Monday, February.

13/17 Grade one (1) Language Arts Caitlyn Conrad, Caroline

Gingerbread People Fletcher, Emma Davis

Introduction: For our thematic unit we chose Gingerbread People intended for a grade one
audience. The texts are chosen to showcase the range of diversity of literacy and media that
are present in our society and classrooms today. We hoped that by including a range of multi-
literacies including games, memes, videos, drama, folklore and many others, that we would
engage our students by encouraging diversity.

The theme of gingerbread people is intended to take place during the lead up to winter break,
as an alternative to religious material that may exclude children in our classrooms. In Canada
there are children who celebrate a range of holidays and choosing to only consider one
religious holiday excludes others from the classroom community and relationships that are so
critical at this young age. Therefore, in choosing gingerbread people all students are included
no matter their religious beliefs. The original gingerbread folklore, also teaches morals and
lessons to younger students, who teachers are also trying to mold into good, independent
people at this point in their lives. Consequently, the students are learning more than just
reading and writing strategies in learning about the story of the gingerbread man. Overall, we
felt that the gingerbread people unit served to diversity and moral learning for our young
students during the winter holiday season.

Text Rationale

The Gingerbread Game Activity: Students will play the game and exercise their literacy
abilities by reading the instructions of the game and the cards
that follow the gingerbread man story.

GCO: Reading and Viewing (4) Students will be expected to

select, read, and view with understanding a range of literature,
information, media, and visual texts.
SCO: regard reading/viewing as sources of interest, enjoyment,
and information

GCO: Speaking and Listening (2) Students will be able to

communicate information and ideas effectively and clearly, and to
respond personally and critically.
SCO: respond to and give instructions or directions that include
two or three components

Learning Goals (SWBAT)

Students will be able to read, process and direct using directions
and instructions.
Students will be able to speak and listen to others while playing.
Students will be able to read a variety of instructional and regular
text.

Assessment: Anecdotal notes by observing students abilities

and behaviours while playing the game.
Gingerbread Baby and Activity: After reading both of the picture books students will fill
Gingerbread Friends out a comparison sheet by drawing what they noticed was
different and similar about the two picture books. Before this, we
will brainstorm ideas as a class using chart paper before they
complete their independent sheets.

Strategy: (From Grade One NB Writing Standards) Students will

generate ideas from peer and class discussions, topic
lists/personal interests, and models (e.g., books, class charts,
student samples).

GCO: Speaking and Listening 1. Students will speak and listen to

explore, extend, clarify, and reflect on their thoughts, ideas,
feelings, and experiences.
2. Students will be able to communicate information and ideas
effectively and clearly, and to respond personally and critically.

SCO: express opinions and give simple explanations for some of

their opinions (I like because)
listen to others ideas and opinions
sustain one-to-one conversations and contribute to small- and
large-group interactions

GCO: 4. Students will be expected to select, read, and view with

understanding a range of literature, information, media, and
visual texts.

SCO: regard reading/viewing as sources of interest, enjoyment,

and information.
make connections between texts, noticing similarities in
characters, events, illustrations, and language

GCO: 8. Students will be expected to use writing and other forms

of representation to explore, clarify, and reflect on their thoughts,
feelings, experiences, and learnings; and to use their
imaginations.

SCO: use writing and other forms of representing for a variety of

 functions - to ask questions - to generate and organize ideas - to
express feelings, opinions, and imaginative ideas - to
inform/communicate information - to record experiences - to
explore learning

Learning Goals (SWBAT)

Students will be able to listen to enjoy and collection information.
Students will be able to contribute to a group discussion and
brainstorm.
Students will be able to express ideas and opinions through
speech and representation.
Students will be able to represent opinions and thoughts using
pictures.

Assessment: Collection of the comparison sheets will be used

for overall data collection.

The Gingerbread Girl Activity: After reading this picture book and the Gingerbread
Man folklore story as a group students will fill out a sheet, using
small sentences and pictures, to give their reasoning as to why
they like either the gingerbread girl or boy character better.

GCO: Speaking and Listening 1. Students will speak and listen to

explore, extend, clarify, and reflect on their thoughts, ideas,
feelings, and experiences.
2. Students will be able to communicate information and ideas
effectively and clearly, and to respond personally and critically.

