse poem (doesn't have to rhyme, can be in phrases instead of complete sentences, words may be repeated for emphasis, etc.). 

7.  Allow students time to talk with a partner about their ideas. Encourage them to write their thoughts down as soon as they think of an idea. Choose their best idea. Remember the feelings they felt while they were jumping. Ask them to incorporate these feelings into their poem.  After the poem is complete, read it to their partner for proofing.

Art Steps: (an example can be found in attachments)

8.  Distribute construction paper of various colors. Students will cut shapes to make the different parts of the body. Demonstrate how to position the shapes on the white paper to create a figure. Explain that they should move the pieces around to create different positions and find the one they like best before gluing. Use thin markers to add facial features. Students will also use construction paper to add details such as a basketball, clouds, grass, etc.

Culminating Activity: 

9.  Students will rewrite their poems on their collage paper. Students will share their poems and artwork with the class.

Extension Activity: 

9.  Reread the book When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry.  Have a discussion about how Sophie dealt with her anger. 

10.  Make a T-Chart of appropriate and inappropriate ways to deal with anger. Discuss the concept of self-control. 

Teacher observation

Student participation during discussions

Rubric for poetry and artwork (attached)

Students who excel at poetry writing may write and publish additional poems.  Students could also be allowed to type their poems using a word processor.

Students who struggle with ideas or writing poetry will work with teacher individually or in small groups to encourage creativity and confidence.