ALEX Classroom Resource

  

American Folklore: A Jigsaw Character Study

  Classroom Resource Information  

Title:

 American Folklore: A Jigsaw Character Study

URL:

 http://readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/american-folklore-jigsaw-character-30524.html

Content Source:

 ReadWriteThink
Type: Lesson/Unit Plan

Overview:

Collaborative groups will read a variety of American tall tales, then report elements of their story to the whole class. Students add story information to a collaborative, whole-class character study matrix that summarizes all the stories. In a writing activity, students compare two characters of their choice. Support for English Language Learners (ELLs) is embedded in the guided collaborative process, while the content of the stories adds to all students' knowledge of American culture and history. The stories used in the lesson include well-known and lesser-known diverse characters. The lesson process is applicable to any set of related texts.

Content Standard(s):
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 3
R1. Utilize active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings, following agreed-upon rules for participation.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
R1.
  • Active listening
  • Discussion
  • Conversation
  • Rules
  • Participation
Knowledge:
R1. Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • How to engage in discussions and conversations in a variety of settings.
  • Agreed-upon rules for participation.
Skills:
R1. Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings.
  • Converse in pairs, small groups, and large groups.
  • Practice the agreed-upon rules for participation.
Understanding:
R1. Students understand that:
  • Conversations and discussions follow agreed-upon rules which help us actively listen and gain understanding.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 3
1. Contribute meaningful ideas to discussions with groups and peers utilizing agreed upon rules.

a. Elaborate on responses in conversations and discussions.

Examples: use precise, descriptive language; build upon previously expressed ideas
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
1.
  • Contribute
  • Meaningful ideas
  • Discussions
  • Peers
  • Agreed upon rules
1a.
  • Elaborate
  • Conversations
  • Discussion
Knowledge:
1. Students know:
  • Strategies to actively engage in meaningful discussions utilizing agreed upon rules.
1a.
  • Elaboration strategies for conversations and discussions.
Skills:
1. Students are able to:
  • Contribute meaningful ideas to a discussion with groups and peers.
  • Appropriately participate in discussions with groups and peers utilizing agreed upon rules.
1a.
  • Expand their responses to others in conversations and discussions. For example use precise, descriptive language and build upon previously expressed ideas.
Understanding:
1. Students understand that:
  • Good conversations occur when participants actively listen, build on others' ideas, and ask clarifying questions.
1a.
  • By elaborating their responses, they are fully explaining, justifying, or defending their responses in conversation, which provides clarity to others participating in the conversations and discussions.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 3
18. Demonstrate content knowledge built during independent reading of informational and literary texts by participating in content-specific discussions with peers and/or through writing.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
18.
  • Demonstrate
  • Content knowledge
  • Independent reading
  • Informational text
  • Literary text
  • Content-specific discussions
Knowledge:
18. Students know:
  • Content knowledge is information learned about a specific subject.
  • Content knowledge can be learned by independently reading text.
  • Informational text is nonfiction text, and literary text is fictional.
  • Active listening skills.
  • Writing skills.
Skills:
18. Students are able to:
  • Build content knowledge from independently reading informational or literary text.
  • Use content knowledge learned from independent reading in content-specific discussions with peers.
  • Use content knowledge learned from independent reading in writing.
Understanding:
18. Students understand that:
  • Content-specific discussions with peers can demonstrate the content knowledge they learned through independent reading.
  • They can produce writings that demonstrate knowledge of content-specific information.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 3
22. Describe literary elements within a story, including setting, plot, characters, and themes.

a. Describe in detail the characters' behavior, emotions, and traits and explain how their actions influence events in the story.

b. Explain how the characters' actions and dialogue contribute to the meaning of the story.

c. Identify the central message, theme, or moral in a story, including myths, fables, and folktales, and explain the meaning conveyed in the passage.

d. Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots from two texts.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
22.
  • Describe
  • Literary elements
  • Story
  • Setting
  • Plot
  • Characters
  • Themes
22a.
  • Describe
  • Character
  • Behaviors
  • Emotions
  • Traits
  • Actions
  • Influence
  • Events
22b.
  • Explain
  • Characters
  • Actions
  • Dialogue
  • Contribute
  • Meaning
22c.
  • Central message
  • Theme
  • Moral
  • Myths
  • Fables
  • Folktales
  • Conveyed
22d.
  • Compare
  • Contrast
  • Theme
  • Setting
  • Plot
  • Stories
Knowledge:
22. Students know:
  • Literary elements within a story include the setting, plot, characters, and themes.
  • Setting is when and where a story takes place.
  • Plot is the main events of a story (often referred to as the beginning, middle, and end of a story).
  • Characters are any person, animal, or figure that affect the plot.
  • Theme is the main, recurring idea in a text.
22a.
  • A story author provides descriptions of the characters' behavior, emotions, and traits.
  • The actions of characters in a story affect the events, or plot, of the story.
22b.
  • The actions of characters in a story affect the events, or plot, of the story.
  • The dialogue, or spoken words, of characters in a story affect the plot of the story.
22c.
  • Qualities of myths, fables, and folktales.
  • Many stories have a central message, theme, or moral.
  • A central message or moral is the lesson that is learned through the story or the one big idea of the story.
  • The central message, theme, or moral is conveyed through key details.
22d.
  • Compare means tell how things are alike or similar.
  • Contrast means tell how things are different.
  • Literary elements from different texts, like themes, settings, and plots, can be compared and contrasted.
  • Setting is when and where a story takes place.
  • Plot is the main events of a story (often referred to as the beginning, middle, and end of a story).
  • Theme is the main, recurring idea in a text.
Skills:
22. Students are able to:
  • Identify and describe the literary elements, including setting, plot, characters, and theme, within the text.
22a.
  • Provide a detailed description of story characters' behavior, emotions, and traits.
  • Explain how story characters' actions affect the events of the story.
22b.
  • Explain how the actions of characters' contribute to the meaning of the story.
  • Explain how the dialogue between two or more characters contributes to the meaning of the story.
22c.
  • Identify the central message, theme, or moral of a story, including myths, fables, and folktales.
  • Explain the meaning of the central message, theme, or moral conveyed in the passage.
22d.
  • Compare and contrast literary elements, such as themes, settings, and plots, of two texts.
Understanding:
22. Students understand that:
  • Identifying and describing literary elements within a story will help in comprehending the text.
22a.
  • Understanding each character's behavior, emotions, and traits will help them better understand a story's plot.
  • Characters in a story drive the plot by engaging in different actions.
22b.
  • Characters' actions and dialogue contribute to the meaning of a story.
  • Understanding the actions and dialogue of story characters improves overall comprehension of the text.
22c.
  • Understanding the meaning of the central message, theme, or moral of a story will improve overall comprehension of the passage.
  • Myths, fables, and folktales are types of narrative stories that often include a moral.
22d.
  • Comparing and contrasting literary elements can improve their comprehension, or understanding, of both texts.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 4
R1. Utilize active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings, following agreed-upon rules for participation.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
R1.
  • Active listening
  • Discussion
  • Conversation
  • Rules
  • Participation
Knowledge:
R1. Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • How to engage in discussions and conversations in a variety of settings.
  • Agreed-upon rules for participation.
Skills:
R1. Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings.
  • Converse in pairs, small groups, and large groups.
  • Practice the agreed-upon rules for participation.
Understanding:
R1. Students understand that:
  • Conversations and discussions follow agreed-upon rules which help us actively listen and gain understanding.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 4
14. Demonstrate comprehension of literary and informational text by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
14.
  • Comprehension
  • Literary text
  • Informational text
  • Discussing
  • Writing
  • Response
Knowledge:
14. Students know:
  • Comprehension of text can be demonstrated by referring to the text in discussions or written responses.
  • Informational text is nonfiction text, and literary text is fictional.
Skills:
14. Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate understanding of literary and informational text by referring to the text in discussions.
  • Demonstrate understanding of literary and informational text by referring to the text in written responses.
Understanding:
14. Students understand that:
  • They can show that they understood literary and informational text by discussing or writing about specific content from the text.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 4
15. Analyze in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text.

a. Identify and explain attitudes and influences of multiple characters within a text.

b. Explain how the main character changes throughout the story, using explicit evidence from the text.

