The Lorax - Reading Strategy Lesson
The Lorax - Reading Strategy Lesson
The Lorax - Reading Strategy Lesson
Your Name:
Andrew Mickunas
Mathematics
Science
Lesson Title: Review of Main Idea, Theme, Summaries, and 1st/3rd person (Dr. Seuss), and
environmental issues
Materials Needed: The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, Assessment, Dry Erase Board, Dry Erase Markers,
Graphic organizer (with prompts)
Prerequisite Skills: Ability to listen, ability to write, ability to attend to a read aloud, ability to
work with peers.
Standard(s):
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.2
Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.6
Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are narrated, including the
difference between first- and third-person narrations.
Lesson Objective(s):
After students listen to read aloud and see teacher modeling, students will describe the main idea,
theme, summary, and whether or not the story is in 1st or 3rd person.
Student objective: I can describe main idea, theme, summary, and 1st or 3rd person.
1. Provide objectives: (What are students going to learn?)
Time:1 minute
1. Today we are going to review main idea, theme, summary, and 1st/3rd person. Read our
objective out loud. (Students read objective. Objective is on ELMO).
2. Demonstrate knowledge or skill: (Input/Modeling by the teacher)
Time: 7 minutes
1. Teacher uses anchor chart as model for summarizing. (Other skills exercised in lesson are
for review
(S. Chapman & W. Call, Professional Learning Community, Wright Elementary, February
29th, 2016).
a. Teacher uses chart throughout the lesson to model specific components of
summarizing. (i.e., in your own words, etc.)
2. Teacher reads The Lorax aloud
3. Teacher models the use of a graphic organizer to facilitate learning during read aloud.
3. Provide guided practice: (Guided practice with the teacher)
Time: 15 minutes
1. Teacher uses the following questions to guide learning during read aloud. Think, Pair,
Share will often be used to make learning collaborative. Because this is the first lesson
using this organizer, teacher will model to students how to complete the following
graphic organizer:
a. What is the main idea of this text? In other words, what is the text mainly about?
i. Despite the Loraxs protests, the Oncler succeeds at cutting down the trees
and destroying the environment.
b. What is the theme of this story? In other words, what is the message the author wants
you to take away?
i.Protect the environment.
c. How can we summarize this story? Who was the main character? Fill in somebody
i. The main character is the Oncler
d. What did the main character want? Fill in Wanted
i. The Oncler wanted to turn the truffula trees into thneeds.
e. What tried to stop the character? Fill in But
i. The Lorax tried to ask him to stop.
f. What did the character overcome this? Fill in So
i. The Oncler ingored him and invited his family to help, build factors, and
used machines to speed up his business.
g. How did the story end? Fill in Then
i. The Oncler regrets his decisions and gives a truffula seed to the boy.
h. Was this story in 1st or 3rd person?
i. 3rd
2. Teacher uses the following questions to connect learning to real world issues:
1. How is this story similar to what is happening to our world?
a. Are there places in the world where trees are being cut down and destroying
the homes of animals?
b. What is deforestation?
c. What are the consequences of cutting down trees on our earth, both positive
and negative?
4: Provide extended practice and transfer: (Independent practice of the skill) Time: 10
minutes
1. Teacher will provide the same graphic organizer for students to complete at their desk.
(S. Chapman & W. Call, Professional Learning Community, Wright Elementary, February
29th, 2016).
6. Assessment / Closure: (How do you evaluate student progress or provide closure to this
lesson?) Time: 2 minutes
Assessment is a result of students performance with graphic organizer.
The following checklist will be used:
_____Student accurately described the main idea
_____Student provided a reasonable theme.
_____Student explained why they felt the story had the theme they indicated.
_____Student correctly identified Somebody
_____Student correctly identified Wanted
_____Student correctly identified But
_____Student correctly identified So
_____Student correctly identified Then
_____Student correctly identified 1st or 3rd person
_____Student correctly indicated How do you know?
Maximum score: 10/10
Students will turn in graphic organizer to teacher.
7. Plans for differentiation:
Students who need additional support will be encouraged to look at the anchor chart throughout
the entirety of the lesson to guide their decision-making.
Students who need additional support will be given extended wait time.
Varied questions will be used during large group to facilitate deeper level of thought for those
students who need a greater challenge. These questions will provide an opportunity for students
to potentially apply thinking. These are listed above and here: