Order, Order

Designed by: Kristin Reinfurt, Rosewood Elementary

Grade Level: Three       Subject: Reading

Core Curriculum: Sequence events and/or steps in a process using dramatizations, retellings, charts, story maps, or media (3-CM-5)

Overview: The students will discover the steps for making a book. They will determine some words used to show sequence. They will then write five steps for how to do any process of their choice and create a visual to illustrate the steps. Each student will present his/her project for the class.

Focus Question: How can we show the steps in a process with more than words?

Time Frame: Three one-hour class periods

Resources:

www.harperchildrens.com/howabook/bkstep1.htm

AverKeys (if available)

Computer with internet access

Chart paper

Index cards

Construction paper

Crayons, Markers, Colored Pencils

Glue and Scissors

Digital Camera

Culminating Assessment: Students will write out five steps for a process/ how to do something in words. They will have a visual to accompany each of the steps that shows that they understand how to sequence steps in a process. The teacher will use the following rubric for assessment.

Instructional Activities:

Activity One:   Begin by asking the students to come to an area where they can all see the TV screen (if an AverKey is available) or a computer monitor with internet access. Once everyone is settled, ask them to go push in their chairs at their desks and come back to the gathering area. Turn on the TV once they are settled, then ask them to get a pencil and paper from their desks and come back to the gathering area. Ask students why it took so long for them to be ready for this activity. (The directions did not make sense because they were not in order.) Discuss a better way to give those same directions where they do everything at their desks before coming to the gathering area and then the TV is turned on and the activity can begin. Come to the conclusion that the order in which you give/read/write directions is important.

Show students the web site www.harperchildrens.com/howabook/bkstep1.htm which shows a really good explanation on a child's level of seven steps that it takes to publish a book. Look at each picture and read aloud the accompanying explanation for each step. Point out that the picture at each step shows what is happening in the words. Discuss sequence words in the explanations that help show the order in the bookmaking process (first, second, next, then, step #1, finally, etc.). Make a class list of these words on a piece of chart paper. Further illustrate the point that the order in a process is important by reading through the process where the order is mixed up and discuss the problems. For example, if step #7 was first, then step #1, the press would be printing the book before the author has even written the book.

Hand each group five index cards. Ask them to work together to come up with five steps (each written in a sentence) that it takes to make an ice cream sundae. Each card should have one sentence written on it that explains the step. Remind them to use a sequence word in each sentence that helps show the order of the steps. They should brainstorm which steps they want to write before writing. If time allows, have them illustrate each step with a picture on the back. Encourage peer editing and cooperation, but also monitor and give help and feedback as needed.

Activity Two:

Have the groups share their ice cream sundae making steps. Encourage them to notice that all of the groups do not have the same steps or words, but as long as the steps are explained clearly and in order, you will still be able to follow those directions and make a sundae. Again, point out sequence words and add to chart.

Discuss other processes where the order of the directions is important. (recipes, game instructions, schedules, giving directions, setting up something new with an owner's manual or instruction booklet, etc.) Discuss some of the ways that there are to show the steps in a process. It would be helpful to have some actual recipes, game instructions, owner's manuals, etc. to show the class. Some ways are to make a chart, draw pictures with a short caption for each, make a flip book with one step on each page, act it out, or take pictures. Model/explain each of these ways as needed.

Tell students that they are going to teach the class how to do something. They will need to write out five steps and include a visual for each step. Brainstorm ideas as a class: how to make chocolate milk, how to brush your teeth, how to get from home to school, how to pass third grade, etc. Encourage divergent ideas and creativity. Hand each student a copy of the assessment rubric and go over your expectations. Explain that the visual part has to do with whatever they do that is not written out in words. It could be the pictures they draw, the acting they do as they dramatize the steps in front of the class, the pictures they take with the digital camera, etc. However, they will also be assessed on their written steps for them being written clearly, in order with sequence words included. Each student should come up with his/her own process and do his/her prewriting and brainstorming of the five steps on index cards. Encourage them to share their index cards with a neighbor to get feedback before using the available materials to publish the steps of their process.

Activity Three: Allow students time to finish creating their project. Have them present their process for the class. Post the projects on a bulletin board.

Extensions: 

* Have the students volunteer to bring in one of the ingredients for an ice cream sundae. Follow the steps written down by your group to create your own ice cream sundae.

* Relate this skill to science, by looking at life cycles of animals or other cycles like the rain cycle. There is a nice, detailed metamorphosis of a butterfly at http://www.milkweedcafe.com if you click on the life cycle of butterflies and moths.

* Relate this skill to social studies by sequencing historical events.

* Relate this skill to math by having students explain how they solved a problem. First I, then I, next I, finally I. This is hard for most third graders initially, but it really gets them used to explain their thought processes in problem solving.