SCO: express opinions and give simple explanations for some of

their opinions (I like because)
listen to others ideas and opinions
sustain one-to-one conversations and contribute to small- and
large-group interactions

GCO: 4. Students will be expected to select, read, and view with

understanding a range of literature, information, media, and
visual texts. 6. Students will be expected to respond personally to
 a range of texts.

SCO: make connections between texts, noticing similarities in

characters, events, illustrations, and language and identify
character traits from contextual clues. express and begin to
support opinions about texts and the work of authors and
illustrators

GCO: 8. Students will be expected to use writing and other forms

of representation to explore, clarify, and reflect on their thoughts,
feelings, experiences, and learnings; and to use their
imaginations.

SCO: use writing and other forms of representing for a variety of

functions - to ask questions - to generate and organize ideas - to
express feelings, opinions, and imaginative ideas - to
inform/communicate information - to record experiences - to
explore learning

Learning Goals:
Students will be able to listen to enjoy and collect information
while reading in large groups.
Students will be able to express ideas and opinions through
speech and representation.
Students will be able to represent opinions and thoughts using
pictures.

Assessment: Collection of the comparison sheets will be used

for overall data collection.

A How to Decorate a Activity: After watching the video that shows how to decorate a
Gingerbread Man Video gingerbread man, students will write how they will decorate their
own gingerbread man using the video as an example. They will
https://cdn.pixabay.com/p then get to test their ideas when we decorate gingerbread men
hoto/2016/01/05/19/39/ba together as a class.
ckground-
1123131_960_720.jpg
GCO: Speaking and Listening 1. Students will speak and listen to
explore, extend, clarify, and reflect on their thoughts, ideas,
feelings, and experiences.
2. Students will be able to communicate information and ideas
effectively and clearly, and to respond personally and critically.

SCO: ask and respond to questions to clarify information or

gather further information, express opinions and give simple
explanations for some of their opinions (I like because), listen
to others ideas and opinions, respond to and give instructions or
directions that include two or three components, sustain one-to-
one conversations and contribute to small- and large-group
interactions.

GCO: Reading and Viewing- 4. Students will be expected to

select, read, and view with understanding a range of literature,
information, media, and visual texts. 5. Students will be expected
to interpret, select, and combine information using a variety of
strategies, resources, and technologies.

SCO: engage in the research process with assistance - generate

questions to guide research - locate appropriate information with
assistance (classroom, library, home, community) - interact with
the information, use some features of written text to determine
content, locate topics, and obtain information.

Activities: Students will learn new words to an old favourite with

this holiday twist on the Wheels on the Bus. This activity will
help with fluency and pronunciation of words. It will also help
improve student creativity, as students must improvise different
things for the gingerbread man to run away from in order to keep
the song going.

GCO: Speaking and Listening- 2. Students will be able to

 communicate information and ideas effectively and clearly, and to
respond personally and critically.

SCO: engage in informal oral presentations and respond to a

variety of oral presentations and other texts.

GCO: Reading and Viewing 4. Students will be expected to

select, read, and view with understanding a range of literature,
information, media, and visual texts. 9. Students will be expected
to create texts collaboratively and independently, using a variety
of forms for a range of audiences and purposes

SCO:regard reading/viewing as sources of interest, enjoyment,

and information, use a variety of familiar text forms and other
media (messages, letters, lists, recounts, stories, poems, records
of observations, role-plays, Readers Theatre)

Learning Goals (SWBAT)

Students will be able to use songs to help them with fluency.
Students will be able to use their imaginations to improvise
during a game/song.
Students will be able to properly pronounce difficult words.

Assessment: Anecdotal notes will be used to assess which

students were able to quickly improvise during the game as well
as which students are still having difficulty with enunciation and
pronunciation.

Learning Goals (SWBAT)

Students will be able to listen to inform further products.
Students will be able to use a model for further products.
Students will be able to follow a procedural video.
Students will be able to represent ideas in various forms.
Students will be able to reproduce in concrete form.

Assessment: Observational notes will be taken to see if

students are able to follow the video and decorate their own
gingerbread men.

Oh Snap Meme Activity: Students will learn about conflict and how the
gingerbread losing his leg is a problem. Students will then make
up their own stories as to why the gingerbread man lost his leg.

GCO: Speaking and Listening 1. Students will speak and listen to

explore, extend, clarify, and reflect on their thoughts, ideas,
feelings, and experiences.
 2. Students will be able to communicate information and ideas
effectively and clearly, and to respond personally and critically.

