Book Club Lesson Plan

Information
Calvin Book Club Leader: Rachel Vos
Grade: 4th
Date: December 4, 2017
Subject area: ELA.
1. Main Focus: How to Steal a Dog, Chapters 17-18 (p. 136-150), After talking with Georgina and
Mookie, Georgina begins to feel very guilty about stealing Willy.

Preparation
Common Core Standard: 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 character’s
thoughts, words, or actions).
Teaching and Learning Outcomes (Goals. SWBAT): Students will be able to use
evidence from the text in Chapter 17 to describe what they have learned
1
about various characters in the book.
Assessment: Read students’ character traits organizers in their journals, looking
for at least three new things they learned about characters in this chapter
along with evidence to support what they know. Listen to students share their
characteristics in the group (each student should share at least once).
Common Core Standard: W.4.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts,
supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
Teaching and Learning Outcomes (Goals. SWBAT): Students will be able to
2 write a letter to Georgina after reading Chapter 17-18, giving her advice about
what to do about her situation with Willy.
Assessment: Read the letters students write to Georgina, looking for at least two
pieces of advice with supporting reasons for each.
Common Core Standard: SL.4.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on
grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own
clearly.
3 Teaching and Learning Outcomes (Goals. SWBAT): Students will be able to
discuss Georgina’s situation in Chapters 17-18 and what she should do next with
the group
Assessment: Listen to students share their thoughts in the group discussion. Each
student should share at least one time.
Differentiation (UDL)
For content: Allow each student to list their own definitions so they can use
vocabulary that they are familiar with. While writing in the graphic organizers,
students are able to write at their own level. Students can choose which
characteristics they would like to write in their graphic organizers and share with the
group.
The process: Students are able to write as much or as little in their graphic organizers
as they would like. Students will discuss their thoughts on Georgina’s situation before
writing their letters. This will support students in their writing.
Student outcomes: Students will complete vocabulary cards and work on the
timeline in their notebooks. These activities allow for differentiation as students are
able to write at their own level. Have students share at least once in the group
discussion, but do not make them share more than that if they do not want to.
 Book Club Lesson Plan
Materials and other preparation
- Books, notebooks, folders, trifold board, index cards, markers, crayons,
pencils, PowerPoint, graphic organizers, journal prompt, nametags for each
character.
- Place an index card with each student’s name on it in the place they should
sit. Seat the students in this order: Lily, Mariella, Abby, Chase, Elaine
The Lesson
TIME TEACHER ACTIVITY STUDENT ACTIVITY
Motivating, Engaging. (Introduction)
- Show students the word whoosh. Ask students what - Guess what whoosh
they think this word might mean. means.
- Show students pictures of the word and ask if that helps
them think about the meaning.
- Explain that the word whoosh means: a rushing
movement of air.
8 - Have students fill out their vocabulary notecards with - Fill out vocabulary
the information for the word. card.
- Show students the word splotchy. Ask students what - Guess what
they think this word might mean. splotchy means.
- Show students pictures of the word and ask if that helps
them think about the meaning.
- Explain that the word splotchy means: a colored spot
or stain.
- Have students fill out their vocabulary cards for the - Fill out vocabulary
word. card.
- Have students take out their summaries from last time. - Share their summary
Use the spinner to call on two students to share their of either Chapter 15
summary from Chapter 15. Write their summaries on or Chapter 16.
7 chart paper. Use the spinner to call on the other three
students to share their summaries of Chapter 16. Write
their summaries on chart paper.
- Ask students which important events from these
chapters we should put on our timelines. (Possible
answers include: Toby meets Mookie, Georgina talks
with Carmella, Georgina talks with Mookie and feels
guilty.)
- Record important events students suggest on the - Record events on
timeline. their timelines.
Development (Process)
- Explain that we are going to read Chapter 17 kind of
like a reader’s theater. Everyone will have a different
character whose lines they will read.
- Give each student a nametag for the character whose
lines they will be reading. (Mariella: Mama, Lily: Toby,
Abby: Georgina, Elaine: Narrator 1, Chase: Narrator 2).
Elaine and Chase will switch off being the narrator
every page.
10 - Read Chapter 17 as a group. - Read Chapter 17.
- After reading, have students write down two new - Fill out the
things they learned about characters in this chapter. character chart.
(They could also choose to add information they
 Book Club Lesson Plan
learned in Chapters 15-16 since we didn’t meet for
8 those two chapters.)
- Go around the circle and have each student share - Share what is on
one thing they wrote down along with their evidence. their organizer.
12 - Play audiobook recording of Chapter 18. - Listen to Chapter
- Tell the students I have a question for them to think 18.
about: How is Georgina feeling write now about
stealing Willy? What do you think she should do?
- Give students time to think about the question. - Think about the
- Use the spinner to call on students to share their question.
15 thoughts. - Share their thoughts
- Then, ask the students: What advice would you give about the
Georgina? What would you tell her to do? questions.
- After the discussion, show students the journal prompt - Write a letter with
for the day: Write a letter to Georgina giving her 2 advice for
pieces of advice for what she should do about Willy. Georgina.
- Give students the choice to share their letters with the
group if they want (and if time allows).
Closure.
- Ask students what events they think would be
important to add to our timeline from Chapters 17 and
18. Possible answers include: the family car breaks
down, Toby and Georgina talk about feeling guilty,
5 and Carmella talks with Georgina about the money.
- Write the events on our group timeline and have - Add events to their
students write them in the back of their journals. timeline.
- Collect materials, pray, and say goodbye.