Overarching Project with Activities
Project: Illustrated Books Without Words
Activity: Visual Literacy; Hank Finds an Egg
Activity: Spirituality, Moral Responsibility, and Resilience, The Hero’s Journey in Literature
Topic: Literacy/ The Hero’s Journey in Literature
Trilogy: Journey, Quest, and Return by Aaron Becker
Project: Illustrated books without words:
Key Goals for Understanding
(Differentiated)
COMPREHENSION: To understand and describe the events from the images alone, to develop skills in speculation and the exploration of ideas. To express ideas and enter into discussions and debate. Increase vocabulary. Explore the social and spiritual value of kindness. Understand the characteristics of the hero in a Hero's Journey or an individual during a Rite of Passage. The story of heroism is one of struggle and is distinguished from fame or success or even acts of kindness. Acts of kindness are performed without an incentive of reward and need not entail a struggle or rite of passage
COMPOSITION: To understand the framework and sequence of a story. Be able to narrate, retell, and create a story from images and/or materials, which spark imagination. Know an author or an artist is a real person and understand there is a concrete process involved in creating a story or a work of art. Understand the actions and characteristics, which identify a hero. Become familiar with the themes of the heroic journey and rites of passage. The rite of passage has three standard stages: separation, initiation, and return. Identify the stages through which a hero must move on a true Hero's Journey.
Palette of Activities
(Differentiated)
Whole class looks at the books lead by the teacher, group discussion of possible narrations from the photographs, each student makes a sequenced story map from the book’s images. From Hank Finds an Egg, Discuss Hank’s solution and other possible solutions to his dilemma. Discuss ways in which Hank displayed kindness. Look at the short documentary of the making of the book. Go on a nature walk to find similar materials to create a diorama/scenery, create a new story with other stuffed animals as main characters, discuss scenery appropriate for the characters and story lines. Students build a paper chain of acts of kindness from their own experiences and see how long it can be.
From The Trilogy, Journey, Quest, and Return discuss the attributes of a hero. Name heroes in stories and in real life.
Discuss the differences in heroism and kindness. Discuss the difference in a hero and a superhero? Discuss the difference in famous and heroic?
Discuss the theme of a story in which the central character is on a hero’s journey, and brainstorm own ideas of possible solutions to the main character’s struggle or dilemma.
Create a character on a Hero’s Journey or going through a Rite of Passage.
Identify the stages of the rite of passage in other characters from books.
Write or tell the story describing the characteristics of the central figure and the events which lead to the struggle through which the character is transformed. Look at the differences in a Hero and an Anti-hero. Distinguish heroes and antiheroes from popular films and books.
Range of Settings
Classroom, library, art room, outdoor setting in which to gather natural materials, zoo, nature reserve.
Cross Curricular Connections Built into Lesson
Art and Design in recreating Hanks scenes or new scenes in dioramas, students will have access to a range of materials to develop techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space. Photography is used in making a new story. Maths in looking at scale in creating the scenes by using natural materials ie., a sprig as a tree, etc.. Science in learning more about the hummingbird’s habitat and lifecycle.
Literature: The Hero’s journey as a theme in literature. History: Learning about the heroes of the past. British Values: Learning about British Heroes
External Partnerships/Connections and Resources
PDF Essay: Full of Adventures, Full of Wisdom: Children’s Literature as a Homeward Voyage by Tim Wadham
Web Essay: Why Kids Need Heroic Adventures by David Sanchez
Engagement Opportunities
(Differentiated)
Hank Finds an Egg: Asking key open-ended questions: Looking outside for similar natural materials to make a story using dioramas and photography. Finding stuffed animals in school to create new characters, Watch documentary about the author and the making of the book.
SaLT: Make the story alive in a sensory way. Gather materials, puppets, stuffed animals and sensory based objects to make the story more vivid. Use colourful semantics to sequence the story and enliven the narrative.
The Trilogy: Reading the 3 books. Watching videos of heroes and engaging in discussions. Comparing heroic characters in popular books and media.
Prompts: Visual and Verbal
(Differentiated)
See questions above. Example of a Diorama. A template for a Story Map posted on wall. Vocabulary words, differentiated, posted on wall. A small selection of natural materials displayed. Images photocopied from the book to create story map. A few stuffed animals to introduce after Hank’s story is told. A symbol of the circle representing the hero's journey and the three stages of a rite of passage. Free access to stack of books from the lists in the room.