SCO: ask and respond to questions to clarify information or

gather further information, express opinions and give simple
explanations for some of their opinions (I like because), listen
to others ideas and opinions, respond to and give instructions or
directions that include two or three components, sustain one-to-
one conversations and contribute to small- and large-group
interactions.

GCO: 4. Students will be expected to select, read, and view with

understanding a range of literature, information, media, and
visual texts.

SCO: regard reading/viewing as sources of interest, enjoyment,

and information, use a combination of cues (semantic, syntactic,
graphophonic, and pragmatic) to sample, predict, and
monitor/self-correct - predict on the basis of what makes sense,
what sounds right, and what the print suggests.

GCO: Writing and Representing- 8. Students will be expected to

use writing and other forms of representation to explore, clarify,
and reflect on their thoughts, feelings, experiences, and
learnings; and to use their imaginations.

SCO: use writing and other forms of representing for a variety of

functions - to ask questions - to generate and organize ideas - to
express feelings, opinions, and imaginative ideas - to
inform/communicate information - to record experiences - to
explore learning, begin to experiment with language choices in
imaginative writing and other ways of representing.

Learning Goals (SWBAT)

Students will be able to make predictions.
Students will be able to use their imaginations to create
innovative stories.
Students will be able to use text forms to inform their own writing.

Assessment: Students will write their short creative stories in the

writing journals that will be collected for assessment at a later
date.

The Gingerbread Man Activity: Students will sing along to the gingerbread man songs
App on the app to help with fluency and pronunciation of words. This
app will also be helpful when learning about music notation and
rhythm, as it serves as music integration.
 GCO: Speaking and Listening- 2. Students will be able to
communicate information and ideas effectively and clearly, and to
respond personally and critically.

SCO: engage in informal oral presentations and respond to a

variety of oral presentations and other texts.

GCO: Reading and Viewing 4. Students will be expected to

select, read, and view with understanding a range of literature,
information, media, and visual texts. 9. Students will be expected
to create texts collaboratively and independently, using a variety
of forms for a range of audiences and purposes

SCO:regard reading/viewing as sources of interest, enjoyment,

and information, use a variety of familiar text forms and other
media (messages, letters, lists, recounts, stories, poems, records
of observations, role-plays, Readers Theatre)

Learning Goals (SWBAT)

Students will be able to use songs to help them with fluency.
Students will be able to properly pronounce difficult words
Students will be able to learn difficult vocabulary in proper
context.

Assessment: Anecdotal notes will assess which students are

still having some trouble with fluency and annunciation.

Science Experiment Activity: Students will have already had multiple versions of the
Folktale of the Gingerbread Man read to them. In most versions
the gingerbread man he gets a ride across the river on the back
of a fox, who usually eats him by getting him to move up his body
to avoid being touched by the water. But what would happen if
the gingerbread man swam across? Students would be given the
handout (shown in the left column) in which they will draw what
the cookie looks like before, what they predict he will look like
and what he actually looked like after being put in the water. A
conversation will follow that would allow students to explore their
predictions and what they saw.

GCO: Writing and other ways of representing- 8:Students will

be expected to use writing and other forms of representation to
explore, clarify, and reflect on their thoughts, feelings,
experiences and learnings; and to use their imaginations.
SCO: use writing and other forms of representing for a variety of
functions, to ask questions, to generate and organize ideas, to
express feelings, opinions, and imaginative ideas, to
inform/communicate information, to record experiences, to
explore learning.
 GCO: Writing and Other ways of Representing -10: Students
will be expected to use a range of strategies to develop effective
writing and media products to enhance their clarity, precision,
and effectiveness.
SCO: Students will be expected to demonstrate engagement with
the creation of pieces of writing and other representations
contribute observations/ information to classroom records of field
trips, science experiments, etc.

Learning Goals (SWBAT)

Explore what they see by drawing a picture of it.
Use drawings to form a hypothesis.
Record what they see through a drawing.
Contribute to conversations about their drawings.

Assessment
Students will hand in their experiment sheets when they are done
with their drawings. These can be kept as a reference but will not
be summatively assessed. Anecdotal notes will be kept on each
of the students based off of what they say during our
conversations and what the drawings they provided on their
experiment handouts.

Readers Theater Activity: As a sort of finale to the themed unit students will be put
into three groups (skills and difficulties will be taken into account)
and asked to perform a part in the original story, the poem or the
recipe. Groups will go up one at a time and perform together,
with their scripts in front of them so they can read rather than
memorize. Once each group is done the whole class will perform
with the sing along of the story (they will not be expected to have
memorized anything, rather to simply just have fun with the
Sing Along songs). Ideally this would be done in front of other grade one
https://www.youtube.com/r classes as their audience. Students will have had multiple
esults? practice sessions with their text and the sing along.
search_query=gingerbrea
d+man+sing+along GCO: Reading and Viewing- 2: Students will be able to
communicate information and ideas effectively and clearly, and to
respond personally and critically.
SCO: Students will be expected to
use intonation, facial expressions, and gestures to communicate
ideas and feelings.
engage in informal oral presentations and respond to a variety of
oral presentations and other texts.
GCO: Reading and Viewing - 3: Students will be able to interact
with sensitivity and respect, considering the situation, audience
and purpose.
SCO: Students will be expected to demonstrate a growing
awareness of social conventions such as turn-taking and
 politeness in conversation and co-operative play
Skit of the original story SCO: Students will be expected to recognize that volume of voice
needs to be adjusted according to the situation.
GCO: Writing and Other ways of Representing -8: Students
will be expected to use writing and other forms of representation
to explore, clarify, and reflect on their thoughts, feelings,
experiences, and learnings; and to use their imaginations.
SCO: Students will be expected to use writing and other forms of
representing for a variety of functions
to express feelings, opinions, and imaginative ideas
to inform/communicate information
to explore learning
SCO: Students will be expected to begin to experiment with
language choices in imaginative writing and other ways of
representing.
GCO: Writing and Other ways of Representing -9: Students
will be expected to create texts collaboratively and independently,
Poem
using a variety of forms for a range of audiences and purposes.
SCO: Students will be expected to use a variety of familiar text
forms and other media (messages, letters, lists, recounts, stories,
poems, records of observations, role-plays, Readers Theatre).
GCO: Writing and Other ways of Representing -10: Students
will be expected to use a range of strategies to develop effective
writing and media products to enhance their clarity, precision,
and effectiveness.
SCO: Students will be expected to demonstrate engagement with
the creation of pieces of writing and other representations
engage in writing and representing activities every day
sustain engagement in writing and other forms of representation
(drawing, role-play, plasticine art, collage, etc.)
share writing and other representations with others and seek
response
Recipe
Learning Goals (SWBAT)
Read with expression
Perform for their classmates, as well as listen and be respectful
while other classmates are performing
Consider performances as a way of showing what they know

Assessment
As this is meant to be the final project for the unit this will be
assessment summatively. Through a rubric, that the students will
have a hand in creating, students will be assessed on their
performances. Students will be given ample practice time and will
have multiple performances to base this assessment off of. As
both you and the students are coming up with the criteria (of
course with a lot of teacher guidance) students will know exactly
what is expected of them and be more invested as they will feel a
sense of responsibility to the criteria they are being assessed for.
Gingerbread Man Song Activity: After listening to and watching the story multiple times
(Claymation EBook) throughout a week students will then pick out a scene that they
https://www.youtube.co really liked. They will then make their own claymation still based
m/watch? off of this ebook. The students will first do a drawing with pencil
v=EoRrP12g6uk which they will then edit to use as a map for the final copy. For
the final copy they will use molding clay that sticks to paper to
recreate their favourite scene. The story may be played in the
background for inspiration.

