Granny Torelli Makes Soup Lesson:

Relating to Literature through Monologues

Stage 1 Desired Results
Content Standard(s):
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.3 Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on
specific details in the text (e.g., a characters thoughts, words, or actions).
Understandings:
Essential Questions/Big Ideas:
Students will understand that

Relate something from the book to your own

Retelling a story helps us remember the

life.
storys main idea and get to know the

Relate the book to another book youve read.

characters better.

Relate what youve read to something big. How

Knowing details about people, listening to

does this message relate to real life? How is this
peoples words and observing their actions,
text like something that is happening (or has
can tell us a lot about a person.
happened) in the world?

Making Connections through text, self and

Uniqueness. What makes you unique? How can

real life events.
your story help others? What is your "mission
statement"

Writing from first person perspective of a

character

Topics: Conflict Resolution, Cooking, Literary

Criticism and Analysis, Reading
Comprehension, Reading Response, Loyalty,
Grandparents and Grandchildren, Friends and
Friendship, Understanding Self and Others,
Visual Impairments

Student objectives (outcomes):

Students will know and be able to
Analyze characters using different tools and
strategies
Describe a character using a graphic
organizer
Using Venn diagrams, students will compare
the main characters from Granny Torelli
Makes Soup and the Bridge to Terabithia.
Identify Conflicts between characters in the
novel
Develop a conflict map, answering the
following questions: What is the conflict,
how is the conflict resolved and why does it
occur?
Identify order and narrative of a story.
Determine the meaning of words, phrases,
and directions
Compare and contrast points of view,
including the difference between first and
third-person narrations in the two novels

Students will build relationships by

Students will take turn drawing character cards
and pairing up in front of the class to share how
"they" (as the character) feel about another
character.
Students will work together to create a time line
of events on the board.
Each group of students gets a set of words to sort
into "big idea" or theme categories.
Students will relate their lives to the novel and
the characters.
Students will make family trees and use their
families as resources

Relating self to characters in the novels.

Write narratives to develop real or imagined
experiences or events using effective
technique, descriptive details, and clear event
sequences.
Differentiate between main and secondary
characters
Identify conflicts between characters and
internally
Stage 2 Assessment Evidence

Performance Task(s):
The group Venn diagram will show character traits for two main characters and the timeline will
demonstrate the sequence of events.
Students will work together to create a time line of events on the board.
Monologues will be written and performed, assessed with Rubric
8-10
5-7
2-4
0-1
Performs with Performs with Performs with It is difficult
Enunciation, Voice
a very clear
a clear voice, low to
to hear and
and energy
voice, high
energy and
medium
understand
energy and
articulation,
energy and
the student,
articulation,
pronunciation, articulation,
there is a lack
pronunciation, confidence,
pronunciation, of
confidence,
and intensity
confidence,
confidence,
and intensity
and intensity
energy and
articulation
is able to
needs
is not able to
Knowledge of Script is able to
perform
perform with constant
perform
successfully
little
prompting to
without script
with no
prompting
perform
prompting
Student
Student
Student
Student is not
Focus
remains
remains
struggles to
focused on
focused on
mostly
stay focused
the scene and
the scene and focused on
on the scene
is very
is not
the scene and and is
distracted by
distracted by
is not
distracted by
peers,
peers, visitors, distracted by
peers, visitors, visitors, and
and sounds
peers, visitors, and sounds
sounds
and sounds
the
the
the
the
Purpose
monologue
monologue
monologue
monologue
effectively
interprets the occasionally
rarely reveals
elaborates the thoughts,
reveals the
the thoughts,
thoughts,
feelings, and
thoughts,
feelings, and
feelings, and
context of the feelings, and
context of the
context of the speaker
context of the speaker
speaker
speaker

Objective/Character The character

analysis sheet
Analysis Sheet
was turned in
and
thoroughly
completed.
The actors
written
objective is
extremely
obvious
within the
performance.

The character
analysis sheet
was turned in
and
completed.
The actors
written
objective is
obvious
within the
performance.

The character
analysis sheet
was turned in
and mostly
completed.
The actors
written
objective is
mostly
obvious
within the
performance.

The character
analysis sheet
was turned in
and not
completed.
Or not turned
in
The actors
written
objective is
not obvious
within the
performance.
Total:
__/40

Self-Assessments

Students will write and perform monologues

they have written from the point of view of a
chosen character.
Students will create and self assess these
monologues and character analysis sheets.

Other Evidence (assessments)

Entries in Reflection journals each day.