Vocabulary to Introduce
(Differentiated)
Egg, forest, forest floor, hummingbird, protection, moss, glade, blade, campfire, fern, diorama, sunlit, scenery, nest, fragile, curious, intrigued, eggshell, hover, protagonist, dilemma, nightfall, beak, blanket, basket, leaves, tree, stones, sticks, found, woods, spring, wrap, tie, hero, resolution, plot, setting, characters, beginning, middle, end, story, fiction, create, hero, struggle, journey, passage, awakening, plot, motivation, myth, adventure, stages, mentor,
Materials and Preparation
Hank Finds an Egg: Multiple copies of the books. Photocopies of scenes to make story maps, paper, glue sticks, scissors, natural materials to recreate scenes or to make new scenes in a diorama, camera, light sources, printer, device on which to watch the documentary of the making of the book.
The Trilogy: Copies of the books, device on which to view the recommended videos, paper pencils.
Literature and Media to Support Lesson
(Differentiated)
Hank Finds an Egg by Rebecca Dudley
The Little Hummingbird by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas and Wangari Maathai, A Nest is Noisy by Dianna Hutts Aston, The Curious Bird Lover’s Handbook by Niall Edworthy and The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman
The Trilogy of Journey, Quest, and Return by Aaron Becker
Other Books:
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Dragon Wings by Laurence Yep
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert O'Brien
Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
What Makes A Hero
Kid President Talks to Tom Hanks about Heroes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zkn9F0WWf20
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgF1Enrgo2g
Additional Learning and/or Engagement Opportunities
(Differentiated)
Look at other wordless books.
Read about hummingbirds in library books or websites to learn about habitats and life cycles.
Build a bird’s nest. Engage in bird watching at a nature reserve or a zoo.
Gently drop a raw egg into a box to see it break to understand Hank’s challenge.
Read The Little Hummingbird to expand the theme of Kindness. Read interesting and unusual facts about birds such as the link to dinosaurs and intelligent behaviours. Provide independent inquiry opportunities with accessible resources and/or media.
Links are made to prior learning. Looking at the anti-hero. The Greek Myths
How is Understanding Assessed in This Lesson for the Group and/or Each Student
Hank Finds an Egg: Each student will create a sequenced story map with images from the book. Each student contributes to the narration of Hank’s story and also to other stories from picture-only books or stuffed animals and is able to predict events in the book looking at pictures only. Each student participates in the discussions of other possible outcomes of the story. Students display an understanding of kindness in discussions of the book and real experiences. Each student is able to create his own diorama with beginning, middle, and end sequences of a story.
The Trilogy; The Journey The Quest and The Return. Each Student is able to create a character on a Hero’s Journey or going through a Rite of Passage. Each student is able describe the sequence of experiences in a Rite of Passage.
The student can write or tell the story of the Trilogy describing the characteristics of the central figure and the events which lead to the struggle through which the character is transformed. The student is able to identify qualities of a hero during the Hero's Journey in other stories.
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Activity Planning Sheet
Teacher:…………………… Date:………………Class Group……………………………………………………………………….
Topic: Visual Literacy (Hank Finds an Egg)
Objectives and Curriculum Standards
Identify characters, settings and major events in a visual story. Retell story and demonstrate understanding of the characters and the central message.
Key Goals For Understanding
An ability to narrate a story from images. The identification of the main message and the important characters. The ability to breakdown the sequence of events and to retell or write that sequence.
Palate of Activities
With a small group of students, go through the book, Hank Finds an Egg by Rebecca Dudley. Ask students to describe each scene and then ask these questions: Who is the main character? Who are the secondary characters? Where does the story take place? What are the most important events in the story? What is the central message?
Sequence photo clips of the book to recreate the story.
Watch the video Storywoods by Mary Horan (7 minutes).
Gather natural materials to create a new story diorama.
Range of Settings
Classroom, Art room
The garden or park to collect elements to create a new story.
Cross Curricular Connections Built into Lessons
Art: Creating scenery and dioramas for storytelling. The setting is central to the story and is created by an artist, then photographed to make the book.
SEMH: Kindness and concern for others.
ICT: Photography and Film Making
Literature: The Hero’s Journey as a theme in literature.
External Partnerships/Connections and Resources
Engagement Opportunities
Looking at the story in photographs and discussing the possible narratives.
Brainstorming the central theme, and discussing possible solutions to the main character’s struggle or dilemma.
Watching the video of the making of the book.
Prompts; Visual and Verbal
Visual prompts in the book. Watching the video of the making of the scenery in the book. Introducing new vocabulary.
