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Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?

Lesson Plan

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?

Grade Levels

Pre-Kindergarten

Course, Subject

English Language Arts

Rationale

The lesson will begin with whole group discussion of what a zoo is and who lives in a zoo to assess for prior knowledge and gain the interest of the students. As a whole group students will hone in on their listening skills during the first reading of the story: Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? A class discussion will take place so that students can share information of the parts of the story they liked the best. Students are going to create a classroom version of the text, by creating their own animal to contribute the text. Each student will need to listen as the story is being read and respond with their part when it is their turn during the reading. To help students practice for the reading, they will participate in a facilitated sensory activity requiring them to listen, respond and discuss zoo animals with peers. After whole group, small group and one on one discussion about the sounds you hear at the zoo, students will use their listening and responding skills to contribute the classroom version of the story.

Vocabulary

Roaring- The sound of a lion.

Snorting- The sound of a hippopotamus.

Fluttering- The sound of a flamingo.

Braying- The sound of a zebra.

Hissing- The sound of a snake.

Trumpeting- The sound of an elephant.

Snarling- The sound of a leopard.

Yelping- The sound of a peacock.

Bellowing- The sound of a walrus.

Objectives

  • Students will expressively label pictures in the book and imitate/make animal sounds
  • Students will sit appropriately, attend to the story and take turns during discussions.
  • Students will fill in words/sounds and answer simple questions.

Lesson Essential Question(s)

How do we develop into effective listeners and speakers?

 

How does interaction with text promote discussion?

Duration

30-40 minutes/3 days

Materials

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You See?: Bill Martin Jr./Eric Carle, ISBN-13: 978-0805053883

Art project items: white construction paper, pre-printed zoo animal coloring pages, (student choice of crayons, marker, water color paints), sample pictures of different zoo animals

 

Sensory station: Bin filled with rice and small zoo animal figures

 

Printed images of all animals that are in the story.

 

Star stickers for student assessment

Suggested Instructional Strategies

W: Tell students they will be learning about zoo animals and the sounds they make. Students will see, hear, identify and make the sounds of various animals found at the zoo. Students will be evaluated through observation.
H: Read the book Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? Call attention to each sound by modeling each sound and ask students to pretend they are that animal and imitate the sound. Have students choose their favorite zoo animal and create a classroom version of the story.
E: Students will listen to the story and look at the pictures followed by classroom discussion of their favorite zoo animal. Student will then create a classroom version of the story.
R: Students will reflect, revisit, revise and rethink the story by drawing their own or choosing an animal to color from printed coloring pages provided similar to the ones in the read-a-loud book to act out the classroom version of the story. Teacher will walk around to discuss and assist students with their chosen animal and sound. Teacher will check for understanding during one to one discussion.
E: Students will express their understanding through verbalization of prior knowledge, questioning and retelling. Have students line up along the wall, hold up their chosen animal, and read the story using the animals created by students. Model the sound each animal makes. Engage student by retelling it again and have students make the sound of their animal.
T: Students will listen to the story, look at pictures, and provide opportunity for students to hide-and-seek zoo animal figures in a sensory bin filled with rice. Have students create their own animal for retelling the classroom version of the read-a-loud and act out the sound as the story is being told. Model all animal sounds for students when needed.
O: The purpose of this lesson is for students to learn, reflect and respond through modeling the desired response. Ask students to think of other animals that were not apart of the read-a-loud and discuss the sounds they make. Provide pictures of other zoo animals that were not included in the read-a-loud.

Instructional Procedures

Day 1: First show students the cover of the book and read the title. Have a class discussion on what they think it is about. Convey to students they are going to learn about different zoo animals. Then take a picture walk to see if what background knowledge students have.  After the picture walk and class discussion have students listen to the story emphasizing the vocabulary word, discuss vocabulary words with students, and have them recite the sound after it is modeled.  After the first read hand out picture cards of the animals from the book to students. Model then ask each student to recite the animal sound as cards are being handed out. Explain to students that this time they are going to help read the story. Model for students what they are to do (listen and respond) when their animal is named. (Stand up and make the noise of the animal and then sit back down.)  Have the paraprofessional model a few examples as the teacher reads the story. Then read the story having the paraprofessional and your-self assist each student to stand and present the sound of his or her animal. After the reading discuss the activity with students.

Day 2: Begin by telling students that they are going to help read the story like the day before. Hand out cards and ask each student to recite the sound using their responding skills.  Explain to students it is important that they use their listening and responding skills during the reading. Then read the story having the paraprofessional and your-self assist students when needed. After the reading tell student they will be creating a classroom version of the story. They will each get to pick their favorite zoo animal. Make sure to tell students they can pick one from the book or any other animal they know of that lives at the zoo.

Small group activities: Explain to students that they are going to create their animal by drawing or by choosing a pre-printed animal to color and they will also get to play hide-and-seek the zoo animals. Then place students into two groups, switching groups after 15-20 minutes.

  • Sensory Zoo (paraprofessional): Group A- Students will take turns seeking a zoo animal from the rice bin. Have the paraprofessional ask students respond by reciteing the name the animal and say the sound of the animal they found (by mimicking the story) until all the animals are found.  (15-20 Minutes)

E.g.: Hold up the polar bear and say "polar bear, polar bear, what do you hear?  Have a student seek an animal and ask them to say " I found a Snake hissing in my ear. After all the animals are found allow students to hide them and encourage them to do it again by discuss their interest each other.

  • Animal drawing (teacher): Group B- Have students sit at a table together. Explain to students that they can draw their own or color a pre-printed animal provided. As students are completing the task ask each student share their animal and the sound it makes by mimicking the words from the book. Then encourage them to present them each other. (15-20 minutes)

Day 3: Begin by handing out their drawings and have a classroom discussion. Then have them form a giant circle around the room present their version of the story. Beginning and ending with the teacher. Remind students that they need to listen for their turn and to speak loudly when it is their turn. After the classroom recites the story bring the students back in to contribute to the classroom discussion. (What they liked, disliked, etc.). Then have them go to their desk and explain and help students completed the student checklist as a whole group.

Formative Assessment

Formative Assessment 1:

 

Students Listening, responding and discussion skills will be assessed during their presentation of the text and through questioning and their contribution to discussion.

 

 

 

 

Formative Assessment 2:

 

To help students assess their own learning will utilize the following self-check list to asses their listening, presentation and discussion skills. To help them begin to think about their thinking.

 

 

 

 

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You See?

Student Checklist

 

 

 

NAME:

 

 

 

 

 

COMPLETION

 

 

 

 

 

 

I COMPLETED SOME

 

 

 

 

 

 

I COMPLETED MOST

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I COMPLETED ALL

 

 

 

 

 

Listening

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discussion

Contribute to class discussion

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discussion

Listen and respond in conversation

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related Materials & Resources

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You See?: Bill Martin Jr./Eric Carle, ISBN-13: 978-0805053883

Author

H. Heffelfinger

Date Published

June 23, 2011
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