GCO: Reading and Viewing -1: Students will speak and listen to
explore, extend, clarify, and reflect on their thoughts, ideas,
feelings, and experiences.
SCO: Students will be expected to express opinions and give
simple explanations for some of their opinions (I like because)
SCO: Students will be expected to listen to others ideas and
opinions
GCO: Reading and Viewing -2: Students will be able to
communicate information and ideas effectively and clearly, and to
respond personally and critically
SCO: Students will be expected to engage in informal oral
presentations and respond to a variety of oral presentations and
other texts
GCO: Reading and Viewing -3: Students will be able to interact
with sensitivity and respect, considering the situation, audience
and purpose
SCO: Students will be expected to demonstrate a growing
awareness of social conventions such as turn-taking and
politeness in conversation and co-operative play
SCO: Students will be expected to recognize some examples of
unfair and hurtful vocabulary, and begin to make vocabulary
choices that affirm rather than hurt people
GCO: Reading and Viewing -6: Students will be expected to
respond personally to a range of texts.
SCO: Students will be expected to make personal connections to
text and share their responses in a variety of ways
GCO: Writing and Other ways of Representing -8: Students will
be expected to use writing and other forms of representation to
explore, clarify, and reflect on their thoughts, feelings,
experiences, and learnings; and to use their imaginations.
SCO: Students will be expected to use writing and other forms of
representing for a variety of functions
to express feelings, opinions, and imaginative ideas
GCO: Writing and Other ways of Representing -10: Students will
be expected to use a range of strategies to develop effective
writing and media products to enhance their clarity, precision,
and effectiveness.
SCO: Students will be expected to develop strategies for
 prewriting, drafting, revising, editing/proofreading, and
presenting/publishing
use prewriting strategies, such as drawing, talking, and reflecting
use a variety of techniques for publishing/presenting (sharing
writing/representing with the class or another class, publishing
online, submitting work to school/ district anthology or magazine
SCO: Students will be expected to demonstrate engagement with
the creation of pieces of writing and other representations
engage in writing and representing activities every day
sustain engagement in writing and other forms of representation
(drawing, role-play, plasticine art, collage, etc.)
share writing and other representations with others and seek
response

Learning Goals (SWBAT)

Be able to tell a partner why they chose the scene they did
Listen when others are sharing their scene and respond to it in a
positive and respectful way
Draw their scene and use it as a map before making a good copy
with clay
See their claymation as a way to show what they know and feel

Assessment
This activity is meant to be assessed formatively. Since this is
based off of how a certain student feels and what they like a
checklist will be used to see if the student drew their scene
before using the clay, they had a reason as to why they liked that
scene and they could describe this to a partner.

A Gingerbread Poem Writing Strategy: Students will be allowed to present their work
http://www.canteach.ca/ orally to the class, giving them the chance for feedback. From the
elementary/songspoems NB Writing Achievement Standards Grade One, present writing
95.html orally and/or in simple publishing forms.

Activities: The teacher will read the Gingerbread Poem aloud to

the students. The students will pick out the different sensory
details in the poem, the teacher will write these details in a chart
split into five categories (one for each of the senses). The
students will then write their own sensory poems. The students
will have a chance to share their poems with their peers, their
peers will point out the sensory details the student used.

GCO: 7. Students will be expected to respond critically to a range

of texts, applying their knowledge of language, form, and genre.

SCO: Recognize some basic types of texts (e.g., videos, poems,

posters,letters, true and imaginary texts).
 GCO: 8. Students will be expected to use writing and other forms
of representation to explore, clarify, and reflect on their thoughts,
feelings, and experiences, and learning; and to use their
imaginations.

SCO: Use writing and other forms of representing to convey

meaning (communicating messages, recounting experiences,
expressing feelings and imaginative ideas, exploring learning).

Learning Goals (SWBAT)

Students will be able to recognize sensory details in a piece of
writing.
Students will be able to enhance their own writing through the
use of sensory details.
Students will be able to use poetic form to express their opinions
and ideas.
Students will be able to listen to and enjoy reading in large
groups.

Assessment: Anecdotal notes will be used to record students

working habits and participation in the group activity. The teacher
will collect and read the students poems and conference with
students who seem to be struggling (lack of sensory details in the
poem).

The Gingerbread Man- Activities: The students will view and critically listen to the video
Animated Fairy Tales storybook. As a class they will discuss the similarities and
https://www.youtube.co differences between viewing the text as a video and as a story
m/watch?v=pckuS-- (the class has already read the original folktale). They will then
UlV4&list=WL&index=32 be asked to write a short reflection on which way they prefer to
enjoy the text, as a video or as a book.

GCO: Speaking and Listening 1. Students will speak and listen to

explore, extend, clarify, and reflect on their thoughts, ideas,
feelings, and experiences.
2. Students will be able to communicate information and ideas
effectively and clearly, and to respond personally and critically.

SCO: express opinions and give simple explanations for some of

their opinions (I like because)
listen to others ideas and opinions
sustain one-to-one conversations and contribute to small- and
large-group interactions

GCO: 4. Students will be expected to select, read, and view with

understanding a range of literature, information, media, and
visual texts.

SCO: regard reading/viewing as sources of interest, enjoyment,

 and information.
make connections between texts, noticing similarities in
characters, events, illustrations, and language.

GCO: 6. Students will be expected to respond personally to a

range of texts.