Vocabulary
hummingbird, nest, moss, forest, leaves, blanket, problem, solve, solution, blade, grass, ribbon, hero, brave, alone,
Materials & Preparation
iPad or computer on which to watch the video of the making of the book. Photographs of other dioramas using natural materials
art materials and natural materials to make dioramas of new stories, camera, card board box for each child
scissors, glue, paint, brushes
Literature & Media
Hank Finds an Egg by Rebecca Dudley
Storywoods by Mary Horan http://www.maryhoran.com/eastward/
Common Core Teaching Guide by Tony Buzzeo featuring lessons and visuals for Hank Finds an Egg
Additional learning and/ or Engagement Opportunities
Art: working with art materials and natural materials to illustrate a story
SEMH: Discussions regarding bravery and problem solving and working and being alone
How will the children’s understanding be assessed
Each student will create a sequenced story map with images from the book. Each student contributes to the narration of Hank’s story and also to other stories from picture-only books or stuffed animals and is able to predict events in the book looking at pictures only. Each student participates in the discussions of other possible outcomes of the story.
Students display an understanding of kindness in discussions of the book and real experiences.
Each student is able to create his own diorama with beginning, middle, and end sequences of a story.
Therapy Considerations: to be completed by therapists
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Activity Planning Sheet
Teacher:…………………… Date:………………Class Group……………………………………………………………………….
Topic: Spirituality, Moral Responsibility, and Resilience, The Hero’s Journey in Literature
The wordless books: The Trilogy of Journey, Quest, and Return by Aaron Becker or choose a book suitable to the class group and/or individual students.
Objectives and Curriculum Standards
Understand the actions and characteristics, which identify a hero.
Become familiar with the themes of the heroic journey and rites of passage.
Key Goals For Understanding
The rite of passage has three standard stages: separation, initiation, and return. The story of heroism is one of struggle and is distinguished from fame or success or even acts of kindness. Acts of kindness are performed without an incentive of reward and need not entail a struggle or rite of passage.
Palate of Activities
Discuss the attributes of a hero. Name heroes in stories and in real life.
Discuss the differences in heroism and kindness. Discuss the difference in a hero and a superhero? Discuss the difference in famous and heroic?
Discuss the theme of a story in which the central character is on a hero’s journey, and brainstorm own ideas of possible solutions to the main character’s struggle or dilemma.
Study a simplified version of Joseph Campbell’s Elements of the Hero’s Journey. According to Campbell the lesson of every myth is “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek” J.C. The treasure is personal growth. Ask students to think about their own fears and how they would feel if the fear or fears could be overcome.
Create a character on a Hero’s Journey or going through a Rite of Passage.
Write or tell the story describing the characteristics of the central figure and the events which lead to the struggle through which the character is transformed.
Range of Settings
Indoor and outdoor classrooms.
Cross Curricular Connections Built into Lessons
Literature: The Hero’s journey as a theme in literature.
History: Learning about the heroes of the past.
British Values: Learning about British Heroes.
External Partnerships/Connections and Resources
PDF Essay: Full of Adventures, Full of Wisdom: Children’s Literature as a Homeward Voyage by Tim Wadham
Web Essay: Why Kids Need Heroic Adventures by David Sanchez
Engagement Opportunities
The Trilogy: Reading the 3 books. Watching videos of heroes and engaging in discussions. Comparing heroic characters in popular books and media.
Prompts; Visual and Verbal
A symbol of the circle representing the hero's journey posted for class to view and the three stages of a rite of passage. Free access to stack of books from the lists in the room. Videos.
Vocabulary
hero, resolution, plot, setting, characters, beginning, middle, end, story, fiction, create, hero, struggle, journey, passage, awakening, plot, motivation, myth, adventure, stages, mentor,
Materials & Preparation
Copies of the trilogy books, other books, device on which to view the recommended videos, paper pencils.
Literature & Media
The wordless books: The Trilogy of Journey, Quest, and Return by Aaron Becker
Other Books:
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Dragon Wings by Laurence Yep
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert O'Brien
Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
Additional learning and/ or Engagement Opportunities
Looking at the anti-hero. The Greek Myths
How will the children’s understanding be assessed
Each Student is able to create a character on a Hero’s Journey or an individual going through a Rite of Passage. Each student is able describe the sequence of three stages in a Rite of Passage.
The student can write or tell the story of the Trilogy describing the characteristics of the central figure and the events which lead to the struggle through which the character is transformed. The student is able to identify qualities of a hero during the Hero's Journey in other stories.
Therapy Considerations: to be completed by therapists
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