Class Discussion participation
Graphic Organizer Assessment/ Open book:

Three columns- one for the character, one for

the trait and one for the evidence. The
assessment gives the students the choice of
which character they analyze. They can analyze
one character three times or three characters
one time.
Stage 3 Learning Plan
WHERE
[The acronym WHERE stands for evaluate the student is headed from the beginning to the end of the unit;
hook the student; explore the subject and equip the student; rethink work and ideas; and evaluate results.]
Learning Activities:

Develop a conflict map, answering the following questions: What is the conflict, how is the conflict
resolved and why does it occur? explore

Describe a character using a graphic organizer explore evaluate

Using Venn diagrams, students will compare the main characters from Granny Torelli Makes Soup and
the Bridge to Terabithia. explore
Writing Prompts for Reflection Journals:

In the story, Granny and Rosie are making soup. It requires a lot of preparation and a lot of time putting
the ingredients together to create the soup. Write about an activity that you like to do or something you
like to make and describe the steps that go into it. Where explore

In the story, while Rosie and Granny cook, they also talk. Rosie really enjoys spending time with
Granny. Write about someone you really enjoy spending time with. Describe what you like to do
together. where

A best friend is a special person. In the story, Rosie explains why she likes her best friend Bailey in the
first place. Write a paragraph describing why Rosie likes Bailey. explore

In the story, Granny Torrelli helps Rosie understand difficult feelings. Write a paragraph telling about
some of the difficult feelings that Granny Torrelli helps Rosie to accept. rethink

. Both Rosie and Granny Torrelli tell stories involving a dog. Compare their two stories. Why did
each of them get involved with a dog? How are their experiences similar? Different? explore
Group Activities:
In the story, Rosie learns how to read Braille just like Bailey. It is not an easy task. Rosie has to work
hard to be successful. Think about something difficult that you have learned to do. Write a paragraph
describing something difficult you learned to do. Share your paragraph with the class. Rethink explore
Class Discussion: How does Baileys blindness affect his friendship with Rosie? What changes? What
stays the same? How does their friendship differ from one between two people with sight? explore
Create a large Venn diagram combing each students diagram ideas to represent the main characters in
the two novels. evaluate

Lesson Activities:
Using Venn diagrams, students will compare the main characters from Granny Torelli Makes Soup and
the Bridge to Terabithia. evaluate
Watch examples of monologues and discuss what we notice. Hook equip explore
Family Tree: Students can explore their own heritage by creating a family tree. Have students examine
their ancestral roots and share with the class information about where their family originated (customs,
foods, etc. of their culture). Where explore
Show the students samples of Braille and discuss how visually impaired people read. Contact Services
for the Blind and Physically Handicapped section of the State Library to borrow Braille books. 1-800543-4702. Equip explore
Create Braille text using glue/puffy paint hook equip
Materials Needed:
Granny Torrelli makes soup by Sharon Creech
Braille Books
Construction paper
You tube clips of monologues
Glue
Puffy Paint
Power Point with writing prompts
Peer review work sheets
Rubrics
Feedback Strategies
Pre-Test

The first day of this unit, we will have a pretest. This pretest will not count for a grade, and I will let the
students know this. This will be used as a formative assessment/feedback tool to gauge what the
students already have understanding of. It will consist of reading a short excerpt and answering
questions about character traits using text evidence from the reading.

Interview Questions for Characters:

Students will make a list of interview questions for their character. This is important to do before we
start working on the monologues. This feedback activity will give me an idea if we have gone over the

basics of character analysis enough.

Journal Entries/Exit Slips:

These daily journal entries are acting similarly to exit slips. This will let me know that the students are
keeping up and following along.

Name Sticks

To make sure not all the same students are always answering questions, I use name sticks in the class to
ensure all students have a chance to share

Matching Game

To see if the students are having trouble matching character traits to the corresponding text evidence, we
will play this game
I will make two sets of cards, character traits and evidence text for the novel.
They separate the cards into traits and evidence and, in two groups, lay them out flat. On each turn, a
student draws a trait and an evidence card and reads them to the group. They then have to decide if that
piece of evidence matches that trait and then the group has to agree. If it is a match, the player gets to
keep the card and goes again. If it is not a match, the player replaces the cards and the next person goes.
Play continues until all cards have been collected.

Thoughtful and specific questions during class time to check for understanding:

Questions that encourage critical thinking, Such as: How does Baileys blindness affect his friendship
with Rosie?

Post it Notes for Monologue drafts:

Teacher will write specific feedback on a post-it note about the students successes or a suggestion for
improvement. Students will work to improve the work based on the feedback. Students can also add to
the note or add new notes to communicate with teacher.

Peer Edits of Monologues

Compliment the author (What are a few things that you liked about the authors writing?)
Make specific suggestions regarding the authors: Word choice Use of details Organization
Sentence length Topic
Mark corrections on the writing piece: Look for spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes.
Rubrics

Rubrics will include a letter grade and written, specific feedback of their performance and character
analysis. (See above in stage 2 for rubric)

References
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2006). Understanding by Design. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson Education, Inc.

Wiggins, G. (2012, September). Seven keys to effective feedback. Educational

Leadership, 70(1). 10-16. Retrieved from
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educationalleadership/sept12/vol70/num01/Seven-Keys-to-Effective-Feedback.aspx