SCO: Express opinions about texts and the work of

authors/illustrators.

Learning Goals (SWBAT)

Students will be able to understand the differences and
similarities between a physical and digital text.
Students will be able to share their opinions using pictures and
words.
Students will be able to view and listen critically.

Assessment: The teacher will use a checklist to ensure that

students have completed the assignment effectively. The
students will be marked on whether or not they chose which form
of text they liked better, whether or not they gave a reason and
whether or not they completed the assignment.

Roll a Gingerbread Man Activities: The class will be introduced to the game Roll a
Gingerbread Man. They will play one round against the teacher
with various students taking a turn to roll the dice. Students will
then play the game in pairs, in the future it will become part of the
math bucket so that students can return to the game time and
time again.

GCO: Speaking and Listening 1. Students will speak and listen to

explore, extend, clarify, and reflect on their thoughts, ideas,
feelings, and experiences.
2. Students will be able to communicate information and ideas
effectively and clearly, and to respond personally and critically.

SCO: ask and respond to questions to clarify information or

gather further information, express opinions and give simple
explanations for some of their opinions (I like because), listen
to others ideas and opinions, respond to and give instructions or
directions that include two or three components, sustain one-to-
one conversations and contribute to small- and large-group
interactions.

GCO: 4. Students will be expected to select, read, and view with

understanding a range of literature, information, media, and
visual texts.
 SCO: regard reading/viewing as sources of interest, enjoyment,
and information, use a variety of familiar text forms and other
media (messages, letters, lists, recounts, stories, poems, records
of observations, role-plays, Readers Theatre).

Learning Goals (SWBAT)

Students will be able to understand the numbers one to six on a
dice.
Students will be able to draw the different parts of a gingerbread
man.
Students will be able to play nicely and fairly with a friend.

Assessment: The teacher will use anecdotal notes and

questioning to assess the activity. While the students play the
teacher will circulate and observe whether or not students
understand the game, are on task and have a positive attitude.
They should take notes on these behaviours, as we dont often
get to see how the students interact while at play. The teacher
might check for understanding by asking a student what
number(s) they must roll to win the game.

The Gingerbread Man Activities: Each student will decorate their own gingerbread
Loose in the School by person using the provided template. Ask students to bring in
Laura Murray stamped envelopes addressed to friends and relatives in faraway
places. Students may use the provided template to compose
their own letters, next mail all of the students letters. As the
responses come in and the gingerbread people return, use a
map to track where the students gingerbread people have been.
Post any photos, postcards or mementos next to the map.
GCO: 6. Students will be expected to respond personally to a
range of texts.

SCO: Express opinions about texts and the work of

authors/illustrators.

GCO: Students will be expected to create texts collaboratively

and independently, using a variety of forms for a range of
audiences and purposes.

SCO: create written and media texts using some familiar forms
(e.g., lists, letters, personal narratives, retellings, messages,
finger plays, drawings, puppetry).

SCO: demonstrate a beginning awareness of audience and

purpose.

Learning Goals (SWBAT)

Students will be able to listen to and enjoy reading. Students will
be able to write an informative letter.
Students will be able to share their ideas and opinions in
letterform.

Assessment: Anecdotal notes of student writing behaviours will

inform later writing conferences. A checklist will be used to
assess the student letters. It will include elements such as date,
who the students wrote the letter to, greeting, body paragraph,
closure and signature. The checklist ensures that students
included all elements necessary for a letter.
 The Cajun Reading Strategy: While reading the teacher will stop several
Cornbread Boy by times to allow students to make predictions about what will
Dianne De Las happen next in the story. From NB Reading Achievement
Casas Standards Grade One: use ideas in text and prior
knowledge/experiences to make obvious predictions about what
will happen next. When students encounter this text they will
have already been exposed to several iterations of The
Gingerbread Man and should use this prior knowledge to make
accurate predictions.

Activities: The students will be word whizzling (finding new

words in another word or phrase). They will be given the word
cornbread, and will be asked to find as many words as possible
within it, all the words must be at least three letters. Students
who finish early will be encouraged to practice their word
whizzling further with other vocabulary words like peppercorn,
skillet and sausage.

GCO:4. Students will be expected to select, read and view with

understanding a range of literature, information, media, and
visual texts.

SCO: Regard reading/ viewing as sources of interest, enjoyment

and information, use a variety of familiar text forms and other
media (messages, letters, lists, recounts, stories, poems, records
of observations, role-plays, Readers Theatre).