c. Make an inference about a character's behavior, the setting, and/or specific events, using explicit details from the story.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
15.
  • Analyze
  • Character
  • Setting
  • Event
  • Story
  • Drama
  • Specific details
15a.
  • Attitude
  • Influence
  • Characters
15b.
  • Main character
  • Explicit evidence
15c.
  • Inference
  • Character
  • Behavior
  • Setting
  • Specific events
  • Explicit details
Knowledge:
15. Students know:
  • Characters are any person, animal, or figure that affect the events of the story.
  • Setting is when and where a story takes place.
  • Events are situations that are described in the story.
  • A drama is a story with dialogue that can be read by different people.
  • Details in the text provide information about the characters, setting, and events.
15a.
  • Characters are any person, animal, or figure that affect the events of the story.
  • Characters in text are described as having certain attributes, like attitude.
  • Characters in text can be influenced by other characters or events in the text.
15b.
  • The main character is the focus of the plot and often displays changes in attitude or beliefs during the story.
  • Explicit evidence refers to direct quotations from the text.
15c.
  • Making an inference requires using observation and background knowledge to reach a logical conclusion.
  • Inferences can be drawn by using information from the text.
Skills:
15. Students are able to:
  • Use specific details from the text to explain attributes of the characters, setting, or event in a story or drama.
15a.
  • Identify attitudes and influences of multiple characters within a text.
  • Explain the reasoning behind characters' attitudes and influences.
15b.
  • Identify the main character in a story.
  • Use explicit evidence from text to explain how the main character changed in the story.
15c.
  • Use explicit details from a story to support inferences about a character's behavior, the story's setting, and/or specific events.
Understanding:
15. Students understand that:
  • They can explain details about characters, settings, and events in a story or drama by using evidence from the text.
15a.
  • There are influences that affect characters' behavior and attitude in a text.
15b.
  • A story usually focuses on one main character who changes throughout the text.
  • Their explanations can be supported with direct quotations from the text.
15c.
  • Making an inference requires them to use information from the text and their background knowledge to draw conclusions about characters, settings, and events in a story.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 5
R1. Utilize active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings, following agreed-upon rules for participation.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
R1.
  • Active listening
  • Discussion
  • Conversation
  • Rules
  • Participation
Knowledge:
R1. Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • How to engage in discussions and conversations in a variety of settings.
  • Agreed-upon rules for participation.
Skills:
R1. Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings.
  • Converse in pairs, small groups, and large groups.
  • Practice the agreed-upon rules for participation.
Understanding:
R1. Students understand that:
  • Conversations and discussions follow agreed-upon rules which help us actively listen and gain understanding.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 5
16. Demonstrate comprehension of varied literary and informational texts by utilizing its content when discussing or writing in response to the text.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
16.
  • Comprehension
  • Literary text
  • Informational text
  • Discussing
  • Writing
  • Response
Knowledge:
16. Students know:
  • Comprehension of text can be demonstrated by referring to the text in discussions or written responses.
  • Informational text is nonfiction text, and literary text is fictional.
Skills:
16. Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate understanding of varied literary and informational text by referring to the text in discussions.
  • Demonstrate understanding of varied literary and informational text by referring to the text in written responses.
Understanding:
16. Students understand that:
  • They can show that they understood a wide variety of literary and informational text by discussing or writing about specific content from the text.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 5
19. Interpret how authors use literary elements throughout a text, including character, setting, conflict, dialogue, and point of view.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
19.
  • Interpret
  • Literary elements
  • Character
  • Setting
  • Conflict
  • Dialogue
  • Point of view
Knowledge:
19. Students know:
  • Authors use literary elements, such as character, setting, conflict, dialogue, and point of view, throughout a text to develop and drive the plot.
Skills:
19. Students are able to:
  • Identify literary elements in a text.
  • Interpret how authors use literary elements throughout a text.
Understanding:
19. Students understand that:
  • Interpreting the author's use of literary elements in a text supports their overall comprehension of the text.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 6
R1. Utilize active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings, following agreed-upon rules for participation.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
R1.
  • Active listening
  • Discussion
  • Conversation
  • Rules
  • Participation
Knowledge:
R1. Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • How to engage in discussions and conversations in a variety of settings.
  • Agreed-upon rules for participation.
Skills:
R1. Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings.
  • Converse in pairs, small groups, and large groups.
  • Practice the agreed-upon rules for participation.
Understanding:
R1. Students understand that:
  • Conversations and discussions follow agreed-upon rules which help us actively listen and gain understanding.
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 6
3. Explain how authors use setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view to contribute to the meaning and purpose of prose and poetry, using textual evidence from the writing.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
3.
  • Setting
  • Plot
  • Characters
  • Theme
  • Conflict
  • Dialogue
  • Point of view
  • Prose
  • Poetry
  • Textual evidence
Knowledge:
3. Students know:
  • Authors of prose and poetry use literary elements, such as setting, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view, throughout a text to develop and drive the plot.
  • Poetry is a genre of text that uses distinctive style and rhythm to aid in the expression of feelings, while prose is written in ordinary language.
  • Analysis of a text should be supported with text evidence from the writing.
Skills:
3. Students are able to:
  • Identify the setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view in prose and poetry.
  • Explain how literary elements contribute to the meaning and purpose of prose and poetry.
  • Support their explanations of literary elements with textual evidence.
Understanding:
3. Students understand that:
  • Prose and poetry contain common literary elements, such as setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view.
  • Literary elements contribute to the meaning of poetry and prose.
  • When they analyze a text, they should include text evidence to support their claims.
Tags: characterization, Compare Contrast Map, folk tales, jigsaw, Venn Diagram
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Author: Cassie Raulston
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