Grade: Grade 3 Subject: English Language Arts Created by: Henry Murphy Lesson Length: 2 hours 15 minutes Keywords/Tags: Reading, Vocabulary, Boy Who Cried Wolf, Wolves, Critical Thinking Lesson Description: This lesson will teach the students new vocabulary, critical thinking, reading skills, and reading comprehension skills in an entertaining way for both the teacher and the class. First, the teacher hand out copies of the story to each student and read the short story to the entire class. Then the students will be asked to do the vocabulary questions independently. After the vocabulary is done, the teacher will have a quick brainstorming period where he/she asks the class about some of the things they observed from the text to help expand the topic in their minds. The students will then be broken up into pairs and will complete the discussion and essay question portions of the lesson. This lesson should be broken up into around two days where the students do the vocabulary portion on the first day and the essay and discussion questions on the second so they have more incentive to retain what they have just read. After the essays are received, the teacher can read some of the answers out in class or they can be hung outside the classroom for the whole school to see and read.
Common Core Standards Covered with This Lesson
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.3: Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.6: Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Lesson Content: Reading
Instructions: Please read the following reading passage as many times as needed (aloud and silent) before starting to go through other lesson pages. Understanding the content of this passage is very important since the lesson activities will be all about this content. Feel free to print the passage if needed.
The Boy Who Cried Wolf!
There was once a boy who lived in a village up in the mountains. His family owned many sheep. The boy had a job, and that job was to watch the sheep. If a wolf came near, he needed to call for help. His sheep stayed on a hill near the village where he watched them every day.
One day, he thought of a trick he could play on the people who lived in the village. He was bored, so he thought this would be a way to have fun. He ran toward the village crying out loudly for help.
He shouted, "Wolf! Wolf! Come and help! The wolves are at my lambs! The wolves are trying to eat them!"
There were many villagers in the town. They heard him crying and thought that they had to help. So, the kind villagers left their work and ran to the field to help him. They would try to help him chase away the wolves and protect his lambs. However, when the villagers got there, the boy laughed at them. There was no wolf there. He just wanted to watch them come running! He thought it was funny.
Then another day the boy tried the same trick. Once again, the villagers came running to help him out, and once again the boy laughed at them.
Then, one day, a wolf really did come and it started chasing the lambs. In great fright, the boy ran for help. "Wolf! Wolf!" he screamed. "There is a wolf! Help! Please! Help! Please!”
All the villagers heard him, but this time they did not come. They thought he was pulling another mean trick. They had learned their lesson and did not need to be laughed at again. So, no one paid attention to him and the shepherd-boy lost all his sheep –they all ran away.
When people in the village found out what had happened, they were sorry, but they told the boy it was his fault. That is the kind of thing that happens to people who lie. Even when they tell the truth, no one believes them. People are just so used to their lies.
Task 1: Vocabulary Activity
(20 points)
Instructions: Please complete the following vocabulary activity by choosing the correct meaning of each word selected from the passage and use of each word correctly in a sentence.
Vocabulary Questions
Word/Phrase: crying | Tier: 3 | Points: 5
Q1
The author of the story said, "He was bored, so he thought this would be a way to have fun. He ran toward the village crying out loudly for help." What does crying mean in this sentence?
A. To have tears running down your face
B. To slap your hands together
C. To scream *
D. To sing
Which sentence uses the word "crying" in the same way as the author of the story?
A. The boy was crying too fast and fell down in the mud.
B. The little girl started crying when she found her friend in a game of hide and go seek. *
C. The man was crying down the highway when he saw a deer.
D. The tree started crying when the wind blew.
Word/Phrase: lamb | Tier: 2 | Points: 5
Q2
The author of the story said, "They heard him crying and thought that they had to help. So, the kind villagers left their work and ran to the field to help him. They would try to help him chase away the wolves and protect his lambs." What does the word "lamb" mean?
A. A baby sheep *
B. A small cow
C. A round rock
D. An old dog
Which sentence uses the word "lamb" in the correct way?
A. The boy wrote on his lamb when he was in math class.
B. The fluffy, white lamb drank from the small bucket of water. *
C. The old lamb look like it couldn't bark anymore.
D. The tiny lamb flew around the living room trying to find a way out.
Word/Phrase: fright | Tier: 2 | Points: 5
Q3
The author said, "Then, one day, a wolf really did come and it started chasing the lambs. In great fright, the boy ran for help. "Wolf! Wolf!" he screamed. "There is a wolf! Help! Please! Help! Please!” " Based on the word "fright", how is the boy feeling?
A. Mad
B. Happy
C. Bored
D. Scared *
What sentence uses the word "fright" correctly?
A. The woman was filled with fright after she found out that she was picked for her dream job.
B. The small man yelled out with fright because he could not see over the counter.
C. The ghost yelled "Boo!" and the children were filled with fright. *
D. The young girl found out her friend had moved and all she felt was fright.
Word/Phrase: fault | Tier: 3 | Points: 5
Q4
The author said "When people in the village found out what had happened, they were sorry, but they told the boy it was his fault. That is the kind of thing that happens to people who lie." What does the word "fault" mean?
A. Responsibility *
B. Sheep
C. Problem
D. Father
What sentence uses the word "fault" correctly?
A. It couldn't have been the old man's fault because he was out of town. *
B. The young woman found her fault underneath a small bush.
C. A mysterious person walked into the restaurant and took out his fault.
D. The two children laid in bed with their fault until they both fell asleep.
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.4,
Task 2: Discussion Activity
(30 points)
Instructions: This discussion forum will have questions for students to respond. Read the posted questions, and respond to each. Students are responsible for posting one initial and and two peer responses for each topic.
The Wolves Come
Why do the villagers not come to help the boy when the wolf comes?
Sent on: Oct 12, 2015 by: Henry Murphy
0
What could the boy have done differently?
What could the boy have done to make sure the villagers would come and help if any wolves came near the sheep?
Sent on: Oct 12, 2015 by: Henry Murphy
0
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.3, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1,
Task 3: Writing Activity
(50 points)
Instructions: .Write two paragraphs on how you would have acted if you were in the same position as the boy? What could you have done to pass the time instead of playing a trick on the villagers? Include what you would do if wolves had shown up near your sheep. In the boy's position, you want to be entertained, but also you want to do your job because these are your family's sheep.
Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.3, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.6, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.2,
