Why the Banana Split ~ Word Play Activity. Lifelong Learnings: Creative Thinking, Word Power, Language Usage, Listening Skills, Collaborative Learning

Transcription

1 Why the Banana Split ~ Word Play Activity Lifelong Learnings: Creative Thinking, Word Power, Language Usage, Listening Skills, Collaborative Learning Overall Expectations: Recognise a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements and demonstrate understanding of how they help communicate meaning Assessment: Observation, Anecdotal Notes, Work Samples Prior Knowledge: Students will have various entry points with word association which is why it is important to have students in flexible groupings. Students should know the difference between an open sort and a closed sort. If they do not know a pre-lesson or mini-lesson beforehand will be necessary. Materials/Teacher Preparation: Why the Banana Split by Rick Walton (multiple copies for extension lessons if possible) 1 set of words cut apart and placed in an envelope per group (see attachment). This needs to be prepared ahead of time. Students placed in flexible groupings List of additional idioms anchor chart or overhead (see attached) Anchor chart definition of Idioms Writer s Notebook, Paper for each student Reader s Response Notebook (optional) Modifications/Accommodations: Since this lesson involves flexible groupings all students may participate. Introduction & Instructions: Two Consecutive 40 Minute Periods Explain: students will be participating in their group and exploring words which will be found in the envelope to be handed out shortly. The task is to take the words out and using an open sort try to figure out a way to arrange the words and/or phrases. Review: group work expectations (e.g. everyone participates, noise level). Distribute: envelopes one per group and have the students begin the task Travel: around the room observing how each group is attacking the task. Try not to give hints about possible sorts unless a group is totally stuck. Press/Pause: and bring class back to whole group situation. Invite: each group to share how they sorted their words and why they chose to sort them in that manner. Continue: this until every group has had the opportunity to share. Examine: why different groups sorted different ways and the impact these sorts had on student schema.

2 Challenge: the students to do another open sort without using a previously shared idea. Permit: plenty of time to explore different sorts and come back whole group to share students ideas and discuss reasoning behind sorts. Do this several times and you will notice that the students have an abundance of ideas for a variety of possible sorts. Observe: students to determine levels of schema. For example, a student may not know that lettuce is referred to as a head of lettuce therefore it may be difficult for that student to link those two things together. Whereas another student in the group may know this and share it with the others providing peer scaffolding. Share: that you will now be reading a book to the students that might help them to understand how the words may relate to one another. Students may keep their last sort in front of them during the reading to compare and contrast their sorts. Read: Why the Banana Split whole group. Compare/Contrast: how their sorts relate or did not relate to the book. Enquire: how illustrations and context may play an important part in understanding text and why. Ponder: if words impact on comprehension order of words choice of words and if so why. Introduce/Review: the term Idiom by posting the definition on an anchor chart or overhead. Challenge students to determine whether all of the phrases are idioms or not and if so which ones would be considered an idiom and why. Add these to the bottom of the list of idioms anchor chart. Enquire: to the purpose of using idioms (in daily conversations, writing). You may link this to Traits of Writing Word Choice - as a review or introduction lesson to this trait. Application: One 40 Minute Period Explain: that students are to select an idiom from the anchor chart or one that they may have heard before and illustrate the idiom in both the literal form and the inferential form. Distribute: blank paper and have the students fold it in half portrait style. Instruct: students to write their idiom across the top and on the left half of the paper write Literal and on the right side of the paper write Inferential. After illustrating each the student will give a brief description of the literal and inferential meaning in the appropriate half of the paper. Extensions: Student reflection in RRJ or Writer s Notebook about the story Why the Banana Split possible connections they have made or how it may impact their reading and writing in the future Write a short story naturally incorporating three idioms into the writing. Create a class book that extends the story Why the Banana Split adding other phrases that would fit the style of the book

3 Definition - Idioms are phrases with non-literal meanings. hit the books, make a beeline, a frog in the throat, blow his or her stack, hit the nail on the head, and walls have ears, catch a cold, see eye to eye, under the weather, stuffed to the gills, out of the frying pan and into the fire, slow boat to China, nose to the grindstone, on pins and needles, fly off the handle, toot your own horn, pie in the sky, head in the sand, lay down the law, born yesterday, feel like a million bucks, just what the doctor ordered, hold your horses, cat has your tongue, going bananas, bury the hatchet a bummer a class act a couch potato a fly on the wall a horse of another colour a tough cookie bark up the wrong tree beat around the bush bend over backwards bent out of shape break her heart blow your top don t burn your bridges call it a day cat got your tongue caught his eye chewing the fat clear the air copycat cost an arm and a leg cut it out crocodile tears dog days of summer don t pull my leg don't count your chickens don't have a cow down in the dumps eagle eyes eating crow fishing for a compliment get someone's goat get it off your chest get the ball rolling give me a break give me a hand give someone the boot go ape go behind someone's back have a ball have a canary head over heels hit the books hit the sack hold your horses holy cow I m all ears in the dark in the dog house in the red it's raining cats and dogs kick the bucket left out in the cold let the cat out of the bag lose your cool my two cent's worth pick my brain proud as a peacock put on the back burner read my mind rock the boat sharp as a tack shoot the breeze spill the beans straight from a horse's mouth it rings a bell under the weather up to one's ears walk on eggshells work like a dog

4 jump ropes skipped town astronauts bananas cows took off slipped away moved on jackhammers hit the road

5 lettuce headed out water boots ran off took a hike knives cut and ran train made tracks

6 basketball players went traveling baseball players struck out drum shopkeepers snakes beat it good buy so long

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