GCO: 8. Students will be expected to use writing and other

forms of representation to explore, clarify, and reflect on their
thoughts, feelings, and experiences, and learning; and to use
their imaginations.

SCO: Use writing and other forms of representing to convey

meaning (communicating messages, recounting experiences,
expressing feelings and imaginative ideas, exploring learning).
 Learning Goals (SWBAT)
Students will be able to find words inside other words.
Students will be able to change the order of letters to find new
words.

Assessment: Students will be assessed through observation

and questioning. The teacher will observe the students to see
who is struggling with the new skill (students staring into space,
not writing much down). Through careful questioning the teacher
will determine if students understand how to word whizzle. For
example the teacher might point to a word the student has
written and ask them how they found it. This will let the teacher
know if the student is using strategies to find new words, for
example the student might be rearranging letters or choosing
four letters at a time to make smaller words.

The Gingerbread Pirates Activities: After reading the Gingerbread Pirates, students can
by Kristen Kladstrup create their own gingerbread pirate. Students must use at least
three adjectives to describe their gingerbread pirate. As an
extension activity students can use their adjectives to help them
write a short description of their gingerbread pirate.This will
eventually be used as a character sketch for a formal piece about
their gingerbread pirate and their adventures.

Project: Students use their drawing, adjectives, and short

paragraph (character sketch) to write a formal piece about their
gingerbread pirate. The final copy should include both text and
pictures to tell the story. The teacher will help the student compile
all the work they have done on their gingerbread pirate into a
book.

GCO:4. Students will be expected to select, read and view with

 understanding a range of literature, information, media, and
visual texts.

SCO: Regard reading/ viewing as sources of interest, enjoyment

and information, use a variety of familiar text forms and other
media (messages, letters, lists, recounts, stories, poems, records
of observations, role-plays, Readers Theatre)

GCO: 8. Students will be expected to use writing and other

forms of representation to explore, clarify, and reflect on their
thoughts, feelings, and experiences, and learning; and to use
their imaginations.

SCO: Use writing and other forms of representing to convey

meaning (communicating messages, recounting experiences,
expressing feelings and imaginative ideas, exploring learning).

Learning Goals (SWBAT)

Students will be able to listen to and enjoy reading in large
groups.
Students will be able to show their ideas in pictures and in words.
Students will be able to use adjectives to tell about their
gingerbread pirates.
Students will be able to turn their adjectives into a short
paragraph about their gingerbread pirates.

Assessment: Anecdotal notes will be used to assess which

students are having a difficult time using adjectives. Short,
informal one on one writing conferences with students will be
used to help scaffold them before they begin writing their formal
descriptive paragraphs. Students will work alongside the teacher
to formulate a checklist for their formal pieces of writing. Having
this checklist will keep them on track. The teacher will conference
with students throughout the writing process providing descriptive
feedback and next steps. The students will also share their
writing with a partner at various points during the writing process.
The final formal pieces will be collected and assessed at a later
date using a rubric.

The Gingerbread Man Activities: Students will learn new words to an old favourite with
(to the tune of the this holiday twist on the Wheels on the Bus. This activity will
Wheels on the Bus) help with fluency and pronunciation of words. It will also help
improve student creativity, as students must improvise different
http://www.canteach.ca/ things for the gingerbread man to run away from in order to keep
elementary/songspoems the song going.
95.html
GCO: Speaking and Listening- 2. Students will be able to
communicate information and ideas effectively and clearly, and to
respond personally and critically.

SCO: engage in informal oral presentations and respond to a

variety of oral presentations and other texts.

GCO: Reading and Viewing 4. Students will be expected to

select, read, and view with understanding a range of literature,
information, media, and visual texts. 9. Students will be expected
to create texts collaboratively and independently, using a variety
of forms for a range of audiences and purposes

SCO:regard reading/viewing as sources of interest, enjoyment,

and information, use a variety of familiar text forms and other
media (messages, letters, lists, recounts, stories, poems, records
of observations, role-plays, Readers Theatre)

Learning Goals (SWBAT)

Students will be able to use songs to help them with fluency.
Students will be able to use their imaginations to improvise
during a game/song.
Students will be able to properly pronounce difficult words.

Assessment: Anecdotal notes will be used to assess which

students were able to quickly improvise during the game as well
as which students are still having difficulty with enunciation and
pronunciation.