Early

Read several poems or books of your choice about the four seasons to the children. After reading, hold a brief discussion with the students about what they like about a particular season.

Have the children break into four groups. Using chart paper, label one for each season next to the setting icon. Ask the groups to rotate from one “season” to another and brainstorm all the words that the particular season makes them think of. Have one student be the recorder for each group and have each group use a different color maker...

Miss Nelson Is Missing, written by Harry Allard and illustrated by James Marshall, is one of my favorites for comparing characters. It is a book that may be used at a variety of levels. Read the story for enjoyment. After, discuss the “two” characters, Miss Nelson and Miss Swamp.

Fill out individual character maps for each character or fill out one map for both characters as shown below which was done with a third grade class. Have children talk about the map(s) with one another.

Give each child a completed map identical to the one on your white board and on the reverse side have ready a map with just a blank template for drawing.

Ask the children to look at the side with the text and review the compare/contrast items they came up with in the previous lesson. Make, and have ready, several baggies containing the compare/contrast words presented yesterday and ask students to place them in front of them, as shown.

Review the two stories with the children using the narrative icons/map and present the Compare/Contrast Map on a white board (or chart paper, depending on your situation). I set it all up ahead of time.

Begin by explaining the map to the children. Then, suggest that we start thinking of ways the two stories are the same/different using the SGM retelling icons. Start with the Character icon. Ask the children how Hilda and Gerald are the same/different...

These lessons would occur over a period of several days. I usually begin with Hilda Must Be Dancing, but it doesn’t matter which story you choose to work on first.

Read the story to the children. Present a map to the children of a complete episode with the icons going down the center. You may use either chart paper or use the magnets on a white board, as shown.

After reading one of the stories, map it out, icon by icon, engaging the children in the process. After reading one of the stories, map it out, icon by icon, engaging the children in the process. Keep the chart up and model retelling the story using your SGM^® Teacher Marker…

Children’s book author and Illustrator, Bernard Waber created many books for children including the Lyle the Crocodile series and Ira Sleeps Over. Another book, You Look Ridiculous Said the Rhinoceros to the Hippopotamus, is an old favorite that lends itself very well to introducing/reinforcing the SGM^®/Braidy^® List Map.

In this story, the hippopotamus is told by a series of other jungle animals that she looks ridiculous. Each animal then tells the hippopotamus that she needs features that he/she possess (examples include the leopard telling the hippo she needs spots and the giraffe telling the hippo she needs a long neck)...