Reef of Death Part A- Chris Little Aesthetic Response Create a Haiku Poem
Purpose of the lesson: 1. To activate the verbal/linguistic/intrapersonal intelligences 2. To review and practice using adjectives and phrases to enhance written expression 3. To explore the poetry genre
Materials: 1. Chart paper for brainstorming 2. Reef of Death by Paul Zindel 3. Haiku writing guide (attached) 4. Art paper and coloring supplies
Procedure: 1. Brainstorm adjectives and verb, adjective and adverbial phrases to describe the creature in The Reef of Death. This can be a progressive activity and as a form of review, adding to the list as the reading of the novel progresses. 2. Encourage references to the fear evoked by the creature’s presence and attacks and by the losses experienced by the characters as well as physical descriptions of the creature. 3. Use the attached guide to develop and write an original Haiku poem. 4. Edit, write in final copy form, illustrate and practice reading orally poem
Evaluation: Peers listen to, appreciate and positively critique classmates’ poetry. Haiku Poetry
Haiku is a Japanese poem form. It has three non-rhyming lines: the first line has five syllables, the second has seven and the third has five.
Here are two examples of Haiku poems:
Waves Guinea Pigs
Waves crash against rocks Fuzzy, furry friends Roaring, crashing, foamy white Scratching claws and high-pitched squeaks Bringing beautiful seashells Friendly, funny classroom pets
Waves Guinea Pigs
Waves crash a gainst the shore Fuz zy, Fur ry friends (5) (5) Roar ing, crash ing, foam y white Scratch ing claws and high- pitched squeaks (7) (7) Bring ing beau ti ful sea shells Friend ly, fun ny class room pets (5) (5)
Write your own Haiku poem. Use one line for each syllable. Try to select colorful, exciting vocabulary from our brainstorming list!
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______Reef of Death Part B- Chris Little Critical Analysis
What makes it scary? Purpose:
1. To provide students with the awareness that the author employed various techniques to stimulate feelings of fear and excitement in the reader and to remind students that they are knowledgeable of what these techniques are. 2. To provide the students to an opportunity use these techniques and a real life experience to tell a story of a frightening experience in their past. 3. To provide students experience at writing a narrative piece.
Materials: 1. The Reef of Death 2. Chart paper, overhead or chalkboard to list student-generated descriptions of what makes a story, movie or experience suspenseful. 3. Attached worksheet to serve as an organizer for individual writing.
Procedures: 1. Individually or as a class, read through chapter three to allow students to feel some of the tension the author is attempting to achieve. 2. Discuss the elements the author has used to generate these feelings in the reader. Expand this discussion to include techniques used in visual productions as well. 3. Ask students to remember a time when they have experienced feelings of fear or dread. Complete the attached worksheet paying especially close attention to questions regarding the setting and the physiological responses to the fear. 4. Have students write their story trying to incorporate some of the techniques employed by the author. Encourage them to present their story orally.
Evaluation: Students have improved ability to recognize and discuss events as they occur in the story. Why was it so scary? (To be used before chapter 3)
In this box, sketch one of the scariest occurrences in your life.
Where did this take place? ______
When did this take place? ______
If you were with someone else, who were you with? ______
Were they as frightened as you were? ______
What was your first reaction? ______
What were some of your physiological responses? ______
______What did you do next? ______
How do you feel about this occurrence now? ______
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Why do you think this was so scary at the time? ______
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Reef of Death Part C- Chris Little Intervention- Ideas enhanced with information from Put Reading First-The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children to Read National Institute for Literacy
Purpose: 1. To give students a purpose for reading 2. To focus students’ attention on what they are to look for as they read 3. To help students think actively as they read 4. To provide students with a model for monitoring their comprehension 5. To help students review content and relate what they have learned to what they already know.
Materials: 1. Selected chapter from The Reef of Death 2. Chart paper
Procedure: 1. Key focus questions posted on chart paper or chalkboard. Questions should be related to the higher level thinking skills and should require that students assimilate information and make inferences or deductions in order to properly answer them. Question should be limited to three or four. 2. Have students take turns reading the passage orally. Periodically direct their attention to the questions and note any comments to model the gathering of information. Do not limit note to correct responses at this point. Later, show students how to evaluate information that they initially considered to be important. 3. When passage is complete, demonstrate using the gathered information to formulate clear and complete sentence responses to the questions.
Evaluation: 1. Share responses orally. Have class evaluate answers according to accuracy, clarity and thoroughness.