Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Circus!

Lots of reading ideas at the bottom of this lesson.  The circus is coming to our area next week, so I'm taking advantage of the TV publicity to have a circus theme.  This is a variation of last year's, with updated book choices.  Enjoy.  Next week... pirates!

Intent
Students are introduced to conventions of print and story elements in a lesson about the circus.  We read assorted literature.

Introduction
Bring students to carpet, get them settled.

Welcome Song (To London Bridge is Falling Down)

        Welcome to the library, library, library. Welcome to the library,
        Please come inside and read. 

        We’re glad to have you here today, here today, here today. 
        We’re glad to have you here today, today’s a special day.


Finger play: This is Big (source: traditional)

This is big big big                 Hold arms out to side
This is small small small      Cup hands together
This is short short short       Hold hands w/palms facing each other
This is tall tall tall                 Reach one hand above head
This is fast fast fast              Circle fists quickly
This is slow slow slow          Circle fists slowly
This is yes yes yes               Nod
This is no no no                    Shake head


Library Expectations:
“4 finger rules” of the library:
quiet (finger to mouth)
watch teachers (fingers to eyes)
listen to stories and directions (cup ears)
and always walk (walking fingers.)


Mystery Bag:  rope (many purposes, but focus on “tightrope walker” aspect.  Does this sound fun or scary?)


Word of the Week: say it, syllabicate it TEACHER draws it in the air, invites students to “air write” with her. 

 English:  Circus
 Spanish: Circo (SEAR-koh)

ASL Sign:     ASL Sign: Circus: http://www.aslpro.com/cgi-bin/aslpro/aslpro.cgi (Sign language is a real language where people use their hands to communicate.)  Here is the sign for circus.  Put your thumb and middle finger of your left hand on top your right hand.  Then move your right hand in small circles:  can anyone guess what this is?  It’s a person standing up, riding a horse in the circus ring!


Resource
Book Say Hola to Spanish at the Circus by S. M. Elya, Lee & Low, 1999.)

Before: This book teaches us words in Spanish and tells a story in English.  See how many words YOU know, and how many you can figure out from the pictures and other words.

During: Check for understanding in both languages.  Name animals, note similarities (leone=lion, jirafa=giraffe, etc.)

After:  Share circus experiences.  Which events have children seen, either on TV or in real-life?  Which look exciting?
Activity
(Standing)Action Rhyme:          
The Tightrope Walker
  • While the band is playing  Back and forth I go (pretend to walk tightrope)
  • High above the people Sitting far below (look down)
  • While the crowd is cheering (clap hands) 
  • I sway from side to side (sway body with arms out)
  • Now my act is over (take a bow)  
  • And down the pole I slide! (pretend to slide down pole)

Resource
PoemMr. Brown the Circus Clown
Mr. Brown, the circus clown
puts his clothes on upside down.
He wears his hat upon his toes
and socks and shoes upon his nose.

He ties his ties around his thighs
and wraps his belt around his eyes.
He hangs his earrings from his hips
and stockings from his fingertips.

He puts his glasses on his feet
and shirt and coat around his seat.
And when he's dressed, at last he stands
and walks around upon his hands.
--Kenn Nesbitt

Before Reading:  I love poetry.  Have you ever heard a poem?  Poems are usually short, rhyming stories.  Sometimes they’re sad, sometimes they’re funny.  This week’s poem is about a funny clown.

During Reading:  Read the poem.  Provide the picture and text for class to see. 

After Reading: Reveal picture- is this what you thought it looked like?

Resource
Book:  The Circus Ship by Chris Van Deusen (Candlewick Books, 2009)

Pre-Reading:  How does the circus travel from town to town?

During Reading:  Name animals as you go. 

After Reading:  This is based on a true story.  Talk about how kids would react if this happened in their town.

Activity:
Tightrope walking (just masking tape!) to the video area where we watch…

Resource
You see a circus, I see.. (accessed on Tumblebooks)
Pre-Reading:  make it clear that this is the story of a boy who is IN the circus… he lives and travels with the circus.
During:
After Reading:  Which circus job would you like?
Resource
Jokes:  From Clowning Around: Jokes about the circus (Watson, Rick and Ann, Lerner Publications, 1989.)
Craft
Circus coloring pages. 

Wrap-up
Review: word of week and intent. 
We are putting finishing touches on library cards this week so we are ready for checkout next week.  (Lots of changes in the kindergarten roster; our original class lists needed to be thrown out!)



Other book ideas:
·         Circus Shapes by Stuart Murphy
·         Olivia Saves the Circus by Ian Falconer (didn’t go over so great last year, so I decided to try another story)
·         If I Ran The Circus by Dr. Seuss.  (Good grief, this is a LONG book.  If you choose it, try paper-clipping pages together or it may take all hour!)
·         Books about clowns.


This Week’s TEKS:        1 (A) words represented by print
                                    1 (C) 1:1 correspondence word/print
                                    1 (F) Conventions of Print
                                    1 (G) Parts of A Book
                                    2 (B) Identify Syllables in spoken words
                                    3 (A) Identify common sounds letters represent
                                    4 (A) Identify what happens next based on cover, illustration
                                    4 (B) Ask & respond to questions about text
                                    6 (A) Identify elements of a story: setting character, key events
                                    6 (C) Recognize sensory details
                                    7      Poetry has regular beat, similar word sounds (rhyme, alliteration)
                                    8 (B) describe characters in a story and reasons for their actions
                                    10 (D) use titles/illustrations to make predictions about text
                                    10 (B) retell important facts in an expository text
18 (A)  use phonological knowledge to match sounds to letters
19 (A) ask questions of classwide interest (with adult assistance)
20 (A) gather evidence from provided text sources (with adult assistance)
                                    21 (A) listen attentively by facing speakers and asking questions
                                    21 (B) Follow oral directions that involve a short, related sequence of events
                                    RC(fig 19) (D)  make inferences based on cover, title, illustrations and plot
                                    RC(fig 19) (A) discuss purpose for reading & listening to various texts
RC(fig 19) (A) discuss purpose for reading or listening to various texts
                                    RC(fig 19) (B)  ask and respond to questions about texts


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